The first initiatives

A group of Nadar Christians  around 1858 broke away from the Church Missionary Society and formed the Hindu church of the Lord Jesus. in 1887 K.N Banerjea and Shome left their churches to form what they called The Calcutta Christo Samaj.  In 1885, Dr. Parani Aandi presented his plans to a group of lay people mostly students and government officials and after a period of discussion and consideration the Church was formed in 1886. These were interesting developments within Indian Church history. Firstly, they signal a movement away from the organized Church. Secondly, they experimented alternate worship. Thirdly, it was predominantly lay movements. Kaj Baago contends,

“ The Hindu Church of the Lord Jesus in Tinnevelly, the Christo Samaj in Calcutta and the National Church in Madras were the first attempts in India to Create united indigenous churches but they never became widespread movements. Yet, their influence on the thinking of Indian Christians was not inconsiderable, especially with respect to their attitude to Indian Culture and Religion. It is not accidental that the first Indian Christians who tried to formulate an indigenous theology came from Calcutta, Madras and Tinnelveli”