Christian communities of India: a social and historical overview.

Abstract

This Working Paper constructs a historical and contemporary profile of Indian Christians, bringing out the differences across regions, castes and economic strata. The paper emphasises sharp differences among Christians, who in reality are comprised of a number of different regional and local communities but are recognised by the state as monolithic minority community. The paper attempts to demonstrate the construction of Christians as a minority having complex and uneven implications for the community. Instead of viewing Christians in isolation, it is far significant to view these in terms of their altering relationships with the state and with other communities. This perspective allows for the analysis of multiple issues such as abortion, reservation and conversion concerning Christians in the contemporary scenario.

Citation

Religions and Development, India. Working Paper Series, Volume 1, Number 1, 41 pp.

Christian communities of India: a social and historical overview.

Published 1 January 2010