Persecution is not alien to Christians and Christianity. From the first century itself Christians were persecuted severely from the hands of the Jews and the Romans. Christians were treated as animals, banned from society, imprisoned unjustly and they were made to be the scapegoat of the Emperor’s mistake. The Roman Colosseumswere designed to host brutal events, with a complex system of pulleys, counterweights, and ramps to facilitate the movement of animals, gladiators, and scenery. Christians withstood all forms of ill-treatment and proved themselves to be positive contributors in the society.
Persecution of Christians in India are not isolated events, and it is ever increasing. The most horrifying thing is the silence of the powers that be, allowing religious hate speeches and mass murder campaigns within their political jurisdiction. Presently there are 12 states in India that haslegislated Anti-conversion law. India is a secular state; this has been proudly enshrined in the Constitution of India. Nevertheless, India’s state-level anti-conversion laws violate international human rights law’s protections for the right to freedom of religion or belief. The international human rights law protects the right of an individual to convert to a different religion or belief or to become non-religious. Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) provides that everyone has the right to freedom of religion or belief including “freedom to change” their religious beliefs. Article 18(1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) provides that everyone has the “freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief” of their choice.India is not an isolated country, with greater population; greater responsibilities arecoming to India and other countries look upon India as an international democratic figure. Yet, divisive forces like Hindutva ideology, UCC and anti-conversion bills are disturbing the citizen’s harmony in India.
Regardless of harsh treatments received from the majority Hindu, Christians in India has contributed enormously to the nation-building. In fact, there was an immense contribution of Christians in the nation building. Allan Octavian Hume was a Christian, who founded the Indian National Congress which vehemently opposed the British Raj prior to India’s independence. Christian participation in the Indian Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920 was significant. Though there are no statistics to show how many participated, the fact that Christians participated is enough to show Christian’s active participationtowards India’s struggle.It would be unfair not to mention the works of Mother Teresa, who ministered to the poor, sick, orphaned and dying– most often from the extremely marginalized community who were considered as dregs because they fall outside the realm of the Hindu caste system, thereby charting an alternative path to dignified living through compassion and selfless service.
Jawaharlal Nehru mentioned and acknowledged the contributions of the missionaries in his book Discovery of India, especially the Baptists of Serampore, with regard to the printing of books, newspapers and introducing English education thereby allowing regional languages to thrive. Social evils like infanticide, child marriage and Sati wereabolished in India with the help of Lord Wellesley, Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Lord William Bentinck and William Carey in 1802 and 1829. Additionallyseveral Christian Medical colleges were established, one in Ludhiana by Edith Brown in 1893 and the other one in Vellore by Ida Scudder in 1895.
These medical colleges served beyond physical illness, they also extended profound educational programs to the mentally challenged and the disabled. Mukti Mission in Kedgaon especially for the orphaned girls and abused women was founded by PanditaRamabhai in 1898, also Amy Carmichael started rescue for the girls who had been forced to temple prostitution in 1901. Indian Christians were also involved in the freedom movement, leaders like K.T Paul, VengalChakkarai, Bishop Paul Appaswamy, Bishop Waskom Pickett, E. Stanley Jones and Bishop V.S Azariah.
Besides B.R Ambedkar’s relentless work in the drafting of the Indian Constitution were several Christians who played pivotal role in framing the Constitution under the leadership of SardarVallabhai Patel; Raj KumariAmritKaur, Elbar D’Souza, P.K Salvry, H.C. Mukherji, J.J. M. Nichols Roy and J.N.P Roch Victoria.
How can we forget the Jesuit, Thomas Stevens (15-49-1619) who wrote KhristaunPuran of eleven thousand stanzas which scholars considered a masterpiece of Marathi language?Besides that, Fr. Antonio de Monserratte (1566-1600) must be credited with the honor of being the first person since Ptolemy to make a map of India. What I have mentioned are some tiny dots of Christian’s contribution prior to India’s independence. There are hundreds of Christians who have dedicated and contributed towards modern India. It would be unfair to brush aside the works of Christian pioneers and label their community as criminals and destroyers of India’s cultural values.
Hindu nationalism sprouted from the influence of the British colonizers,as they consideredthe British colonizers undermined the Brahminical Hinduism and considered it irrational and inferior.
The Hindu Sanantan culture believed that irrational elements of Hinduism such as caste, child marriage, sati and infanticide were later additions to Hinduism and the true Hinduism of the past was free from such practices. It is for this reason the modern Hindu nationalist’s devised myths to counter Christianity. One was the Aryan myth – this myth considered Indian people were Aryans and that the pure Indian culture and society were those of Aryan, Vedic period. These are the claims of Hindu ethnic nationalism led by Sarvarkar, Hegdewar and Golwalkar. Their claims have de-recognized the rich heritage of other people groups, the Dravidians and tribals etc., which eventually resulted in the hatred of minorities.
Nationalism should not be understood in terms of negative and quasi-religious tenets. Christian’s understanding of nationalism is loyalty and patriotism and for this, Christians didn’t lack anything from the rest of the cultural Hindu nationalists. Christianity is not only the religion of the West, if we consider the origin of Christianity it started in West Asia (Jerusalem). Hindu nationalists accused Christians over forced conversion and embracing the white man’s religion. History and tradition tells us that St. Thomas a disciple of Jesus Christ came to Kerala (South India) in the 1st century C.E.
When Rome was defeated by the Barbarians, the Pagans blamed Christianity for weakening the Empire’s traditional values and morals. To this St. Augustine wrote De Civitate Dei (The City of God) to address the criticisms and he mentioned that it was superstition that had corrupted values and morals.
To disregard the contributions of the Christians in India’s nation building is nothing less than the attitude of the Pagans in the downfall of Rome. It is unthinkable, as a Christian and citizen of India today and be on the receiving end of religious persecution. When many of the country’s lawmakers, politicians and bureaucrats have studied in Christian institutions, it is unimaginable for Christians to be treated as minorities, marginalized and receiving step-motherly treatment.
Christians, despite their social identity as marginalized people have been encouraged to develop a positive attitude towards suffering and trials. Not because suffering has been ordained by God, rather the fullness of salvation to be revealed in the days to come is in no way comparable with the myriad trials of today. The fact that being marginalized itself gives a lot of room for harbouring hatred and grudge, but the thought of eternal vindication from every pain and depression gives glorious hope and absolute joy for believers to persevere. Our religious outlook on salvation has sustained our unity in suffering. This is one of the greatest gifts of salvation, the power to persevere courageously.
Yet, India must not forget that democracy can be innovative and resourceful. When democracy is used in its full measure, it can create peace and harmony, co-existence and unity. Though India is still a nascent democracy, by and large it can improve when we leave our moral and intellectual turpitude for amelioration. Democracy must be shown both in the form of governance and a way of life. It must insure personal freedom of expression, equality of all persons before the law and freedom of all people from discrimination on grounds of religion, colour or race.
Let me quote Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru: “You don’t change the course of history by turning the faces of portraits to the wall.” The contribution of Christians in nation building in the past is a historical fact on records, and it is worthy to not only acknowledge but cherish, encourage and celebrate them. Is India trying to change the course of history by turning the faces of portraits to the wall in the form of persecution and de-recognition?
Regardless of the oppression against minorities through anti-conversion bill and religious persecution in India, we must still talk about the cross (the gospel) that can transform individuals and societies. Be it criminals, biased judiciary, religious fundamentalism, oligarchy, slavery, racism, gender discrimination etc., the transformation that can pervade all evils only comes through the power of the cross. Only in the cross we find the full redemption of human history.
~ Dr. VilloNaleo