Eg Phd, Mphil, Dclinpsychol

This thesis has been submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for a postgraduate degree (e.g. PhD, MPhil, DClinPsychol) at the University of Edinburgh. Please note the following terms and conditions of use: This work is protected by copyright and other intellectual property rights, which are retained by the thesis author, unless otherwise stated. A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge. This thesis cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the author. The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the author. When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given. Evaluating Contemporary Protestant Missions to Children at Risk in South India: Investigating Foundations and Principles for Future Christian Mission Dhinakaran Robert Jaba Prasad Phillips A Thesis Submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy, School of Divinity, The University of Edinburgh October 2018 ii iii Abstract The 2011 Indian Census indicates that children under the age of 18 constitute more than 400 million, and most of them are Children at Risk (CAR). This study suggests that the care and protection of children at risk is not a twentieth- or twenty-first- century secular enterprise but has precedents in Protestant missions in India from the late eighteenth century. In the first section, the study focuses on evaluating contemporary Protestant mission contexts in India and a brief historical survey of Protestant missions to CAR in India through case studies. The evaluation concentrates on the implications of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) for the predominant Protestant models of mission in contemporary India – which may be summarised as child evangelism, child compassion and child advocacy. The thesis argues that child care and protection is increasingly becoming secularised and professionalised. Moreover, with the emergence of new laws and with increasing, vigilance from international and national agencies, and from Hindu fundamentalists, Christian mission to CAR is itself at risk. Under these circumstances, the study also investigates whether there is a transition from ideas of ‘saving’ CAR to ideas of protecting the human rights of CAR. In the second section, this hypothesis is further substantiated by case studies of select Protestant churches and Christian NGOs engaging with CAR in the cities of Bangalore and Chennai. Using empirical data, it then claims that the predominant Protestant approaches of evangelism, compassion, and advocacy are still underdeveloped and inadequate primarily because the majority of caregivers working with children still perceive CAR as objects of their mission – an assumption that may be contrary to UNCRC (Articles 14 and 30). Further, it argues that the churches and agencies most active among CAR are from a ‘conservative’ background, who are often exclusively ‘spiritual’ and otherworldly in their concerns. The final and most constructive section, based on the evaluations of the empirical data, seeks to recommend a preliminary theology of mission in and through the idea of ‘childness’ based on Matthew 18: 2-5, an idea developed by iv Adrian Thatcher in the context of a theology of child participation. Based on these foundations, it suggests that UNCRC can be integrated as a set of principles for contemporary Christian missions with CAR in South India through a missiological process called ‘dialogue,’ emerging from a pluralistic Indian context. It further proposes that adults and children are to be perceived not as either independent (liberational) or dependent (paternalistic) agencies, but as interdependent agencies working together in God’s mission. This thesis finally proposes basic principles for Christian mission to/for/with CAR – a multi-dimensional approach integrating CAR as subjects of God’s mission and not just as objects. v Lay Summary The 2011 Indian Census suggests that children under the age of 18 constitute more than 400 million, and most of them are Children at Risk (CAR). This study suggests that care and protection of children at risk is not merely a twentieth- or twenty-first-century secular enterprise, but has precedents in Protestant missions in India from the eighteenth century. In the first section, the study focuses on evaluating contemporary Protestant mission contexts in India and a brief historical survey of Protestant missions to CAR in India through case studies. The evaluation concentrates on the implications of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) for the predominant Protestant models of mission in contemporary India – which may be summarised as child evangelism, child compassion and child advocacy. The thesis argues that child care and protection is increasingly becoming secularised and professionalised. Moreover, with the emergence of new laws, vigilance from international and national agencies, and Hindu fundamentalists, Christian mission to CAR is itself at risk. Under these circumstances, the study also investigates whether there is a transition from ideas of ‘saving’ CAR to ideas of protecting the child rights of CAR. In the second section, this hypothesis is further evidenced by case studies of selected Protestant churches and Christian NGOs engaging with CAR in the cities of Bangalore and Chennai. Using empirical data, I then substantiate that the predominant Protestant approaches of evangelism, compassion, and advocacy are still underdeveloped and inadequate primarily because the majority still perceive CAR as objects of their mission – an assumption that may be contrary to UNCRC (Articles 14 and 30). In the final section, based on the evaluations of empirical data, I recommend a preliminary theology of mission in and through the idea of ‘childness’ based on Matthew 18: 2-5, in the context of a theology of child participation. Based on these theological foundations, I suggest that UNCRC can be integrated through proper dialogue as a set of principles for contemporary Christian missions with CAR in South India. I further propose that children and adults are to be perceived not as either independent or dependent agencies but as interdependent agencies working together in God’s mission. This thesis finally proposes basic principles for Christian mission to/for/with CAR – a multi-dimensional approach integrating CAR as subjects of God’s mission. vi vii DECLARATION I confirm that this work submitted for assessment is my own and expressed in my words. Any uses made within it of works of other authors in any form (e.g. quotation, ideas, figures, text and tables) are duly acknowledged at their point of use. A list of the references employed is included. No part of this thesis has been submitted for any other degree or professional qualification. Signed …………………………………………………………...... Date: 30th October 2018 viii ix ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The period of this research has been an exciting and a challenging time – a journey where I discovered many of my strengths and weaknesses, and I have come to realise that this would not have been possible without God’s presence and providence. Many people have been part of this journey. I sincerely thank each one of them and would like to acknowledge a few of them here for their academic, financial and emotional support. I want to acknowledge Prof Brian Stanley, my primary supervisor, who was one of the first to show interest in my research topic, who guided me to apply to New College for my PhD programme and then recommended me for a Divinity Scholarship. In him, I found a scholar saint and, through his careful supervision and academic rigour, he pushed my boundaries to work hard and to come thus far. His patience and pastoral care helped me to persevere. My thanks also goes to his wife, Rosemary, for her warmth and hospitality. In Dr Alexander Chow, my secondary supervisor, I found a scholar friend who not only gave helpful comments during the supervisions but was also available for discussions to shape my theological reflections. I am grateful to Dr Arko Longkumer and Dr Naomi Appleton for the opportunity to tutor courses at New College. My thanks go to the late Dr Robin Boyd and his wife Anne for their love and concern. I also want to recognise Dr Elizabeth Koepping and Dr Afe Adogame for their hospitality and encouragement while preparing for my review board. I would like to acknowledge Dr Dan Brewster, Professor J.B. Jeyaraj, Rev Dr Rohan Gideon, Mr Thomas Swaroop, Rev Dr P. T. George and the late Dr Joshua Bakiaraj, people who got me interested in doing research on the subject of Children at Risk. My thanks to all those who agreed to contribute by being interviewed and connected me to people and resources for this research. I also express my gratitude to my dear wife Premila and son Arpith for their support, sacrifice, prayers and care, by allowing and sending me to do full-time PhD research. During this period, I strongly felt sorry for my son for three years as I was an absent father and was putting him ‘at risk’ as he was growing up as a teenager. x My wife not only funded my research project but also took the role of a father for my son amid her busy work as a missionary doctor in the Middle East. I want to thank my mother-in-law, Alice Charles, who came over to help my family during my absence. Profound gratitude goes to my father, Alfred J. K. Phillips, and my mother, Hilda S Phillips, although neither of them were graduates, they were my primary motivators to get me into theological studies, without whom I would not have come thus far. I recognise them, my sister-in-law, Angel Doss, and her family for their moral support, my brothers John and Prathap and his family for their hospitality during my empirical research in India.

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