Mission Issues in the History of Christianity in India
Mission Issues in the History of Christianity in India
Rev. Kantilal Lavhade (M.Th.Missiology )
Introduction It is said that the gospel came to India in the first century itself. Since then there has been great growth and spread to mission in India. But with the spread of mission, many issues were raised which hampered the work of mission in India. This paper will try to bring out such two issues in the history of Christianity in India. First it will deal with mass conversion issue, and then issues from the Catholic Missions, and finally conclusion will be drawn.
1. The Mass Conversion Issue In the history of Christianity in India there were many incidents of mass conversions which can be considered as a big issue. According to Kanjamala, Portuguese came to India and converted fishermen in masses, between 1536 to 1537AD. Nearly 20,000 fishermen were baptized without proper religious education; this was one of the reasons for St. Francis Xavier went to the South to look after the spiritual needs. St. Xavier entered Malabar Coast in 1544AD to preach and baptize the people. Within few months the number of baptized members went up to 35,000 during a period of four years. Most of the converts were from low caste people like Paravas, Mukkuvans and Kadayans.1 Kanjamala argued that there was mass conversion among the aborigines of Chotanagpur in Eastern India. German Lutheran missionaries began their work in 1844AD and within a few years few thousands adivasis were converted. In 1885AD Jesuit missionary, Constant Lievens arrived there and had successful mass conversion movement among Munda, Oraon and Kharia. In five years he baptized about 75,000 adivasis in and around Ranchi. By 1931AD, there were nearly 275,000 Catholics among the tribal.2 In the Northeast after the World War I in 1922, the area was entrusted to the Salesians of Don Bosco. By 1939AD there were around 50,000 Catholics in Assam and Meghalaya. The tribal were attracted in large
Rev. Kantilal Lavhade (M.Th.Missiology )
Introduction It is said that the gospel came to India in the first century itself. Since then there has been great growth and spread to mission in India. But with the spread of mission, many issues were raised which hampered the work of mission in India. This paper will try to bring out such two issues in the history of Christianity in India. First it will deal with mass conversion issue, and then issues from the Catholic Missions, and finally conclusion will be drawn.
1. The Mass Conversion Issue In the history of Christianity in India there were many incidents of mass conversions which can be considered as a big issue. According to Kanjamala, Portuguese came to India and converted fishermen in masses, between 1536 to 1537AD. Nearly 20,000 fishermen were baptized without proper religious education; this was one of the reasons for St. Francis Xavier went to the South to look after the spiritual needs. St. Xavier entered Malabar Coast in 1544AD to preach and baptize the people. Within few months the number of baptized members went up to 35,000 during a period of four years. Most of the converts were from low caste people like Paravas, Mukkuvans and Kadayans.1 Kanjamala argued that there was mass conversion among the aborigines of Chotanagpur in Eastern India. German Lutheran missionaries began their work in 1844AD and within a few years few thousands adivasis were converted. In 1885AD Jesuit missionary, Constant Lievens arrived there and had successful mass conversion movement among Munda, Oraon and Kharia. In five years he baptized about 75,000 adivasis in and around Ranchi. By 1931AD, there were nearly 275,000 Catholics among the tribal.2 In the Northeast after the World War I in 1922, the area was entrusted to the Salesians of Don Bosco. By 1939AD there were around 50,000 Catholics in Assam and Meghalaya. The tribal were attracted in large
Bibliography: Athyal, Jesudas M. “The Public Mission of the Church in Pluralistic Societies: with special Reference to the Indian Context” Dharma Deepika, Issue 22 Vol.9 No.2 (July – December, 2005): 63-69. Hedlund, Roger E. and Paul Joshua Bhakiaraj, ed., Missiology for 21st Century: South Asian Perspectives (New Delhi: ISPCK/MIIS, 2004), 196. Kanjamala, Augustine. "Emerging Trends in Evangelization in India", Indian Missiological Review, Vol. 11, No. 1,( January 1989), 63. Middleton, Vern. "Caste Issues in the Minds of McGavran and Gandhi", Missiology: An International Review, Vol. XIII, No. 2, April 1985. Mundadan, A. Mathias The Arrival of the Portuguese in India and the Thomas Christians under Mar Jacob 1498 – 1552 (Bangalore: Dharmaram Publications, 1967), 128. Saldanha, Julian. Mission Today: Themes and Issues, (Bangalore: Creation Publications, 2006), 11-23, 196.