ABSTRACT
This chapter offers a brief overview of the history of Christianity in India. However, it is presented here not in the form of specific historical events taking place in its course and creating its actual content but from the perspective of defining individual phases of the development of the relation of Christianity to the religious and cultural otherness of India. This perspective is absolutely essential for the origin and significance of the Christian Ashram Movement, its roots as well as possible impacts. It is through this perspective that the Movement takes on its meaning. This introductory chapter is concluded with a presentation of a critically conceived complex of characteristic features of Christianity in India. These result from its historical development in some cases or, the other way round, are its causes or by-products in others. They do, however, always significantly contribute to the form of Christianity in India as well as to the relationship of Christians towards the religious and cultural context in which their everyday and religious life takes place. Therefore, these features always inevitably constitute the form of the religious self-identity of Indian Christians.
