Kerala Christian Population resists decline

In India, several Christian parishes in the state of Kerala are offering monetary incentives to couples who produce more children. The number of Christians in India has been on a steady decline, while the number of Muslims is increasing.

As in the rest of India (except the province of Malappuram, which has a Muslim majority), Hindus are the largest religious group in Kerala. Unlike many other provinces, though, Christians form a large portion of the population in Kerala. An estimated 6 million Christians comprise 19 percent of Kerala’s population.

Kerala Christians wield significant political power. Increasing the Christian population would naturally lead to increased democratic representation. Though the practical consequences of money incentives to increase the Christian population are not difficult to see, many moral objections have been voiced to Christian parishes offering these incentives.

Among these objections are concerns about India’s already large population and limited resources, the anti-democratic nature of the practice and improper intentions behind such a practice.

The Christian presence in Kerala does not share a single denomination. Major groups include Catholics, Anglicans, Pentecostals, Methodists and Lutherans. Nevertheless, a relatively peaceful situation exists in Kerala, among both Christians and other religious groups, including Hindus and Muslims.