Role of Christian Missionaries

Missionary activities in India

There are two views among scholars about the origin of Christianity in India. According to one, the foundation of the Christian church in India was laid by Saint Thomas, one of the twelve Apostles of Jesus. The other view would ascribe the arrival of Christianity in India to the enterprise of Christian merchants and missionaries belonging to the East Syrian and Persian churches. But it has been widely believed that India was St. Thomas’ sphere of work. As Cardinal Tisserant says there was a very ancient evangelization started by St. Thomas, the Apostle and mainly in South India.

The Charter act of 1833 approved the permanent presence of missionaries in India and made provision for Anglican hierarchy at Calcutta. With the expansion of the British Empire missionaries began to arrive and Christianity began to spread by establishing dioceses at Madras and Bombay. Ever since there existed a renewed cooperation between the missionaries and the colonial power in helping one another in their missions.

By the end of the eighteenth century a new wave of the spirit of evangelization permeated Protestant Churches. In 1792 the English Baptists organised the first Anglican mission Baptist Missionary Society.

Later Protestant missionary operations were undertaken on a large scale by LMS ( London missionary society) and CMS ( Church mission society). Alongside the older societies there have come into the field a bewildering number of missionary organisations. The characteristic feature of nineteenth century missions was the enthusiasm for the multiplication of missionary efforts. The priority of the colonial missions was conversion. Conversion of individual souls was considered the sole end of mission. To a European missionary non-Christian religions and Eastern cultures were non-slavific and that Christianity alone would redeem them. The British rule had provided favourable Atmosphere and necessary Infrastructure-2/”>INFRASTRUCTURE for the missions to work even in the remotest mountain villages without confronting much opposition. Julius Richter says that, it would be hard to find any land possessing so great an attraction for the missionary societies.

After the Charter of 1833 was renewed, missionaries were allowed freely to come to India. Missionary teams became powerful and their style of work changed. By this time a new set of missionaries rooted in ‘the iconoclastic zeal of extreme Protestantism’43 began to arrive. These missionaries, soon through letters, reports and stories, created a very distorted image about the people and culture in India. They were imbued with the western ‘imperial sentiments’ and the sense of cultural superiority and agreed with Charles Grant, the spokesman of the Evangelicals in England, that it was not any inborn weakness that made Hindu degenerate but the nature of their religion. For the evangelicals India was in darkness and would need the Light present in the western world.

The Evangelicals and other mission societies made a combined attempt to change the policy of the British Government and demanded the introduction of legal and social reforms in India. It was thus that William Bentick in March 1835 issued his resolution intended mainly to promote European literature and science and utilize funds mainly for English Education. The study of Indian Literature and oriental works was admitted to be of little intrinsic value and the opinion was that these literatures inculcate the most serious errors on the subjects. Also the customs and traditions and the religious beliefs of the subject people were considered by the missionary educators and their societies in England as a sign of depravity and futility. The remedy was the introduction of English education.

Alexander Duff, Scottish missionary and leading educator whose ideas can be considered representative of the majority of missionaries in the nineteenth century, thought that though Hindu philosophical discourse contained lofty terms in its religious vocabulary what they conveyed were only vain, foolish and wicked conceptions. According to Duff, Hinduism-2/”>Hinduism spread like a dark universe where all life dies and death lives. The Christian task for him was to do everything possible to demolish such a gigantic fabric of idolatry and superstition. Needless to say, such an Attitude prevented any positive encounter between Christianity and Indian culture. Duff, Buchanan, Trevelyan, Macaulay and others had great influence on the missionary thinking. The missionaries and civil servants who came to India were so prejudiced that they did not see anything good in India society.

The missionaries and their societies subscribed to the view that civilizing the Indian people would prepare the primitive religious people to embrace Christianity. Nineteenth century Protestant missiology could be understood against the background of Christianisation and civilizing as two sides of the same coin. Missions were unwilling to understand the complexities of Indian cultural variants. Deeply entrenched in them was a sense of superiority of European civilization and that coloured their approach to people of other cultures and religious faiths. The missions and colonial administrators asserted that Hinduism would die away soon and the whole nation could be civilized and Christianised. English education was a means towards this goal. That is to facilitate change from exterior to interior, from trade to religion, a cultural revolution for the betterment of the natives by disseminating knowledge of Christianity and make them loyal to the British The comment of Arthur Mayhew is worth mentioning: “The evangelical supporters of Anglican mission were far more interested in the dissemination of the Bible and baptismal statistics than in any measure for the general enlightenment of India”50. The primary interest of the Raj was to keep control over India. The dominant interest of missions was to work for the conversion of Indians to Christianity. But in the colonial situation they found themselves in need of one another and so mutual support was but natural.

Although the missionaries worked hard and suffered a lot for bringing education and awareness of social Justice to the people living in the rural areas of India, as they were associated with the colonial imperial powers, the significance of their selfless service was either overlooked or misunderstood.

Christian missions are the activities of Christians who are trying to spread their faith to others. This can include preaching, teaching, and providing social Services. Christian missions have a long history, dating back to the early days of Christianity.

One of the earliest examples of Christian missions is the story of the Apostle Paul. Paul was a Jewish man who converted to Christianity after meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus. He then spent the rest of his life traveling around the Roman Empire, preaching the gospel and founding churches.

Christian missions continued to grow throughout the Middle Ages. In the 15th century, the Protestant Reformation led to a new wave of missionary activity. Protestant missionaries traveled to Europe, Asia, and Africa, spreading the Protestant faith.

In the 19th century, there was a renewed interest in Christian missions. This was due in part to the Industrial revolution, which led to an increase in wealth and leisure time. Many people felt that they had a responsibility to use their Resources to help others, and Christian missions were seen as one way to do this.

Christian missions have had a significant impact on the world. They have helped to spread Christianity to new parts of the world, and they have also provided social services such as education and healthcare. However, Christian missions have also been controversial. Some people have accused missionaries of being imperialists who are trying to impose their culture on others. Others have accused them of being intolerant of other religions.

Despite the controversies, Christian missions are likely to continue in the future. There are still many people in the world who have not heard the gospel, and Christians believe that it is their duty to share the good news with them.

Here are some of the motivations for Christian missions:

To spread the gospel: Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation, and they want to share this message with others.
To help others: Christian missionaries often provide social services such as education, healthcare, and disaster relief.
To build relationships: Christian missionaries often build relationships with people from other cultures, which can help to promote understanding and Tolerance.

Here are some of the methods of Christian missions:

Preaching: Christian missionaries often preach the gospel in public places, such as streets and parks.
Teaching: Christian missionaries often teach Bible classes and other religious education programs.
Providing social services: Christian missionaries often provide social services such as education, healthcare, and disaster relief.
Building relationships: Christian missionaries often build relationships with people from other cultures, which can help to promote understanding and tolerance.

Here are some of the impacts of Christian missions:

Spread of Christianity: Christian missions have helped to spread Christianity to new parts of the world.
Provision of social services: Christian missionaries have provided social services such as education, healthcare, and disaster relief.
Promotion of understanding and tolerance: Christian missionaries have often built relationships with people from other cultures, which can help to promote understanding and tolerance.

Here are some of the controversies surrounding Christian missions:

Imperialism: Some people have accused missionaries of being imperialists who are trying to impose their culture on others.
Intolerance: Others have accused missionaries of being intolerant of other religions.
Cultural imperialism: Some people have accused missionaries of promoting Western culture at the expense of local cultures.
Brain drain: Some people have accused missionaries of taking away talented people from developing countries.

What is a missionary?

A missionary is a person who is sent to a foreign country to spread their religion.

What are the different types of missionaries?

There are many different types of missionaries, but they can generally be divided into two categories: religious and secular. Religious missionaries are sent by religious organizations to spread their faith, while secular missionaries are sent by non-religious organizations to promote Social Change or development.

What are the different roles of missionaries?

Missionaries can play a variety of roles, depending on their organization and the needs of the people they are serving. Some common roles include:

Preaching: Missionaries often preach to the local people about their religion.
Teaching: Missionaries may also teach the local people about their religion, as well as other subjects such as Literacy and numeracy.
Healing: Missionaries may provide medical care to the local people.
Building: Missionaries may build schools, hospitals, and other infrastructure in the communities they serve.
Advocacy: Missionaries may advocate for the rights of the local people and work to improve their living conditions.

What are the benefits of having missionaries?

Missionaries can bring many benefits to the communities they serve. They can provide religious and social services, as well as education and healthcare. They can also help to promote understanding and tolerance between different cultures.

What are the challenges of being a missionary?

Missionaries often face many challenges, including language barriers, cultural differences, and physical danger. They may also be isolated from their families and friends.

What are the ethical issues surrounding missionaries?

There are a number of ethical issues surrounding missionaries. Some people argue that missionaries are imposing their religion on others, while others argue that they are providing valuable services to the communities they serve.

What is the future of missionaries?

The future of missionaries is uncertain. The number of missionaries has been declining in recent years, and it is unclear whether this trend will continue. However, there is still a need for missionaries in many parts of the world, and it is likely that they will continue to play an important role in spreading their religion and helping others.

Which of the following is not a role of Christian missionaries?
(A) To spread the gospel
(B) To provide education and healthcare
(C) To convert people to Christianity
(D) To build churches and schools
Which of the following is a major challenge facing Christian missionaries today?
(A) Persecution
(B) Lack of funding
(C) Lack of qualified personnel
(D) All of the above
Which of the following is a positive impact that Christian missionaries have had on the world?
(A) They have helped to spread education and healthcare.
(B) They have helped to promote peace and understanding.
(C) They have helped to preserve indigenous cultures.
(D) All of the above
Which of the following is a negative impact that Christian missionaries have had on the world?
(A) They have been involved in forced conversions.
(B) They have been involved in the destruction of indigenous cultures.
(C) They have been involved in the exploitation of local people.
(D) All of the above
What is the future of Christian missions?
(A) It is difficult to say, as there are many factors that will affect the future of missions. However, it is likely that Christian missionaries will continue to play an important role in spreading the gospel and helping people in need.
What are some of the challenges that Christian missionaries face today?
(A) Persecution, lack of funding, and lack of qualified personnel are some of the major challenges that Christian missionaries face today.
What are some of the positive impacts that Christian missionaries have had on the world?
(A) Christian missionaries have helped to spread education and healthcare, promote peace and understanding, and preserve indigenous cultures.
What are some of the negative impacts that Christian missionaries have had on the world?
(A) Christian missionaries have been involved in forced conversions, the destruction of indigenous cultures, and the exploitation of local people.
What is your opinion on the role of Christian missionaries in the world?
(A) I believe that Christian missionaries have played an important role in spreading the gospel and helping people in need. However, I also believe that there have been some negative impacts associated with Christian missions.
What do you think the future of Christian missions holds?
(A) I believe that the future of Christian missions is uncertain. However, I hope that Christian missionaries will continue to play an important role in spreading the gospel and helping people in need.