Missionary
Construction of Indian Christian Theologies
Missionaries
from various places came to India with one agenda i.e. to evangelize Indians.
Even though their way of approach of evangelization differed but, they served
the nation with full devotion. Many of them tried to prove the superiority of
Christian faith thus they rejected and condemned everything related to the
Indian culture. At the same time there were few who tried to learn the language
and culture so that they can share the gospel effectively.
2.1. Robert
De Nobili (1577-1656)
Due to his accommodative theology he was able to invite caste
Hindus to Christianity at the same time by doing so he accepted the oppressive
caste system. He has been acclaimed as the first Oriental scholar and the
father of Tamil prose.
According to Francis X. Clooney, De Nobili is a hero for those in
the Christianity who wants to divert the Christian gospel of an overly European
appearance and so to deepen its roots in the non- European societies where it
is present. He was remarkably courageous, sensitive and foresighted in his
understanding of his religion and its relationship to his own and other
cultures.
His methods of work were indigenous and highly original, and he is
greatly to be commended for his study and use of Sanskrit and Tamil. He
accepted the social customs of the people and provided much required theological
vocabulary in Tamil and Sanskrit languages.
2.2. J.N. Farquhar (1861-1929)
Unlike other missionaries J.N. Farquhar never rejected Hinduism as
evil but he considered it in line with fulfillment. The Christianity that he
talks of is not Christianity as it is practiced by Christians but Christianity
as it springs from Christ himself. In fact, he passes for Christ to
Christianity and back as if they were identical. His understanding of the
relation between Hinduism and Christianity as lower to higher tries to replace
Hinduism with Christianity that itself is the missionary motive.
His theology was based on the fulfillment Theory. It was his belief
that there is an evolutionary connection between Hinduism and Christianity as
of lower to higher, so that what is only foreshadowed in Hinduism is fulfilled
and perfected in Christianity. In Hinduism there is an aspiration which would
be considered as preparation for Christ, and every important Christian truth is
part of Hinduism. He uses the fulfillment idea in evolutionary sense and sees
the process of fulfillment as a radical displacement of Hinduism by
Christianity. He utilized the fulfillment theory to Hinduism and presented his
interpretation regarding the relationship between Christianity and Hinduism.
Farquhar argues that Christianity or rather Christ is the crown of Hinduism.
Christ provides the fulfillment of each highest aspiration and aims of
Hinduism.
2.3. A.G.Hogg
(1875-1954)
Hogg
rejected the fulfillment model proposed by Farquhar and maintained the difference
between Christianity and Hinduism. He re-interpreted the Hindu doctrine of
Karma and re-stated the Christian doctrine of redemption according to karma
principle. Hogg not only re-interpreted the doctrine of Karma, but also felt
the necessity of restating the Christian doctrine of Redemption in the light of
the Karma theory and the Hindu way of thinking concerning the way of release.
2.4. Lesslie Newbigin (1909-1998)
Newbigin’s
theology is based on mission and his mission is theology. His writing proves
that he is a missionary theologian. He became an influential personality in
relation with theology of mission in the twentieth century. He was aware of the
context and thus he addressed the emerging issues. He gelled well in all
context whether the rural context of Tamilnadu or the urban worldview of
Birmingham.
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