Introduction:
Christianity has a history of about 2000 years. Saint Thomas, an apostle of Christ, reached the shores of Kerala in India in 52 A.D. He proselytised the masses and classes in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. With the discovery of the sea route to the east in the 15th century, traders from Portugal, Denmark, England and France came in contact with India. The Portugese who were the first to visit India had contact with the Western coast, their impact on Indian culture was not great except the fact that they managed to spread Christianity in some areas on the West coast. Even though the Dutch and the French were interested in spreading their commercial and political activities in India, they were not successful in doing so. The British were the only people who emerged as the Christian impact on Indian culture has been primarily that of the British. The British Christians established their direct rule over India for more than almost 150 years. These Christians brought with them not only a system of political administration but also a new way of life. Indians came under the influence of the Christian rulers and their agents.
Impact on social life:
- (i) Christianity created more ethnic complexities in India. Christian religion succumbed to the influences of Varna and Jati. The ethnic identity of the Christians is a diffused one but the dominant image is that they are mainly converts from Scheduled castes. Scheduled Tribes and other Backward Classes. In fact, they are highly fractionated not only denominationally but also ethnically. All this made the ethnic fabric of India more complex.
- (ii) Christianity contributed a separate but distinct ethnic group namely Anglo-Indians the French and the Portuguese also have contributed distinct ethnic groups like French-Indian and Portuguese-Indian but their population is very small compared to the large population of Anglo-Indians. These come under the minority. Their customs, traditions and values follow a distinct pattern.
- (iii) Christianity was able to create a small section of urban middle class by providing educational facility made available to them by missionaries.
- (iv) Christianity failed to remove many disabilities of the Scheduled Castes. Scheduled caste people converted into Christianity are not treated on par with the rest of the Christians. “In their annual meeting in January 1988, the Bishops of Tamil Nadu noted that “the Scheduled Caste Christians, even after conversion, continue to suffer from extreme social, educational and economic backwardness arising out of the traditional practice of untouchability,” In a pastoral letter issued in February 1988, the Catholic Bishops of Tamil Nadu admitted: “Caste distinctions and their resultant injustice and violence do still continue in Christian social life and practice. We are aware of and accept the situation with deep pain.” The Indian Church now realise that approximately 60 per cent of the 19 million Indian Christians are subjected to discriminatory practices and treated as second-class Christians or worse”.
In South India, caste divisions within Christianity seem to be more rigid. “In the South, Christians from the Scheduled Caste are segregated both in their settlements and in the church. Their cheri or colony is situated at a distance from the main settlements and devoid of the civic amenities available to others. In church services .they are segregated to the right wing and are not allowed to read scriptural pieces during the service are or to assist the priest.
They are the last to receive the holy sacraments during baptism, confirmation, and marriage. The marriage and funeral processions of Christians from the low castes are not allowed to pass through the streets of the main settlement. Scheduled Caste converted to Christianity have separate cemeteries. The church bell does not toll for their dead, nor does the priest visit the home of the dead to pay. The dead body cannot be taken into the church for the funeral services. Of course, there is no inter-marriage and little inter-dining among the “high-caste” and the “low-caste” Christians, classes between them are frequent. The low-caste Christians waging struggles to improve their lot; the Church is responding, hut little meaningful change has become about so far. Even among higher caste Christians the Jati origins are remembered and at least covertly they colour social relationships.”
“Tharamangalam has stated that under the Portuguese archbishop, “Syrians were allowed to continue practising untouchability.” It is also well-known that Dalit converts to Christians have had to sit in pews set apart from the pews reserved for higher caste converts. No wonder that Dalit Christians are protesting against discrimination in the church just asHindu Dalits are fighting against the Hindu establishment” Christianity inspired social reform movements in India. During the British rule and also afterwards, a number of social reform movements came into being. Several traditional beliefs and practices dysfunctional to society were discarded and many new customs, institutions and social practices were adopted. Indians who came under the influence of these values became aware of many of the existing social evils like child marriage, taboos against widow remarriage and intercaste marriage, intercaste dining, seclusion of women, untouchability, etc. This awareness led to the launching of a series of social reform movements right from Raja Ram Mohan Roy down to Mahatma Gandhiji. Raja Ram, “Sri Ramakrishna Mission”, Dr. Annie Besant’s “Theosophical Society”, Gandhiji’s Sarvodaya” and crusade against. Untouchability and such other movements not only served to eradicate some of the social evils but also to enlighten people regarding modem values.
Impact on economic life :
- (i) Christianity introduced miraculous changes in the field of the techonology. The British modernized the age-old Indian technology, agriculture, entrepreneurship and industry. This led to the economic advancement of the country. The new and large-scale industries introduced by the British exposed Indians to the influence of British technology. Widespread use of modem technology increased the number of industries both small-scale and large. Thus widespread use of British technology led to the process of industrialisation. The process of industrialization is normally associated with the growth of towns and cities which started attracting people from the rural areas. The cities provided a favourable atmosphere for the spread of British influence. Technology led to the development in the fields such as communications, posts and telegraph, telephone and radio, railways, roads, canals, etc. Radical progress in the fields of transport and communication added greater speed to the spread of British way of life.
- (ii) Christianity created intense desire to increase the standard of living or material life. The use of British technology and the scientific equipments and gadgets and the acceptance of Western model of industrialism created new aspirations and ambitions in the minds of people. The “pull” of spiritualism became weakened and the attraction of the comforts and luxuries of worldly life strengthened. The craving towards more material pleasure and economic prosperity increased. This tendency hastened the material progress of the country to a certain extent.
- (iii) Christianity spread new life-styles among the Indians. The Christianity made Indians imitate the British way of life. More than anything, the British education had a great impact on the style of living of the people. They gave up their inhibition to wards meat-eating and consumption of alcohol. They also adopted British style of dressing and dining. Restrictions on food habits got relaxed. Carrot, beet-root, onion, garlic, cabbage, radish and such other vegetables once tabooed, became more acceptable. Modem means of transport and communication lessened the social distance between different castes. Cinemas, hotels, bars and night clubs became common. Friendly gatherings, marriages, birth-days, wedding anniversaries, new year day celebrations, felicitation programmes etc., came to be arranged on the British model.
The impact of the British life-style that there was “a very marked tendency among the natives of India to indulge in English luxuries’. They had well furnished houses, many wore pocket watches and they were found drawn carriages, drank wine like their English masters. As Gandhiji wrote in his autobiography, educated Indians undertook the task of “becoming English gentlemen in their dress, manners, habits, choices, preferences, etc.” it included even learning to appreciate English British music and participating in ball dancing. British education brought about a big change in the outlook of those educated. - (iv) Christianity introduced a market system with factory made goods and destroyed the rural crafts and Jajmani system. The modem capitalist mode of economy introduced by the British gave a fatal blow to the economic self-reliance of the village and also to the existing “Jajmani system”. New commercial establishments, banks, new accounting system, partnership firms, joint stock companies, share market, co-operative societies, etc. came to be established.
Impact on political life :
- (i) Christianity introduced new political values and ideologies into India. The British rulers introduced and popularised certain new values and ideologies namely humanitarianism, rationalism, egalitarianism and secularism and such other values and ideologies among their subjects, the Indians.
(a) Humanitarianism which includes in itself various other values implies “an active concern for the welfare of all human beings irrespective of caste, economic position, religion, age and sex”.
(b) Egalitarianism upholds the principle of equality, that is equality of sex, caste, class, colour, creed, race and religion.
(c) Rationalism upholds “a system of belief regulated by reason, not authority”, nor dogma-
(d) Secularism as an ideology believes “that the state, morals, education, etc. should be independent of religion”.
These ideologes and values had a great impact on Indians. They changed the traditional attitudes and outlook of the people. Educated Indians came under the heavy influence of these values. These values broadened their vision and made them to develop secular outlook. They realised the importance of reasoning and started appreciating the principle of equality. - (ii) Christianity restructured the hierarchy of political values. The hierarchy of political values has been restructured . Through the British people left India, the British model of democratic system introduced by them had come to stay in India. Monarchic form of government which existed in India for centuries came to an end. Then existing provincial states numbering more than 500, ultimately merged into the Indian state. Common constitutional, legislative and judicial system came to be practised. Feelings and sentiments of nationalism became stronger. Acceptance of this new political system brought structural changes in the social system also. For example, the feudal system, and the Zamindari system came to an end. Practices of untouchabilily became illegal and unconstitutional. Social institutions such as marriage, family, caste, property, professions, etc. had to undergo major changes for the simple fact that the modern law provides for equality in all the major fields of social life. These changes provided a new scope for the middle class which became active in almost all the areas of social life.
- (iii) Christianity contributed a uniform legal system to India. Due to the British contact, India came under the system of common law and legislation. In place of the tradition, caste panchayats, and the village Nyaya Panchayatis, the modern law, legislation, courts police and other legal system came to stay.
- (iv) Christianity provided inspiration to the Indian to fight for freedom. British ideas and values inspired a number of freedom fighters such as Gopala Krishna Gokhale, Tilak, Bipinchandra Pal, Ranade, Gandhiji, Nehru, SardarPatel, Subhashchandra Bose and others. The inspirations strengthened the freedom movement to a great extent. The famous movements in the West such as Italian Unification, etc., provided inspiration for the Indians plunge in the freedom struggle.
Impact on religions life :
- (i) Christianity emphasized materialism rather system spiritualism among the Indians This has diluted spiritualism among the Indians.
- (ii) Christianity favoured a communication system which spread information quickly about religious and non-religious ideas, events, and values.
- (iii) Christianity introduced a transport system that favoured quick travel from on place to another. This helped the people to make pilgrimages to new and distant places.
- (iv) Christianity introduced synchronised elements in Indian religion. Especially, the converts followed their old religions as well as Christianity. The consequence was a mixture of elements pertaining to indigenous faith and Christian faith in a unique way.
Impact on language and education:
- (i) Christianity introduced English as medium of instructions and language throughout India.
- (ii) Christianity introduced formal type of educational institutions in the place of traditional institutions. British education broadened the vision and outlook of the people which made them to become conscious of their right and freedom. In place of the traditional educational institutions, the British type of formal educational institutions such as schools, colleges, technical institutes, centers, universities, etc., were established , English became the medium of language in these institutions and gained prominence. It also served to spread English culture.
Impact on art and architecture :
- (i) Christianity introduced British art and architectural styles into India. The court, the corporation the university, the church, the collectorate and other buildings reveal the typical art and architectural styles that the British introduced into India.
- (ii) Christianity introduced urban planning especially city planning which is partly – British and partly Indian.
- (iii) Following the tradition of modem West, the Christians in India accept the separation between the church and the state. This stands in the way of their being organised on a political platform on India basis.
- (iv) The relative non-involvement of Christians in the national struggle created suspicion and misgiving in general and Hindus in particular.
- (v) After attaining independence this attitude has been gradually changing but given the Christian propensity to prosylitisation their world wide missionary links and financial aid. The majority community seem to feel a constant threat of loosing adherence of Hinduism to Christian faith.
- (vi) There is one area in which the Christians dominate in India not withstanding their small size and that is, service institutions, particularly in education and health. The Christian contribution in this regard is widely acknowledged ,