Christianity in India: Two Thousand Years of Faith - Softcover

Fernando, Leonard; Sauch-Gispert, G.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 067005769X ISBN 13: 9780670057696

Publisher: Viking (India), 2004

Synopsis

Christians have lived in India since the early centuries of this era. In South India they believe their ancestors received the Gospel from the apostle Thomas. After that, the arrival of Christianity was sporadic, helped first by merchants and priests from the Middle East and from the fifteenth century by European merchants and missionaries who settled in India. The faith that took root was strongly influenced by local organizations and cultures; thus the Christians in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Goa are almost as different from each other as they are from their Hindu and Muslim counterparts, the tribal Christians of central and north-eastern India, and Dalit Christians all over the country. Written by two of the country's foremost theologians, Christianity in India traces the fascinating history of each of these communities, and describes the role of Christians in education, social services, multilingual publishing and the freedom struggle. The authors explain to non-Christians the tenets and rituals that bind the faithful, whether Catholic, Protestant or Orthodox, and examine the controversial issues of caste within Christianity and conversions from other faiths.

Along the way, we meet interesting personalities in the annals of Indian Christendom, such as Emperor Akbar, who essentially founded the North Indian Christian mission, and Brahmabandhab Upadhyay, the swadeshi Catholic who helped Tagore found Santiniketan.

About this title

Synopsis:

Christians have lived in India since the early centuries of this era. The faith that took root was strongly influenced by local organizations and cultures. thus the Christianity in Kerela, Tamil Nadu and Goa are almost as different from each other as they are from their Hindu counterparts. , the tribal Christians of Central and North Eastern India, and Dalit Christians all over the country. The first of its kind for the general reader this book is a priceless compendium of history, theology, folklore and anecdote, to be relished and referenced by anyone curious about the Indian story and practice of one of the world major's faiths

About the Author:

Dr George Gispert-Sauch, a professor at Vidyajyoti, was born in Spain but has been a resident of India since 1949.
Dr Leonard Fernando was born in Tamil Nadu. Now principal of the Vidyajyoti College of Theology in Delhi, he has taught Indian church history and theology for many years.

About this edition

• Publisher: Viking (India)
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 067005769X
• ISBN 13: 9780670057696
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 352