Apostle Thomas, Bartholomew, and the Origin of Christianity in India.
India has been widely known to the world centuries ago even before the birth of Lord Jesus
Christ. The book of Esther mentions the name of India (Esther 1:1). Jews are
believed to be present in India since 562 B.C. Strabo in 5 A.D. mentioned the
trade between the Roman Empire and India.[1] Since
Parthians were hostile to Rome, Greek traders tried to avoid Parthians and used
the route of India, West Pakistan (modern Hyderabad), and others through the Red
Sea and Arabian sea.[2]
Moreover, India was famous for pepper, silks and others. Odoric wrote in 1324
that pepper is found only in India (Minibar), nowhere else in the world.[3] India
has been a well-traveled place for centuries.
The
coming of Christianity to India can be traced back to the Nestorian Church of
Mesopotamia, part of Persia on the east side of Syria which is under the
influence of Antioch, which in turn is under the influence of the Eastern
Church (Greek-speaking Orthodox Byzantine Church).[4] There was
a great connection between the Christians of India and the Church of
Mesopotamia (Syria) from the earliest history. Geographically and for Trade and
Commerce between India and the world, India is connected to the East.
One
of the earliest assumptions that part of India has been evangelized
(Christianized) is recorded in A.D. 196 (Bardaisan’s Dialogue of Faith).[5] India is
believed to be evangelized by Apostle Thomas since 52 A.D. Tradition says that
Apostle Thomas and Apostle Bartholomew preached the gospel in southern Arabia
and parts of India. While Thomas is believed to remain and die in present
India, Bartholomew left for other areas (without ministering in present India).[6] Tradition
has that Apostle Thomas started from Jerusalem to Parthians to Medes to
Persians to Arabia, and to India, then to China, and back to India and died.[7]
Acts
of Thomas (180-230 A.D.) gives a lot of stories about the Apostle Thomas in
India. Eusebius quoted Origen about the Apostle Thomas in India (185-230-254
A.D.) The Church of Edessa mentioned Thomas of India in 250 A.D[8]. Bishop Dudi of Basra is confirmed to visit
India in 295-300 A.D. Hymns of Ephraim mentioned that Apostle Thomas died in
India and his bone was in Edessa (306-373). All these give strong evidence
about Apostle Thomas's ministry in India. Other sources like Marco Polo
affirmed it. The Syrian Christians of India strongly continue to affirm it. The
Portuguese when they came to India found them to be a long tradition.
Let’s
evaluate it:
1.
The
absence of the 1st century writing about this makes scholars to
doubt it.
2.
There
were other Thomas in India.
3.
Some of the legendary and mythological
writings found in Acts of Thomas and the traditional sites in India, and the
beliefs of Syrian Christians concerning Thomas are ludicrous.
4.
India
is a general name for lots of nations in the region, Apostle Thomas probably
did not reach India.
5.
Other
missionaries or Bartholomew could be the cause of the existence of the Syrian
Church.
However,
the absence of a 1st-century account does not mean it is false.
There are many things which first-century account did not acknowledge it. There
were at least 2 important Thomas in India: Thomas Kinan (merchant) in 345 A.D[9], Bishop
Thomas of Marga in 840 A.D[10].
Christians have been in India for more than a century even before they were
born. Therefore, they cannot be confused with the Apostle Thomas. Regarding the
ludicrous story, instead of rejecting it because of some accuracies in it, it
is very much probable that at least the coming of Apostle Thomas, preaching, speared, and death happened. Concerning the objection that India is a general name, though true
it is, writers, merchants, and traders knew India specifically. India had been
widely known for its resources. Concerning the existence of the Syrian Church
in India, there are no other traditions than the Apostle Thomas tradition[11].
Conclusion:
The tradition that Malabar has cannot be disproven. The affirmation of some
Church Fathers such as Ambrose, Gregory, Jerome and others indicate that (it is
very probable) Apostle Thomas had indeed come to India. Granting this, India
has a legacy of the Apostle. God’s grace reached India earlier than America or
most of Europe. The church continues to grow (without complete destruction)
even in all kinds of circumstances over the centuries. God’s grace has reached
once more to India in the form of colonialism in the modern age. As of now, the
church grows exponentially in its missionary duty which was not much there in
the Syrian Christians. Our generation too needs missionary activities and even
more!
[1] M.K. Kuriakose,
History of Christianity in India: Source Materials, 1
[2] William G.
Young, Handbook of Source Materials for Students of Church History
[3] M.K. Kuriakose,
History of Christianity in India: Source Materials, 25
[4] C.B. Firth, An
Introduction to Indian Church History
[5] Ibid, p.14
[6] Amr the son of
Matthew in 1340 A.D. (M.K. Kuriakose, History of Christianity in
India: Source Materials, 26)
[7] As documented
by William G. Young (25) and C.B. Firth (p.3-4) in their
books. William G. Young cites Eusebius for the traditions in the
footnote.
[8] William G.
Young, Handbook of Source Materials for Students of Church History, 212
[9] William G.
Young, Handbook of Source Materials for Students of Church History, 409
[10] Ibid, 21
[11] C.B. Firth in
p20 and footnotes mentions that Thomas tradition overwhelms Bartholomew
tradition.