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Religious Fundamentalism in India: Conversion, Baptism, and Minority Rights, Study notes of History

This seminar paper explores the complex issue of religious fundamentalism in india, focusing on the rise of hindutva and islamic fundamentalism. It examines the impact of conversion and baptism on minority rights, particularly for dalit christians, and analyzes the legal framework surrounding these issues. The paper also discusses the role of the indian constitution in protecting minority rights and the challenges posed by anti-conversion laws.

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2024/2025

Uploaded on 01/22/2025

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FAITH THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, MANAKALA
SEMINAR
ON
SUBJECT: HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA
TOPIC: THE RISE OF RELIGIOUS FUNDAMENTALISM AND THE ISSUE OF
CONVERSION AND BAPTISM, MINORITY RIGHTS.
Submitted to: rev. Bijumon Krishnan
Submitted by: Sojin S Issac
Submitted on: 01.12.2022
Class: B D II
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Download Religious Fundamentalism in India: Conversion, Baptism, and Minority Rights and more Study notes History in PDF only on Docsity!

FAITH THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, MANAKALA

SEMINAR

ON

SUBJECT: HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA

TOPIC: THE RISE OF RELIGIOUS FUNDAMENTALISM AND THE ISSUE OF

CONVERSION AND BAPTISM, MINORITY RIGHTS.

Submitted to: rev. Bijumon Krishnan Submitted by: Sojin S Issac Submitted on: 01.12. Class: B D II

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  1. Introduction
  2. Meaning of fundamentalism
  3. Nature of fundamentalism
  4. Causes of fundamentalism
  5. Hindutva
  6. Islamic fundamentalism
  7. Issues of conversion and baptism 7.1. From the law 7.2. Reconversion or Ghar vapsi 7.3. Conversion and Casteism
  8. Minority rights
  9. Conclusion
  10. Bibliography
  1. A wrong understanding of God is one of the causes of Fundamentalism- According to swami Agnivesh, “The seeds of fundamentalism lie in the perversion of the concept of God Almighty.^3
  2. Using religion with a false motives and selfish interest is the another cause of Fundamentalism and communalism in the Indian context. Religion is used or abused with wrong intervention.
  3. Politicizing of religion is one of the causes of fundamentalism. It has political expression of Religion is understood by the fundamentalist as a strong force to attack the goal.^4
  4. HINDUTVA The dominant problem had been the majority communalism of the Hindu community, which has increasingly organized itself into a religio-political block with an undergerding of both ideological and militant bases. It has sought to rationalize its ethos. Hence the explanation of Hindutva as the cultural nationalism as though there has been a monolithic culture in the country.^5
  5. ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM This is not only a problem of the Hindu community. It is a problem that is supering prevalent with the Muslim population around the world. From crusade era to now, the Muslim world has taken to Jihad and fought with tenacity with a tenatic commitment. Islamic fundamentalism has been on the rise. Charismatic leaders had aroused the ill placed piety of devout Muslims to become vengeful to ‘infidels’^6
  6. ISSUES OF CONVERSION AND BAPTISM 6.1. EFFECTS i. From Law: Mostly Hindu Dalit that convert to Christianity lose their affirmative action benefits. They are no longer entitled in seats reserved in government- educational, job, admissions (ii) The effects on the inheritance: Under Hindu law a convert from Hinduism could not inherit to the Hindu relations- this in caste disabilities removal act, xxi of 1850 (iii) Problem in marital rights: Under the Hindu marriage act, 1955, conversion of either (^3) M. Stephen, Introducing Christian Ethics (Delhi: ISPCK, 2005), 168. (^4) Ibid.,169. (^5) Siga Arles. Missiology A Reader (Bangalore: CIME, 2002) 43-44. (^6) Maqbool Ahmed Siraj. Un-Islamic Fanaticism and Its Impact on communal violence ” in Aikyata, Decem 2001, pp 30 - 36.

can take divorce at any time, at any grounds. (iv) Effects of Guardianship: the paramount consideration regarding guardianship is the welfare of the minor to decide.^7 6 .2. Reconversion or Ghar vapsi: A typical Indian or a Hindi word, Ghar vapsi, simply means home coming. It should be down with respect to the constitution which guarantees freedom of religion. 6 .3. Conversion and casteism: Caste is prevailing India and it is related to Hinduism. Indian judiciary permitted such privileges to certain caste but the conversion effects those privileges. (i) Oppression (ii) Social discrimination etc.

  1. ANTI-CONVERSION LAW There are in all seven states who have managed to pass anti-conversion laws but only Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh and Himachal Pradesh are the states in which anti- conversion laws are in force.^8
  2. MINORITY RIGHTS Indian constitution has declared some rights for minority communities. Article 25 (Freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion) Article 25 guarantees the freedom of conscience, the freedom to profess, practice and propagate religion to all citizens. Article 26 (Freedom to manage religious affairs) This Article provides that every religious denomination rights, subject to morality, health and public order. Article 27 (Freedom as to payment of taxes for promotion of any particular religion) According to Article 27 of the Constitution, there can be no taxes, the proceeds of which are directly used for the promotion and/or maintenance of any particular religion/religious denomination. Article 28 (Freedom as to attendance at religious instruction or religious worship in certain educational institutions) This article permits educational institutions that are maintained by religious groups to (^7) K. T. Ninen, The Law relating to Christian in Kerala (Kottayam: CMS Press, 1971), 14- 95 (^8) Jenson La Salette, “the Conversion of Converted and Ghar vapsi” MISSION TODAY, 18/1 (March 2016), 53- 65.