Christian Missions in the Pluralistic Context of India – the Relevance of Gandhian Approach
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CHRISTIAN MISSIONS IN THE PLURALISTIC CONTEXT OF INDIA – THE RELEVANCE OF GANDHIAN APPROACH Thesis Submitted to the MAHATMA GANDHI UNIVERSITY for the Award of the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY In Gandhian Studies Under the faculty of Social Sciences By MATHEW THOMAS Guided by Dr. M. P. MATHAI School of Gandhian Thought and Development Studies Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam October 2002 2 FOR THOSE WHO SILENTLY LIVE THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPEL School of Gandhian Thought and Development Studies MAHATMA GANDHI UNIVERSITY Priyadarshini Hills, Kottayam – 686 560 Kerala State, INDIA Phone : Off(0481) 731039 Dr. M. P. MATHAI Date: 28-10-2002 Supervisor & Guide CERTIFICATE This is to certify that Mr. MATHEW THOMAS has completed his research for the Ph.D. Degree on “CHRISTIAN MISSIONS IN THE PLURALISTIC CONTEXT OF INDIA–THE RELEVANCE OF GANDHIAN APPROACH”, under my Supervision and Guidance. He has successfully completed his thesis and it is a record of bonafide research work done by him during the period of research in the School of Gandhian Thought & Development Studies, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam. Dr. M. P. MATHAI DECLARATION This is to certify that my thesis entitled “CHRISTIAN MISSIONS IN THE PLURALISTIC CONTEXT OF INDIA–THE RELEVANCE OF GANDHIAN APPROACH” for Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (Ph.D.) is a bonafide record of research work done by me at the School of Gandhian Thought and Development Studies, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam – 686 560. It is certified that the thesis has not previously formed the basis for the award of any degree other than Master’s Degree or Diploma, Associateship, Fellowship or other similar title and that it has been composed by me independently. MATHEW THOMAS School of Gandhian Thought and Development Studies, Mahatma Gandhi University, Date: October 28, 2002 Kottayam – 686 560, Kerala. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT First and foremost I thank God for his divine providence in my life throughout especially during my Ph.D. programme. Words are inadequate to express my gratitude to Prof. Dr. M.P. Mathai my supervisor in whom I found an eminent scholar and an able guide.Despite of being busy with various responsibilities, he has patiently gone through my manuscripts and encouraged and advised me on every point during the course of the programme. I acknowledge his guidance with due respect and thank him very much. I remember in a special way Rev. Dr. P.L. John Panicker Mar Thoma Theological Seminary Kottayam for his valuable suggestions and help in writing this thesis. I extent my sincere thanks to Smt. Suseela Jacob Librarian Mar Thoma Theological Seminary, Fr. C. C. Cherian Librarian Orthodox Theological Seminary, Librarian and Staff of Mahatma Gandhi University Library and School of Gandhian Thought & Development Studies for their kindness in providing me with necessary library facilities for the study. My sincere thanks also to Sri. Mathews Varghese Manorama School of Communication for helping me towards collection of data for this study. I thank Dr. Mahajan P. Mani Professor and Director School of Gandhian Thought and Development Studies and Dr. M. S. John for their encouragement and valuable suggestions during the research time. I acknowledge my gratitude to Sri. P.C. Sherimon Lecturer and Sri. G.Unnikrishnan School of Computer Science for their help. Also my thanks to Sri. P. N. Madhu and Sri. Geevarghese Kurian of University Computer Centre for their sincere cooperation in completion of the thesis. I am most grateful to the late Francis Acharya Kurisumala Ashram for his useful comments in the writing of the thesis. Also my indebtedness to Rev. George Alexander, Prof. S. Ninan, Pastor M. I. Eapen IET Bangalore, Sri. K. C. Joseph IEHC Kottayam, Dr. George Samuel Navajeevodayam Thiruvalla, Sri. Santhosh Joseph Maria Sadanam Pala, Fr.Abraham Kaipanplackal Deivadan Centre Pala, and Dr. A. K. Tharien Christian Fellowship Hospital Oddanchatram for their help in various ways in writing this dissertation. I am obliged to Prof. M. C. John for his prayers and constant encouragement. My gratitude certainly to Sri. Sunam Chandra Pani Evangelist Orissa Mission and Brother Joby Joseph Nirmal Vidyalaya Bastar for providing me information on mission activities and accompanying me to tribal villages. I greatly acknowledge all the persons whom I have interviewed. They help me in every way possible in completing the research and study. I am thankful to Sri. Anil Kumar B. Assistant Librarian Mahatma Gandhi University for typing the thesis. My sincere thanks to Sri. K.V. Shibu Minitek Computers Athirampuzha for his creative effort in giving final shape to this thesis. My thanks certainly to my friends and colleagues for their support. I greatly acknowledge my parents for their sincere cooperation. Also I am indebted to Mrs. & Mr. P.O. George Calicut for their fervent prayers and interest shown in this work. Last, but not the least, I owe a special debt of gratitude to my dear wife Biby and children Teena and Tony for their prayers cooperation and encouragement throughout my study. Mathew Thomas ABBREVIATIONS AG - Assembly of God BJP - Bharatiya Janatha Party CBCI - Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India CHAI - Church History Association of India CISRS - Christian Institute for the Study of Religion and Society CLS - Christian Literature Society CMS - Church Missionary Society CNI - Church of North India CSS - Christava Sahithya Samithi CWMG - The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi EHC - Every Home Crusade EPW - Economic and Political Weekly FFT - Fellowship of Friends and Truth FMPB - Friends Missionary Prayer Band GFA - Gospel for Asia ICHR - Indian Church History Review IEHC - India Every Home Crusade IEM - Indian Evangelical Mission IET - Indian Evangelical Team IMA - Indian Mission Association IPC - Indian Pentecostal Church IRM - International Review of Mission ISPCK - Indian Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge LMS - London Missionary Society NCCI - National Council of Churches in India NMS - National Missionary Society OM - Operation Mobilisation RSS - Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh SCM - Student Christian Movement VHP - Vishwa Hindu Parishad VHW - Village Health Worker WCC - World Council Churches YMCA - Young Men Christian Association YWCA - Young Women Christian Association ZMM - Zenana Medical Mission CONTENTS Acknowledgement Abbreviations Chapter 1 Introduction 1 Chapter 2 Christian Missions in the Contemporary 15 Situation of India 2.1 Background 15 2.2 The pluralistic situation 17 2.3 Mission 20 2.4 Conventional missionary approach 21 2.5 Meaning of conversion 22 2.6 Conversion - Changing Christian perception 25 2.7 Niyogi commission report 28 2.8 Christian mission activities: The present scenario 30 2.9 Why Christian mission groups are concentrating their 37 activities in North India’s tribal belt? 2.10 Mission activities in the tribal villages of Bastar, Bilaspur 41 and Raipur of Madhya Pradesh, Raigada and Phulbani of Orissa: Findings of the case studies 2.11 Why tribals and the backward classes are attracted to 54 Christianity? 2.12 Why Hindu groups oppose Christian missionary activities? 56 Chapter 3 History of Christian Missions in India 61 3.1 The origin of Christianity in India 61 3.2 The Syrian tradition 62 3.3 Socio-cultural life of St. Thomas Christians 64 3.4 The Portuguese intrusion 70 3.5 Portuguese - St. Thomas Christian interface 71 3.6 St. Francis Xavier and Jesuit mission 74 3.7 Robert De Nobili and the Madurai Mission 76 3.8 The Mogul Mission 77 3.9 Portuguese missions: An assessment 78 3.10 The Protestant mission 80 Chapter 4 Impact of Christian Missions- An Overview 91 4.1 The Impact of missions, a summing up 91 4.2 Christian missions and English education 99 Chapter 5 Responses to Christian Missions 105 5.1 Background: Socio-religious movements of nineteenth 105 century 5.2 Modern Hindu responses 115 5.3 Mahatma Gandhi 135 Chapter 6 Gandhi and the Christian Missions 139 6.1 Early contact with Christianity 139 6.2 Days in London 142 6.3 Critical maturing phase in South Africa 144 6.4 Gandhi’s response to missionaries 153 6.5 Contact with ECU 155 6.6 Influence of Leo Tolstoy 156 6.7 The final phase 160 6.8 Encounter with Christian missions 163 6.9 On the place of missions in Independent India 171 6.10 State and religion 173 6.11 Gandhi’s attitude towards Indian Christian Community 176 6.12 Gandhi’s views on religious conversion: A deeper probe 180 6.13 Why Gandhi opposed proselytization? 185 Chapter 7 Gandhi’s Model for Christian Missions and some 205 Christian Responses 7.1 How should Christian missions conduct themselves? 206 7.2 Christian responses to the model offered by Gandhi 221 7.3 Three contemporary witnesses 264 Conclusion 273 Bibliography 293 Appendix CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Statement of the problem 1.2 Purpose of the study 1.3 Hypothesis 1.4 Scope of the study 1.5 Methodology 1.6 Sources of the study 1.7 Organisation of the study 1.8 Limitations CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.1 Statement of the problem India has been acclaimed as a land of religions and spirituality. All major religions of the world co-existed in this land for centuries in an atmosphere of mutual respect and tolerance. The reputation that India gained in this respect has won for it a place of pride and prestige in the comity of nations of the world. However, the equilibrium of this great tradition of tolerance and mutual respect had not been undisturbed in its long history. Whenever one religion claimed superiority over the other religions or denounced other religions the balance was upset, often leading to inter religious clashes and the creation of communalism. The consequences were serious and far-reaching. But viewed historically communal flare- ups and inter religious clashes were mostly transient phenomena. In all such conflict situations people of true religiosity intervened and impressed upon all the need to understand each other and saw to it that the true spirit of religion (as a unifying and integrating force) prevailed ultimately.