Postcolonial South Asia often frames colonialism as a Christianizing project, portraying Christianity as foreign and incompatible with Indian identity. This narrative misrepresents the nature of colonial rule; it also erases the histories of indigenous Christian communities, such as the Thomas Christians, who trace their origins to St. Thomas the Apostle in 52 CE—more than a millennium before European imperialism.
This paper examines how postcolonial rhetoric weaponizes this myth to justify discrimination against Christian minorities, as seen in cases like the denial of burial rights to a Christian Adivasi and the conviction of Pastor Jose Pappachan under anti-conversion laws. Engaging with decolonial theorists such as Achille Mbembe, Aníbal Quijano, and Gloria Anzaldúa, the paper critiques nationalist revisionism that conflates Christianity with imperialism. By dismantling the binary of Christian colonizers vs. non-Christian colonized, this study advocates for a more nuanced decolonial approach—one that recognizes Christianity’s deep and diverse presence in Indian history.