I’m butchering a 2 millennia story, but it illustrates how christianity fares in hinduism, and it even has some evidentiary support, so…
When the apostle Thomas was sent to India, he wound up in Cochin and began establishing a ministry or fellowship there.
He was frustrated by the lack of convincing required, or resistance to his ideas, without singular devotion.
The creator instantiating one more avatar is no stretch as Hinduism is pretty sophisticated in narratives, so Issa/Jesus just got added to the list that includes Krishna, and to this day you can buy hindu iconography with Jesus teaching compassion.
(Dude did succeed in forming a strictly Christian community though, and so arguably the oldest Christian sect is there.)
There’s some speculation that early Christian philosophy (as in direct from Jesus early) was influenced by Jainism, which makes this situation even funnier.
Kashmiris believe Jesus is entombed in Srinigar, and died an old man there after a career preaching incognito in Rome.
There is a tomb there, Buddhist style with footprints carved on the lid… but with odd slightly asymmetrical scars in the metatarsal area. Apparently. You can visit the building but the old tomb is inaccessible due to an important muslim tomb above it.
Another rumour there is that a temple was being renovated around 60CE and a persian stoneworker left graffiti on the back of a step that had local news including ‘the prophet ‘Issa’ has come healing and teaching from the West’. Roughly in time for a major Buddhist conclave.
There’s more local legend about it. Fun alternative narrative. Would be a nice place to retire anyway.
The oldest surviving one is more probably the Copts, depending on how much credence you give to St Thomas being the actual founder of the church in India.
I’m butchering a 2 millennia story, but it illustrates how christianity fares in hinduism, and it even has some evidentiary support, so…
When the apostle Thomas was sent to India, he wound up in Cochin and began establishing a ministry or fellowship there.
He was frustrated by the lack of convincing required, or resistance to his ideas, without singular devotion.
The creator instantiating one more avatar is no stretch as Hinduism is pretty sophisticated in narratives, so Issa/Jesus just got added to the list that includes Krishna, and to this day you can buy hindu iconography with Jesus teaching compassion.
(Dude did succeed in forming a strictly Christian community though, and so arguably the oldest Christian sect is there.)
There’s some speculation that early Christian philosophy (as in direct from Jesus early) was influenced by Jainism, which makes this situation even funnier.
Oh it gets funnier!
Kashmiris believe Jesus is entombed in Srinigar, and died an old man there after a career preaching incognito in Rome.
There is a tomb there, Buddhist style with footprints carved on the lid… but with odd slightly asymmetrical scars in the metatarsal area. Apparently. You can visit the building but the old tomb is inaccessible due to an important muslim tomb above it.
Another rumour there is that a temple was being renovated around 60CE and a persian stoneworker left graffiti on the back of a step that had local news including ‘the prophet ‘Issa’ has come healing and teaching from the West’. Roughly in time for a major Buddhist conclave.
There’s more local legend about it. Fun alternative narrative. Would be a nice place to retire anyway.
Isn’t the oldest Christian sect in Palestine?
The oldest surviving one is more probably the Copts, depending on how much credence you give to St Thomas being the actual founder of the church in India.
You’d think. Maybe. We don’t know for sure. Thomas was a contemporary so same generation.