What Motivated the Early Christian Health Missions Anatomy of Transformation in India

1
What Motivated the Early Christian Health
Missions?Anatomy of Transformation in India

• Dr.Vinod Shah
• Presented at CCIH Annual Conference, May 29, 2005

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Factors that affected the health caring Culture.
3
Womens disempowered statusI

• Pregnant women were not allowed access to high
  caste practitioners
• Had to access low caste women traditional dais
• Dais were illiterate women

4
The eldest son of the family pays his last
respects to his deceased father before completing
the customary rituals and putting torch to the
funeral pyre.
5
Erotic sculptures abound temple prostitution
was one of the results
6
Decorated Sati from a Hero-stone (Mahasati Stone)
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TBA

• Donkey ride for pregnant women
• Massaging/kneading the abdomen
• Pulling on the cord
• Cow dung as lubricant
• Took responsibility for female-feticide and
  disposal of body

8
No caring culture

• Lepers were burnt or buried alive
• Sick in an epidemic were left to die
• Female children were sold to buy food during an
  epidemic
• Mentally retarded, handicapped were chained to
  trees
• Sick had no recourse to help

9
Caring not role modeled Religion sans caring-II
If I am at prayerI will not leave my prayer and
go to help someoneI dont think it is
important. If I leave my god and my karma and
help someone then my god will get angrymy karma
will be lost
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Did god role model healing?
There is no such example of God role modeling
healing

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IMPORTANCE OF THE BODY THE BODY SOUL
DISSOCIATION-III

• THE JUDEO CHRISTIAN CONTEXT
• The Judeo Christian view would think of the
  person as one whole
• The body had intrinsic dignity however deformed
  or diseased. Even in death, the body needed to
  be respected

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One of the most difficult austerities a
practitioner can attempt is to hold his arm
upright in the air for twelve years. It is said
that if successfully completed, the practice
results in the attainment of supernatural powers
13
Perhaps the most well known austerity is lying on
a bed of sharp nails to overcome the limitations
of the physical body.
14
Offerings are made to a mediator who is buried up
to the neck in sand. He suppresses the sensations
of the flesh while attempting to free his mind
through meditation.
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High and low trust societiesSENSE OF COMMUNITY-IV
IMPACT ON HEALTH/ ECONOMICS
ACCORDING TO FRANCIS FUKUYOMA.
Author of book on Trust
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THE ORTHODOX INDIAN CONTEXT
LOW TRUST SOCIETIES
LESS WEALTH CREATION
SOLITARY WORSHIP
LESS SPONTANEOUS SOCIALIBILITY
FAMILY BUSINESS ONLY
LESS SOCIAL CAPITAL
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Cont.
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Subjective culture vs ObjectiveLow O/S ratio-V

• We believe that each organ of the body is
  influenced by some deity.
• When we deviate from the path of religion the
  gods leave our side.
• This is why we fall sick.

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Subjective cultures versus Objective cultures
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Subjective cultures do not support scientific
development because

• Interpret reality subjectively
• Access knowledge subjectively
• Subjective attitudes in justice and gender

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Indian religions

• In their fundamentals were subjective till Global
  influences reached them.
• WASAV (Widely Accepted Shared Absolute Values)
  characterize an objective culture and needed for
  development.
• Polytheistic idolatry does not produce a WASAV
  culture.

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Family versus truth-VI
A father and a husband is like a God
23
Country Rank Country 2004 CPI
Score Confidence Range Surveys
Used
1 Finland 9,7 9.5 - 9.8 9 2 New
Zealand 9,6 9.4 - 9.6 9 3 Denmark 9,5 9.3 -
9.7 10 Iceland 9,5 9.4 -
9.7 8 5 Singapore 9,3 9.2 -
9.4 13 6 Sweden 9,2 9.1 -
9.3 11 7 Switzerland 9,1 8.9 -
9.2 10 8 Norway 8,9 8.6 -
9.1 9 9 Australia 8,8 8.4 -
9.1 15 10 Netherlands 8,7 8.5 -
8.9 10 11 United Kingdom 8,6 8.4 -
8.8 12 12 Canada 8,5 8.1 -
8.9 12 13 Austria 8,4 8.1 -
8.8 10 Luxembourg 8,4 8.0 -
8.9 7 15 Germany 8,2 8.0 -
8.5 11 16 Hong Kong 8,0 7.1 - 8.5 13
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Family values corruption

• Scale of familism (World Values survey code book
  1994 World Bank statistics)
• Correlates well with the CPI.(Regression
  analysis)
• Tribalism- Africa and India

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What did the Christian Medical missionaries do?
Womens transformation
Role Modeling of care
Transformation of Ritualistic Hinduism Jainism
Sustainability of transformation
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Womens health

• Women medical missionaries ushered in caring
  for women
• Women in India did not access hospitals
• Only home visits allowed and that only by women
  doctors

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Maharanis locket

• Elizabeth Bielby-1880
• Maharani of Panna
• Locket message to
• The Queen
• The women of India
• Suffer greatly

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SOME POINEER WOMEN MEDICAL MISSIONARIES IN
INDIA During the late 19th Century and early part
of 20th Century
Name of Women Year of Affiliation to
Mission Place of work
Arrival
1. Clara Swain 1870 American
Methodist Mission Bareilly, UP.
2. Sara Seward 1871 American
Presbyterian Allahabad, UP
Mission
3. Seeyle 1871 Womens
Missionary Calcutta, WB
Society of America 4. Sarah
Norriss 1873 American Board of
Medical Women --- 5. Rose Greenfield
1875 Society for female Education
in the
east, UK Ludhiana,
Punjab 6. Elizebeth Bielby 1876 Zenana
Bible and Medical Mission
UK. Lucknow,
UP
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Name of Women Year of Affiliation to
Mission Place of work
Arrival
7. Ms Hewlett 1877 England
Zenana Mission Punjab 8. Ellen
Mitchell 1878 American Baptist
Board Burma 9. Fanny Butler
1880 Church of England
Jabalpur, Mp. 10. Ida Faye 1881
American Baptist Mission Nellore,
AP. 11. Anna Kugler 1883 Lutheran
Mission, US Guntur, AP. 12.
Elizabeth Beatty 1884 United Church of
Canadian Mission Indore, MP. 13.
Mana White 1886 United Presbyterian
Church
of America
Siakot, (Jammu Border) 14. Jessie Carelton 1887
American Presbyterian Board
Ambala, Punjab. 15. Matilda Machphail
1887 Free Church of Scotland
Madras, TN 16. Ottoman 1890
Baptist Missionary Society Ganjam, Orissa
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Name of Women Year of Affiliation to
Mission Place of work
Arrival
17. Edith Brown 1893 Society for
Female Education
in the East, UK
Ludhiana, Punjab 18. Alene Calkins 1895
American Friends Mission
Chhatrapur, UP. 19. Pearl Chute 1896
Canadian Baptist Mission Akkividu,
AP. 20. Ida S Scudder 1900 Arcot
American Mission Vellore, TN. 21.
Gertude Hulet 1904 Canadian Baptist
Mission Vuyyuru, AP. 22. Charlotte
Pring 1915 Godavari Delta Mission
Narsapur, AP. 23. Catherine ?
American Methodist Episc.
Board
Jagadalpur, MP. 24.
Annie Mackay 1926 Free Church of
Scotland Lakhnadon, MP. 25.
Katherine Lehmann 1928 ?

Renigunta, AP.
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Ida Scudder

• Not a medical college but the kingdom of God
• (1918)

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Catherine-Methodist church-redefined access

• One Dr Catherine from the Methodist church in the
  US travelled by
• Ship for 6 months to Bombay
• To Raipur by train for a week
• Horse by several days to access the mission
  station called Bastar
• Methodist hospital built in 1892.
• Largest Methodist congregation in India

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Transformation of women

• The highest number of women doctors in the world
• India is a huge nurse factory
• 1947-95 of all nurses were Christian!
• All traceable to the womens medical colleges and
  nursing schools established by the missionaries

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Ancient India did not have a culture of care

• By a caring culture I mean formalized caring
  eg. Orphanages/hospitals
• Religion was divorced from loving your neighbor
• No hospitals existed except during the time of
  King Asoka in 2nd century BC
• Arya Vaidya Shalas existed for outpatient care
  for the privileged

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In what was a caring void

• Christian Medical missionaries ushered in a
  culture of care
• The first hospital (Royal hospital,Goa)in 1514 AD
  and then thousands afterwards..
• Orphanageshome for widows
• Sanatoria for TB, leprosy homes and hospitals
• Programs for epidemic care

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Social work in India

• The kind of missionary work which we see in
  Christianity that kind of this did not exist in
  India for a very long time.
• Now the social work being done in Indiathose
  going out to help and serve others is all because
  of missionary global influences.

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By 1940 AD.

• There were 2000 Christian hospitals in India
• Close to 40 of all beds were made up of
  Christian hospitals
• TB sanatoria and leprosy institutions were
  predominantly Christian

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Dr. Alexander Duff 1806-78

• Pioneer missionary educationist
• English education can have a transformative
  effect on the Indian society
• Scripture education introduced but made optional
• Downward filter theory-working with High castes
• Schools and colleges -Calcutta, Madras and Bombay

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Christians ushered in a culture of care

• Started many NGOs that looked at specific needs
  of the poor and provided succor
• Role modeled caring
• Taught caring

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Welfare-Social capital did not exist

• The only safety net for the poor was
• The joint family
• Individual philanthropy and
• The caste system

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The concept of the voluntary sector.

• Indian culture did not have this concept of
  volunteerism
• Activism for change was also not a part of
  Indian culture. (Barring a few exceptions no
  activists for social change)

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The concept of the voluntary sector..

• Christian missionaries pioneered the NPO and NGO
  sector (Pande 1967,Terry 1983)
• 1810-1947 This time saw the emergence of major
  Christian voluntary sector church based and
  non-church based. (NGOs)
• Hospitals, Schools, Orphanages and other welfare
  institutions flourished.

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As a result 1825 onwards

• Many Hindu bourgeoisie who studied in English
  medium schools
• Started social reform organizations for the
  purpose of caring
• Care of widows remarriage
• Care of orphans preventing child marriage

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The many champions of caring

• Some were Christians
• Some liked Christian values but were not
  Christians
• Most were provoked by the Christian gospel to
  care but remained Hindus

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Raja Ram Mohan Roy (1774-1833)founder of Brahmo
Samaj
A Hindu reformer and visionary, Roy is
considered by many as the father of modern
India. Oil Painting by Atul Bose Raja Ram
drew inspiration from William Carey
The first feminist
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Rishi Dayanand Saraswati 1824-83

• Founded Arya Samaj
• Spoke against idol-worship, casteism and female
  subjugation
• Assassinated in 1883 AD

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The prime object of the arya samaj is to do
good that is to promote physical, social
spiritual good for everyone
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Satyasodhak Samaj- Jyotirao Phule-1875

• Educated in The Scottish mission school
• Became a great educationist
• Started caringinstitutions

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Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar

• From 1854-55 he single-handedly wedged a battle
  against the extremist of the Hindu society and
  insisted in the implementation of the
  Widow-Remarriage Act in 1856.

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As a result Indian religions werechallenged to
reform

• Vivekananda brought in a new understanding of
  Hinduism

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Indian reformer

• Vivekananda 1863-1902
• Father was given to reciting from the Bible-for
  amusement!
• Studied in Presidency college-Calcutta
• Later in Scottish church college studied English
  literature and western logic which brought into
  sharp focus the short comings of Indian society
• Was influenced by Raja Ram Mohan Roy also.

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Vivekananda

• He elevated the status of the service of fellow
  beings to the level of real worship of God. (PS
  Kamanant)
• Established Ramakrishna mission which began caring

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Ramakrishna mission was a reformist reaction to
the Christian caring

• CalcuttaRamakrishna M. Institute of
  CultureAdvaitaAdvaita Ashram CalcuttaSRMSri
  Ramakrishna Math CalcuttaNarendrapurRamakrishna
  Mission College UdbodhanMother's
  HouseVidyapithRamakrishna VidyapithNew
  DelhiRamakrishna MissionRajkot/GujaratRamakrishna
  Mission AshramChennaiRamakrishna Math Mylapore
  ChennaiRamakrishna Mission AshramItanagarRamakrish
  na Mission Hospital APVidyapithRamakrishna
  Vidyapith ChennaiChengalpattuRamakrishna Mission
  Tamil NaduMaduraiRamakrishna Math
  CoimbatoreRamakrishna Mission Vidyalaya

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Ramakrishna mission locale

• BangaloreVivekananda AshramKochiRamakrishna Math,
  KeralaRanchiRamakrishna MissionKaladiRamakrishna
  Advaita Ashram KeralaPuneRamakrishna Math and
  MissionHydrabadRamakrishna MathVaranasiRamakrishna
  M.- Home of Service RKMRamakrishna
  VidyashalaKayamkulamSri Ramakrishna Ashram,
  KeralaJharkhandTB Sanatorium - RanchiMangaloreRama
  krishna Mission Ashram

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Vivekananda

• Swami Vivekananda wrote in one of his letters
• A hundred thousand men and women, will go over
  the length and breadth of the land, preaching the
  Gospel of salvation, the Gospel of help, the
  Gospel of social raising-up -- the Gospel of
  equality.

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Karsondas Mulji-1832-71

• Social Reformer, Educationist, Writer,
  Pamphleteer
• While in Elphinstone college. influenced by
  missionary John Wilson
• The Primitive Religion of the Hindus and the
  Present Heterodox Opinions in his journal led to
  the famous Maharaja Libel
• Widow remarriage-helped many

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Micheal MadusudandasEnglish and Bengali writer

• 1824-1876 AD- became a Christian
• Both The Captive Lady and Visions of the Past
  were written under the pen name Timothy.
• Editor of The Hindu Patriot. He composed
  Bengali plays such as Sharmistha, Ekey Bole
  Savyata, Buro Shaliker Ghare Ro,
  Krishnakumari and Padmabati.
• In most of his plays, he criticized the lack of
  caring present in the society.

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Dadabhai Naoroji 1824-1917

• Grand Old Man of India
• Studied in Elphinstone college-influenced by Dr
  Wilson
• Went from door to door recruiting girl students
• Freedom fighter-concerned
• for women
• Member of the house of commons

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Initially Jains were into hospitals for birds and
animals only

• Jain Bird hospital in Old Delhi
• Gaushalas are old age homes for cows

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Jains now have many hospitals

• Bombay- Nanavati hospital, Sarvoday hospital,
  Matunga hospital, Lilavati hospital, Cardiac
  hospital in Matunga are all Jain.
• Surat Mahavir hospital is Jain
• Ahmedabad Vadilal Sarabhai hospital is Jain.
• Sri AmarJain hospital- Jaipur
• Bhagwan MahavirJain Hospital-Bangalore

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In personal conversation with Jains

• We (Jains) will not survive as a religion unless
  we begin to care like the missionaries..
• Now Jains go abroad and raise money from the US
  and the UK for their hospitals and projects

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Emergence of Gandhian NGOs

• From 1947 to 1960 onwards many new Gandhian NGOs
  were started Hindu Kusht Nivaran Sangh was
  started at the behest of Gandhi.
• Shame on uswhy should missionaries (Gandhi)

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Mushrooming of NGOs

• Church related and Christian voluntary
  organizations led the way for the mushrooming of
  NGOs
• Though not all the NGOs are into welfare more
  than 100,000 NGOs are into some form of caring

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Ripple effect
Other caring NGOs
Non-Xian hospitals
Advocacy
Doctors Nurses
Man power for mission
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Disaster 1947 onwards..

• 700 Protestant hospitals in India
• Many Indian trained D N
• No visionary leaders!!
• 400 Xian hospitals closed in 40 years

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Missionary failure- Developed programsbut not
people
Paradigm shift
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Programme Development to People Development - 2
Paradigm shift

• Jesus Follow me and I will make you fishers of
  men.
• Development of people more strategic than
  programs.
• Budgets do not reflect this more used for
  programs.
• Learning from history Disaster in India

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Medical Missions - Custodians of the Culture of
Care

• 3 Types of Caring
• Commercial caring
• Professional caring
• Christian caring

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India
West
Either way Christian caring is an endangered
phenomenon