Missionary Movements: Spread of Christianity to Asia and Africa.

Missionary Movements: Spread of Christianity to

Asia and Africa

Introduction

Since the 16th century, Christianity spread globally through missionary

movements amid European colonialism and trade networks. Catholic

missions established presences in Asia and Americas in wake of early

explorations. Protestant missions gained momentum later with Baptist,

Methodist, and other denominations. Missionaries aimed to propagate gospel

and fulfill Christian duty of saving souls by establishing churches, schools,

hospitals and translations. Their contribution extended beyond religion

influencing colonized societies. This paper discusses how Catholic and

Protestant missionary efforts helped disseminate Christianity in the diverse

continents of Asia and Africa encountering different cultures and challenges

in the process.

Early Catholic Missions in Asia

Catholic missions to Asia began during Portuguese voyages to India starting

in 1498. Soon after, popes issued papal bulls encouraging evangelism in

newly discovered lands. Franciscan and Jesuit orders took lead. Japanese

samurai Oda Nobunaga had welcomed early missionaries hoping for trade

benefits. In 1549, Francis Xavier arrived in southwestern Japan from

Portuguese colony Goa. Adapting local customs, he learned Japanese

language and catechized daimyos converting thousands attracting both

curiosity of native intellectuals and suspicion of Buddhist clergy.

By 1582, over 100,000 Japanese had become Catholics. Spanish

Augustinians followed establishing churches and seminaries on Philippine

islands. However, after Nobunaga's death, Toyotomi Hideyoshi came to

power banning Christianity suspecting foreign threat especially after Spanish

conquests in Americas. In 1597, 26 martyred crucifixions fueled

persecutions. By 1640s, under Shogunate order, Christianity was virtually

extirpated from Japan due to cultural clash with bushido code, though

Catholic underground survived.

In India, Portuguese missionaries like Xavier established first permanent

European settlement at Goa in 1510 and appealed to local rulers for

protection. Jesuits adopted Indian dress, ate local food and learned regional

languages facilitating assimilation and conversions. They translated

scriptures and catechisms into Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Sanskrit.

Seminary at Cochin catered to vocations. By 16th century end, Christianity

gained over 150,000 Indian converts from different castes. Despite Mughal

emperor Akbar's friendly policies, Aurangzeb subjected Christians to

discriminatory jizya tax undermining mission expansion.

Protestant Missions Begin in Asia

Protestant missionary activity commenced later in 19th century through

Baptist missionary societies and London Missionary Society. American

Baptists formed first foreign mission board in 1812 sending Adoniram Judson

as their pioneer to India. Facing hostilities from both British authorities and

Brahmins, he moved to Burma in 1813 where he translated New Testament

and catechism into Burmese enjoying King Bagyidaw's patronage. His wife

Ann set up schools for girls.

In 1834 Welsh Calvinistic Methodists mission co-founder Griffith John started

missions to India'sTelugu region. He published Telugu tracts and Bible

translations facilitating mass conversions. American Board of Commissioners

sent missionaries to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and India's Bengal region focusing on

education and healthcare reaching both high castes and Dalits. Mission

Hospital at Madras treated all castes. London Missionary Society missionaries

like Robert Morrison established presence in China from 1807 evangelizing

widely by combining medicine and scholarships.

In Thailand which never suffered colonial rule, American Presbyterian D.B.

Bradley and wife Anna established Siam's first Protestant mission in 1828.

Using Thai language skills, they translated Bible portions and opened school.

Later, Scandinavian and Swiss mission societies brought gospel to northern

Thailand villages. Korean missions began when American Presbyterian

missionary Horace Underwood established church and medical mission in

1884 amid hostilities arising from Japanese colonization.

Spread and Growth in South Asia

By 19th century, British colonization assisted missionary expansion across

South Asia. American Ceylon Mission founded schools, orphanages, churches

and translated scriptures into Sinhalese. Methodist circuit riders penetrated

isolated villages in Tamil Nadu while Church of Scotland Presbyterian

missionaries concentrated in Malabar Coast. Scottish missionary Alexander

Duff introduced English medium schools in Bengal for girls and Dalits

opening new opportunities.

The Tract Societies distributed Christian literature widely. In early 20th

century, Canada-based Pentecostal missions took root in India, Burma, Sri

Lanka. Indian revivals under Canadian Pentecostal preacher G.H. Lang

inspired indigenous church growth. Converts from different castes often

faced social ostracism and persecution under Brahminical forces but

Christian community steadily increased. Education became central to most

missions evident in famed institutions like Scottish Church College at Kolkata

and Madras Christian College. Indian converts took preaching responsibilities

as local churches gained autonomy.

By independence, South Asian churches had grown substantially. In India,

Anglican Lambeth Conference estimated over 9 million Christian population.

Pentecostal churches expanded rapidly driven by gifts-based ministries and

indigenous leadership giving Christianity local character. Mass conversions

occurred among tribal groups like Mizos and Nagas in northeast states.

Today, South Asia remains vibrant Christian center with Dalits and tribal

groups constituting a major proportion. Bible translation efforts are largely

complete making scriptures widely accessible to Asian publics.

Missionary Spread in East Asia

While missions faced intense obstacles in Japan, opportunities opened up in

East Asia's coastal regions through trade and colonial expansion starting in

19th century. British, American and Australian Protestant missions focused

on China's coastal provinces establishing churches, schools and medical

institutions. The controversial Opium War allowed wider access. Hakka

people of southern China converted en masse to Christianity through

preaching of indigenous church planters like Watchman Nee.

Korean missions gained headway from 1880s onwards despite Japanese

hostility and Korean purges of Christians during colonial oppression.

Canadian and American Presbyterians established footholds. Schools run by

Canadian George Patterson and Horace Underwood helped revive script

scholarship attracting Korean scholar-evangelists embracing Reformed

theology. Martyrdom of thousands only fueled indigenous church growth

birthing Korean Pentecostalism in 1900s. Today, Korea hosts one of largest

Christian communities due to sustained missionary-national partnerships

overcoming colonial hardships.

In Taiwan and Hong Kong, Swedish Lutherans, Australian Anglicans and

American Baptists entered gospelizing under colonial governance. With

gospel print through Simplified Script dialects, indigenous efforts have

multiplied under Watchman Nee's influence. Significant Chinese church

remains scattered worldwide where immigration took place. Urban churches

in Chinese diaspora became crossroads for global evangelism. Singapore

emerged a Southeast Asian Christian hub. Protestantism has become

noticeable minority across parts of East Asia due to century-long mission

activities.

Spread to Middle East and Africa

Catholic missions established presences in Middle East since Crusades

leading to small Christian minorities still present in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.

Dominican friars evangelized Syria and Egypt through schools and theology.

Anglican Church Missionary Society and LMS targeted Egypt and Sudan.

Presbyterian missionaries established Beirut Syrian College (later American

University) as an educational hub. Mid-19th century surges in Protestant

missions were catalyzed by American Evangelist Dwight Moody's tours

appealing for Africa's evangelization. Mission stations were planted in

Ottoman Palestine by CMS, Anglican and Lutheran groups.

In Africa, Catholic missions followed Portuguese colonists to West and

Southwest regions. Jesuits, Franciscans and Dominicans encountered

indigenous religions, conducted pastoral works and translated liturgies into

local tongues by 1600s. Protestant missions grew in 1800s propelled by

British colonization and abolishing continental slave trade. London Missionary

and Baptist Missionary Societies spearheaded gospel outreaches across West

and East Africa combining development works and church planting. Ghana

and Nigeria recorded notable mass conversions with mission schools

inspiring national leaders like Kwame Nkrumah and Nnamdi Azikiwe.

Medical missions aided pastoral efforts in Central and East Africa treating

tropical diseases. Dr. David Livingstone opened the interior for Scottish

missions establishing village churches and schools in Zambia-Zimbabwe

highlands. Universities like Fourah Bay in Sierra Leone and Edinburgh of

Scotland's Livingstone College trained African clergy and teachers. From

Cape to Egypt, Gospel progressed through pioneering missionaries like Albert

Schweitzer establishing medical facilities, translations and radio broadcasting

programs reaching remote areas still isolated. Ethiopian Orthodox Church

welcomed Protestant mission groups amid isolation from historical

persecution under Muslims. Sub-Saharan regions experienced steady

conversions and today Christian faith grew enormously due to missionary

foundations.

Assessing Contributions

Over centuries, Catholic and Protestant missions established solid Christian

bases in Asia, Africa and elsewhere. Catholic missions left imprints in Eastern

Catholic churches from India to China to Middle East augmenting universal

Church's presence. Despite obstacles like colonial exploitation or cultural

chauvinism, missionaries facilitated humanitarian services, literacy and

modernization through education system and translations opening societies

to global ethos. Schools and hospitals uplifted living standards beyond

evangelism. Their biomedical contributions shaped positive regard for

Christianity in many lands.

Missionaries inspired local autonomy birthing indigenous clergy and

contextualized church expressions relevant to native cultures. Education

imparted skills enabling political elites to rule colonies and nations

independently. They disseminated Enlightenment ideals elevating human

dignity, justice, healthcare and democracy in formerly conservative lands

through examples of Bible colleges, seminaries, women's schools and

orphanages. Mass conversions occurred especially among tribal communities

creating new social identities and fostering unity among believers across

ethnic divides.

While colonialisms' roles remain complex, gospel access elevated status of

low castes, women and marginalized enabling social reforms and scripture

translations nourished local revival movements uniting people amid

diversities. Overall, two millennia of missions birthed thriving global

Christendom from Europe and North America despite setbacks of history

ensuring spiritual nourishment along with sociocultural influences among the

continents of Asia and Africa. The missionary impetus undergirded

civilizational contacts while disseminating universal message of love and

salvation to far reaches of the earth.