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Europeans reintroduced Christianity to India. Christians arrived at an early stage in the development of the religion, but had only limited impact. And after the Arab outburat and the establishment of the Caliphate, Europe and India were cut off. Exchanges were only possible through Arab intermediaries. European Christians reappered centuries later after Christisnity was well established in Europe. The first modern European to reach India was the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama (1498). The Portuguese monopolized Indian trade (16th century). Other Europeans (Dutch, English, and French) competed (17th century) Finally as part of the Seven Years War, Britain emerged as the dominant colonial power (18th century). Moghul power disipated by dynastic and sectarian conflicts eased the path for Europeans The Europeans brought Christianity with them. European missionaries played an important role in the development of modern India. Most of the major Protestant sects have adherents in India. There are also Catholic converts. Christians are only a small, but not unimportant part of the Indian religious converts.
Christians arrived at an early stage in the development of the religion, but had only limited impact.
And after the Arab outburst from the Arabian Peninsula and the establishment of the Caliphate, India was cut off from European Christendom. Exchanges were only possible through Arab intermediaries.
European Christians reappered centuries later after Christisnity was well established in Europe. The first modern European to reach India was the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama after rounding the Cape of Good Hope (1498). The Portuguese were thus able monopolized Indian trade (16th century). The proselyization of Asia was linked to the Portuguese colonial as it was to Spanish policy in the Americas. The Pope in the bull Romanus Pontifex
awarded the Portuguese the right of conquest in Asia, but linked it to the propagation of the faith. The Portuguese trade with Asia proved ememsely profitable. The Jesuits began their work in India (about 1540). The Portuguese colonial government in Goa supported the proselyizing mission. There were incentives for baptized Christians. Goa remained a Portuguese colonial outpost even during the Brirish Raj. It is now a a major Christian center.
As Portuguese power declined, other colonial powers and Protestan Christian began working in India. Spain the other great early colonial power was not very active in India. Other Europeans (Dutch, English, and French) competed to control India (17th century). The Portuguese and Dutch struggled for for control of Sri Lanka. The Protestant churches, however, did not have the same missionary zeal. The Dutch in the East Indies made little effort to convet the Indonesians or in Sri Lanka the Ceylonese. The difference appears to be the European wars of religion in which the Protestant powers were fighting for their lives against the Catholic Counter Reformation. This did not begin to shift significantly until after the British began to seize control of India, most notably after the Seven Years War.
Finally as part of the Seven Years War, Britain emerged as the dominant colonial power (18th century). Moghul power disipated by dynastic and sectarian conflicts eased the path for Europeans The Europeans brought Christianity with them. Britain had an established chiurch, but by the 18th century there was an increasing degree of religious freedom in Britain. Thus British colonial officials did not restrict the activities of missionary groups, including foreign groups. Much of the missionary work in India was supported by English churches, both the Church of England (Anglian) and other Protestant sects. There was also Catholic missionary activity. Beginning in the late-18th century, Protestant missionaries began working throughout India, leading to the growth of different Christian communities. William Carey, an English Baptist Minister came to India to do missionary work (1793). This was the beginning pf the non-Anglicam Protestant effort in India. He worked in Serampore, near Calcutta as well as other locations. He founded Serampore College and translated the Bible into Bengali--a key step for any serious missionary work. Missionary work intenhsified in the 19th century. American churches became increasingly focused on missionary work in the 19th century, but primarily in China. Missionary work in India was primarily promoted by English churches. Anthony Norris Groves, a Plymouth Brethren missionary came to India (1833). He worked in the Godavari delta area. Mormon missionaries, including Hugh Findlay, arrived in Bombay and Pune (early 1850s), but for some reason had little success. Many other groups achieved some success. Many Catholic orders supported mission efforts. The most famous of course is Mother Teresa's work in Calcutta.
We note a wide range of missionary groups such as the American Lutherans seen here (figure 1). Some American Baptist missionaries joined the effort in northeastern India (mid-19th century). Dr. E. W. Clark first went to live in a Naga village, 4 years after his Assamese helper, Godhula, baptized the first Naga converts to Christianity (1876). Rev. and Mrs. A.F. Merrill went to India (1928). The result of all this work by so many groups is a very diverse Christian community in India.
Independent India has continued the British policy of religious freedom. Rev. and Mrs. M.J. Chance worked for several years at Golaghat. working with Naga and Garo tribes (1950s). Their work and that of earlier missionaries has left northern India as a major Christian center in the country.
European missionaries played an important role in the development of modern India. Most of the major Protestant sects have adherents in India. There are also Catholic converts. Christians are only a small, but not unimportant part of the Indian religious converts. The Christian missionary influence im Indian education is particularly notable. While the missionaries had an impact on India, there was also an impact on the missionaries This varied depending on how deeply the missionsries emnersed themselves in Indian culture. Many returned home with an appreciation of India far deeper than achieved by most other Ruropeans.
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