Methodist Church in India
Encyclopedia
Methodist Church in India is a Methodist Christian denomination
of India
. Its seat is in Mumbai
. The Church of South India
and the Church of North India
are the results of mergers involving Methodist Churches
. It has hundreds of thousands of members. It is a member of the World Council of Churches
, Christian Conference of Asia
, the National Council of Churches in India
and World Methodist Council
. It runs schools.
The Methodist Church in India (MCI), is an "autonomous affiliated" Church in relation to the United Methodist Church
.
By the year 1864 the work had grown to such an extent that it was organized under the name of the India Mission Conference. Additional stations were occupied in Oudh, Rohilkhand, Garhwal and Kumaon, and by the year 1876 The Methodist Episcopal Church had established work both along evangelistic and educational lines, that was to furnish the foundation for the largest and most successful Mission of the Church.
Methodist Churches were established in cities such as Mumbai
, Kolkata
, Chennai
, and Banglore. Special revival meetings were held which led the church out of its boundaries and gave it a national status.
The year 1870 is remarkable in Indian Methodism's history not only because of William Taylor’s visit but for another reason as well. It was the year that marked the coming of the first missionaries of the Woman’s foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Two young ladies arrived that year: Isabella Thoburn
, to start her wonderful work of education among India’s girls and women; and Clara Swain, to inaugurate our medical work among the women of this land, she being the first lady doctor to undertake such work in Asia. It was fitting that the first missionaries of the Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society should come to India, for Mrs. Lois S. Parker, who with her husband Edwin W. Parker had come to India in 1859 and Mrs. William Butler who had served in India still earlier were the leading spirits in the organization of the Woman’s Society in Boston, U.S.A., in 1869. The growth of the work supported by our Woman’s Division (formerly Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society) has been even more phenomenal than that of our Board of Foreign Missions, and in all lines of missionary endeavour it has met with remarkable success.
Evangelistic work in the villages of northern India resulted the baptism of large numbers of people from the deprived classes. Thus it began the mass movement work, which has brought thousands of converts into the Methodist Church in rural areas.
In 1920 the Methodist Missionary Society was organized to supervise the missionary work in India.
In 1930 the Central Conference of southern Asia elected the first national Bishop
.
Since the Independence of India in 1947 all bishops have been Indian nationals.
Missionaries were sent to Borneo in 1956 and to the Fiji
islands in 1963.
Since 1928, the MCI was engaged in union negotiations in North India
.
In 1970 - the Central Conference voted against the plan of union, but dialogue with the Church of North India
has been continued.
In 1981 the Methodist Church in India was established as an "autonomous affiliated"
church in relation with the united Methodist church. This ushered in a new era for Indian Methodism.
The church is now independent in organization and has adopted its own constitution and book of discipline and articles of faith.
to bear witness of this love to all people and to make them his disciples.
89 residential hostels provide Christian care for 6,540 boys and girls.
The Church also operates 19 College and vocational training institutions,
25 hospitals and health care centres, and many community welfare and development programmes in the country
Christian denomination
A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity. In the Orthodox tradition, Churches are divided often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions. Technically, divisions between one group and...
of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Its seat is in Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
. The Church of South India
Church of South India
The Church of South India is the successor of the Church of England in India. It came into being in 1947 as a union of Anglican and Protestant churches in South India. With a membership of over 3.8 million, it is India's second largest Christian church after the Roman Catholic Church in India...
and the Church of North India
Church of North India
The Church of North India , the dominant Protestant denomination in northern India, is a united church established on 29 November 1970 by bringing together the main Protestant churches working in northern India...
are the results of mergers involving Methodist Churches
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
. It has hundreds of thousands of members. It is a member of the World Council of Churches
World Council of Churches
The World Council of Churches is a worldwide fellowship of 349 global, regional and sub-regional, national and local churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service. It is a Christian ecumenical organization that is based in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland...
, Christian Conference of Asia
Christian Conference of Asia
The Christian Conference of Asia is a regional ecumenical organisation representing 17 National Councils and 100 denominations in 21 countries:- Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Laos, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan,...
, the National Council of Churches in India
National Council of Churches in India
National Council of Churches in India or NCCI is an ecumenical organisation of the protestant and Orthodox Churches in India. NCCI is a member of ACT Development, a global alliance of churches and related agencies....
and World Methodist Council
World Methodist Council
The World Methodist Council, founded in 1881, is an association of churches in the Methodist tradition which comprises most of the world's Wesleyan denominations.- Extension and organization:...
. It runs schools.
The Methodist Church in India (MCI), is an "autonomous affiliated" Church in relation to the United Methodist Church
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
.
History
In 1856, the Methodist Episcopal Church From America started mission in India. The Methodist Episcopal Church began its work in India in 1856, when William Butler came from America. He selected Oudh and Rohilkhand as the field of effort, and being unable to secure a residence at Lucknow, began work at Bareilly. The first War of Independence broke up the work at Bareilly, but in 1858 Lucknow was occupied and Bareilly re-occupied and the work of the Mission started anew.By the year 1864 the work had grown to such an extent that it was organized under the name of the India Mission Conference. Additional stations were occupied in Oudh, Rohilkhand, Garhwal and Kumaon, and by the year 1876 The Methodist Episcopal Church had established work both along evangelistic and educational lines, that was to furnish the foundation for the largest and most successful Mission of the Church.
Methodist Churches were established in cities such as Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
, Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, and Banglore. Special revival meetings were held which led the church out of its boundaries and gave it a national status.
The year 1870 is remarkable in Indian Methodism's history not only because of William Taylor’s visit but for another reason as well. It was the year that marked the coming of the first missionaries of the Woman’s foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Two young ladies arrived that year: Isabella Thoburn
Isabella Thoburn
Isabella Thoburn was an American Christian missionary of the Methodist Episcopal Church best known for her establishment of educational institutions and missionary work in North India, subsequent to East India Company relinquishing power to British government in India.She was born March 29, 1840,...
, to start her wonderful work of education among India’s girls and women; and Clara Swain, to inaugurate our medical work among the women of this land, she being the first lady doctor to undertake such work in Asia. It was fitting that the first missionaries of the Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society should come to India, for Mrs. Lois S. Parker, who with her husband Edwin W. Parker had come to India in 1859 and Mrs. William Butler who had served in India still earlier were the leading spirits in the organization of the Woman’s Society in Boston, U.S.A., in 1869. The growth of the work supported by our Woman’s Division (formerly Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society) has been even more phenomenal than that of our Board of Foreign Missions, and in all lines of missionary endeavour it has met with remarkable success.
Evangelistic work in the villages of northern India resulted the baptism of large numbers of people from the deprived classes. Thus it began the mass movement work, which has brought thousands of converts into the Methodist Church in rural areas.
In 1920 the Methodist Missionary Society was organized to supervise the missionary work in India.
In 1930 the Central Conference of southern Asia elected the first national Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
.
Since the Independence of India in 1947 all bishops have been Indian nationals.
Missionaries were sent to Borneo in 1956 and to the Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
islands in 1963.
Since 1928, the MCI was engaged in union negotiations in North India
North India
North India, known natively as Uttar Bhārat or Shumālī Hindustān , is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage...
.
In 1970 - the Central Conference voted against the plan of union, but dialogue with the Church of North India
Church of North India
The Church of North India , the dominant Protestant denomination in northern India, is a united church established on 29 November 1970 by bringing together the main Protestant churches working in northern India...
has been continued.
In 1981 the Methodist Church in India was established as an "autonomous affiliated"
church in relation with the united Methodist church. This ushered in a new era for Indian Methodism.
The church is now independent in organization and has adopted its own constitution and book of discipline and articles of faith.
Beliefs
The Methodist Church in India understands itself as the body of Christ in and for the world as part of the Church universal. Its purpose is to understand the love of God as revealed in Jesus Christ,to bear witness of this love to all people and to make them his disciples.
Public Welfare
The MCI runs 102 Boarding schools and 155 Village schools in which over 60,000 children are enrolled.89 residential hostels provide Christian care for 6,540 boys and girls.
The Church also operates 19 College and vocational training institutions,
25 hospitals and health care centres, and many community welfare and development programmes in the country
See also
- Christianity in IndiaChristianity in IndiaChristianity is India's third-largest religion, with approximately 24 million followers, constituting 2.3% of India's population. The works of scholars and Eastern Christian writings and 14th century Portuguese missionaries created an illusion to convert Indians that Christianity was introduced to...