FAITHFUL CITIZENS, NOT SILENT SPECTATORS: RECLAIMING THE DUTY OF INDIAN CHRISTIANS IN TIMES OF PERSECUTION

 

Introduction: A Legacy of Christian Patriotism and Ethical Witness

 In 1915, at the All India Christian Conference in Allahabad, Madhusudan Das—a freedom fighter, lawyer, and devout Christian—delivered a landmark presidential address titled “Duty of an Indian Christian.” More than a century later, Das’s message continues to shine as a prophetic call to the Indian Church in a climate darkened by persecution, harassment, and vilification. In the light of the present persecution, harassment, and arrest of Christians based on anti-conversion law, threat to Worship groups, vandalism in Churches, accusation of enticement, we urgently focus  on the role that the Christians in India must get engaged into, being reminded of  Madhusudan Das’s 1915 address and current realities of violence on Christians, and other recent events.

The recent arrest of two Catholic nuns at Durg Railway Station in Chhattisgarh under the cloud of anti-conversion suspicion (bailed though); the violent vandalism of churches; the disruption and criminalization of worship gatherings; the repeated slander of Christians as “enticers” and “foreign agents”—all point to a sinister unraveling of India’s constitutional promise of religious freedom. These events are not isolated. They are part of a larger pattern of targeted harassment that seeks to fragment the Indian secular fabric and redefine the place of Christians in society.

Yet, in this hostile environment, Das’s vision re-emerges—not as nostalgic rhetoric but as urgent counsel. His vision of Christian identity, public service, sacrificial citizenship, and moral courage offers a blueprint for believers today. This article seeks to interpret Madhusudan Das’s legacy in the light of current threats and opportunities, while challenging Christians across denominations to act unitedly, constitutionally, and prophetically in defending their rightful place in the republic.

The Arrest of Two Nuns: A Mirror to India’s Religious Climate

On a recent journey to their mission in Chhattisgarh, two Catholic nuns were detained at Durg Railway Station, accused under suspicion of religious conversion—a charge they vehemently denied and for which no evidence was found. Their only "crime" was their religious identity and attire. While their eventual release (bailed out) was welcomed, what followed was deeply troubling: political leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), particularly in Kerala, publicly claimed credit for the release, insinuating their decisive “influence.” This posturing not only trivialized the efforts of Christian civil society, Church networks, and human rights advocates but also exposed an undercurrent of tokenism—using Christian suffering for political mileage without addressing the systemic rot that enables such persecution.

The Christian community's response, in contrast, was marked by unity, dignity, and restraint. Dioceses, religious congregations, the Conference of Religious India (CRI), and ecumenical platforms raised their voices in unison, demanding justice, accountability, and the rule of law. The release was not a gift bestowed by political benevolence—it was a constitutional right reclaimed through persistent advocacy.

Anti-Conversion Laws: Legal Tools of Intimidation

The misuse of anti-conversion laws, especially in BJP-ruled states like Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh, has become a potent weapon to stifle religious freedom. These laws, vaguely worded and selectively enforced, presume guilt, demand unreasonable proof of faith, and reverse the burden of justice. Consequently, misusing such law, Christians—pastors, nuns, lay leaders, and even social workers—have found themselves behind bars, their institutions raided, their gatherings surveilled. Worship groups have been disrupted, sometimes violently, with police complicity or inaction. The media, too often, joins the chorus, branding acts of compassion as “enticement.”

This climate is what Madhusudan Das would call the triumph of selfish nationalism—where loyalty to a faith other than the dominant one is treated as betrayal. Das warned that nationalism, unless tempered by spiritual ethics, can devolve into “selfishness greater than that of a child.” The duty of Indian Christians, then, is not to retreat, but to engage—with courage, sacrifice, and the moral clarity of Christ’s own words: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Recovering the Vision of “Sacrificial Citizenship”

Das’s address is rich with themes of spiritual patriotism, moral beauty, and public service. His call to “be lost in the nation” is not a plea for invisibility, but for deep rootedness. Christian citizenship, in his view, must be selfless, visible, and accountable to divine justice above all else.

In today’s context, this sacrificial model becomes radical. Christians must not be content with passive victimhood or private piety. Instead, they are called to:

• Serve through institutions that care for the poor, the sick, and the marginalized.
• Educate and empower Dalit and tribal children facing systemic neglect.
• Raise their voice in public forums against injustice, ecological destruction, and communal hatred.
• Use their constitutional rights—freedom of speech, religion, and assembly—not as privileges, but as sacred responsibilities.

To do this effectively, Christians must first reject sectarianism. The lines between denominations—Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Pentecostal—must dissolve in the face of common threats. Unity is no longer optional; it is urgent.

Challenging the BJP’s Narrative: No Monopoly on Freedom

The BJP’s recent attempt to claim credit for the nuns’ release reveals a deeper malaise: the instrumentalization of religion. While the party leadership in Kerala seeks to placate Christian voters, its cadres in northern and central India unleash vigilante violence, spew hatred, and amplify anti-Christian propaganda. This dissonance cannot go unchallenged. Christians must call out the hypocrisy. They must demand consistency between constitutional claims and grassroots realities. As citizens of India, Christians have no need to beg for mercy or plead for favors—they have the right to live, worship, and witness in peace, as guaranteed by Article 25 of the Constitution.

Let us remind ourselves and our nation: India is not a theocracy. It is a Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic, Republic. These are not mere adjectives—they are binding principles.

 From Ghetto to Public Square: Reclaiming Moral Voice

Das warned against Christians becoming alienated from national life. In today’s context, such alienation comes not only from fear but also from self-imposed withdrawal. Churches, while rightly focusing on pastoral care and internal administration, must also reclaim their prophetic voice in society. This means:

• Training and equipping laypeople to enter public service, civil society, and policy-making.
• Encouraging religious leaders to speak courageously on moral issues—without fear of offending majoritarian sentiments.
• Investing in media, legal aid, and research centers that can document, defend, and disseminate Christian perspectives.
• Building alliances with other minorities—Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists—as well as secular civil society actors who stand for pluralism.

Unity in suffering must become unity in action.

 A Gospel Witness of Forgiveness and Conviction

 Madhusudan Das did not come to Christ through coercion or colonial indoctrination. His conversion was inspired by the moral power of Jesus’s prayer on the cross: “Father, forgive them…” This ethical encounter transformed him—and it can transform our witness. In a time when Christians are accused of forced conversions, the greatest rebuttal is the credibility of our lives. Let our forgiveness, our schools, our hospitals, our tribal missions, our commitment to the marginalized, speak for us. We need to continue serving those who hate us, and pray for those who malign us. But let us also name injustice and challenge falsehood.

This dual calling—compassion and courage—is not contradictory. It is the very essence of Christ-like mission.

National Forums, CRI, and Ecclesial Networks: The Need for Coherence

The recent coordinated efforts by Christian groups to secure the release of the nuns point to the power of collaboration. National forums like the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI), the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), the Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI), Indian Christian Council (ICC) and the Conference of Religious India (CRI) must deepen their cooperation. Their statements, petitions, media outreach, and legal support must be strategically aligned.

This unity must also reach the grassroots—interdenominational prayer meetings, legal literacy workshops, solidarity marches, and peace vigils in towns and villages. The laity must be involved, trained, and empowered to defend their rights with reason and faith.

 A Call to the Youth: Christian Witness in Public Life

 Today’s young Christians, especially in urban centers and campuses, often feel torn between faith and civic engagement. Many hesitate to speak out, fearing backlash or career harm. For  such situation Das offers a counter-vision: “If at that time God says, ‘Thou hast done thy duty,’ I do not care what the world thinks of me.” This is the call for today’s youth: to build careers in law, politics, media, education, and business—not for self-advancement, but for kingdom impact. To carry their faith not as a private hobby, but as a public compass.

 

The Inculturated Advaitic Christ in Indian Soil

 

In the spirit of Madhusudan Das’s patriotic and ethical vision, Indian Christian citizenship calls for a reclaiming of faith that is both deeply Indian and radically inclusive. In this context, Antony Kalliath’s Being Christian – Being Missional (2025) presents a compelling theological response, rooting the Christian mission in India’s cultural and spiritual landscape. His approach draws inspiration from pioneers like Brahmabandhab Upadhyay, Swami Abhishiktananda, and Fr. Bede Griffiths, envisioning Christ not as a foreign redeemer but as Sat-Cit-Ananda—Truth, Consciousness, and Bliss. This Indianized Christ appears not as a colonizer but as Sat-Guru, a teacher in dialogue with India’s bhakti, jnana, and karma traditions. Christianity, in this framework, is not triumphalist but dialogical, echoing sahishnuta (tolerance), and embracing mutual transformation rather than proselytism.

The present author critiques both the dominance of Western liturgical models and superficial attempts at inculturation. There is a need for  a liturgy resonant with Indian aesthetic and philosophical sensibilities, one that reflects the cosmic symbolism and participatory depth of Eastern Christian rites. The Church in India must move beyond dogma, towards a praxis-oriented, contemplative faith that embraces paradox, presence, and justice. This theology draws from Advaitic non-duality, offering an ecclesiology that builds bridges rather than erecting boundaries. The Church, in this view, is not an exclusive fortress but a pilgrim community walking with the people toward the fullness of life.

This model promotes Ashram spirituality, Vedantic metaphysics, and dharma ethics as essential elements in Christian witness. It challenges Indian Christians to embody their faith through cultural immersion, public responsibility, and moral resistance. Religion is not a divisive force but a sacred flow of relational harmony, grounded in contemplative silence, renunciation, and solidarity with the oppressed. Such a posture reorients Christians toward inward transformation and outward engagement. Figures like Upadhyay and Griffiths illustrate this lived inculturation—where dialogue with Indian traditions, commitment to the poor, and fidelity to the Gospel coexist.

In a time of religious violence, persecution, and political polarization, this inculturated vision is especially urgent. Indian Christians must move beyond silence and passive endurance to active, ethical citizenship. Rather than asserting doctrinal superiority, their witness should be one of humble presence, peaceful resistance, and spiritual depth. Abhishiktananda’s idea of Antarnihitata (inscendence) offers a mystical inward path that births authentic mission—grounded in unity with the Real and the other. Fr. Bede Griffiths exemplifies this approach, living the Gospel through Indian idiom, interfaith dialogue, and surrendered service.

This theological reimagining fosters a Christianity that is not alien but fully at home in Indian soil. It reclaims the Gospel as a transformative force for justice, compassion, and communion in a pluralistic society. The Advaitic Christ, as Sat-Guru, invites Indian Christians to witness not through power but through peace, not through conquest but communion. In doing so, they contribute to India’s spiritual and moral renewal, offering a prophetic alternative marked by presence, pilgrimage, and solidarity in a fractured world.

To Be Prudent, Prophetic with Adaptation overcoming Legality and Stubornness

 In the wake of such mounting hostility and politically motivated manipulation, it is imperative for religious congregations, especially women religious, to exercise prudential discernment in their public presence and ministry engagements. Prudent precatutionary measures will go a long way in avoiding being  unnecessarily dragged into politics and avail other of such  favours. Nor should directives and pressured be accepted lying down:

A rigid insistence on canonical dress codes, particularly when they render Sisters more vulnerable to hate crimes or fabricated legal charges, could border on negligence. Adaptation in attire, does not signify loss of vocation or dilution of witness. Rather, it becomes a form of prophetic resistance—choosing life, mission, and the safety of the community over symbolic rigidity. Religious leaders must offer contextual permissions rather than issuing blanket mandates that fail to take into account the escalating dangers faced in regions like Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Uttar Pradesh. Such pastoral sensitivity protects not only the individual Sisters but also safeguards the integrity of the Church’s mission among the poor and marginalized.

Moreover, prudence must walk hand in hand with political clarity. The recent Durg episode—wherein the BJP intervened to secure bail for the arrested nuns, only to spin the act into a political narrative—serves as a cautionary tale. The temptation to equate tactical relief with ideological alignment is both short-sighted and dangerous. While seeking legal remedies or protection, the Church must refrain from being co-opted into partisan gratitude that mutes its prophetic voice against systemic oppression. Political appeasement today may become complicity tomorrow. Therefore, precautionary measures must go beyond the external and include a commitment to maintain prophetic distance from political actors who instrumentalize Christian suffering for electoral gains. Being prudent is not being silent. Being prophetic is not being reckless. And being persistent means continuing the mission with creative fidelity—not legal stubbornness but contextual courage.

Conclusion: Living the Christian Legacy, Resisting the Chains of Fear

 Today the Christians are facing a living challenge. It calls Indian Christians to be deeply rooted in Christ, passionately Indian in identity, fearless in public witness, and selfless in national service.

In this time of surveillance, accusation, and fear, we must not shrink back. The way of Jesus was never easy. It leads to Gethsemane, to the cross—but also to resurrection.

       Christians in India today must:

• Defend their rights not as minorities begging for space, but as citizens owning their Constitution.
• Respond to persecution not with bitterness, but with conviction, compassion, and collective resolve.
• Insist that the Indian state not favor any faith, but uphold all faiths equally, as per its constitutional mandate.
• Unite across denominations to become a moral force that compels the nation to remember its soul.

        In the words of Das, let us not seek credit. Let us be lost in the nation—not to be erased, but to become salt, light, and leaven. Let India know: The Christian will not be silent. Nor will she be afraid.

          (Infographics by the author)