History of Christian Missionaries : A Study in Kurnool District of Andhra Pradesh

Foreword

History of Christianity in India is viewed as an integral part of the socio-cultural history of the Indian people rather than as separate from it. The history will therefore focus attention upon the Christian people in India; apon who they were and how they understood themselves; upon their social, religious cultural and political encounters; upon the changes which these encounters produced in them and in their appreciation of the Christian gospel as well as in the Indian culture and society of which they themselves were a part. For the downtrodden Christianity provided a mean of preserving their identities and promoting their interest in the face of powerful forces of change.

The present book History of Christian Missionaries: A Study in Kurnool District of Andhra Pradesh describes the relentless, selfless and dedicated services to the people of the region. Missionaries treated these people compassion and selfless services. The equal treatment of the untouchables and caste Hindus in the hospitals engendered a kind of social awareness among the latter. Missionaries taught this people cleanliness and infused in them an element of health consciousness. This is the fair description of the work of the major Christian missions in Andhra Pradesh. Drawing their strength and impetus from the religious awakening all over the world during 19th century, these denominations found economically backward, socially downtrodden and religiously deprived community in Andhra Pradesh for their work. Not losing a single opportunity, they concentrated on their goals. They were encouraged even astonished by the stunning and surprising results that their work accomplished in these areas. In spite of the caste policies of the early Christian missions and the exploitation of poverty by later groups, it is clear that Christian missions worked hard to help people from the lower rungs of the caste system, and were, in turn, embraced by them. In this context, the author rightly pointed out that the various Christian organizations lead in bringing higher education

Preface

Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings. Adherents of the Christian faith are known as Christians. Christianity teaches that Jesus is the son of God, God having become human and the savior of humanity. Because of this, Christians commonly refer to Jesus as Christ or Messiah. Christians believe that Jesus is the Messiah prophesied in the Hebrew Bible, referred to as the “Old Testament” in Christianity. The foundation of Christian theology is expressed in the early Christianity. The beauty of a religion is glorified when its firm conviction of brotherhood of man and Fatherhood of God is deep-rooted universally in the form of practical service to mankind. Christian missionaries are known for this kind of selfless service all over the globe irrespective of race, caste and creed.

Jesus instructed the apostles to make disciples of all nations. This verse is referred to by Christian missionaries as the Great Commission and inspires missionary work. The kind of service rendered by the Christian missionaries in Kurnool district is priceless. Be it a church, or an educational institution, a colony or a small village – each one of them stands testimony to the quality of service willingly rendered by them.

The relentless and selfless efforts of the missionaries have come to stay with the needy in a natural course of time and there is no second opinion to the fact that Christianity is now looked upon with conviction and great veneration in India. They tried to weed out social inequalities and developed moral values among the people.

After the London Mission Society S.P.G., A.B.M., and R.C.M. first entered at Nandyal in Kurnool district. These organizations rendered noble service for the progress of education and medicine, thereby gaining prominence among the people. Untouchability, Devadasi tradition, child marriages, child abortions and sati system were a cruel practice of the ancient Indian society. The missionaries fought against these social evils bravely, encouraged widow marriages and created awareness among the people. Thus, their lives full of self-sacrifice leave an indelible impression in the annals of Indian history of reformation. In this background an attempt has been made to study the history of Christian Missionaries and their role in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh.

M Indira Santhi

Acknowledgements

The relentless, selfless and dedicated services to the people of the region of Christian Missionaries in the region inspired us to take up this account. We deeply acknowledge the contribution of all Christian congregations that brought socio-economic change in the lives of people in the region.

M Indira Santhi