:6+

T
hc Church ol Jcsus Christ, cspccially its mission
ary arm, has gcncrally undcrstood thc translor
mation ol socicty to bc an csscntial part ol its
task. Vhilc thc local point ol mission has always bccn to
communicatc thc Good Ncws ol Christ, calling pcoplc
to rcpcnt and bclicvc and bc baptizcd into thc Church,
Christians havc always undcrstood thcir mission to bc
lulllcd in tcaching thc nations to obscrvc all things that
Christ has commandcd. xpcctation ol pcoplc obcying
Christ has always luclcd hopc that thc culmination ol this
proccss ol cvangclization would bring about translorma
tion ol thc social situations, thc physical conditions, and
thc spiritual livcs ol bclicvcrs. Somctimcs changcs wcrc
rcmarkablc, at othcr timcs disappointing.
8ut cvcn whcn thcrc was grcat cultural misundcr
standing and crror, thc dcsirc to bring individuals and
socictics morc into conlormity with thc kingdom ol
God has rcmaincd an intcgral part ol mission.
ltcn missionarics movcd into culturcs which wcrc
alrcady undcrgoing changc. Tcy hclpcd producc somc
ol that changc, oltcn channcling it positivcly, or work
ing against somc ol its harshcr aspccts. Missionarics
oltcn cnvisioncd a modcl ol translormcd communitics
that lookcd suspiciously likc thosc thcy had known
in thcir own culturcs, howcvcr, thcrc is no doubt this
translorming dimcnsion was an csscntial aspcct ol mis
sion, and lor thc most part, bcnccial.
1
Monasticism: Communities of
Preservation and Transformation
Ncarly all missionarics during thc pcriod lrom thc lourth
to thc cightccnth ccnturics wcrc monks. Tough most
ol thc monastic movcmcnts wcrc cxprcssly missionary,
othcrs wcrc not, but ncarly all ol thc monastic movcmcnts
brought about signicant social translormation.
Tcrc wcrc dozcns ol monastic movcmcnts, among
thcm wcrc thc Benedictines and thosc movcmcnts
which wcrc born out ol thcm, thc Nestorians, who
movcd lrom Asia Minor into Arabia, !ndia, and across
ccntral Asia to China, thc Orthodox, who wcnt north
into thc 8alkans and Russia, thc Cclts, who arosc in
!rcland, thcn movcd into Scotland and ngland, and
back to thc contincnt, and latcr, thc Franciscans, Do-
minicans, and Jesuits.
vcn though thc Benedictines wcrc not purposcly mis
sionary, thcy and thc othcr groups movcd into arcas
whcrc thc Christian laith had not yct pcnctratcd, lorm
ing communitics which modclcd and taught thc Faith
to thc barbarian tribcs moving into ccntral and Vcst
crn uropc. Tc original intcnt ol monasticism was to
cncouragc mcn to dcvclop livcs ol disciplinc and praycr,
lar lrom thc conccrns ol normal lilc. 8ut thc monas
tcrics and thc soontolollow womcns houscs bccamc
scllsustaining communitics organizcd around rulcs lor
daily lilc which includcd both work and worship. Vork
was both manual and intcllcctual, in thc clds and in thc
library. Tis was a rcvolutionary conccpt in thc ancicnt
world whcrc manual work was sccn as t only lor slavcs.
Monks also bccamc scholars, thus lor thc rst timc, thc
practical and thc thcorctical wcrc cmbodicd in thc samc
pcrsons. So thc monks havc bccn callcd thc rst intcl
lcctuals to gct dirt undcr thcir ngcrnails! Tis hclpcd
crcatc an cnvironmcnt lavorablc to scicntic dcvclop
mcnt and thc monastcrics bccamc ccntcrs ol laith,
lcarning, and tcchnical progrcss.
A History of Transformation
Paul Pierson
Rcprintcd with pcrmission lrom Vintcr, Ralph ., and Stcvcn C. Hawthornc, cds. (1999) Perspectives on the World Christian Movement, Tird d. Pasadcna,
CA: Villiam Carcy Library, pp. 262268.
Paul Picrson is a Scnior Prolcssor ol Mission and Latin Amcrican Studics at thc School ol Vorld Mission at Fullcr Tcological Scminary. Hc was can ol
thc School ol Vorld Mission lrom 1980 to 1993. Hc also pastorcd churchcs and scrvcd as a missionary to 8razil and Portugal.
:6: A His:ovv ov Tv~xsvov:~:iox
Monasticisms contribution to lcarning is wcll known,
but its impact on agricultural dcvclopmcnt is not as
widcly rccognizcd. Hannah wrotc that in thc scvcnth
ccntury it was thc monks who posscsscd thc skill, cap
ital, organization, and laith in thc luturc to undcrtakc
largc projccts ol rcclamation ovcr clds long dcsolatcd
by thc slavc systcm ol villagc lilcand thc barbarian
hordcs. !mmcnsc tracts ol barrcn hcath and watcr
soakcd lcn wcrc by thc monastcrics hands turncd into
cxccllcnt agricultural land.
2
!n thc twcllth ccntury thc Cistercians withdrcw lrom
socicty and cultivatcd ncw land in dcscrtcd placcs. Tcy
workcd out ncw mcthods ol agricultural administra
tion and bccamc thc grcatcst wool produccrs in uropc,
lurnishing thc raw matcrial lor thc tcxtilc industry.
Tc Nestorians, who ourishcd lrom thc lth to thc
thirtccnth ccnturics, movcd across ccntral Asia into
!ndia and China. Christians in thc Vcst know littlc
about this rcmarkablc movcmcnt bccausc most ol thc
lruit ol its labor was lost. Yct as onc scholar notcd,
Ncstorian missionarics introduccd lcttcrs and lcarning
among pcoplc who wcrc prcviously illitcratc, including
Turks, \igurs, Mongols, and Manchus, all ol whom arc
said to dcrivc thcir alphabcts lrom Syriac, thc languagc
ol thc Ncstorians.
3
Orthodox monks lrom thc astcrn Church did thc
samc. Ullas movcd north ol thc anubc in thc lourth
ccntury and was thc rst to rcducc a northcrn uropc
an languagc to writing, doing so, ol coursc, to translatc
thc Scripturcs. !n thc third ccntury thc Armcnians
wcrc thc rst national group to adopt Christianity,
and in ~b 406 thcir languagc was rcduccd to writing
so that thc Scripturcs and othcr Christian litcraturc
might bc madc availablc. Constantinc (latcr known as
Cyril) and his brothcr Mcthodius wcnt to thc 8alkans
and dcviscd two alphabcts uscd to translatc thc Scrip
turcs and cstablish thc Church. Tc Cyrillic script is
still in usc in Russia today.
Vhcn Patrick rcturncd to !rcland lrom ngland hc
initiatcd thc rcmarkablc Ccltic missionary movcmcnt
that would continuc lor ccnturics, and which would bc
a sourcc ol missionary zcal and lcarning. His spiritual
dcsccndants movcd lrom !rcland to Scotland, thcn to
ngland, across thc channcl to thc low countrics, and
nally into ccntral Gcrmany.
Tcy wcrc latcr instrumcntal in thc convcrsion ol Scan
dinavia. Tcy combincd a dccp lovc ol lcarning, spiritual
disciplinc, and missionary zcal. As a rcsult !rcland bc
camc litcratc lor thc rst timc in Patricks gcncration.
4

Tc grcat monastcry at Fulda, loundcd in thc cighth
ccntury by St. 8onilacc lrom this tradition, bccamc thc
main ccntcr ol lcarning lor much ol Gcrmany.
uring thc Carolingian Rcnaissancc undcr Charlc
magnc, thc monastcrics ol thc Ccltic tradition wcrc
again thc major ccntcrs ol cducation and changc. Han
nah wrotc, n thc wholc thcy wcrc ablc to achicvc
thcir dcstiny as Christian lcavcn in a rudc socicty, to
implant and prcscrvc a Christian culturc likc a culti
vatcd gardcn amid a wildcrncss ol disordcr.
5
Forerunners of the Protestant
Missionary Movement
For ncarly two ccnturics altcr thc Rclormation Protcs
tants cngagcd in vcry littlc missionary activity outsidc
ol uropc. 8ut in thc latc sixtccnth ccntury scvcral
movcmcnts arosc, thc mcmbcrs ol which sought to
rcncw thc Church and carry thc Rclormation lurthcr,
lrom doctrinc into lilc. Tcsc movcmcnts would lorm
thc launching pad ol Protcstant missions, and includcd
Puritanism, Pietism, Moravianism, and thc Wesleyan/
Evangelical rcvivals.
Tc Puritans locuscd on convcrsion and a morc
authcntic Christian lilc. Tcy also dcvclopcd thc rst
Protcstant mission thcology. Two ol thcir grcatcst mis
sion advocatcs wcrc Richard 8axtcr, an ccctivc pastor
and prolic writcr, and John liot.
liot wcnt to Ncw ngland and bccamc an ccc
tivc missionary to thc Algonquin Nativc Amcricans,
translating thc 8iblc into thcir languagc and lorming a
numbcr ol Christian villagcs. Rooy wrotc ol him:
Hc travclcd on loot and horscback, taxing his strcngth
to thc utmostto bring thc gospcl to thc nativcs. Hc
brought cascs to court to prcvcnt dclrauding ol !ndian
land, plcadcd clcmcncy lor convictcd !ndian prison
crs, lought thc sclling ol !ndians into slavcry, sought
to sccurc lands and strcams lor !ndian usc, cstablishcd
schools lor !ndian childrcn and adults, translatcd books,
and attcmptcd to show a dccp humanitarianism that
accompanicd thcir conccrn lor salvation.
6
Pietism laid thc loundation lor grcatcr changcs, and just
in timc. !n thc scvcntccnth ccntury thc Tirty Ycars Var
had dcvastatcd Gcrmany. Miscry aboundcd, class dil
lcrcnccs wcrc cxaggcratcd, thc lcvcl ol Christian undcr
Paul Pierson :6
standing and lilc was low, and thc Luthcran Church was
dominatcd by thc Statc. Tc truth ol laith was sccn in
tcrms ol propositions rathcr than cxpcricntial or cthi
cal cvcnt or dcmands. Tus, bctwccn thc irrclcvancc ol
thc Church and thc widcsprcad dcspair and athcism
brought about by thc Tirty Ycars Var, Christianity
soon lost its hcaling and translorming powcr.
7
Philip Jacob Spcncr, inucnccd by Puritan writcrs
during his thcological studics, lound thc situation ol
his parishioncrs dcplorablc whcn hc bccamc thc pastor
in Franklort. Hc bcgan to invitc groups into his homc
lor discussion ol thc scrmon, 8iblc study, praycr, and
mutual support, thus initiating a movcmcnt its oppo
ncnts callcd Pictism.
Spcncr insistcd that Christianity consistcd not only ol
knowlcdgc, but must also includc thc practicc ol thc
Faith. Along with his cmphasis on thc ncccssity ol thc
ncw birth and a holy lilc, hc includcd a grcat conccrn
lor thc nccdy.
A. H. Franckc was Spcncrs succcssor as lcadcr ol thc
movcmcnt. Hc taught that rcbirth should lcad to trans
lormcd individuals and thcn to a rclormcd socicty and
world. For him laith and action wcrc inscparablc. Hc
dcmonstratcd this to a rcmarkablc cxtcnt in his inucncc
at thc Univcrsity ol Hallc and his parish at Glaucha. Picty
mcant gcnuinc conccrn lor thc spiritual and physical wcll
bcing ol oncs ncighbor. So thc Pictists lcd, clothcd, and
cducatcd thc poor. Franckc cstablishcd schools lor poor
childrcn, including girls, a novclty at thc timc. Hc also
loundcd an orphanagc and othcr institutions to aid thc
poor. Tcsc wcrc supportcd by laith alonc and bccamc thc
modcl latcr lor thc ministry ol Gcorgc Mucllcr in 8ristol
and thc China !nland Mission.
Tc rst Protcstant missionarics to Asia camc lrom
thc Pictist movcmcnt. !nucnccd by his Pictist court
chaplain, in 1706 Frcdcrick !\ ol cnmark scnt two
mcn lrom Hallc to his colony in Tranqucbar, !ndia.
8artholomcw Zicgcnbalg and Hcinrich Plutschau wcrc
thc rst ol about 60 Pictists who wcnt to !ndia in thc
cightccnth ccntury. Zicgcnbalg, who rcmaincd until his
dcath in 1719, was rcmarkably holistic in his undcr
standing ol thc task. Hc studicd thc rcligious bclicls and
practiccs ol thc Hindus, translatcd thc Scripturcs, plant
cd a church, advocatcd thc ordination ol !ndian pastors,
sct up a printing prcss, and cstablishcd two schools.
Tc grcatcst ol his succcssors, C. F. Schwartz, not
only built up thc church but workcd with orphans
and bccamc an ambassador ol pcacc bctwccn Muslim
rulcrs and thc 8ritish. Arriving in 1750, hc rcmaincd
until his dcath in 1798. A grcat Gcrman missiologist
wrotc that Pictism was thc parcnt ol missions to thc
hcathcnalso ol all thosc saving agcncics which havc
ariscn within Christcndom lor thc hcaling ol rcligious,
moral, and social cvilsa combination which was
alrcady typically cxcmplicd in A. H. Franckc.
8
Tc Moravians, with roots both in thc PrcRclormation
Hussitc movcmcnt and Pictism, wcrc onc ol thc most
rcmarkablc movcmcnts in history. Known lor thcir 24
hour, 100 ycar praycr watch, thcy wcrc a highly disci
plincd, monasticlikc community ol marricd mcn and
womcn dcvotcd to win souls lor thc Lamb. uring
thcir carly ycars, onc ol cvcry 14 mcmbcrs bccamc a
missionary, oltcn going to thc most dicult clds.
Tc lourth strcam lcading to thc Protcstant mission
ary movcmcnt owcd lrom thc Wesleyan/Evangeli-
cal rcvival in ngland, with John Vcslcy as its bcst
known lcadcr, and thc First Grcat Awakcning in North
Amcrica. Sincc thc awakcning in North Amcrica was
in many rcspccts an outgrowth ol Puritanism, wc will
cxaminc only thc movcmcnt in ngland.
vcn bclorc thcir salvation, thc Vcslcys and thc othcr
mcmbcrs ol thc Holy Club at xlord showcd con
ccrn lor thc poor and prisoncrs. At thc samc timc thcy
pursucd thc spiritual disciplincs which carncd thcm
thc namc, Mcthodists.
John Vcslcy bcgan to prcach immcdiatcly altcr his
convcrsion in 1734. Vhilc thc clcar locus was on cvan
gclism and Christian nurturc, cspccially among thc
ncglcctcd poor, hc wrotc, Christianity is csscntially
a social rcligion, to turn it into a solitary rcligion is
indccd to dcstroy it.
9
Tc impact ol thc movcmcnt on
social rclorm in ngland is wcll known. Robcrt Raikcs
startcd Sunday schools to tcach poor childrcn to rcad
and givc thcm moral and rcligious instruction on thc
only day ol thc wcck thcy wcrc not working.
thcrs organizcd schools among mincrs and collicrs.
John Howard tirclcssly workcd lor rclorm ol thc ap
palling conditions in local prisons, thcn movcd Parlia
mcnt to pass laws lor prison rclorm.
vangclicals workcd to rcgulatc child labor in thc
cmcrging lactorics and promotcd thc cducation ol thc
masscs. A group ol wcalthy Anglican cvangclicals at
Clapham, a suburb ol London, spcnt thcir timc, lor
:6 A His:ovv ov Tv~xsvov:~:iox
tuncs, and political inucncc in a numbcr ol rcligious
and social projccts, including thc long and succcsslul
campaign ol Villiam Vilbcrlorcc and othcrs, to cnd
slavcry in thc 8ritish mpirc. Tc Church Mission
ary Socicty, thc grcatcst ol thc Anglican socictics, was
cstablishcd in 1799. Scvcral othcr socictics wcrc cstab
lishcd, all motivatcd by thc rcvival.
Te Protestant Missionary Movement
William Carey is rightly callcd thc Fathcr ol Protcstant
Missions, cvcn though othcrs had cngagcd in such mis
sions carlicr. !n 1792 hc lormcd thc 8aptist Mission
ary Socicty, thc lollowing ycar hc sailcd to !ndia. His
writing and cxamplc wcrc thc catalyst in thc crcation
ol similar socictics in uropc and in thc Unitcd Statcs,
lcading to what has bccn callcd thc grcat ccntury ol
missions. His primary goal was to lcad pcoplc to pcrson
al laith in Jcsus Christ and ctcrnal salvation, howcvcr hc
saw no conict bctwccn that goal and his othcr activitics
in cducation, agriculturc, and botany.
Carcy laborcd widcly to withstand social cvils and
bring changc in Asia. Hc was bcttcr known as a hor
ticulturist around thc world than as a missionary. Hc
lought valiantly against thc practicc ol inlanticidc, thc
burning ol widows, thc inhuman trcatmcnt ol lcp
crs (who wcrc oltcn buricd or burncd alivc), and thc
nccdlcss dcaths at thc grcat rcligious pilgrimagcs ol thc
timc. Hc also loundcd Scramporc Collcgc, which was
cstablishcd primarily to train pastors and tcachcrs, but
also providcd lor thc cducation ol othcrs in Christian
litcraturc and uropcan scicncc.
False Recognition
Many ninctccnth ccntury missionary movcmcnts
laborcd intcntionally lor social translormation, most
without rccognition, cxccpt at timcs in a lalsc and ncg
ativc light. For cxamplc, at Andovcr Scminary, Samucl
Mills and his collcagucs lrom thc Haystack Praycr
Mccting took thc initiativc in cstablishing thc Amcri
can 8oard ol Commissioncrs lor Forcign Missions in
1810. nc ol thc carly clds choscn was Hawaii (thcn
known as thc Sandwich !slands). Tosc carly mission
arics wcrc maligncd by Jamcs Michncr, but thc rcality
was much dicrcnt lrom thc picturc hc paintcd. Tcir
major locus was thc convcrsion ol mcn and womcn
to Christ and thc gathcring ol convcrts into churchcs.
8ut thcy also workcd to protcct thc Hawaiian pcoplc
lrom thc scxual and cconomic cxploitation ol thc sail
ors and tradcrs who camc to thc islands.
Tc missionarics workcd to cnd inlanticidc and othcr
dcstructivc practiccs. Altcr a lcw dccadcs thc islands
wcrc dottcd not only with churchcs, but with schools
in which Hawaiian childrcn wcrc taught by Hawaiian
tcachcrs. Scvcral ycars latcr othcrs dcviscd a systcm ol
writing thc languagc using Roman charactcrs, translat
ing thc 8iblc and various tcxtbooks. 8y 1873 thcy had
publishcd 153 dicrcnt works and 13 magazincs, along
with an almanac in thc local languagc.
A Striking Comparison
Many lcsscr known missionarics havc dcmonstratcd
grcat conccrn lor thc totality ol human nccd. nc ol
thcm was Villis 8anks, an obscurc Prcsbytcrian cvan
gclist who workcd in a backward arca ol southcrn 8ra
zil. Hc built thc arcas rst brickyard, brought childrcn
to livc with his lamily, taught thcm to rcad, and thcn
scnt thcm back to tcach othcrs. Using a homc mcdi
cal guidc, hc trcatcd inlcctions, tubcrculosis, malaria,
worms, and malnutrition.
8anks introduccd bcttcr mcthods ol agriculturc and carc
ol livcstock. Hc build thc rst sawmill in thc arca and
constructcd machincry to cut silagc. An anthropologist
who visitcd thc arca 20 ycars altcr 8anks dcath gavc a
striking illustration ol thc rcsulting community dcvcl
opmcnt. Hc visitcd two isolatcd villagcs, both situatcd
in virtually idcntical circumstanccs, with inhabitants ol
thc samc racial and cultural backgrounds. Tc villagc
ol \olta Grandc was Prcsbytcrian and had bcnctcd
lrom 8anks cvangclism and lcadcrship. Tc pcoplc livcd
in houscs ol brick and wood, uscd watcr ltcrs and in
somc cascs had homc produccd clcctricity. Tcy owncd
canocs and motor launchcs lor travcl to a ncarby city
and cultivatcd vcgctablcs along with thc traditional ricc,
bcans, corn, manioc, and bananas. Tcy had two hcrds
ol dairy cattlc and produccd and consumcd milk, chccsc,
and buttcr. Tcy rcccivcd and rcad ncwspapcrs, had thc
8iblc and othcr books rcadily availablc, and all wcrc lit
cratc. Tc community had poolcd its rcsourccs to build
a school and donatcd it to thc Statc with thc stipulation
that a tcachcr bc providcd and paid. Conscqucntly thcrc
was an cxccllcnt primary school thcrc and many ol its
graduatcs continucd thcir studics in thc city. Rcligious
scrviccs wcrc hcld thrcc timcs a wcck cvcn though thc
pastor could visit only oncc a month.
Paul Pierson :6
Tc inhabitants ol Jipovura, thc othcr villagc, livcd in daub
and wattlc houscs with no lurniturc. Tcy cngagcd only in
marginal agriculturc, and did not boil or ltcr thcir watcr.
Tcy had no canocs, uscd tiny kcroscnc lamps lor light,
and wcrc mostly illitcratc. A school had bccn donatcd
to thc community by a lcw Japancsc lamilics who had
oncc livcd in thc arca, but thc pcoplc showcd no intcr
cst in maintaining it and had ruincd thc building by
stcaling its doors and windows. Lcisurc timc was llcd
by playing cards and drinking thc local sugarcanc rum.
Alcoholism was common.
10
\irtually all missionary movcmcnts in history havc bccn
conccrncd about social translormation in onc way or
anothcr. !t has bccn sccn as part ol thc ministry ol com
municating and living out thc gospcl. Major cmphasis
has bccn placcd on cducation, hcalth carc, agriculturc,
and ministrics ol social uplilt lor girls, womcn, and
othcr ncglcctcd and opprcsscd mcmbcrs ol socicty.
Establishing Education
ducational institutions usually had thrcc goals: to prc
parc lcadcrship lor thc church, to bc an instrumcnt to im
provc socicty, and to cvangclizc nonChristian studcnts.
cgrccs ol succcss varicd, but includc thc lollowing
cxamplcs:
Te tribal groups of Northeast India, which
bccamc hcavily Christian bcginning latc in thc
last ccntury, havc thc sccond highcst litcracy ratc
in thc nation.
In 1915 illiteracy among nominal Roman Cath
olics in 8razil was bctwccn 60 and 80 pcr ccnt,
whilc that ol Protcstants (who normally camc
lrom thc poor) was onc lourth ol that gurc.
11
Most schools in Africa during the colonial
pcriod wcrc cstablishcd by missionarics. Lcs
lic Ncwbigin pointcd out in thc 50s that in a
400pagc Unitcd Nations documcnt on cduca
tion in Alrica, not a singlc linc rcvcalcd thc lact
that 90 ol thc schools bcing dcscribcd wcrc
thcrc bccausc ol missionarics.
12
Many of the outstanding universities in Asia were
thc rcsult ol missions, including Yonsci Univcrsity
and hwa Vomcns Univcrsity in Scoul.
Reporting on the educational work of the Basel
Mission in thc Gold Coast (Ghana), thc Phclps
Stokcs Commission rcportcd in 1921, Tc cduca
tional cort ol thc 8ascl Mission in thc Gold Coast
has produccd onc ol thc most intcrcsting and ccc
tivc systcms ol schools obscrvcd in Alrica. First ol
all thcir mcchanical shops traincd and cmploycd a
largc numbcr ol nativcs as journcymcn. Sccondly
thc commcrcial activitics rcachcd thc cconomic lilc
ol thc pcoplc, inucncing thcir agricultural activitics
and thcir cxpcnditurcs lor lood and clothing.
In addition to the primary and secondary mis
sion schools, tcachcr training institutions wcrc
cstablishcd to cxpand cducational opportunitics.
Bringing Medical Care
arly in thc movcmcnt a limitcd amount ol mcdical
knowlcdgc was oltcn rcgardcd as ncccssary lor cvangc
listic missionarics. 8ut by thc middlc ol thc last ccntury
lully traincd physicians wcrc bcing scnt to thc cld.
Tc rst was r. John Scuddcr, scnt by thc Amcrican
8oard to !ndia. His granddaughtcr, r. !da Scuddcr,
latcr cstablishcd pcrhaps thc grcatcst ol all mission
ary mcdical ccntcrs at \cllorc, !ndia. r. Pctcr Parkcr
introduccd cyc surgcry into China. His succcssor, r.
John Kcrr, publishcd 12 mcdical works in Chincsc, built
a largc hospital, and was thc rst in China to opcn an
institution lor thc mcntally ill. Prcsbytcrians in Tailand
cstablishcd 13 hospitals and 12 dispcnsarics.
Touching the Neglected and Oppressed
Along with cducational, mcdical, and agricultural min
istrics, othcrs locuscd on somc ol thc most ncglcctcd
and dcprcsscd mcmbcrs ol thcir socictics. Hall ol thc
tubcrculosis work in !ndia was donc by missions, and
Christian institutions took thc lcad both in trcatmcnt
and thc training ol workcrs among thosc aictcd.
Missions also took thc lcad in working with lcpcrs in
scvcral Asian countrics, and cstablishcd orphanagcs lor
abandoncd childrcn.
A lcw missionarics wcnt bcyond social scrvicc and at
tackcd thc political and social injusticcs ol colonialism. A
cclcbratcd cxamplc took placc in thc 8clgian Congo at thc
turn ol thc ccntury. Two Prcsbytcrian missionarics lrom
thc Unitcd Statcs obscrvcd thc lorccd labor ol thc Alricans
in thc rubbcr industry, and publishcd articlcs calling thc
monopolistic cconomic cxploitation twcnticth ccntury
slavcry. Tis garncrcd intcrnational attcntion, thc mission
arics wcrc sucd lor libcl, with thc suit nally dismisscd.
:66 A His:ovv ov Tv~xsvov:~:iox
Serving Women
nc ol thc most signicant rcsults ol Christian missions
in many socictics camc through thcir rolc in ministcring
to and raising thc status ol womcn. !n many ol thc cul
turcs womcn wcrc rclcgatcd to a vcry low status and had
almost no rights. Missionarics, usually singlc womcn,
cvangclizcd thcm, tcaching thcm to scc thcmsclvcs as
childrcn ol God. Tcn girls and womcn wcrc cncour
agcd to study, dcvclop thcir gilts, and in somc cascs,
cntcr prolcssion such as cducation and mcdicinc.
Focusing rst on thc cvangclization ol womcn in culturcs
whcrc mcn could not havc contact with most womcn, thc
missionarics soon branchcd out into cducational and mcdi
cal work with womcn. Soon womcn wcrc cmploycd as lay
cvangclists, callcd 8iblc womcn, cspccially in China and
Korca. vcn though thcy wcrc not yct givcn cqual status
with mcn, thcsc laithlul workcrs had a powcrlul impact
not only on thc growth ol thc Church but on thc status
ol othcr womcn. Vhcn thc rst Protcstant missionarics
arrivcd in Korca in 1884 and 1885, a woman had virtually
no status in socicty cxccpt as thc daughtcr ol hcr lathcr,
thc wilc ol hcr husband, or thc mothcr ol hcr oldcst son.
8y thc middlc ol this ccntury thc worlds largcst womcns
univcrsity had bccn cstablishcd in Scoul and its Prcsidcnt,
r. Hclcn Kim, was rccognizcd as onc ol Korcas grcatcst
cducators as wcll as a lcadcr in cvangclization.
Vomcn missionarics lrom thc Unitcd Statcs initiatcd
thc rst mcdical work lor womcn in !ndia and China,
cstablishcd thc rst girls schools, and cvcntually
loundcd nursing and mcdical schools lor womcn. Tis
had a powcrlul impact on thc mcdical carc ol womcn,
as wcll as thcir status in socicty. As a rcsult mcdicinc
is among thc most prcstigious prolcssions opcn to
womcn in !ndia, and thcrc arc thousands ol womcn
physicians in that nation today. r. Clara Swain, thc
rst woman mcdical missionary missionary appointcd
to a cld, arrivcd in !ndia in 1870. 8cavcr makcs it
clcar that Swain and othcrs saw no scparation bctwccn
thcir mcdical and cvangclistic work. Tcir manilcsta
tion ol loving conccrn lor thcir paticnts as individuals,
and thcir mcdiation ol thc lovc ol God in Christ lor
pcrsons wcrc as important as thcir scicntic knowlcdgc
and tcchnical skill. Tc writings and spccchcs ol thc
womcn mcdical missionarics makc it clcar that thcy
considcrcd thcmsclvcs cvangclists.
13
Tc story gocs on. Tc Christian mission movcmcnt
has had dramatic positivc impact on cvcry contincnt
and continucs to do so in cvcn grcatcr ways. vcn
though thc basic aim ol many ol thcsc mission cl
lorts was to call pcoplc to laith in Him, and plant
thc Church, thc cccts ol thosc corts has bccn sccn
to cvcntually cxtcnd to cvcry part ol thc socictics in
which thc church has bccn plantcd.
Tcrc is much to disappoint and admirc in thc rccord, but
ovcrall, thc Christian movcmcnt is bringing a mcasurc ol
lulllmcnt ol Gods promisc that Abrahams dcsccndcnts
would bring blcssing to all thc lamilics ol thc carth.
End Notes
1.
Hutchinson, Villiam. Errand to the World. Chicago, Univ. ol
Chicago Prcss,1987.
2.
Hannah, !an. Monasticism, London, Allcn and Unwin, 1924.
pp. 90,91.
3.
Stcwart, John. Te Nestorian Missionary Enterprise. dinburgh,
T and T Clark, 1928. p. 26.
4.
Stimson, dward. Renewal in Christ. Ncw York \antagc Prcss,
1979. p.147.
5.
Hannah, !an. Monasticism, London, Allcn and Unwin, 1924.
p. 86.
6.
R Rooy, Sidncy. Te Teology of Missions in the Puritan Tradi-
tion. Grand Rapids, crdmans, 1965.
7.
Sattlcr, Gary. Gods Glory, Neighbors Good. Chicago, Covcnant
Prcss. 1982. p. 9.
8.
ubosc, Francis (cd.) Classics of Christian Mission. Nashvillc,
8roadman, 1979. p. 776.
9.
8rcady, John V. Tis Freedom Whence. Ncw York, Amcrican
Tract Socicty, 1942. p. 113.
10.
Villiams, milio. Followers of the New Faith. Nashvillc, \an
dcrbilt Univ. Prcss. 1967. pp. 181185.
11.
Picrson, Paul. A Younger Church in Search of Maturity. San
Antonio, Trinity Univcrsity Prcss, 1974. pp. 107,108.
12.
As rcportcd by Ralph . Vintcr. Vintcr, p.199.
13.
8cavcr, R. Picrcc. American Protestant Women in Mission,
Grand Rapids, crdmans, 1980. p.135.