Christian Missionary Activities in India | History Optional for UPSC (Notes) PDF Download

Missionary Movement and Early British Rule in India

• A missionary movement involves a group of people dedicated to spreading their religion worldwide, aiming to make others adopt the same beliefs.
• The British Government in India had three roles: that of a trader, a ruler and a Christian propagandist.
• British rulers, who were Christians, associated British rule with Christian dominance.
• In the early years of British rule (up to 1813), the East India Company maintained a stance of neutrality regarding the religious and social matters of its subjects.
• The Company chose not to interfere with the traditional cultures of the people by supporting missionary work.
• The policy of non-interference was likely based on the fear that missionaries, through English education, might offend Hindu subjects and create unrest.
• There were concerns that missionaries could stir religious sentiments among the Indian populace, impacting the East India Company’s business and diplomatic roles.
• This policy of non-interference and lack of support for missionary work was reevaluated after the Company Charter in 1813.
• In the 1770s and 1780s, figures like Edmund Burke argued that the East India Company’s power needed to be exercised with morality and under Parliament’s control, but their suggestions were largely ignored.
• Charles Grant, a junior officer in the British East India Company, proposed a missionary endeavor in 1786-87 and campaigned for it for years at his own expense.
• Grant sought only the East India Company’s endorsement for his missionary proposal, not its money or manpower.
• Despite his efforts, he faced challenges in gaining support, leading him to appeal to Christian leaders in England for backing.
• Grant believed that spreading Christian teachings could combat the ignorance perpetuated by religious ideas in India and was crucial for the British mission in India.
• He argued that Christian instruction would be a safeguard against rebellion and would integrate the natives into the colonial project.
• Despite his advocacy, Grant’s ideas were not fully embraced until the Charter Act of 1813, which allowed Christian missionaries to enter India without restrictions.
• John Wesley and William Wilberforce were influential figures in promoting missionary work in India during this period.
• Wilberforce, after studying Grant’s work, moved the Resolution on Missions, which aimed to empower the East India Company to send out schoolmasters for the moral and religious improvement of Indian inhabitants.
• Despite opposition from the East India Company and some influential figures in England, missionaries continued their efforts to spread Western education and Christianity in India.
• Protestant missionaries operated from places like the Danish station in Madras and the Srirampur Danish settlement near Calcutta.
• These missionaries ran schools and engaged in translating the Bible into local languages, contributing to the spread of Western education and Christianity.
• Before 1813, such missionary activities were limited but tolerated by the Company as long as they did not offend local religious sensibilities.

Charter Act 1813

• In 1813, the battle for missions intensified as the Company's Charter was up for renewal.
• The context had significantly changed since the previous renewal.
• Grant had gained prominence and influence, securing a seat in Parliament.
• William Carey’s efforts had garnered immense respect for missions in Bengal and England.
• Carey's fight against the cruel practice of sati and the Company's failure to ban it had become widely known.
• This made it harder to argue against challenging Indian beliefs and practices or preventing missionaries from teaching true faith.
• In 1813, the British Parliament was deeply divided over allowing missionary activities in India.
• The opponents of missions used the Vellore Mutiny as a key argument against it.
• The Vellore Mutiny, which started on July 10, 1806, was sparked by the sons of Tipu Sultan.
• The mutiny was primarily caused by resentment towards changes in the sepoy dress code introduced in November 1805.
• Hindus were prohibited from wearing religious marks on their foreheads and Muslims were required to shave their beards and trim their moustaches.
• The mutiny contributed to unrest in Britain and India, leading to the recall of Governor General William Bentick to London.
• Some Company officials argued that missionaries should be restricted because Indians were already civilized.
• However, missionaries and their political supporters mounted a strong defense, claiming that Indians were in dire need of help.
• They argued that converting India to Christianity would bring temporal benefits to the people and strengthen the empire.
• Ultimately, a missionary clause was added to the Charter Act of 1813, allowing for the promotion of moral and religious improvements in India.
• The Charter Act of 1813 granted permission for individuals to go to India to promote moral and religious improvements, effectively allowing Christian missionaries to preach their religion.
• Christian missionaries were to be permitted entry into India, subject to obtaining a license from either the Court of Directors or the Board of Control.
• The Act also allocated Rs 100,000 to promote education among the Indian masses.

Charter Act 1833

• The Charter Act of 1833 regulated the presence of missionaries in India and increased the number of bishops to three, establishing an Anglican hierarchy in Calcutta.
• Under pressure from the Evangelicals in England, the policy of the British East India Company shifted in 1833, marking a significant change in their approach to missionary work.
• This change was seen as the beginning of organized missionary efforts in India. An Evangelical spokesperson emphasized the need to spread knowledge and light to address the perceived ignorance of the Hindus.
• As the British Empire expanded, missionaries began to arrive in greater numbers, leading to the spread of Christianity and the establishment of dioceses in Madras and Bombay.
• There was a renewed cooperation between missionaries and colonial authorities, with both parties supporting each other's efforts in their respective missions.

 Charter of 1853

• The Charter of 1853 reaffirmed the Company's commitment to education.
• This commitment paved the way for the Educational Dispatch of 1854, which was crafted by a committee led by Sir Charles Wood, a passionate Evangelical and covert missionary.
• The 1858 Proclamation by the Queen emphasized the need for the British to act with generosity, benevolence and religious sentiment, highlighting the privileges Indians would gain by being treated equally with British subjects.

Missionaries’ views on Indian Culture

19th Century Missions in India:

• 19th-century missions were marked by a strong desire to expand missionary efforts.
• Colonial missions prioritized conversion, viewing the salvation of individual souls as the primary goal.
• British rule created a supportive environment and infrastructure, allowing missions to operate even in remote areas with minimal opposition.
• Julius Richter noted India's immense appeal to missionary societies during this period.

Post-Charter of 1833 Changes:

• After the renewal of the Charter in 1833, missionaries gained easier access to India.
• Missionary teams grew in strength and changed their approach.
• A new wave of missionaries, driven by extreme Protestant zeal, began to arrive.
• These missionaries, through letters and reports, painted a distorted picture of Indian people and culture.
• Influenced by Western imperial sentiments, they believed that Hindu degeneration stemmed from the nature of their religion, not inherent weakness.
• For evangelicals, India was shrouded in darkness and needed the light of the Western world.

Claudius Buchanan's Influence:

• Claudius Buchanan, a former missionary in India, emphasized the British duty to evangelize India.
• Buchanan and others called for government support for Christian education and a crackdown on Hindu religious practices.

Impact on British Policy:

• Evangelicals and missionary societies influenced British policy, advocating for legal and social reforms in India.
• William Bentinck's 1835 resolution aimed to promote European literature and science, prioritizing English education.
• Indian literature and oriental studies were deemed less valuable, with local customs and traditions viewed as signs of depravity.

Alexander Duff's Views:

• Scottish missionary Alexander Duff criticized Hindu philosophy as containing foolish and wicked ideas.
• He likened Hinduism to a dark universe of death and believed Christianity's mission was to dismantle this idolatry and superstition.
• His perspective hindered positive interactions between Christianity and Indian culture.

Missionary and Civil Servant Bias:

• Figures like Duff, Buchanan, and Macaulay significantly shaped missionary thought.
• Missionaries and civil servants often viewed Indian society through a biased lens, failing to recognize its positive aspects.
• They believed that civilizing Indian people would prepare them for Christianity.
• Missionaries, entrenched in European superiority, struggled to understand India's cultural complexities.
• English education was seen as a tool to facilitate this cultural and religious transition.

Missionary Goals and British Raj Interests:

• The Anglican mission's evangelical supporters focused more on spreading the Bible and baptism statistics than on India's overall enlightenment.
• The British Raj aimed to maintain control over India, while missions focused on converting Indians to Christianity.
• Despite their hard work and sacrifices in promoting education and social justice in rural India, missionaries' contributions were often overlooked or misunderstood due to their association with colonial powers.

Positive outcome of missionary activities in India

• Christian missionaries acted as a catalyst for socio-religious movements in India, paving the way for neo-Hindu reformist movements led by educated Indians.
• Gandhiji believed that the missionaries' efforts to convert Hindus by highlighting social evils in Hinduism accelerated the work of Hindu reformers to address these issues.
• The missionaries' focus on criticizing social evils like untouchability and their efforts to target marginalized sections of society spurred reformers to work towards the uplift and integration of these communities into mainstream Hindu society.
• The influx of Western knowledge and education did not lead the educated class to see Christianity as a replacement for Hinduism. Instead, this class primarily focused on women's social reforms, as many social evils were closely linked to women's issues.
• Missionaries' commitment to conversion and their focus on downtrodden sections of society intensified reformers' efforts to uplift and integrate these communities. For example, missionaries addressed leprosy elimination and initiated campaigns against practices like sati.
• Christian missions aimed at moral reforms and helped individuals, especially women, escape from superstitions and social evils like sati, child marriage, untouchability and caste discrimination.
• Missionaries advocated for women's rights, such as the right to wear upper cloth, and sought legal support from the British government to combat social evils like widow burning, child marriage and other superstitious practices.
• With the backing of liberal Hindu leaders and missionaries, social reforms were introduced by Governor General William Bentick through legal measures.
• Missionary educational institutions instilled ideals of service and rectitude in generations of young men and women. The Christian Medical College at Vellore is an example of the impact of missionary efforts in healthcare.
• Institutions like St. Stephen’s College in Delhi, Madras Christian College and St. John’s College in Agra were established by missionaries to promote higher education.
• Early missions in the 1820s focused on educating women, believing that traditional practices were perpetuated through women. Their work in girls' education set a precedent for government and other agencies.
• Pioneer work in women's education was done by Pandita Ramabhai, a Christian convert, who founded the Mukti institution to aid widows and promote women's education.
• Institutions like Women’s Christian College Madras, Isabella Thoburn College in Lucknow, and Sarah Tucker College in Palayamcottah contributed significantly to women's education.
• The work of Christian missions in women's education inspired government and other agencies to establish schools for girls.
• Societies like the Arya Samaj, Theosophical Society and Ramakrishna Mission were influenced by Christian missions to take an interest in women's education.
• In response to the inadequate medical facilities in India, missionaries established hospitals and dispensaries in urban and rural areas, such as the Zenana Medical Mission (ZMM), which provided medical aid to women and children.
• Missionaries also improved the living standards of tribals and supported indigo ryots in their struggles, fostering a sense of national unity and collective action among Indians.
• Through their efforts in education and social reform, missionaries instilled a unifying spirit in Indians, encouraging them to come together for common causes.

Negative impact of missionary activities in India

Impact of Missionary Education on Indian Self-Respect:

• Missionaries, in their efforts to educate Indians about their shortcomings, severely undermined the self-confidence and self-respect of the natives.
• Swami Vivekananda highlighted this issue by stating that the education system taught children to disparage their own ancestors and cultural values, leading to a sense of negation and lifelessness.

Criticism of Hinduism by Missionaries:

• Missionaries labeled Hinduism as a false, barbaric, and ridiculous religion.
• Alexander Duff, a prominent missionary, criticized Hinduism and advocated for Christianity as the true religion, calling Hinduism the most amazing system of false religion.

Consequences of Mass Conversions:

• Mass conversions to Christianity resulted in the degradation of Indian culture and sparked conflicts among different classes within Indian society.
• The propaganda of Christianity led to a sense of contempt among converted Indians towards their fellow countrymen.

Illustration of Change in Beliefs:

• Charles Trevelyan's quote reflects the growing repudiation of traditional idols among educated Indians, exemplified by a young Hindu's sarcastic behavior towards the goddess Kali.

Negative Impact of Missionary Propaganda:

• Missionaries' insensitive propaganda against native religions and cultures had a damaging effect on people's self-confidence and Indian culture.

Analysis of Christian Missionary Activity

• Christian missionaries came to India out of a sense of duty to Jesus Christ, who described himself as "the light of the world." His mission involved sending his followers to spread this light everywhere, which meant confronting what they saw as darkness. This was seen as a fundamental part of their mission.
• The missionaries' claims also revealed their true interests. They argued that Brahmanism tried to keep religious authority to itself by not sharing its language or developing local languages. They believed that India was underdeveloped because of this and felt it was their job to help develop the languages of the people.
• Historically, figures like Brown, Buchanan and Carey used a secular college in Fort William to translate the Bible and instill a missionary spirit in future administrators. They were supported by the Governor General and some Company directors, aiming to stabilize the government in India and promote Christianity within it.
• For 150 years, while serving British imperial interests, the Church tried to steer its Indian followers away from Indian nationalism. Missionaries often told Mahatma Gandhi that their institutions aimed to convert more people to Christianity, not just provide services.
• Swami Vivekananda criticized missionaries for exploiting famines and cholera for spiritual gain.
• The 1911 Census in Bengal, Bihar, Orissa and Sikkim showed that most Christian converts came from tribes like the Oraons, Mundas, Kharis, and Santhals.
• In a speech to the Baptist Missionary Society in London in April 1883, Sir Richard Temple emphasized the duty of Christians to spread their religion in India, particularly among tribal people, claiming that Buddhism and Hinduism were fading and that India needed enlightenment with Christian truth.