Christianity in West Bengal
Encyclopedia
Christianity
in West Bengal
, India
is a minority. At the 2001 census, there were 515,150 Christians in West Bengal, or 0.6% of the population. Among the Scheduled Tribes, the percentage was 6.1%. Although Mother Teresa
worked in Kolkata
(Calcutta), Christianity is a minority in Kolkata as well.
, Hooghly district
in the 16th century, and Bandel Church
, perhaps the first church in West Bengal, was built in 1599. Burnt down during the sacking of Hooghly in 1632, the church was rebuilt in 1660.
William Carey, who founded the Baptist Missionary Society
, went to India in 1793 and worked as a missionary in the Danish colony of Serampore
, because of opposition from the British East India Company
. He translated the Bible
into Bengali
(completed 1809) and Sanskrit
(completed 1818). His first Bengali convert was Krishna Pal
, who renounced his caste
after conversion. In 1818, Serampore College
was founded to train local converts for the ministry.
is the seat of the Diocese of Calcutta (1813) of the Church of North India
. The Roman Catholic ecclesiastical province which has its seat in West Bengal is the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Calcutta
(1834).
Other denominations:
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
in West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
is a minority. At the 2001 census, there were 515,150 Christians in West Bengal, or 0.6% of the population. Among the Scheduled Tribes, the percentage was 6.1%. Although Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa , born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu , was a Roman Catholic nun of Albanian ethnicity and Indian citizenship, who founded the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India, in 1950...
worked in Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
(Calcutta), Christianity is a minority in Kolkata as well.
History
It has been present since the 16th century. The Portuguese established a settlement in BandelBandel
Bandel , founded by Portuguese settlers, is a gram panchayat in Chinsurah-Mogra block in Chinsurah subdivision of Hooghly district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is under Chinsurah police station. A major junction station of Eastern Railway, it is 40 km from Howrah station...
, Hooghly district
Hooghly District
Hooghly district is one of the districts of the state of West Bengal in India. It can alternatively be spelt Hoogli or Hugli. The district is named after the Hooghly River.The headquarters of the district are at Chinsura...
in the 16th century, and Bandel Church
Bandel Church
The Bandel Church is one of the oldest Christian churches in West Bengal, India. It stands as a memorial of the Portuguese settlement in Bengal...
, perhaps the first church in West Bengal, was built in 1599. Burnt down during the sacking of Hooghly in 1632, the church was rebuilt in 1660.
William Carey, who founded the Baptist Missionary Society
Baptist Missionary Society
rightBMS World Mission is a Christian missionary society founded by Baptists from England in 1792. It was originally called the Particular Baptist Society for the Propagation of the Gospel Amongst the Heathen, but for most of its life was known as the Baptist Missionary Society...
, went to India in 1793 and worked as a missionary in the Danish colony of Serampore
Serampore
Serampore is a city and a municipality in Hooghly district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority. It is a pre-colonial town on the right bank of the Hoogli River...
, because of opposition from the British East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
. He translated the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
into Bengali
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
(completed 1809) and Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
(completed 1818). His first Bengali convert was Krishna Pal
Krishna Pal
Krishna Pal was the first Indian convert to Christianity due to the missionary activity of William Carey, the founder of the Baptist Missionary Society, and his co-workers. Krishna Pal was born in Calcutta...
, who renounced his caste
Caste system among Indian Christians
The Caste system among Indian Christians is attributed to the assimilation of local Hindu practices, which has caused caste distinctions to be retained after conversion. Some Christian groups have adapted the Indian caste system in diverse ways across the subcontinent, often reflecting their own...
after conversion. In 1818, Serampore College
Serampore College
Serampore College is located in Serampore Town, in Hooghly District, West Bengal, India.The college consists of two entities:*The theological faculty*A separate college with faculties of arts, science, commerce...
was founded to train local converts for the ministry.
Denominations
St. Paul's Cathedral, KolkataSt. Paul's Cathedral, Kolkata
St. Paul's Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral of the Church of North India - a united church which is part of the Anglican Communion - in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. It is the seat of the Diocese of Calcutta, and the incumbent bishop is the Rt. Revd...
is the seat of the Diocese of Calcutta (1813) of the Church of North India
Church of North India
The Church of North India , the dominant Protestant denomination in northern India, is a united church established on 29 November 1970 by bringing together the main Protestant churches working in northern India...
. The Roman Catholic ecclesiastical province which has its seat in West Bengal is the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Calcutta
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Calcutta
The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Calcutta is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in India. It was erected as the Apostolic Vicariate of Bengal in 1834 by Pope Gregory XVI, and renamed as the Apostolic Vicariate of Western Bengal in 1850 by Gregory's...
(1834).
Other denominations:
- Armenian Apostolic ChurchArmenian Apostolic ChurchThe Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest National Church, is part of Oriental Orthodoxy, and is one of the most ancient Christian communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, in establishing this church...
- Bengal Orissa Bihar Baptist ConventionBengal Orissa Bihar Baptist ConventionBengal Orissa Bihar Baptist Convention is a Protestant denomination of India. It is in Orissa, Bihar and Bengal, which are areas in the Eastern half of India. It has about12,000 members. It counts about 70 congregations.-External links:...
- Brethren in Christ ChurchBrethren in Christ ChurchThe Brethren in Christ Church is an Anabaptist Christian denomination with roots in the Mennonite church, pietism, and Wesleyan holiness. They have also been known as River Brethren and River Mennonites.-Background:...
in India - Church of God (Anderson)
- Council of Baptist Churches in Northern IndiaCouncil of Baptist Churches in Northern IndiaCouncil of Baptist Churches in Northern India is a major Christian denomination of India. It belongs to the Baptist World Alliance. It is not affiliated with the World Council of Churches, however. The Council of Baptist Churches in Northern India belongs to the National Council of Churches in...
- El ShaddaiEl Shaddai (movement)El Shaddai is a Catholic Charismatic Renewal Movement from the Philippines founded by Mariano Mike Velarde, known as Brother Mike.- History :...
- New Life Fellowship AssociationNew Life Fellowship AssociationNew Life Fellowship Association, commonly known as New Life Fellowship , is a group of neocharismatic, Evangelical, Christian Churches primarily located in India....
- United Missionary Church of India