ERA 6 <<
Reference: Gonzalez, volume 2, chapters 30
† 21.1.1 Background to missionary activities
· Missionary centuries: The 16th-c was the great age of Catholic expansion and 19th-c was the great age of Protestant expansion.
· Colonialism & missions: Missionary activities led to the founding of a truly universal church, encompassing peoples of all races and nations. Unfortunately, the expansion took place within the context of colonialism and economic imperialism. The relationship between colonialism and missions was very complex. There were accusations that missionaries were agents of colonialism but this is not true.
o
Positive & negative: Although it is partially true that some missionary work entered
through a door opened by colonialism, it was also true that missionaries
reached regions never visited by white traders and colonizers. Sometimes,
colonial authorities and commercial interests opposed missionaries fearing that
religious conflict would interrupt trade.
o
Occasional impediments: It is true that colonial expansion of the West coincided with
Protestant missionary expansion but the two sometimes aided and sometimes
impeded each other.
·
British
gains: The Napoleonic wars turned
·
Territorial
expansion: With the industrial revolution, greater capital and
wider markets became necessary. With new industrial and technological
developments, more raw materials were required for industry. These were found
in Latin America and
·
Different
patterns: In
· Ideas of white supremacy: Many colonists believed that God had placed the benefits of western civilization (industrialization, capitalism, democracy) and Christian faith in the hands of white people in order for them to share with the rest of the world. Such racial and cultural arrogance would later produce strong anticolonial reaction in 20th-c.
† 21.2.1 Formation of missionary societies
· Missionary spirit: The missionary enthusiasm was the result of revivalism among the pietists and Methodists and among the evangelicals of the Anglican Church. People wanted to convert others to the same joyous religious experience.
· Early societies: Some of these societies were from a single denomination while others were based on cooperation between denominations. They were all voluntary societies supported by the public as churches and governments at that time did little to support missions. Two forerunners were founded by Anglicans: the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (SPCK) [1698], and the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts (SPG) [1701].
· William Carey (1761–1834)—He is often called “the father of modern missions” because:
o
Free access:
Since the beginning, the British East India Company opposed missionary work,
fearing that Christian preaching would produce tensions and riots that would
hinder trade. Because of Carey’s effort, when the charter of the Company came
up for renewal [1813], Parliament included a clause granting missionaries free
access to areas under company control.
o
Impact on missions: His reports on missions inspired many missionaries to follow him.
Carey helped found the Baptist Missionary Society [1792]. Many missionaries
societies were founded because of his influence.
o
Impact on
· Publication of the Bible: Organizations were established to publish Bibles for missionary activities. The Religious Tract Society [1799] and the British and Foreign Bible Society [1804] were founded to spread the gospel through publications. Similarly, the American Bible Society was founded [1816]. Many missionaries also worked as translators of the Bible into native languages.
· More societies:
o
The
o
Outside England: After the beginning of missionary activities in England, missionary
societies were founded in Holland [1797], Switzerland [1815], Germany [1824],
Norway [1842], and the United States—the American Board of Commissioners for
Foreign Missions [1822].
o
Anglican:
The Church Missionary Society [1799] was founded by the evangelical wing of the
Anglican Church led by Charles Simeon.
o
Methodist:
The Methodists formed the Wesleyan Missionary Society [1813].
o
Baptist: The Baptists formed the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society
[1814].
o
Lutheran:
o
Reformed: The Board of Foreign Missions of Dutch Reformed Church was set up
[1857].
o
Orthodox Church: The Orthodox Missionary Society founded [1870].
o
Disciples of Christ: The Foreign Christian Missionary Society was organized within the
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and
o
The
Women’s Union Missionary Society founded by Sarah Doremus [1861].
o
Oriental
Missionary Society was founded by Charles Cowman (his wife is the compiler of
popular devotional book Streams in the
Desert).
· Missionary education: This involved the education of missionaries in colleges, and the public education on missionary needs through magazines.
o
Colleges:
The East London Training Institute for Home and Foreign Missions [1873].
o
Magazines: The American Baptist, the missionary periodical,
was the oldest religious magazine in the
·
Involvement
by women: Women gradually played an important role. They formed
women missionary societies sending their missionaries. Some of them took up
responsibilities that were forbidden at home, such as preaching and organizing
churches. Medical Missionary Fellowship was formed in
· Cooperation: Missionary activities fostered a spirit of cooperation. Rivalries that seemed justifiable back home were a stumbling block for missionary work in the missions field. So the missionaries took steps to lower the barriers between denominations. They constantly sought to present a common witness and avoid competition, such as in the Liverpool Missionary Conference [1860]. This led to the ecumenical movement in 20th-c.
· 3-self churches: In a New York Missionary Conference [1854], the Church Missionary Society, sets out the ideal of establishing churches in mission fields with characteristics of: self-governing, self-supporting and self-propagating.
†
21.3.1 Asia &
·
Marco
Polo (1254–1325)—He brought news of fabulous riches in the courts
of
· Indian subcontinent:
o
16th-c: The
Portuguese reached Goa in
o
17th-c: The
British East India Company [founded 1600] established many strongholds in
o
18th-c: Missionary
Johann Ernst Gruendler was sent by the Danish Mission Society [1709]; he worked
in
o
19th-c:
After Carey, the next generation of missionaries concentrated on education. As
missionaries insisted that the caste system in
o
American
Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions opened work in
o
First
All-India Missionary Conference was held with 136 participants [1872].
o
Mass
conversion occurred in Ongole [1878].
o
Salvation
Army entered
o
Amy Carmichael
(1867–1951)—She was influenced by Hudson Taylor in the Keswick Convention
[1887]. She joined the Church Missionary Society and arrived in
·
o
o
o
o
o
·
o
16th-c to 18th-c: Jesuit Francis Xavier
arrived in
o
19th-c:
o
Protestant missionaries started coming to
o 20th-c: During the war, Japanese churches were forced to unite [1941].
·
o
16th-c to 19th-c: After the arrival of
the Spanish, the
o
20th-c: Presbyterians and Methodists opened
Union Theological Seminary in
·
o
18th-c to 19th-c: After
†
21.3.2
· Early colonies: For centuries, Muslim power had blocked European expansion towards the south and the southeast. In 15th-c, Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama sailed around the Cape of Good Hope [1497] and along the east coast of Africa reaching Mozambique. At the beginning of 19th-c, there were only a few enclaves in black Africa, including Dutch colony on the Cape of Good Hope [1652], French colony in Senegal [1677], and British colony in Sierra Leone [1799].
·
Rapid
colonization: The European powers started large scale
colonization after 1795 when the British seized the Dutch colony in
·
Missionary
societies: North Africa
· Missionaries: Both Protestant and Catholic missionaries followed. The most famous was David Livingstone (1813–1873). Eventually, all colonies had some churches, even in remote villages.
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Revivals: Revival began among Lutheran and
LMS churches in
†
21.3.3
·
Protestant
growth: The independence of Catholic churches in Latin America
led to the founding of Protestant churches in every nation in
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Central American
· Problem: One problem they needed to face was the presence of Roman Catholicism in the area. To organize missions was to declare that Catholics were not Christian so there was strong opposition by some Protestants.
· Helping the needy: Most early missionaries were concerned not only with salvation of souls but also with physical wellbeing and intellectual development. Therefore, Protestants soon became known for their work in medicine and education.
† 21.4.1 Cooperation leading to ecumenism
· Definition: “Ecumenical” means “pertaining to the entire inhabited earth.” The emphasis is on the worldwide unity of Christians in all nations. One of the driving forces leading to the modern movement for Christian unity was the missionary movement.
· Cooperation for missions: In overseas missions, cooperation between denominations was mandatory.
o [1] Limited resources: Bible translations prepared by missionaries of one denomination were used by all others. It soon became clear that coordination in such efforts would be good stewardship of limited resources.
o [2] Avoid duplication: As there were vast regions waiting for the gospel, it made sense to divide the area to save duplication of effort.
o [3] Avoid confusion: If different denominations preaching to people who never heard the gospel, even slightly different interpretations would confuse the listeners.
· Carey’s plan: The great forerunner of the ecumenical movement was William Carey who suggested that an international missionary conference be convened at Capetown [1810]. He hoped that such a conference would bring together missionaries and missionary agencies from all over the world to exchange information and coordinate their plans. However, his plan was unsuccessful.
·
Student
Volunteer Movement [1886]—It was an interdenominational agency in
the
·
Ecumenical
Missionary Conference [1900]—It was held in
† 21.4.2 World Missionary Conference [1910]
·
Objective:
While there were smaller conferences in 19th-c, the first large scale
conference met in
o Conference of British Missionary Societies was formed [1912].
o Interdenominational Foreign Mission Association (IFMA) was founded [1917].
· Impact: The conference achieved its basic goal of exchanging information. But its significance was far greater.
o [1] Conferences on other subjects: It paved the way for other conferences where subjects other than missions would be discussed.
o [2] International cooperation: The conference appointed a Continuation Committee indicating that such cooperation will continue. Eventually, the International Missionary Council would be formed.
o [3] Ecumenical leaders: The conference gave international stature to many leaders of the ecumenical movement such as Methodist layman John R. Mott.
o
[4] Ecumenical
movement: Out of the exclusion in this conference came the development of
the Faith and Order movement and the Committee on Cooperation in
|
[1] treasure our heritage |
God’s
church is a missionary church. Impact of the church on the world is greatest
when the focus is outward. |
|
[2] appreciate God’s providence |
God
raised up a whole army of missionaries to save the world. |
|
[3] avoid past errors |
The
work of the missionaries was no doubt made easier by imperialism but it also
cause longlasting enmity from native people. |
|
[4] apply our knowledge |
Missionary
work was often facilitated by assistance to the poor and the sick through
orphanages, schools, and hospitals. It is important to look after the body in
additional to the soul in missions. |
|
[5] follow past saints |
There
were countless number of missionaries who sacrificed their whole lives to
carry the gospel to dangerous places. |
●
How
should missionaries balance the need of evangelization and upholding social
justice in the missions field? How much accommodation to the local culture can
be accepted?
o Evangelism without ethical conduct is wrong. Missionaries need to consider both salvation and social justice for the native people. The solution and the balance may not be simple because of political and cultural considerations. Every situation is different. It requires wisdom from God.
o Contextualization of Christianity to fit the local culture can help to reduce the resistance to the gospel. However, the accommodation must not violate the essential doctrines.
● How did the missionary movement lead to the ecumenical movement?
o The founding of many missionary societies was based on cooperation between denominations, such as the London Missionary Society.
o Rivalries that seemed justifiable back home were a stumbling block for missionary work in the missions field. So the missionaries took steps to lower the barriers between denominations. They constantly sought to present a common witness and avoid competition. This led to the ecumenical movement in the 20th-c.
●
The World Missionary Conference in 1910
deliberately exclude the discussion of Protestant missions among Catholics in
o The exclusion in 1910 was probably appropriate as there were many areas that had not heard of Christ. Moreover, missions among the Catholics almost implied that Roman Catholicism is not true Christianity.
o
Today, the situation is quite different. The
gospel has reached almost the whole world even though there are still millions
who have not received salvation. Experience has told us that many Catholics and
Protestants were nominal Christians only. They still need to hear the true
gospel. In reality, missionaries should be sent among Catholics and Protestants
in Latin America and
● What were the impacts of the 1910 conference?
o paved the way for more international cooperation among denominations
o led to later formation of the International Missionary Council
o gave international stature to the movement and some leaders
o the exclusion led to the Faith and Order Movement which later developed into the World Council of Churches in 1948