History of Christianity in India – Oral Exam question and answer

1. Name the seven places where St. Thomas was said to have built churches.
i) Maliankara ii) Palayur iii) Gokkamangalam iv) Niranam
v) Chayal vi) Parur vii) Quilon
2. Immigration of Syrian Christian groups to India had been taken place two times
before the 10th century A.D. Mention the years and the leaders of that groups.
1st immigration occur in 345 A.D. 300-400 families under Thomas of Cana, a merchant.
2nd immigration occur in 823 A.D. Syrian fathers Mar Sapor, Mar Prot and Sabriso
came to India and they built a church in Kullam.
3. What is Padroado?
During the 15th century there was rivalry between Spain and Portugal with regard to the
discovery and Christianizing of lands. To solve these conflicts the Pope divided the globe into
East and West, and authorized the Portuguese to evangelize the East while the West was given
to Spain. Padroado refers to the right of spiritual or religious jurisdiction over all the lands that
were discovered or to be discovered by the Portuguese in the East. It was granted by Pope
Nicholas V to the Portuguese king Alphonse V, by his famous Bull Romanus Pontifix in 1455.
4. What privilege did Pope Leo X grant in his Bull (1514) to the king of Portugal and his
successors, and what would the latter do in response to the Pope?
Pope Leo X in his Bull of 1514 reaffirmed the Bull Romanus Pontifix of 1455 and gave
the Portuguese authority to conquer and evangelize all the lands in the east. The Portuguese
took the responsibility of the spread and extension of the Roman Catholic Church in the lands
that they conquered.
5. Who were the founders of the Society of Jesus? When?
The Society of Jesus was founded by (i) Ignatius of Loyola, (ii) Francis Xavier, (iii)
Peter Faber, (iv) Alfonso Salmeron, (v) Diego Lainez, (vi) Nicholas Bobadilla and (vii) Simao
Rodrigues on 27th September 1540.
6. Of the three Jesuit Missions to the Akbar’s Court, the third mission seems to be the
most successful one. Who were the missionaries in this third mission? When did they
arrive at Lahore?
The missionaries were (i) Father Jerome Xavier, (ii) Fr. Immanuel Pinheiro and (iii) Bro.
Benedict de Goes. They arrived at Lahore in 1595.
7. What are the three main decrees of the Synod of Diamper?
The Archbishop of Goa, Alexis de Menezes organized a Synod at Diamper on 20 th June 1599.
Three main decrees of the Synod are:
1. The Syrian church accepted the Roman Catholic form of Christianity and came under
the jurisdiction of the Pope.
2. They accepted the Roman Catholic customs and renounced the Patriarch of the east.
3. They consented to abandon many of their traditional customs.
8. Who were the first Protestant missionaries in India? In which year did they
arrive? Who sent them?
Bartholomew Ziegenbalg and Henry Pluetschau were the first Protestant Missionaries in India.
They arrived in India in 1706. They were sent by King Frederick IV of Denmark.
9. Who were the Serampore Trio? Who was their first convert and when was he
baptised?
The Serampore trio were (i) William Carey (ii) Joshua Marshman and (iii) William Ward.
Their first convert was Krishna Pal, baptised on 28th December 1800.
10. Who were the Kottayam Trio? What was their main aim/mission?
The Kottayam trio were (i) Rev. Benjamin Bailey (ii) Rev. Joseph Fenn (iii) Rev. Henry Baker
Their main mission was in the field of education. Rev. Bailey was engaged in translation of the
Bible to vernacular (Malayalam), Rev. Joseph Fenn was in charge of the college for clergy and
Rev. Henry Baker was running the schools.