a contextual missiology of the spirit - eTheses Repository ...

zealous about a rapid evangelization of India, and later this paved the way for a
religious awakening. J. Edwin Orr, a prominent researcher into evangelical
revivals in the twentieth century, observes that the dynamic missionary activities
in diverse parts of India in the nineteenth century contributed not only to the
growth of Protestant Christianity in India, but also to the later revivals. According
to him, there were about six hundred missionaries belonging to various mission
agencies actively involved in mission during this period and their services later
paved the way for religious awakenings. 76
It appears that there was a trend for independent mission due to the increase in
mission agencies. According to Moffett, this trend had begun with Carey, and was
to accelerate through the rest of the century, 77 because there was a tension
between the Church leadership and the mission organizations. For example, C.T.
Ewart Rhenius, a Lutheran minister and one of the greatest CMS missionaries in
India, was a linguist in Tamil, and worked for the Society for 15 years (1820-35).
He finally joined the Plymouth Brethren due to the tension and the consequent
frictions between the CMS and the SPG. It is important to note that the first
revival in India with Pentecostal features took place in Tirunelveli under the
ministry of John Christian Aroolappen, who was trained and ordained by Rhenius.
76 J. Edwin Orr, Evangelical Awakening in India (New Delhi: Masihi Sahitya Sanstha, 1970), 9.
77 Moffett, History of Christianity in Asia, 269.
64