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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, KERALA, INDIA, October 25, 2004: HPI note: The following is an example of what the Christians call “inculturation,” the adoption of Hindu customs, beliefs and practices into a Christian setting in order to make the church as a whole more palatable to possible Hindu converts.



St. George Orthodox Syrian Church in Thiruvananthapuram conducted Vidyarambham or the ceremony to initiate children into the world of letters over the weekend. It is essentially a Hindu tradition, which this Thirvananthapuram church started following last year. This time many Christian and non-Christian parents took part in the ceremony with their children. “The Hindus take their children for this ceremony. So we were also keen to get this ritual done through a church leader,” says Bindu, a parent. “We believe that if it’s done in the name of Jesus, the children will be disciplined, they will respect their parents and listen to their teachers,” says another parent G K Soman. When this church began the ceremony last year, it was opposed by a section of the congregation who alleged the “Hinduisation” of the church.



But this time the church Vicar got the backing of the Church general body. The Vicar insists the church is adopting a Malayalam tradition rather than a Hindu ceremony. But he admits it could help soothe communal tension, specially since the Kerala Christian community has been increasingly attacked by right wing Hindu groups in the recent past. “Surely it will lead to communal harmony. That is the main aspect. That’s why we are conducting it,” says Father Geevarghese Erakkath, Vicar. Taking a cue from the Thiruvananthapuram church, two more churches and a mosque organized similar functions in the State. Although Vidyambham is a traditional Hindu ceremony, the church leaders here view it as an integral part of Kerala’s rich cultural heritage. They say they have set a precedent for other Christian denominations to follow to strengthen the secular fabric of our country.

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