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Violence against Christians of India in the first decade of the twenty-first century
Appileyil, Varghese Varghese
Appileyil, Varghese Varghese
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Fort Worth, Tex. : [Texas Christian University],
Date
2009
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Abstract
When India became an independent nation in 1947, its founding fathers intentionally constructed it to be a secular society acknowledging the profound diversity of religions that exists in the society. In such context, Christians of India have coexisted peacefully with other religious communities. That is, until the late 1970s, when peace was breached by a series of attack against Christians. The latest example occurred in the summer of 2008, in the state of Orissa, in which persecution killed 157 Christians and injured 18,000, as well as causing widespread damages to properties, including the burning down of homes, schools, and churches. These disturbing incidents raise a series of questions and concerns: Why have these acts of violence occurred against Indian Christians? Who were (are) the persecutors? Are the persecutions merely the contemporary manifestation of the conflict that has always existed between Christians and other religionists of India? What of the persecuted Indian Christians? Who are they? Pastorally speaking, what are their needs? What is the best way to prevent such conflict from occurring in the future? This study seeks to address these questions. It does so by examining socio-political origins of anti-Christian persecutions in contemporary India and applying insights from pastoral care and counseling. The thesis this study seeks to argue is this: One of the basic causes of the persecution of Christians in Orissa and elsewhere in India today is the rise of Hindu nationalism, which seeks to impose a monolithic vision of the country on the citizens at the expense of religious minorities such as Christians; and the Christians who have been victimized by such imposition can best be helped by a pastoral care and counseling that focuses on forgiveness and reconciliation and by social justice initiatives that compel the Indian government to enable Christians to enjoy their religious freedom guaranteed in the Constitution.
Contents
Subject
Subject(s)
Christians Violence against India.
Violence India Religious aspects.
Persecution India.
Hindutva.
Communalism India.
Pastoral care.
India Politics and government 1977-
Violence India Religious aspects.
Persecution India.
Hindutva.
Communalism India.
Pastoral care.
India Politics and government 1977-
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Dissertation
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Brite Divinity School