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Hurlburt Hall (Room 136), McMaster Divinity College,
1280 Main St W
Hamilton , Ontario
Wed, March 20, 2024
Start: 01:00 PM
End: 01:50 PM

At this week’s Theological Research Seminar, MA student Binu Binoy Cherian will be presenting, “Canadian Baptist Women Missionaries and Colonial Powers.” Read the abstract and bio below.

All are welcome to attend in Camelford Hall (Room 226) at McMaster Divinity College at 1:00pm or via livestream at the link below:

Join the Livestream
Password: z00m (Note that the password has zeros rather than “o”)

Abstract

The connection between colonial powers, Christian missionaries, and the Indian society before India’s independence has been debated, particularly regarding the unfavourable responses towards missionaries. It is important to note that Christianity was not introduced to India through colonization but came into the country during the first century CE. The presence of the Syrian Christians in South India and the Armenian Christians in North India and their peaceful coexistence with the local Hindu and Muslim population denoted cultural and religious interaction and harmony. The entry of the Portuguese in the fifteenth century disrupted this state of equilibrium. The Portuguese authorities were assertive in enforcing Catholicism as the exclusive and genuine form of Christianity, resulting in the Syrian Christians being labelled as ‘heretics’ and subjected to the atrocities of the Inquisition. The Portuguese dominance in India was of brief duration (1498-1580); they relinquished control of their settlements to Indian monarchs. The advent of commercial powers such as the Danish, Dutch, and English introduced a distinct form of Christianity. These powers exhibited hostility towards missionaries, and being commercial organizations, they preferred to keep religion separate from commerce.

In light of this background, this paper aims to elucidate the activities of Canadian Baptism Women Missionaries in India and their motivations to establish that they were only focused on missionary work and not driven by any colonial purpose.

Bio

Binu Binoy Cherian is an MA student at McMaster Divinity College who is studying Canadian Baptist women missionaries and their motives for going to India. Binu served as a pastor in India before coming to MDC to begin his studies.

 

About TRS

The MDC Theological Research Seminar (TRS) is a bimonthly gathering for all MDC students and faculty. TRS meets over the lunch hour on Wednesdays, and includes about thirty minutes for the paper presentation and twenty minutes for discussion.

All advanced degree students are invited to present a paper and share your research with your colleagues. TRS is an excellent opportunity to “test drive” a paper you will be presenting at an upcoming conference and receive helpful feedback on your current research projects. Thinking about submitting an article to a journal and want some interaction first? TRS will provide it. Just published an article or an essay and want to share it us? TRS is an excellent opportunity to broadcast it.

This year the organizing committee consists of Dr. Francis PangDr. Phil Zylla, and Dr. Gord Heath. To submit a paper, contact a member of the organizing committee.