I feel as if I am treading in the steps of Bishops. Everywhere are references to Lesslie Newbigin (especially churches dedicated by him - he is mentioned in a plaque shown on the first photo below). At the wedding was the Bishop of Tirunelvely, the position once held by Stephen Neill.
[Wikipedia: "Stephen Charles Neill (1900–1984) was a Anglican missionary, bishop, and scholar from Scotland. He was proficient in a number of languages including Greek, Latin and Tamil. He was educated and later worked in Trinity College, Cambridge. He moved to Tamil Nadu and assumed as bishop of Tirunelveli.
"He believed in unification of all churches in South India and communion beyond denominations. He wrote several books on theology and church history.
"Neill retired to Wycliffe Hall, Oxford but still regularly visited America on preaching and lecture tours. It was at this time he authored his magnum opus History of Christianity in India among many other of his works. He could achieve this task since he suffered from insomnia which kept him awake most of the night allowing him to write more."]
I also watched a video of Archbishop Rowan William's visit to Chennai in October, including his sermon at St Peter's, where I am to preach on Sunday (also at Kingsbury, see below).
Yesterday I visited St Matthias Church. Entering seemed like entering an English church moved to Chennai; the memorials spoke of great missionaries of the past including one who came to India when young and died aged 83 in the early 19th cenury, having completed 60 years. The present building was completed in 1826 but a previous building links us to French friars. The plaque on the floor near the entrance speaks of SPCK, a vital part of early missionary work here (see the photograph below).
[Wikipedia: "Stephen Charles Neill (1900–1984) was a Anglican missionary, bishop, and scholar from Scotland. He was proficient in a number of languages including Greek, Latin and Tamil. He was educated and later worked in Trinity College, Cambridge. He moved to Tamil Nadu and assumed as bishop of Tirunelveli.
"He believed in unification of all churches in South India and communion beyond denominations. He wrote several books on theology and church history.
"Neill retired to Wycliffe Hall, Oxford but still regularly visited America on preaching and lecture tours. It was at this time he authored his magnum opus History of Christianity in India among many other of his works. He could achieve this task since he suffered from insomnia which kept him awake most of the night allowing him to write more."]
I also watched a video of Archbishop Rowan William's visit to Chennai in October, including his sermon at St Peter's, where I am to preach on Sunday (also at Kingsbury, see below).
Yesterday I visited St Matthias Church. Entering seemed like entering an English church moved to Chennai; the memorials spoke of great missionaries of the past including one who came to India when young and died aged 83 in the early 19th cenury, having completed 60 years. The present building was completed in 1826 but a previous building links us to French friars. The plaque on the floor near the entrance speaks of SPCK, a vital part of early missionary work here (see the photograph below).
We also visited two of Jeyaseelan's Pastorate churches - Kingsbury Memorial Church (Vysarpadi, Chennai), of Orthodox tradition (I hadn't realised that Orthodox churches had become part of CSI)...
The baptistry, for adult baptisms. There is a font inside for babies etc.
And St John's, which Jeyaseelan's described as more of a chapel...
Interesting conversation about touching. Prayers of blessing are valued ie making the sign of a cross on someone's forehead with a prayer of blessing.
Touching is important:
- as valuing an Untouchable as a brother or sister in Christ
- as overcoming the colonial supremacy of a white person, who would not touch someone.
On occasion, white people are touched simply out of curiosity. Basically, leaving aside those at the YWCA, I am not seeing any other white people. This reflects the fact that we are not visiting the normal tourist spots.
I will read the Gospel's references to the touching of Christ in a new light.
I enquired if progress is being made in overcoming the caste system. At a surface level, yes, I was told, but underneath no. It is engrained. A pastor tells me it is worse than apartheid, The government and the church (and no doubt others) take a stand, but in practice, I am told, people live by it. He says it makes no difference if a person has made a success of life, is wealthy, or is well-educated. I am though aware that this is only one person's view of how things are.
Lunch was at the home of one of the wonderful people we are getting to know, together with their wider family.
A shack we went past in the car in one of the slum areas... All I meet seem outwardly content but I am told that people worry - about food, clothes.
Touching is important:
- as valuing an Untouchable as a brother or sister in Christ
- as overcoming the colonial supremacy of a white person, who would not touch someone.
On occasion, white people are touched simply out of curiosity. Basically, leaving aside those at the YWCA, I am not seeing any other white people. This reflects the fact that we are not visiting the normal tourist spots.
I will read the Gospel's references to the touching of Christ in a new light.
I enquired if progress is being made in overcoming the caste system. At a surface level, yes, I was told, but underneath no. It is engrained. A pastor tells me it is worse than apartheid, The government and the church (and no doubt others) take a stand, but in practice, I am told, people live by it. He says it makes no difference if a person has made a success of life, is wealthy, or is well-educated. I am though aware that this is only one person's view of how things are.
Lunch was at the home of one of the wonderful people we are getting to know, together with their wider family.
A shack we went past in the car in one of the slum areas... All I meet seem outwardly content but I am told that people worry - about food, clothes.
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