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| St Philomena's Cathedral, Mysore |
Philip Jenkins, professor of humanities with an expertise in global Christianity, writes in his work The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity, that by the year 2040, only one fifth of Christendom will be white and non-Hispanic. In other words, the dominance of Christianity by European and North American churches is being turned over, and in sheer numbers alone, Asian, African and South American will form eighty per cent of the Christian world. There are huge implications for this in terms of emerging theologies, practices, and the continually evolving state of the Christian faith.
Certainly there are signs in Mysore that Christianity is alive and well. Christians form only a little over two per cent of the Indian population, but in real numbers that translates to more Christians in India than in Canada, at around thirty million.
There is a long tradition of Christianity in India. Legend has it that Thomas, one of the original disciples of Jesus – known for his doubting of the news of the resurrection until he also bore witness himself – was the first missionary to India, in the first century. He is known as India’s patron saint, the Apostle of India. This is the stuff of which legends are born, as there is no definitive find proof of the church’s existence in India back as far as the first century; however, there is certainly a long standing tradition of Christianity in south India, more so than in the north. Roman Catholic missions undertaken by French and Portuguese missionaries date back to the sixteenth century, and in southern India there is a predominance of Catholicism over Protestant forms of Christianity right through India’s modern history and into the contemporary world.
Protestantism dominates in northern India, particularly in the north east, whereas in the south the Roman Catholic church is the dominant denomination. Protestant denominations, typically divided on matters of faith, practice and polity, have merged in the south to form the Church of South India; the Church of South India (CSI) is the Indian Episcopal Church (Anglican) in union with churches of various other Protestant traditions, including Methodist, Congregational, Presbyterian, and Reformed, beginning in the year 1947. Its system of governance includes a synod as well as presbyerial elements; it has a congregational component as well, notably in the election by synod every two years of the moderator, who is the presiding bishop. The Church of South India is the largest Protestant denomination in the country, and there are several churches of this group in the city of Mysore.
At the heart of Mysore, St Philomena’s Cathedral bears witness to the significant place of Christianity and particularly Roman Catholicism in southern India. The Catholics have been active in this region as far back as the seventeenth century, and through Muslim and Hindu rulers it has maintained a constant presence showing no signs of disappearing any time soon. In fact, St Philomena’s (and indeed Indian Christianity generally) is described by one priest as being a “youthful faith”, that is, having a continual appeal to young adults and young families. And I could see this was the case in the service I attended: at a special mid-week service at the end of the afternoon, the church was full to celebrate the feast day of St Thomas: there were older women in saris, which were modestly pulled up over their heads; their were business men in their dark trousers and crisp white shirts (some carrying their motorcycle helmets); there were young families with children and young adults, alone or in pairs or small groups. There was a vibrancy of a healthy, multi-generational community at worship.
I spent a little time talking with church leaders from both Catholic and Protestant churches in Mysore, and if their passion and commitment to their ministry is any indication, the Christian faith is alive and well. They spoke of converts to the faith, principally from among those who are Hindu, as well as a long tradition of families raised in Christianity. They spoke, encouragingly to me, of good relations with the Muslims of the city – indeed, St Philomena’s sits next to a predominantly Muslim neighbourhood of Mysore, and is just a short distance away from an older and established mosque.
St Philomena’s Cathedral, from the outside, looks like a traditional European cathedral. Built in the 1920s in the classic neo-gothic style (think Canada’s Parliament buildings), it reflects the splendour of some older European cathedrals with its twin spires soaring almost two hundred feet high. Inside, however, Indian elements merge interestingly with traditional Catholic forms – statues of Mary are found throughout, but all are wearing saris and are decorated with garlands of marigolds and jasmine flowers. Photography is not permitted inside the church, so I cannot provide pictures, but imagine rich and appropriately colourful saris (in blue and purple), carefully wrapped around Mary, the pallu (or long loose end of the sari) pulled up to form a veil or hood for the Virgin Mother. Candles compete with incense to fill the air with holy scent. Many worshippers and visitors leave their footwear at the door and walk barefoot in the sanctuary; one thinks immediately of Moses standing before the burning bush, and in encountering God realizes that where he stands is holy ground. At St Bartholomew's Church (the Protestant Church of South India), a sign directs people to leave their footwear at their pews before proceeding to the altar for communion - there is an injunction to be prepared to come to the holy place, and have a holy encounter.
Certainly there are signs in Mysore that Christianity is alive and well. Christians form only a little over two per cent of the Indian population, but in real numbers that translates to more Christians in India than in Canada, at around thirty million.
There is a long tradition of Christianity in India. Legend has it that Thomas, one of the original disciples of Jesus – known for his doubting of the news of the resurrection until he also bore witness himself – was the first missionary to India, in the first century. He is known as India’s patron saint, the Apostle of India. This is the stuff of which legends are born, as there is no definitive find proof of the church’s existence in India back as far as the first century; however, there is certainly a long standing tradition of Christianity in south India, more so than in the north. Roman Catholic missions undertaken by French and Portuguese missionaries date back to the sixteenth century, and in southern India there is a predominance of Catholicism over Protestant forms of Christianity right through India’s modern history and into the contemporary world.
Protestantism dominates in northern India, particularly in the north east, whereas in the south the Roman Catholic church is the dominant denomination. Protestant denominations, typically divided on matters of faith, practice and polity, have merged in the south to form the Church of South India; the Church of South India (CSI) is the Indian Episcopal Church (Anglican) in union with churches of various other Protestant traditions, including Methodist, Congregational, Presbyterian, and Reformed, beginning in the year 1947. Its system of governance includes a synod as well as presbyerial elements; it has a congregational component as well, notably in the election by synod every two years of the moderator, who is the presiding bishop. The Church of South India is the largest Protestant denomination in the country, and there are several churches of this group in the city of Mysore.
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| rose window and spires, of St Philomena's |
I spent a little time talking with church leaders from both Catholic and Protestant churches in Mysore, and if their passion and commitment to their ministry is any indication, the Christian faith is alive and well. They spoke of converts to the faith, principally from among those who are Hindu, as well as a long tradition of families raised in Christianity. They spoke, encouragingly to me, of good relations with the Muslims of the city – indeed, St Philomena’s sits next to a predominantly Muslim neighbourhood of Mysore, and is just a short distance away from an older and established mosque.
St Philomena’s Cathedral, from the outside, looks like a traditional European cathedral. Built in the 1920s in the classic neo-gothic style (think Canada’s Parliament buildings), it reflects the splendour of some older European cathedrals with its twin spires soaring almost two hundred feet high. Inside, however, Indian elements merge interestingly with traditional Catholic forms – statues of Mary are found throughout, but all are wearing saris and are decorated with garlands of marigolds and jasmine flowers. Photography is not permitted inside the church, so I cannot provide pictures, but imagine rich and appropriately colourful saris (in blue and purple), carefully wrapped around Mary, the pallu (or long loose end of the sari) pulled up to form a veil or hood for the Virgin Mother. Candles compete with incense to fill the air with holy scent. Many worshippers and visitors leave their footwear at the door and walk barefoot in the sanctuary; one thinks immediately of Moses standing before the burning bush, and in encountering God realizes that where he stands is holy ground. At St Bartholomew's Church (the Protestant Church of South India), a sign directs people to leave their footwear at their pews before proceeding to the altar for communion - there is an injunction to be prepared to come to the holy place, and have a holy encounter.
Philip Jenkins, professor of humanities with an expertise in global Christianity, writes in his work The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity,
that by the year 2040, only one fifth of Christendom will be white and
non-Hispanic. In other words, the dominance of Christianity by European
and North American churches is being turned over, and in sheer numbers
alone, Asian, African and South American will form eighty per cent of
the Christian world. There are huge implications for this in terms of
emerging theologies, practices, and the continually evolving state of
the Christian faith.
Certainly there are signs in Mysore that Christianity is alive and well. Christians form only a little over two per cent of the Indian population, but in real numbers that translates to more Christians in India than in Canada, at around thirty million.
There is a long tradition of Christianity in India. Legend has it that Thomas, one of the original disciples of Jesus – known for his doubting of the news of the resurrection until he also bore witness himself – was the first missionary to India, in the first century. He is known as India’s patron saint, the Apostle of India. This is the stuff of which legends are born, as there is no definitive find proof of the church’s existence in India back as far as the first century; however, there is certainly a long standing tradition of Christianity in south India, more so than in the north. Roman Catholic missions undertaken by French and Portuguese missionaries date back to the sixteenth century, and in southern India there is a predominance of Catholicism over Protestant forms of Christianity right through India’s modern history and into the contemporary world.
Protestantism dominates in northern India, particularly in the north east, whereas in the south the Roman Catholic church is the dominant denomination. Protestant denominations, typically divided on matters of faith, practice and polity, have merged in the south to form the Church of South India; the Church of South India (CSI) is the result of the union of churches of varying traditions, including Anglican, Methodist, Congregational, Presbyterian, and Reformed, in the 1947. Its system of governance includes a synod as well as presbyerial elements; it has a congregational component as well, notably in the election by synod every two years of the moderator, who is the presiding bishop. The Church of South India is the largest Protestant denomination in the country, and there are several churches of this group in the city of Mysore.
At the heart of Mysore, St Philomena’s Cathedral bears witness to the significant place of Christianity and particularly Roman Catholicism in southern India. The Catholics have been active in this region as far back as the seventeenth century, and through Muslim and Hindu rulers it has maintained a constant presence showing no signs of disappearing any time soon. In fact, St Philomena’s (and indeed Indian Christianity generally) is described by one priest as being a “youthful faith”, that is, having a continual appeal to young adults and young families. And I could see this was the case in the service I attended: at a special mid-week service at the end of the afternoon, the church was full to celebrate the feast day of St Thomas: there were older women in saris, which were modestly pulled up over their heads; their were business men in their dark trousers and crisp white shirts (some carrying their motorcycle helmets); there were young families with children and young adults, alone or in pairs or small groups. There was a vibrancy of a healthy, multi-generational community at worship.
I spent a little some time talking with church leaders from both Catholic and Protestant churches in Mysore, and if their passion and commitment to their ministry is any indication, the Christian faith is alive and well. They spoke of converts to the faith, principally from among those who are Hindu, as well as a long tradition of families raised in Christianity. They spoke, encouragingly to me, of good relations with the Muslims of the city – indeed, St Philomena’s sits next to a predominantly Muslim neighbourhood of Mysore, and is just a short distance away from an older and established mosque.
St Philomena’s Cathedral, from the outside, looks like a traditional European cathedral. Built in the 1920s in the classic neo-gothic style (think Canada’s Parliament buildings), it reflects the splendour of some older European cathedrals with its twin spires soaring almost two hundred feet high. Inside, however, Indian elements merge interestingly with traditional Catholic forms – statues of Mary are found throughout, but all are wearing saris and are decorated with garlands of marigolds and jasmine flowers. Photography is not permitted inside the church, so I cannot provide pictures, but imagine rich and appropriately colourful saris (in blue and purple), carefully wrapped around Mary, the pallu (or long loose end of the sari) pulled up to form a veil or hood for the Virgin Mother. Candles compete with incense to fill the air with holy scent. Many worshippers and visitors leave their footwear at the door and walk barefoot in the sanctuary; one thinks immediately of Moses standing before the burning bush, and in encountering God realizes that where he stands is holy ground. At St Bartholomew's Church (the Protestant Church of South India), a sign directs people to leave their footwear at their pews before proceeding to the altar for communion - there is an injunction to be prepared to come to the holy place, and have a holy encounter.
Certainly there are signs in Mysore that Christianity is alive and well. Christians form only a little over two per cent of the Indian population, but in real numbers that translates to more Christians in India than in Canada, at around thirty million.
There is a long tradition of Christianity in India. Legend has it that Thomas, one of the original disciples of Jesus – known for his doubting of the news of the resurrection until he also bore witness himself – was the first missionary to India, in the first century. He is known as India’s patron saint, the Apostle of India. This is the stuff of which legends are born, as there is no definitive find proof of the church’s existence in India back as far as the first century; however, there is certainly a long standing tradition of Christianity in south India, more so than in the north. Roman Catholic missions undertaken by French and Portuguese missionaries date back to the sixteenth century, and in southern India there is a predominance of Catholicism over Protestant forms of Christianity right through India’s modern history and into the contemporary world.
Protestantism dominates in northern India, particularly in the north east, whereas in the south the Roman Catholic church is the dominant denomination. Protestant denominations, typically divided on matters of faith, practice and polity, have merged in the south to form the Church of South India; the Church of South India (CSI) is the result of the union of churches of varying traditions, including Anglican, Methodist, Congregational, Presbyterian, and Reformed, in the 1947. Its system of governance includes a synod as well as presbyerial elements; it has a congregational component as well, notably in the election by synod every two years of the moderator, who is the presiding bishop. The Church of South India is the largest Protestant denomination in the country, and there are several churches of this group in the city of Mysore.
At the heart of Mysore, St Philomena’s Cathedral bears witness to the significant place of Christianity and particularly Roman Catholicism in southern India. The Catholics have been active in this region as far back as the seventeenth century, and through Muslim and Hindu rulers it has maintained a constant presence showing no signs of disappearing any time soon. In fact, St Philomena’s (and indeed Indian Christianity generally) is described by one priest as being a “youthful faith”, that is, having a continual appeal to young adults and young families. And I could see this was the case in the service I attended: at a special mid-week service at the end of the afternoon, the church was full to celebrate the feast day of St Thomas: there were older women in saris, which were modestly pulled up over their heads; their were business men in their dark trousers and crisp white shirts (some carrying their motorcycle helmets); there were young families with children and young adults, alone or in pairs or small groups. There was a vibrancy of a healthy, multi-generational community at worship.
I spent a little some time talking with church leaders from both Catholic and Protestant churches in Mysore, and if their passion and commitment to their ministry is any indication, the Christian faith is alive and well. They spoke of converts to the faith, principally from among those who are Hindu, as well as a long tradition of families raised in Christianity. They spoke, encouragingly to me, of good relations with the Muslims of the city – indeed, St Philomena’s sits next to a predominantly Muslim neighbourhood of Mysore, and is just a short distance away from an older and established mosque.
St Philomena’s Cathedral, from the outside, looks like a traditional European cathedral. Built in the 1920s in the classic neo-gothic style (think Canada’s Parliament buildings), it reflects the splendour of some older European cathedrals with its twin spires soaring almost two hundred feet high. Inside, however, Indian elements merge interestingly with traditional Catholic forms – statues of Mary are found throughout, but all are wearing saris and are decorated with garlands of marigolds and jasmine flowers. Photography is not permitted inside the church, so I cannot provide pictures, but imagine rich and appropriately colourful saris (in blue and purple), carefully wrapped around Mary, the pallu (or long loose end of the sari) pulled up to form a veil or hood for the Virgin Mother. Candles compete with incense to fill the air with holy scent. Many worshippers and visitors leave their footwear at the door and walk barefoot in the sanctuary; one thinks immediately of Moses standing before the burning bush, and in encountering God realizes that where he stands is holy ground. At St Bartholomew's Church (the Protestant Church of South India), a sign directs people to leave their footwear at their pews before proceeding to the altar for communion - there is an injunction to be prepared to come to the holy place, and have a holy encounter.
In the worship I attended at St Philomena’s, there was a decidedly Indian element present in the traditional Catholic celebration of mass. The music, instead of a traditional organ, was pre-recorded and had a definite Bollywood musical feel to it. The devotion shown in worship, in singing and prayer, was certainly more affective or emotive than in a North American service, with a gentle sense of pentecostalism: the people were feeling and experiencing the presence of the holy in the words they recited and sang. Although the whole service was conducted in Kannada, the language of Karnataka, I could readily identify some elements: Lord’s Prayer, Apostle’s Creed, Ascriptions of Glory and, of course, the Gospel lesson (from John 20, the story of doubting Thomas wanting to see the risen Christ for himself). At the sharing of the peace, instead of the western hugs and handshakes, people simply turned in the pews and, with hands together at the chest, offered a simple bow and greeting: “Namaste”, peace. Although I was the only non-Indian in the service, the sense of Christian community that I have found everywhere I have travelled was no less absent here, and I was welcomed in. It is wonderful to feel that bond of faith with people in new and different places, and to know that to share faith in Christ means a connection with community across culture, language and race.
The Church in India, in Catholic and Protestant forms, has been particularly influential in establishing schools and colleges, and continues in its mission of education and healthcare, particularly to the poor and disadvantaged. The gospel, in deed as well as word, is alive and active.
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| St Bartholemew's Church (CSI), Mysore |
In St Philomena's, each of the several times I have visited, there were also devotees coming to offer prayer, and they would reach out and touch the statues of Mary, Jesus and other saints, and might add another floral garland, and even prostrate themselves on the stone floor before a statue or altar area as one might see in a Hindu temple. This is even more the case in the crypt below the altar, where a relic from St Philomena (the third century saint: according to legend, having devoted her life to Christ she refused to marry the Emperor Diocletian, and so was unsuccesfully scourged, drowned and shot with arrows before finally being decapitated) sits enshrined beneath a casket containing a likeness of Philomena; this, too, is covered in floral adornment.
In the worship I attended at St Philomena’s, there was a decidedly Indian element present in the traditional Catholic celebration of mass. The music, instead of a traditional organ, was pre-recorded and had a definite Bollywood musical feel to it. The devotion shown in worship, in singing and prayer, was certainly more affective or emotive than in a North American service, with a gentle sense of pentecostalism: the people were feeling and experiencing the presence of the holy in the words they recited and sang. Although the whole service was conducted in Kannada, the language of Karnataka, I could readily identify some elements: Lord’s Prayer, Apostle’s Creed, Ascriptions of Glory and, of course, the Gospel lesson (from John 20, the story of doubting Thomas wanting to see the risen Christ for himself). At the sharing of the peace, instead of the western hugs and handshakes, people simply turned in the pews and, with hands together at the chest, offered a simple bow and greeting: “Namaste”, peace. Although I was the only non-Indian in the service, the sense of Christian community that I have found everywhere I have travelled was no less absent here, and I was welcomed in. It is wonderful to feel that bond of faith with people in new and different places, and to know that to share faith in Christ means a connection with community across
In the worship I attended at St Philomena’s, there was a decidedly Indian element present in the traditional Catholic celebration of mass. The music, instead of a traditional organ, was pre-recorded and had a definite Bollywood musical feel to it. The devotion shown in worship, in singing and prayer, was certainly more affective or emotive than in a North American service, with a gentle sense of pentecostalism: the people were feeling and experiencing the presence of the holy in the words they recited and sang. Although the whole service was conducted in Kannada, the language of Karnataka, I could readily identify some elements: Lord’s Prayer, Apostle’s Creed, Ascriptions of Glory and, of course, the Gospel lesson (from John 20, the story of doubting Thomas wanting to see the risen Christ for himself). At the sharing of the peace, instead of the western hugs and handshakes, people simply turned in the pews and, with hands together at the chest, offered a simple bow and greeting: “Namaste”, peace. Although I was the only non-Indian in the service, the sense of Christian community that I have found everywhere I have travelled was no less absent here, and I was welcomed in. It is wonderful to feel that bond of faith with people in new and different places, and to know that to share faith in Christ means a connection with community across
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| Wesley Cathedral (CSI), Mysore |
culture, language and race.
The Church in India, in Catholic and Protestant forms, has been particularly influential in establishing schools and colleges, and continues in its mission of education and healthcare, particularly to the poor and disadvantaged. The gospel, in deed as well as word, is alive and active.
Harvard theologian Harvey Cox, in his recent work The Age of Faith, argues that the next phase of western Christendom will be a moving away from rigid doctrinalism and formulaic theology, and instead will be a time when people will learn again to be open to an experience of a holy encounter with God, which will transform and stir them to living the mandate of the Kingdom. Certainly my conversations with Indians raised in families where Christianity has been passed from generation to generation, and my limited, but wonderful, experience of an Indian congregation of worship is that this is happening in the eastern church. Indian culture has met Catholic liturgy, and both have been transformed into a vibrant encounter with the holy and loving God. And from that comes a renewed mission to feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked care for the sick and visit the imprisoned (Matthew 25). It is a lesson to us in the west, as the practice of Christianity shrinks to a minority status in society, to hold on to the passion and commitment, and most of all the faith that celebrates, welcomes and loves, in word and deed.
The Church in India, in Catholic and Protestant forms, has been particularly influential in establishing schools and colleges, and continues in its mission of education and healthcare, particularly to the poor and disadvantaged. The gospel, in deed as well as word, is alive and active.
Harvard theologian Harvey Cox, in his recent work The Age of Faith, argues that the next phase of western Christendom will be a moving away from rigid doctrinalism and formulaic theology, and instead will be a time when people will learn again to be open to an experience of a holy encounter with God, which will transform and stir them to living the mandate of the Kingdom. Certainly my conversations with Indians raised in families where Christianity has been passed from generation to generation, and my limited, but wonderful, experience of an Indian congregation of worship is that this is happening in the eastern church. Indian culture has met Catholic liturgy, and both have been transformed into a vibrant encounter with the holy and loving God. And from that comes a renewed mission to feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked care for the sick and visit the imprisoned (Matthew 25). It is a lesson to us in the west, as the practice of Christianity shrinks to a minority status in society, to hold on to the passion and commitment, and most of all the faith that celebrates, welcomes and loves, in word and deed.
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