Many Hindus believe that conversion to Christianity is an attack on their culture and way of life, and an imminent threat to both, despite the fact that Christianity has been a presence in India since the days of St. Thomas the Apostle. The Indian Orthodox Church, or Malankara Syriac Orthodox Church, severed communion with the Church of Constantinople in 451, over the definition of the natures of Christ at the Fourth Ecumenical Council, the Council of Chalcedon.
For previous ChristianPersecution.com coverage of the persecution of Christians in India, see here.
“Mob Violence Continues Against Christians in Chhattisgarh,” International Christian Concern, December 8, 2023:
12/08/2023 India (International Christian Concern) — Several congregants were injured, including two critically, after a violent mob attacked a Christian community in Chhattisgarh, India, last week.
The attack was conducted by a group of radical Hindu nationalists, who stormed into an active church service on the morning of Sunday, Dec. 3. Mob participants carried weapons into the service, seemingly determined to leave as much property damage and personal injury in their wake as possible.
Pastor Rajendra has been serving this congregation for many years. The instances of violence and pressure from Hindu nationalists to stop hosting worship services are not new to him. These groups want him to shut down his church due to “conversion activities,” and the same pressure has been mounting for other congregations in the area as well.
Until the attack, they had not been forced to close. The pastor says that serving a church body in this area is becoming more and more difficult.
“It is going to be all the more difficult for Christians to live safely in the state,” an anonymous Christian leader from the area stated. “As the pro-Hindu political party returns to the government in the state in the recent elections, Christians are worried.”…
