CHRISTIAN MISSIONS’ EDUCATIONAL PROJECT IN THE XIXTH CENTURY NORTH INDIA
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Abstract
This paper aims to investigate one of the less studied aspects of the process of India’s Christianization, to wit the impact of the missionary activities of the education of the Indian society high classes. The author makes an attempt to shed more light on the missionary education in the XIXth century and the specific features of its functioning in the Northern provinces of India. A special attention is devoted to elucidation of the historical and cultural context which was characterized by the low level of literacy of the population, the strong position of Hindu tradition and the popular belief in the “Christian threat”. It must be noted that English was not yet established as the primary language of instruction; generally, classic languages (Sanskrit and Persian) as well as Hindi and Urdu were taught in missionary schools. Following the analysis of the wide range of sources, the author argues that for the high strata of the North Indian society this education served only as a preliminary stage for entering universities and for the further employment in the colonial administration. Thus, it is concluded that due to the specific cultural background of North India the missionary schools in this region failed to accomplish its proselytizing goal and mostly played the role of the social mobility tool for the Indian elite.
How to Cite
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Christian Missions’, Educational Project, Hindu tradition, North India
Asia in the Making of Christianity: Conversion, Agency, and Indigeneity, 1600s to the present. 2013.
Bacheler O. R. Hinduism and Christianity in Orissa: containing a brief description of the country, religion, manners and customs, of the Hindus. Boston, 1856.
Bellenoit J. A. Hayden. Missionary Education, Religion and Knowledge in India, c.1880–1915 // Modern Asian Studies. Vol. 41, Issue 02. 2007. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0026749X05002143
Bishop Heber in Northern India: Selections from Heber’s Journal. Cambridge, 2010.
Census of India, 1911. Vol. 1. India. Part I. Report. Calcutta, 1913.
Chailley J. Administrative problems of British India. London, 1910.
Chambers R. J. Bishop Herber and Indian Missions. London, MDCCCXLVI.
Chatterjee R. History of Education in India Under the Rule of East Indian Company. Calcutta. 1867.
Coxx J. Imperial Fault Lines: Christianity and Imperial Power in India. 1818–1940. Stanford, 2002.
Eliot Ch. Hinduism and Buddhism. Vol. I. London, 1921.
Forster E. M. Indian Journals and Essays. New Delhi, 1984.
Fryckenberg E. R. Christians and Missionaries in India: Cross Cultural Communication since 1500. Cambridge, 2003.
Fryckenberg E. R. Christianity of India. From Beginnings to the Present. Oxford, 2008.
Gordon A. Our India Mission. Personal Reminiscences. 1855–1885. Philadelphia, 1886.
Letter from J. Rowe to J. Suffery. Diagah. June 2. 1814 // Baptist Magazine and Literary Review. Vol. 7. London, 1814.
Leupolt C. B. Further Recollection of the Indian Missionary. London, MDCCCLXXXIV.
Leupolt C. B. Recollection of the Indian Missionary. Missionary of the Church Missionary Society at Benares in North India. London, 1865.
Memoirs of Mr. John Chamberlain: late missionary in India. Baptist Mission Press, 1826.
Memoirs of the Right Rev. Daniel Corrie. London, 1857.
Missionary register for 1927. Church Missionary Society. Vol. 15. London, 1927.
Newton J. Historical Sketches of the Indian Missions of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America. Allahabad, 1886.
Oddie A. G. Constructing “Hinduism”. The Impact of Protestant Missionary Movements on Hindu Self-understanding // Christians and Missionaries in India: Cross Cultural Communication since 1500. Cambridge, 2003.
Richter J. A History of Mission in India. New York, Chicago, Toronto, 1908.
Robinson R. Christians of India. New Delhi, 2003.
Sharma R. B. History of Christian missions: North India perspectives. Delhi, 1988.
Sunderland J. T. Christian Missions in India: Will India Become Christian? Houghton, Mifflin, 1898.
The Missionary Herald at Home and Abroad. Vol. 58. Boston, 1862.
Tucker H. C. A Letter to Official Concerned in the Education of India. London, 1858.
Tucker H. C. Former Commissioner, Benares, to Lord Stanley, Secretary of State for India: London, 1858 // Some Documents on the Christianization of India and Alteration in Strategies: C. 1700–1900. Vol. XIV. Sevagram, 2000.
Webster, John C. B. The Christian Community and Change in Nineteenth Century North India. Delhi, 1976.
Webster, John C. B. Punjabi Christians // Journal of Punjab Studies. Vol. 16, No. 1. Spring 2009.
Weitbrecht М. Missionary Scetches in North India. London, MDCCCLVIII.
Wylie M. Bengal as a Field of Missions. London, 1854.
REFERENCES
Asia in the Making of Christianity: Conversion, Agency, and Indigeneity, 1600s to the present (2013).
Bacheler O. R. (1856), Hinduism and Christianity in Orissa: containing a brief description of the country, religion, manners and customs, of the Hindus, Boston.
Bellenoit J. A. Hayden (2007), “Missionary Education, Religion and Knowledge in India, c.1880–1915”, Modern Asian Studies, Vol. 41, Issue 02. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0026749X05002143
Bishop Heber in Northern India: Selections from Heber’s Journal (2010), Cambridge.
Census of India, 1911 (1913), Vol. 1, India, Part I, Report, Calcutta.
Chailley J. (1910), Administrative problems of British India, London.
Chambers R. J. (MDCCCXLVI), Bishop Herber and Indian Missions, London.
Chatterjee R. (1867), History of Education in India Under the Rule of East Indian Company, Calcutta.
Coxx J. (2002), Imperial Fault Lines: Christianity and Imperial Power in India. 1818–1940, Stanford.
Eliot Ch. (1921), Hinduism and Buddhism, Vol. I, London.
Forster E. M. (1984), Indian Journals and Essays, New Delhi.
Fryckenberg E. R. (2003), Christians and Missionaries in India: Cross Cultural Communication since 1500, Cambridge.
Fryckenberg E. R. (2008), Christianity of India. From Beginnings to the Present, Oxford.
Gordon A. (1886), Our India Mission. Personal Reminiscences. 1855–1885, Philadelphia.
“Letter from J. Rowe to J. Suffery. Diagah. June 2. 1814” (1814), Baptist Magazine and Literary Review, Vol. 7, London.
Leupolt C. B. (MDCCCLXXXIV), Further Recollection of the Indian Missionary, London.
Leupolt C. B. (1865), Recollection of the Indian Missionary. Missionary of the Church Missionary Society at Benares in North India, London.
Memoirs of Mr. John Chamberlain: late missionary in India (1826), Baptist Mission Press.
Memoirs of the Right Rev. Daniel Corrie (1857), London.
Missionary register for 1927. Church Missionary Society (1927), Vol. 15, London.
Newton J. (1886), Historical Sketches of the Indian Missions of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, Allahabad.
Oddie A. G. (2003), “Constructing “Hinduism”. The Impact of Protestant Missionary Movements on Hindu Self-understanding”, in Christians and Missionaries in India: Cross Cultural Communication since 1500, Cambridge.
Richter J. (1908), A History of Mission in India, New York, Chicago, Toronto.
Robinson R. (2003), Christians of India, New Delhi.
Sharma R. B. (1988), History of Christian missions: North India perspectives, Delhi.
Sunderland J. T. (1898), Christian Missions in India: Will India Become Christian?, Houghton, Mifflin.
The Missionary Herald at Home and Abroad (1862), Vol. 58, Boston.
Tucker H. C. (1858), A Letter to Official Concerned in the Education of India, London.
Tucker H. C. (2000), “Former Commissioner, Benares, to Lord Stanley, Secretary of State for India: London, 1858”, in Some Documents on the Christianization of India and Alteration in Strategies: C. 1700–1900, Vol. XIV, Sevagram.
Webster John C. B. (1976), The Christian Community and Change in Nineteenth Century North India, Delhi.
Webster, John C. B. (2009), “Punjabi Christians”, Journal of Punjab Studies, Vol. 16, no. 1, Spring.
Weitbrecht М. (MDCCCLVIII), Missionary Scetches in North India, London.
Wylie M. (1854), Bengal as a Field of Missions, London.