The impact of religious conversion on cultural identity conversion story South African Anglican Indian Chrstians

Abstract

The impact of religious conversion on cultural identity is a study of conversion story of South African Indian Anglican Christians rooted in the oppressive history of casteism in India and Racism in South Africa. This study has used multi discipline approach using various schools of human sciences and broader theological framework in dealing with moral and ethical issues. This study defends the religious conversions and highlights the impact it has made on cultural identity of converts from social, economic, psychological and spiritual perspectives. While highlighting the positive impact of religious conversion on cultural identity this study has also pointed out some ambiguities attached to this process. This study looks into the possibilities of Native and Indian Christians working together to create a healing culture in South Africa. An attempt is made to point out the interrelatedness of the experiences of suffering of Native Christians and Indian Christians from indentured backgrounds in South Africa. This study does not cover disparity issues between native Africans and the Indian Community in South Africa. However, an attempt is made to encourage Indian Christians in South Africa to connect with the pain and pathos of poor communities in South Africa. This study encourages the Indian Christians hi South Africa to read Dalit theology and get involved with Black theologians in formulating appropriate mission praxis for their mission and ministry in post apartheid South Africa. This study concludes on a positive note and hope based on my eight years of ministry in Lenasia. During my ministry I had experienced that South African Anglican Indian Christians and native Christians have the developing ability and capacity to become a spiritual resource in building a transformed and transforming society in South Africa. I could see in them a reconciled 'wounded healers' and for me this is a powerful impact of religious conversion on their cultural identity, "Victims' now have the capacity to act as 'Wounded Healers'.