ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at the way the traditional Indian society had ordered itself before the arrival of the Muslim rule in the fifteenth century and the British rule in the late eighteenth century. It presents a brief overview of the history of Christianity in India follows. The chapter discusses the past contributions of Christianity to democracy in India. It provides a discussion of the present situation and the future challenges for Christianity and democracy in India. The chapter examines the past contributions of Christianity and democracy in India in three periods; namely, the missionary era, the independence struggle, and the post-independence era. One of the major contributions of Christians to democracy during the independence struggle was their position on the question of communal electorates. The Christian leaders were clear that “in a country where communalism is the bane of politics the Christian community should not organize itself as a Christian political party to fight exclusively for its own communal interests.”
