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Presiding Bishop's Visit Forges Links with Churches of Indian Subcontinent

Episcopal News Service. March 7, 1997 [97-1711]

Barbara Braver, Barbara Braver is communications officer for Presiding Bishop Edmond Browning.

(ENS) A pilgrimage to the Indian subcontinent by Presiding Bishop Edmond Browning brought encouragement to three sister provinces of the Anglican Communion struggling as distinct minorities in an overwhelmingly diverse cultural and religious world.

Traveling half way around the world to visit the Church of Bangladesh, the Church of North India and the Church of South India, Browning found that the trip underscored the Gospel links that tie all churches together.

Accompanied by his wife, Patti, and the Rev. Canon Patrick Mauney, director of Anglican and global relations for the Episcopal Church, Browning dedicated churches, planted trees and unveiled plaques in expressions of a shared ministry in Christ. He and the members of his party were received, not as strangers or tourists, but as sister and brother Christians. Throughout the visit, they were greeted with banners, decked with flower leis and wrapped in colorful shawls, entertained by musicians, dancers, singers, actors, and even a fire-eater. They celebrated the eucharist with crowds of 700 people and in small groups, in great cathedrals and under a canopy in a forest clearing.

After 14 days, the party would agree with Mark Twain, who spoke for generations of awe-struck travelers first exposed to a land that owes its ethos to neither Greek nor Roman traditions: "This is indeed India! The land of dreams and romance, of fabulous wealth and fabulous poverty... the country of a hundred nations and a hundred tongues, of a thousand religions and two million gods, cradle of the human race, birthplace of human speech, mother of history, grandmother of legend, great-grandmother of tradition...."

United across denominations

The Church of Bangladesh and the Churches of North India and South India, along with the Church of Pakistan, are "united churches" that were formed with the union of Christian denominations. These churches are provinces of the Anglican Communion, though not exclusively Anglican. Each has a particular history, tied in part to complicated political events. In brief, the Churches of Bangladesh and North India are celebrating some 25 years as united churches and the Church of South India is celebrating 50 years.

All three churches are tiny minorities. Bangladesh is largely Muslim and only three in 1,000 persons is Christian. India is more than 82 percent Hindu, 12 percent Muslim and less than three percent Christian. Their minority status makes it imperative that Christians join forces to make an effective witness. They are clear about the essentials that unite them and have been able to transcend denominational boundaries and know that they must live the gospel to proclaim the Good News.

"It has been truly humbling for me to see how so much is done in the name of Christ with so few resources," said Browning. "There is certainly a model for our church to reach toward."

All three churches operate schools, clinics, hospitals and homes that serve the general population and not just other Christians. All three have made a huge commitment to hands-on, person-to-person training programs in basics such as health and nutrition, as well as skills and leadership training, development work, HIV/AIDS prevention and ministry, and advocacy around issues affecting the poor, particularly woman and children.

Pilgrims in Bangladesh

Dakha, the bustling capital city of Bangladesh, was the base for a visit to the Church of Bangladesh, with its two dioceses, 24 clergy, and some 13,000 members. The church's moderator (the equivalent of primate), the Most Rev. Dwijen Mondal had planned a full program based on the most appropriate theme: "We are pilgrims on earth with Jesus Christ."

"We have never felt witness and spirituality are separate things," said Mondal. "We must show our commitment, and that our faith is not nominal. Through our programs we sow the seeds of faith." Especially given the church's small size, the mission statistics impress: two hospitals, seven clinics, a nursing school, some 30 schools and 500 community programs focusing on health, nutrition, life skills and training.

The group traveled to see these ministries by air and auto over bumpy, narrow roads jammed with four-wheeled vehicles of all kinds, as well as bicycles, buffalo, cows, goats and other assorted animals. Everywhere people were on the move, some begging with babies in arms, most doing the hard work necessary to have food for that day: young girls in bright saris carrying huge bundles of wood on their heads, threshing grain or transplanting rice seedlings; wiry young men pedaling bicycles laden down with pots or jugs, or fence posts or tires; children covered with dust, sitting by the side of the road in the heat of the day pounding stones into gravel.

The Brownings called on the nation's president as a way of lending visibility to the Church of Bangladesh. They were also welcomed by the lively ecumenical community, which included Roman Catholics and Baptists, and heard from the leaders of the need for Christians to be "living Bibles" and to work for peace and justice. The presiding bishop told them of the sadness of divisions between Christians in this country, "and even within our own church," but also shared his hope in the proposal for full communion with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to be voted on at General Convention this summer. "You are a sign to us of what we can be." he said.

North India church reaches out to outcasts

Delhi, the capital of India, was the base for a three-day visit to the Church of North India (CNI), which covers 80 percent of the land area, includes 75 percent of the population, and mirrors all of the cultural complexities of India. CNI membership is over 900,000 with some 3,000 congregations and 1,000 ordained clergy in 23 dioceses.

Eighty percent of church members are either indigenous tribal people or "dalits." a name they have chosen which means "oppressed." Gandhi called the dalits "God's children." The most common name by which they have been known is "untouchables." These are the people who fall outside the Hindu caste system which, though outlawed by the government, is still operative. Both the indigenous people and the dalits are marginalized by society. The CNI works to respond to basic needs and to aid development and advocacy, including organizing mass rallies to challenge government policies that work against both groups.

While in Delhi, the Browning party visited with the Delhi Brotherhood, a religious community with roots in England that operates a night shelter and educational programs for homeless street children.

South India offers "BBC" of support

Madras was the base for a visit to the Church of South India (CSI). The bulk of the Christian population is in the south of India and the church has about 1.5 million members. "We believe our ancestors were made Christians by St. Thomas," explained Professor George Koshy, general secretary of the Church of South India.

Josephine Azariah, wife of Bishop Mazilimani Azariah of the Diocese of Madras. explained the diocese's "BBC" program started by the bishop to serve tribal villages. "We give every family a Bible, so they will know where they stand, a bicycle so they can earn their living, and chapals, which are shoes, to prevent disease and give dignity," she said.

The presiding bishop dedicated land in a tribal village for new housing to replace the fragile, thatched-roof huts that are the present habitation of villagers. In a system of "twinning" village people with city congregations, each city family donates 2,000 rupees to support another family.

A remote village several hours' ride out of Madras was the scene of an unforgettable evening with dalit members of the church. In a dimly illuminated forest clearing, the Brownings joined hands in a circle with those marked as outcasts. Together they pledged to do all in their power to root out the evils of racism, beginning at the only effective starting place: within.

Churches address empowerment of women

Empowerment of women emerged as a theme in all three churches. "They are the suffering lot," said Mondal. "They do the most difficult physical work and are not treated equally." In all three churches, women are the focus of training and empowerment programs. as well as "consciousness raising programs," that may involve role play.

Bishop William Moses, deputy moderator of the Church of South India, said, "Women are treated as second class citizens. They work at home, care for the children and then do hard physical labor such as road construction. We are trying to teach them to say no, to educate them. They are being humiliated and sometimes just think that is the way it is."

Though treated as "second class." women are also those who tend the social fabric and spread the gospel, as "Bible women" catechists in the villages, as the traditional birth attendants, as those who learn the basics of sanitation and nutrition and then teach it to others.

The two-week journey made quite plain that in all three churches the needs are enormous and the church response is vigorous. The sheer weight of numbers in these heavily populated areas makes all problems larger. For example, it is projected that by the end of the century five million people in India will have HIV/AIDS. Churches are responsible for the bulk of the prevention and pastoral programs.

Throughout the visit, the work of the Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief and the United Thank Offering were praised, and numerous examples given of what has been accomplished by PB Fund and UTO grants.

But while each church has its particular history and characteristics, at the heart of things, differences faded as similarities were recognized, a reminder that differences between these churches and the Episcopal Church are also superficial.

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