NWIMuoi623534 at 09:42, 19 June 2024

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{{short description|Indian ecumenical organisation}}
The '''All India Conference of Indian Christians''' ('''AICIC''') is an [[ecumenical]] organisation founded in 1914 to represent the interests of [[Christianity in India|Christians in India]].<ref name="FMCNACRC1919">{{cite book |title=Foreign Missions Year Book of North America 1919– |date=1919 |publisher=Committee of Reference and Counsel of the Foreign Missions Conference of North America, Incorporated |page=33 |language=en}}</ref> It was founded to advocate for the moral, economic, and intellectual development of the Indian Christian community.<ref name="FMCNACRC1919"/> The All India Conference of Indian Christians held its first meeting on 28 December 1914 and was led by [[Harnam Singh|Raja Sir Harnam Singh]] of [[Kapurthala]], who was the president of the National Missionary Society (NMS); the first AICIC General Secretary was [[B. L. Rallia Ram]] of [[Lahore]].<ref name="Thomas1974">{{cite book |last1=Thomas |first1=Abraham Vazhayil |title=Christians in Secular India |date=1974 |publisher=Fairleigh Dickinson Univ Press |isbn=978-0-8386-1021-3 |page=106-110 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Chatterjee2011">{{cite book |last1=Chatterjee |first1=N. |title=The Making of Indian Secularism: Empire, Law and Christianity, 1830-1960 |date=2011 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-0-230-29808-8 |page=224 |language=en}}</ref> Its creation united local and regional Indian Christian Associations, which existed in [[Bombay Presidency|Bombay]], [[Madras Presidency|Madras]], [[Hyderabad State|Hyderabad]], [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab]], [[United Provinces of Agra and Oudh|United Provinces]], [[Bengal Presidency|Bengal]] and [[British rule in Burma|Burma]], under one umbrella organisation.<ref name="Thomas1974"/> At the time of the [[Indian independence movement]], the organisation allied itself with the [[Indian National Congress]] and the resolutions passed by All India Conference of Indian Christians advocated [[composite nationalism|communal harmony]], while also pressing for the rights of Christians in both [[colonial India]] and [[India|independent India]].<ref name="Thomas1974"/> The India Conference of Indian Christians advocated for [[swaraj|self-rule]] in a united and independent country, [[opposition to the partition of India|opposing the partition of India]].<ref name="Thomas1974"/> During the era of the [[British Raj]] in India, the AICIC served as the mouthpiece for members of the Indian Christian community, conducting membership drives to boost its base, which included Protestant and Catholic Christians.<ref name="BlackHymanSmith2014">{{cite book |last1=Black |first1=Brian |last2=Hyman |first2=Gavin |last3=Smith |first3=Graham M. |title=Confronting Secularism in Europe and India: Legitimacy and Disenchantment in Contemporary Times |date=2014 |publisher=A&C Black |isbn=978-1-78093-607-9 |page=88-91 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Webster |first1=John C. B. |title=The Dalit Christians: a history |date=1994 |publisher=ISPCK |isbn=978-81-7214-160-8 |page=85 |language=en}}</ref> As such, the presidents of the AICIC represented the Christians of undivided India at the [[Round Table Conferences (India)|Round Table Conferences]].<ref name="BlackHymanSmith2014"/>

== History ==
=== Colonial India ===
[[File:K.T.Paul.jpg|thumb|[[K.T. Paul]] of [[Salem, Tamil Nadu|Salem]] became the president of the All India Conference of Indian Christians in 1923, representing the Christian community of Undivided India at the [[Round Table Conferences (India)|Second Round Table Conference]].]]
[[File:Population density map of British India according to 1911 Census.jpg|thumb|300px|The All India Conference of Indian Christians played an important role in the [[Indian independence movement]], advocating for [[swaraj|self-rule of the country by Indians]] and [[opposition to the partition of India|opposing the partition of India]].<ref name="Thomas1974"/>]]
{{Christianity in India sidebar}}
In its early stages of the nationalist movement in colonial India, Indian Christians were heavily involved in the [[Indian National Congress]] and wider [[Indian independence movement]]:<ref name="Oddie2001"/>
{{quotation|Indian Christian involvement in the early stages of the nationalist movement is also reflected in the high levels of participation in the activities of the Indian National Congress. During the period from its inception up until about 1892 all the evidence suggests that Indian Christians enthusiastically supported the National Congress and attended its annual meetings. For example, according to the official Congress report, there were 607 registered delegates at the Madras meeting of 1887; thirty-five were Christians and, of these, seven were Eurasians and fifteen were Indian Christians. Indian Christians alone made up 2.5 per cent of the total attendance, in spite of the fact that Christians accounted for less than 0.79 per cent of the population. The Indian Christian community was also well represented at the next four sessions of the Congress. The proportion of Indian Christian delegates remained very much higher than their proportion in the population, in spite of the fact that meetings were sometimes held in cities such as Allahabad and Nagpur, far removed from the main centres of Christian population.<ref name="Oddie2001"/>}}

In 1916, Indian Christians as a whole appreciated the leadership of [[Mahatma Gandhi]], who placed an emphasis on nonviolence and communal harmony, which reassured Christians of a secure future in an independent India.<ref name="Oddie2001"/> In 1923, a large conference of Indian Christians assembled in [[Ranchi]], located in the [[Bihar and Orissa Province]] of colonial India, where they resolved that "Swaraj [freedom], Nationalism, or self-determination helps the Self-realisation of a people and is consistent with the Christian religion and helpful to the Christian life."<ref name="Oddie2001"/>

The meeting of the All India Conference of Indian Christians in [[Lahore]] in December 1922, which had a large attendance of Punjabis, resolved that the clergymen of the Church in India should be drawn from the ranks of Indians, rather than foreigners.<ref name="Webster2018">{{cite book |last1=Webster |first1=John C. B. |title=A Social History of Christianity: North-west India since 1800 |date=2018 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-909757-9 |language=en |quote=In December 1921, the Punjabi-dominated meetings of the All India Conference of Indian Christians in Lahore was more cautious in their proposals but less cautious in the rationale they offered. They passed resolutions, first indicating that the Protestant missions 'should be completely merged in the Indian Church and that in future all Foreign Missionaries should be related to it', and then urging the missions in the meantime to 'appoint Indians of ability and character on an increasing scale'. Among their supporting arguments were that 'Indian Christians are not going to put up with colour and racial distinctions', that foreign missionaries could not solve the community's problems 'because of lack of sympathy', that the missions were too divided by denominational differences to bring about a united Indian Church, and that 'In these days Indians look up to Indians and do not pay much attention to foreigners.'}}</ref> The AICIC also stated that Indian Christians would not tolerate any discrimination based on race or skin colour.<ref name="Webster2018"/>

The All India Conference of Indian Christians met in 1922 in [[Lucknow]], acknowledging those Christians who were imprisoned as a result of their participation in the nationalist movement.<ref name="Pinto2017">{{cite journal |last1=Pinto |first1=Ambrose |title=Christian Contribution to the Freedom Struggle |journal=Mainstream |date=19 August 2017 |volume=LV |issue=35 |language=en}}</ref>

In 1923, [[K. T. Paul]] from [[Salem, Tamil Nadu|Salem]] became the president of the All India Conference of Indian Christians; he brought with him a rejection of racism, opposition to foreign missionary control, a service orientation, and a friendly approach towards people of other faiths.<ref name="BlackHymanSmith2014"/> Paul represented Indian Christians in the [[Round Table Conferences (India)|First Round Table Conference]] in London.<ref name="BlackHymanSmith2014"/> Following his death, Gandhi praised Paul for his nationalism; [[Surendra Kumar Datta|S. K. Datta]] of [[Lahore]], who served as the principal of [[Forman Christian College]], replaced K. T. Paul and shared [[Mahatma Gandhi]]'s views on minorities and Depressed Classes.<ref name="BlackHymanSmith2014"/>

In 1927, leaders of the All India Conference of Indian Christians, including both Roman Catholics and Protestants, advocated the notion that Christians "should participate as common citizens in one common, national political system", rather than pressing for separate electorates.<ref name="Oddie2001">{{cite journal |last1=Oddie |first1=Geoffrey A. |title=Indian Christians and National Identity 1870–1947 |journal=The Journal of Religious History |date=2001 |volume=25 |issue=3 |page=357, 361–363, 365|doi=10.1111/1467-9809.00138 }}</ref>

In 1928, as a part of the [[All Parties Conference]], the All-India Conference of Indian Christians met in Lucknow with other Indian political organisations to draft the [[Nehru Report]], which was an early version of the [[Constitution of India]].<ref name="ElsterGargarellaNareshRasch2018">{{cite book |last1=Elster |first1=Jon |last2=Gargarella |first2=Roberto |last3=Naresh |first3=Vatsal |last4=Rasch |first4=Bjørn Erik |title=Constituent Assemblies |date=2018 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-108-42752-4 |page=64 |language=en|quote=Nevertheless, partition increased the dominance of the Congress Party in the constituent assembly, which in turn made it easier for its leadership to incorporate in the constitution elements of its vision of Indian unity. This vision was based on a decades-long period of Congress-led consultation concerning the future independent constitution. More importantly, it rested on a detailed draft constitution adopted in 1928 by the All Parties Conference that met in Lucknow. The draft, known as the "Nehru Report," was written by a seven-member committee, chaired by Motilal Nehru. ... The committee was appointed during the May 1928 meeting of the All Parties Conference, which included representatives of all the major political organizations in India, including the All-India Hindu Mahasabha, the All-India Muslim League, the All-India Liberal Federation, the States' Peoples Conference, The Central Khalifat Committee, the All-India Conference of Indian Christians, and others.}}</ref>

E.C. Dewick, a [[Mission (Christian)|Christian missionary]] from Great Britain, commented on the role of Indian Christians in the Indian independence movement:<ref name="Oddie2001"/>
{{quotation|The old traditions of loyalty to the British Raj, and the imitation of the West in dress and social customs have steadily been giving place to a much more nationalistic outlook, and to the expressions of this in national costume and national habits. A growing number of the younger Indian Christians have been gathering to raise their voices in criticism of the British Government, and have joined with their Hindu friends in the No-Cooperation and Civil Disobedience Movements.<ref name="Oddie2001"/>}}
Indian Christians thus saw themselves as being able to contribute to the Indian nation, not only in terms of educational and welfare projects, but to mediate disputes between different parties in the country.<ref name="Oddie2001"/>

In 1932, Aloysius Soares promoted the concept in the Catholic journal ''Week'' that minority communities should be protected in the [[Constitution of India]] and [[Fundamental rights in India|bill of rights]].<ref name="Oddie2001"/> Catholic and Protestant leaders met in Poona in October 1932 and endorsed this, approving Soares' ''Fundamental Rights'', which began: "Every person in the Indian Federation or Commonwealth shall be free to profess and practise his religion, including the right to make conversions, and, subject to public order and morality, exercise acts of public worship."<ref name="Oddie2001"/> This was incorporated into the Indian Constitution in 1950.<ref name="Oddie2001"/>

[[P. Chenchiah]] and other Indian Christian leaders saw the interests of Christians, Hindus and Muslims as being the same, holding that "a stronger sense of national identity, far from threatening the sense of religious identity, could be seen as enriching and complementary, and as providing further outlets for good will and collaboration in the newly emerging and all-embracing nation state."<ref name="Oddie2001"/> The All India Conference of Indian Christians was praised by Kashmiri Indian freedom fighter [[H. N. Kunzru]], who at its 1943 meeting, stated that: "it was heartening to find that the Christians are struggling for unity, when threats of division are overwhelming."<ref name="Doss2022">{{cite book |last1=Doss |first1=M. Christhu |title=India after the 1857 Revolt: Decolonizing the Mind |date=23 November 2022 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-1-000-78511-1 |language=en|quote=Similarly, congratulating Gandhi on the successful termination of his fast in 1943, Raja Sir Maharaja Singh, the president of the New Delhi session of the Indian national Christian conference, appealed to the British that it should make every effort to release all the political prisoners immediately. Christians' opposition to the arrests of Congress leaders, dedication for swaraj, commitment for an indivisible and strong India, and their continued support for Gandhi, barring his noncooperation movement, attracted a great deal of attention and appreciation from Congress leaders like H.N. Kunzru. Addressing the 1943 session of the All-India Christian Conference in New Delhi, Kunzru applauded that: 'it was heartening to find that the Christians are struggling for unity, when threats of division are overwhelming.' Expressing his gratitude to the community for its anti-communal approach throughout the freedom struggle, Kunzru expressed that he was glad that Christians willingly took part in the national movement for securing a self-ruled and self-reliant India by placing the national interests above communal considerations. At the 1943 conference, Christians held a range of discussions on the political situation in the country and strongly opposed Muslim League's call for partition. It condemned communal violence in August 1942 in Bengal. The conference urged the British to publicly declare that India would be given full freedom (without partition) within two years. It also appealed to the principal political parties and communities to come to an agreement on the communal problem. Christian nationalists continued to demand that the constitution of independent India should have the provisions of right to profess, propagate and practise one's religion and that change of religion should not involve any civil or political disability. The political objectives of Christians in 1945 included immediate grant of swaraj, unconditional release of Congress leaders, opposition to partition and making of freedom. In the 1945 national conference held in Hyderabad, under the presidentship of S. Balasingam Satya Nadar, Christians discussed a series of resolutions on the country and called for the making of a unified political body representing all religions. The conference resolved that all regions of India should be united into one unified political body so that people would be able to have self-rule. The leaders urged that the Hindus, Muslims, Christians and others should have a common bond of brotherhood and fellowship. Articulating Christians' commitment to the idea of self-rule, Balasingam appealed to the community to intensify their nonviolent struggles for the immediate grant of swaraj. The Indian Christian Association and the Catholic Indian Association made it clear in Madras on 5 December 1946 that they would strive to bring about communal harmony across the nation. They indicated that the community would never cast a shadow between the country and its freedom. They underlined that Christians were completely against the idea of separate (communal) electorate. As a result of their 'selfless commitment' for national cause, the members of constituent assembly decided to fulfill the demands made by the Christians with regard to right to propagation in January 1947.}}</ref>

On 30 October 1945, the All India Conference of Indian Christians formed a joint committee with the [[All India Catholic Union|Catholic Union of India]] to form a joint committee that passed a resolution in which, "in the future constitution of India, the profession, practice and propagation of religion should be guaranteed and that a change of religion should not involve any civil or political disability."<ref name="Thomas1974"/> This joint committee enabled the Christians in India to stand united, and in front of the British Parliamentary Delegation "the committee members unanimously supported the move for independence and expressed complete confidence in the future of the community in India."<ref name="Thomas1974"/> The office for this joint committee was opened in [[Delhi]], in which the Vice-Chancellor of [[Andhra University]] M. Rahnasamy served as President and [[B. L. Rallia Ram]] of [[Lahore]] served as General Secretary.<ref name="Thomas1974"/> Six members of the joint committee were elected to the [[Constituent Assembly of India|Minorities Committee of the Constituent Assembly of India]].<ref name="Thomas1974"/> In its meeting on 16 April 1947 and 17 April 1947, the joint committee of the All India Conference of Indian Christians and All India Catholic Union prepared a 13 point memorandum that was sent to the Constituent Assembly, which asked for [[religious freedom]] for both organisations and individuals; this came to be reflected in the Constitution of India.<ref name="Thomas1974"/>

The All India Conference of Indian Christians [[opposition to the partition of India|opposed the partition of India and the creation of a separate Muslim state]].<ref name="Thomas1974"/><ref name="Shodhganga">{{cite web |title=Religious Minorities in India and the International Discourse on Minority Rights |url=https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/14701/9/09_chapter%203.pdf |publisher=Shodhganga |access-date=8 June 2020 |page=174 |language=en |quote=However, by 1938, the All India Conference at its 24th annual meeting felt the need for representation due to discrimination in administrative cases and appointments. Like the Sikhs, the Conference was opposed to the creation of separate Muslim state.}}</ref>

On 24 March 1947 and 25 March 1947, the [[John Mathai|Honourable Dr. John Mathai]], a member of the interim government, presided over the 27th session of the All India Conference of Indian Christians, with national leaders including [[Jawaharlal Nehru]], [[Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit]], [[Sarojini Naidu]] and [[B. G. Kher]] delivering speeches.<ref name="Thomas1974"/>

The nationalist movement in India gave impetus to the [[ecumenical movement]] in India, which eventually resulted in the creation of united Protestant Churches after independence, such as the [[Church of South India]].<ref name="Oddie2001"/> This is because Indian Christians were concerned more with "their economic survival, social status, or relations with non-Christian neighbours" rather than [[Christian denomination]]al divisions.<ref name="Oddie2001"/>

=== Independent India ===
From 1953 to 1963, Y. Santram served as the General Secretary of the All India Conference of Indian Christians.<ref name="Thomas1974"/>

The subsequent General Secretary of the organisation was David Shaw, a former member of the [[Bombay Legislative Council]].<ref name="Thomas1974"/>

== See also ==
*[[Composite nationalism]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
*[https://www.news18.com/news/buzz/a-note-to-the-bjp-lawmaker-who-said-christians-didnt-help-in-freedom-struggle-youre-wrong-1803493.html Role of Christians in the Indian Independence Movement by Raka Mukherjee and Zoya Mateen] ([[News 18]])

[[Category:1914 establishments in India]]
[[Category:Political parties established in 1914]]
[[Category:Christian organisations based in India]]

All India Conference of Indian Christians - Revision history

NWIMuoi623534 at 09:42, 19 June 2024