Demographic Status:
According to 2011 census Christians constitute only 2.30% of the total population of India. The three southern states namely, AP, TN, and Kerala together accounts more than 60% of the Christian population of India. Kerala has the highest concentration of Christians with 21% of the people. However, there are few smaller states like those in which North East have larger population of Christian people, Nagaland (67%), Meghalaya (47%), Goa, Daman, Diu (32%). Apart from these, there are Christian enclaves in Central India, in the tribal belt of India, making a thin distribution of Christian people.
Social Status:
The identity of Christians in India is a diffused one, but dominant image is that they are mainly converts from scheduled tribes and castes and OBCs. The mass conversion movements to Christianity and crystallization of national liberation movement coincided. The preconversion caste status is still persisting among Christian. Today, thus there are Brahmin-Christians, Kshatriya-Christians, and Sudra-Christians, especially Jat, Rajput, Bhumihar (or) Yadav, Reddy Christians. All these groups practice endogamy. A Bhumihar Christian boy prefers to marry Bhumihar-Christian girl. Those from lower strata continue to be maintaining their caste distinctions.
Eg:
- Brahmin-Christians
- Kshatriya-Christians
- Vaishya-Christians
- Sudra-Christians and
- Avarnas or untouchables among untouchables.
In the urban areas there is dilution of social distinctions, which is in tune with the dilution of general rules observed by general people.
Economic Status:
Generally live in rural, Roughly 75% of the Christians in India population live in rural side. Most Christians are economically poor and usually they are engaged in low prestige occupations. However, the upper caste Christians mostly pursue traditional and nontraditional, service-oriented jobs. A small section of urban middle class Christians experienced upward mobility through education facilities made available to them by missionaries. They practised different types of modem professions, namely in the fields of education, health, bureaucracy, judicial services and industries. There is one area in which Christians dominate in India. Notwithstanding their small size they dominate service institutions, particularly education and health fields.
Political Status:
Christians are not politically organized for two reasons, firstly the socio-cultural fragmentation based on denomination and ethnicism. Secondly, the rejection of separate electorate initially and subsequent non-communal approach, they seem to take in political affair. Following the trends in the modern West, they accept the separation between church and the state. This stands in the way of them being organisation on a political platform on all India basis. Further their small size and physical dispersion does not favour them to acquire any political clout,-with the exceptions being Kerala, Goa, North-East states and some pockets in Central India. But in NE and Central . India the Christian identity is basically in terms of their tribal background.
Religious Status:
Indian Christians are divided into Roman Catholics and Protestants and into many denominational churches. In their annual meeting in January 1988, the bishops of TN noted “The scheduled caste Christians even after conversion continue to suffer from extreme social, educational, and economic backwardness arising out of the traditional practice of untouchablilty.” In a pastoral letter issued in February 1988 the catholic bishops of TN admitted, “Caste distinctions and their resultant injustice and violence still continues in their social life and practice. We are aware of it and we accept the situation with deep pain”. In the South, Scheduled-Caste Christians are still segregated both in settlement and in the church. Their chery (colony) is situated at some distance from the main settlement and is devoid of civic amenities available to others.
Andre Beteillie studied Sripuram in Tanjor district. In church services the Scheduled Caste Christians are segregated in the right wing and are not allowed to read scriptural pieces during the service or to assist the priest. They are the last to receive the holy sacraments during Baptism, and marriage. The marriage and funeral possessions of Christians of low castes are not allowed to pass through the streets of main settlement. SCs converted to Christianity have separate cemeteries. The church bell does not toll for their dead. The dead body cannot be taken into the church for the funeral service. There are clashes between higher and lower caste Christians. The church is responding to the cries of the SC converts, but little meaningful change has come about so far. On the West coast Christianity flourishes with Buddhism. There the figure of Buddha appears in company with the saints. Buddha is called St. Josephot. This word is a corrupt of Bodhisattva. The Buddha has become a part of catholic heritage also. About this Max Muller said- No one, either the Greek or Roman church need be ashamed of having paid to his (Buddha) memory the honour that was intended for St. Josephot, the prince, the hermit, and the saint.