ABSTRACT
Chapter 3 of the book challenges the widely held belief that India's freedom struggle excluded Christian communities and occurred only in the mid-nineteenth century. It focuses on the role of the Thomas Christians in resisting Portuguese colonization in the seventeenth century through nonviolent tactics such as ordaining bishops without Europe's approval and seeking new markets. By analyzing the involvement of various stakeholders, including the Portuguese colonial administration, the Dutch, a Thomas Christian monastery, and the Thomas Christians’ assembly, the chapter offers a nuanced understanding of the events that shaped the freedom struggle. The chapter also highlights the relationship between early modern community conceptions and modern understandings of the nation. Furthermore, it suggests that re-evaluating the label of “heretic” applied to the Thomas Christians during colonial India would allow for a more complete understanding of their role as freedom fighters and a reconsideration of the history of the anticolonial struggle. The chapter emphasizes the significance of these findings in the wider understanding of church and national history, making the book a valuable addition to Postcolonial Studies.
