The study provides a historical analysis of the rise and evolution of Christianity in India, tracing its trajectory from the apostolic mission of St. Thomas in 52 CE to the far-reaching impacts of European colonial missionary activity. It challenges the reductionist view of Christianity as a colonial import by highlighting its deep indigenous roots, particularly among the Saint Thomas Christians of Kerala. Utilizing a historical-analytical methodology, the article examines the interplay between Christian theology, caste structures, linguistic diversity, and religious pluralism. The research evaluates the contributions and tensions introduced by Portuguese, British, and French missions, detailing their roles in institutionalizing Christianity through education, health care, and liturgical reform while often disrupting indigenous practices. It explores the processes of indigenization, resistance, and adaptation within Indian Christian communities, with special attention to Dalit and tribal conversions. The study also reflects on the enduring legacy of missionary activity in shaping denominational diversity, regional demographics, and Christian identity in postcolonial India. It presents Indian Christianity not as a Western transplant, but as a dynamic faith tradition embedded in local history and culture, resilient in the face of colonial, nationalist, and socio-religious challenges. The article contributes to a nuanced understanding of Christianity as an integral strand in India’s religious tapestry.
1. Stephen Neill, A History of Christianity in India: The Beginnings to AD 1707. Cambridge University Press, 1984.2. Stephen Neill, A History of Christianity in India: 1707-1858. Cambridge University Press, 2002.3. Robert Eric Frykenberg, "Christians in India: An Historical Overview of Their Complex Origins," in Christians and Missionaries in India, Routledge, 2013.4. Alphonse Mingana, "The Early Spread of Christianity in India," Bulletin of the John Rylands Library, vol. 10, 1926, pp. 121–146.5. C. A. B. Joseph, Christianity in India, 1982.6. J. K. Kachappilly, "Indian Christianity: Origin, Challenges and Prospects," Orthodox Theology in Dialogue, 2024.7. Rodney Stark, The Rise of Christianity: A Sociologist Reconsiders History. Princeton University Press, 1996.8. Judith M. Brown and Robert Eric Frykenberg, eds., Imperial Fault Lines: Christianity and Colonial Power in India, 1818-1940. Oxford University Press, 2002.9. Sita Ram Goel, History of Hindu-Christian Encounters. Voice of India, 1989.10. J. C. B. Webster, A Social History of Christianity: North-West India Since 1800. Oxford University Press, 2018.11. Robert Eric Frykenberg, Christianity in India: From Beginnings to the Present. Oxford University Press, 2008.12. C. E. Abraham, "The Rise and Growth of Christianity in India," in The Cultural Heritage of India, Calcutta, 1956.13. J. Hough, The History of Christianity in India, 1845.14. J. Hough, The History of Christianity in India, Vol. 3, 2024.15. S. Visvanathan, "The Homogeneity of Fundamentalism: Christianity, British Colonialism and India in the Nineteenth Century," Studies in History, vol. 16, no. 1, 2000, pp. 57–80.16. Klaus Koschorke, "New Maps of the History of World Christianity: Current Challenges and Future Perspectives," Theology Today, vol. 71, no. 3, 2014, pp. 234–248.17. Frederick W. Clothey, Religion in India: A Historical Introduction. Routledge, 2007.18. Robert Eric Frykenberg and Richard Fox Young, eds., India and the Indianness of Christianity: Essays on Understanding—Historical, Theological, and Bibliographical—in Honor of Robert Eric Frykenberg. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2009.
