Church Unity Movement in North East India
Presented by: Richard K. Lalrinmawia, Laldanmawia and Thanggoumang Haokip
………………2013………………
Introduction:
North East India is experiencing denominational disparity right from the
coming of Christianity. There is no doubt that the existence of different kinds
of church is mainly due to the mission agencies from different denominations. At
the same time, there is ongoing quest for unity as the Indian Church History also
already experienced it. In the North East Region we can find some organizations
formed after searching for the unity. Different denominations from different
states and tribes come and work together in such organizations. This kind of
forming organizational body is mainly an idea of ecumenical movement in North
East India. So, we will discuss about Church unity movement in North East India
in this paper.
1. A Brief Denominational Condition of North East India:
It must be good if
we look at first on the condition of the present denominational disparity. The
majority of Christian population in North East India is comprised by three
denominations like Baptist having 1,535,793 members; Catholic having 1,305,000 members
and Presbyterian having 1,206,707 members. Apart from these three, there are
lesser member denominations. An overview of denominational condition in North
East India is as under:[1]
Baptist: Baptist Church of Mizoram, Bodo Baptist
Convention, Evangelical
Baptist Convention, Goalpara Bodo Baptist Christian Association, Lairam Isua
Krista Baptist
kohhran, Lower
Assam Baptist Union, North Bank Baptist
Christian Association, Rabha Baptist Church Union, Tripura Baptist
Christian Union. And members of Council of Baptist
Churches in North East India
(CBCNEI) like Arunachal Baptist Church
Council, Assam Baptist Convention, Garo Baptist Convention, Karbi-Anglong Baptist
Convention, Manipur Baptist Convention, Nagaland Baptist Church Council.
Catholic: Diocese of
Bongaigaon, Diocese of
Dibrugarh, Diocese of Diphu, Diocese of
Itanagar, Diocese of Miao, Diocese of Tezpur (under Archdiocese of Guwahati); Diocese of Kohima (under Archdiocese of Imphal); Diocese of
Agartala, Diocese of Aizawl, Diocese of Jowai, Diocese of
Nongstoin, Diocese of Tura (under Archdiocese of Shillong).
Presbyterian: Cachar Hill Tribe's Presbyterian Synod, Khasi Jaintia Presbyterian Synod Mihngi, Khasi Jaintia Presbyterian Synod Sepngi, Manipur Presbyterian Synod, Mizoram Presbyterian Synod, Ri Bhoi Presbyterian Synod, Zou Presbyterian
Synod.
Seventh Day Adventist Church: Mizo Conference of
SDA, Khasi Jaintia Conference of SDA,
Garo Section of
SDA, Manipur Section of
SDA, Nagaland Region of
SDA, Assam Region of
SDA, Arunachal Region
of SDA.
Christian
Revival Church: Christian Revival Church Arunachal Pradesh (APCRC), Christian Revival Church Nagaland (NCRC), Christian Revival Church Assam,
Christian Revival Church Manipur,
Christian Revival Church Meghalaya, Christian Revival Church Sikkim
Others: Evangelical Church
of Maraland, Evangelical Free Church of India,
Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Himalayan States, Independent Church of India, St. Thomas Evangelical Church of India (Kerala).
2. Church Unity Movement in North east India:
2.1. Formation of NEICC:
The origin of North East India Christian Council can be learned from the
time when North East region was under Bengal Christian Council (BCC). However
the difference in culture and ethnic made North East Christians to think for a
separate church unity movement. When Bengal Christian Council (BCC) was formed
in 1926, some protestant churches accepted the invitation and joined the BCC.[2]
However due to various reasons including geographical distance and cultural
differences, the member churches, one by one, all withdrew from the BCC.[3] Then
the Joint Conference of Churches and Missions held in Assam in 1937, decided to
form a separate body for the region, then the Assam Christian Council was
formed in the following year, 1937.[4] In
1943, it had six ecclesiastical and five mission members, and it enlarged its
membership to seventeen ecclesiastical members and three missions in 1965. [5] In
the 1950’s the Council planned to concentrate its union effort only among the
members of the region. From 1962 onwards the ACC had come to be known as North
East India Christian Council (NEICC).
Now it has 35 churches and 14 Associate member(para
churches), all together 49 members.[6]
2.2. Formation of CBCNEI:
The first
American Baptist missionaries reached North East India in 1836 and settled in
Assam. They extended their works to Nagaland, Manipur and other places. Then the
field work in North-East India was seemed largely the responsibility of the
American Baptist Mission until 1950. In the 1940 the area on the North Bank of
Brahmaputra river was handed over to the care of the Australian Baptist Mission
(for Goalpara district) and to the General Baptist Conference (for Darrang and
North Lakhimpur districts).[7]
From the early days of the
missions in North-East India there were joint meetings of missionaries and
nationals to plan the work. In 1914, the National Churches formed themselves
into Assam Baptist Christian Convention. This organization grew in its stature,
and finally in January 1950, the Council of Baptist Churches in Assam (CBCA)
was formed by the amalgamation of Assam Baptist Missionary Conference. Later
the name was changed to CBCAM, and finally, the Council of Baptist Churches in
North-East India (NEICC). Almost all the Baptist Churches in Assam, Arunachal,
Manipur, Meghalaya and Nagaland were brought within the Council.[8]
Over the years the CBCNEI
has grown to now over 7000 Churches in 100 organized Associations. They are
administered under six regional Conventions namely, Assam Baptist Convention,
Arunachal Baptist Church Council, Garo Baptist Convention, Karbi Anglong
Baptist Convention, Manipur Baptist Convention, and Nagaland Baptist Church
Council.[9]
2.3. Movements Made by other Organizations:
2.3.1. Bible Society of
India: The Bible Society of India
extended its work in the North East region beginning with the opening of Shillong
Auxiliary in 1952. It became Assam Auxiliary in1956 with its area of operations
extending to the whole of North Eastern parts of India. In order to bring
easier movement of Scriptures to the remote parts of the difficult terrain
covered by the Auxiliary, a Scriptures Distribution Centre was opened in
Guwahati in 1973 in a land gifted by CBCNEI. After the formal inauguration of
the Aizawl Auxiliary in 1983 and Dimapur Auxiliary in 1986, Shillong Auxiliary
now caters to the Scripture needs of the state of Assam and Meghalaya. The
Shillong Auxiliary even celebrated the Golden Jubilee in 2006. [10]
Even though the main concern of BSI is scattering of the Scriptures, it had
a contribution to the unity movement in terms of bringing people together from
different denominations and regions to work under it. It is supported by
different churches. We can say that churches in the North east are united by
this Society. The
women and the youth wings witnesses Christ through street preaching and dramas.
The BSI standing choir gives messages through singing in different Church
services, concerts, All India Radio, North Eastern Service – AIR, TV Channels.
Their immediate contribution to church unity movement may not be that much, but
they motivate people and they provide a place for different churches to work
together.[11]
2.3.2. Another organizations like Young Men
Christian Association (YMCA), Young Women Christian Association (YWCA) have
been active in vocational training, sports, caring of women through working
women hostels or boarding homes. Their movements comprised members from
different ecclesiastical traditions.[12]
Student Christian Movement (SCMI) is the body in
which students and young people from different theological colleges, Christian
schools of various church traditions work together.[13]
It is a cross–denominational involvement and worth mentioning in the church
unity movement in North east India.
Evangelical Fellowship
of India (EFI), Union of Evangelical Students of India (UESI), etc. are another
important ecumenical development in North East India.
3. Remarks:
3.1. Church Unity Movement in NE India: It’s Success:
3.1.1. During NEICC was known as ACC in 1952, Union Christian College was
instituted at Barapani. This college is still sponsored by the units of NEICC.
The college was very much useful in the early time, particularly for conference
of NEICC. And now it is the place of ecumenical gathering in terms of students
and teachers who join from different cultural and denomination backgrounds.
3.1.2. CBCNEI had
its success in the establishment of Eastern Theological College (ETC)
in 1905 by the Rev. S.A.D. Boggs, sent by the American Baptist Mission Society.
Eastern Theological College (ETC) has been catering to the ever growing and
diverse needs of the region and even beyond in the field of leadership
development for the last 100 years. Today ETC boasts of more than 2500 graduates
working in various fields of Christian ministry, including more than 800
serving pastors in rural areas.[14]
3.1.3. Even though Church
unity as organic is not successful, the movement can be still seen as
successful in some ways. The formation of church councils and other
organizations including theological colleges rightly contribute the opportunity
where people from different background come together. This togetherness for
working is to be claimed as the success of Church unity movement in NE India.
3.2. Church Unity Movement in NE India: It’s Failure:
3.2.1. By seeing the condition of CNI and CSI, there was also an approach to form
an organic unity, the proposal called it as Church of North East India (CNEI).
Then the NEICC second union conference in Shillong in 1969 decided to set up a
drafting committee to draft the plan of union and draft constitution of the
CNEI. And majority of all affiliated churches voted in favour of the union.[15]
However due to the concept of baptism, episcopacy and centralized organization,
CBCNEI withdrew itself in 1971. And due to another reasons coming up, this CNEI
movement was not be able to put into reality.[16] This
is one famous and big failure in the church unity movement in North East India.
3.2.2. The formation of NEICC and CBCNEI and other
organizations could not really work out what reality is supposed to be. Though
these are formed by comprising of people from different denominational background
of states, they could not really bring the people together due to cultural
differences, form of worship, rituals and life style, doctrines, etc.
Conclusion:
Church Unity Movement in North East India
is a living issue, though it had lost its momentum since 1970’s. It is still a
current issue in theological thinking. It seems that there is a problem in
North East situation. An approach for organic unity was already failed, what
the mainland India could do. Unity Movement is more with its failure. However the
churches had the spirit of unity, we can see from the time of proposing organic
church also. But when it came to reality, it was not successful. So what must
be the problems with North East churches? And what steps must be taken more in
order to maintain church unity in North East India?
…………………………………………………..
Bibliography:
Dena, Lal. Christian
Missions and Colonialism: A Study of Missionary Movement in North East India.
Shillong: Vendrame Institute, 1988.
Downs, Frederick S. Christianity in North East India. Delhi:
ISPCK, 1983.
Talibuddin, Ernest W. An
Introduction to the History of the Anglican Church in North-East India
(1841-1970). Delhi: ISPCK, 2009.
Massey , James. Ed. Ecumenism in India Today. Bangalore:
BTESSC/SATHRI, 2008.
Snaitang, OL. A History of Ecumenical Movement: An
Introduction. Bangalore: BTESSC/SATHRI, 2007.
Internet Sources:
http://www.cbcnei.com (25 February 2013).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christian_denominations_in_North_East_India(25 February 2013).
http://www.mizobaptist.org/bcmnew/?p=2768 (25 February 2013).
http://www.bsind.org (18 April 2013)
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christian_denominations_in_North_East_India(25 February 2013).
[2] Isaac Devadoss, “A Historical Survey of Ecumenism in India” in Ecumenism in India Today, edited by
James Massey (Bangalore: BTESSC/SATHRI, 2008), 25.
[3] Isaac Devadoss, “A Historical Survey of
Ecumenism in India” in Ecumenism in India
Today…, 25.
[5] Frederick S, Downs, Christianity in North East India (Delhi:
ISPCK, 1983), 156.
[8] http://www.cbcnei.com (25 February 2013).
[12] OL. Snaitang,. A
History of Ecumenical Movement: An Introduction (Bangalore: BTESSC/SATHRI,
2007), 171.
[13] OL. Snaitang,. A History of Ecumenical Movement: An Introduction (Bangalore:
BTESSC/SATHRI, 2007), 171.
[15] Isaac Devadoss, “A Historical Survey of
Ecumenism in India” in Ecumenism in India
Today…, 26.
[16] Isaac Devadoss, “A Historical Survey of
Ecumenism in India” in Ecumenism in India
Today…, 25.
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