North West India in the 19^th and 20^th Centuries

Northwest India in the 19^th and 20^th Centuries, published by Church History Association of India and authored by John C. B. Webster, former professor at the Guru Nanak University of Amritsar, the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, the Union Theological Seminary of New York, and the United Theological College in Bangalore, was released on the Eve of Reformation Day at Delhi’s Constitution Club of India by Prof. Basudev Chatterji, the Chairman of Indian Council of Historical Research presenting a copy to Dr. H. T. Sangliana the Vice– Chairman of the National Commission for Minorities, at a function presided over by Dr. Jetti A. Oliver, Chancellor of the SHIATS University and the President of the CHAI. Archbishop Vincent M. Concessao, the Archbishop of Delhi addressed the gathering. Dr. Charles Dias, M. P., honoured the author. Dr. George Oommen, General Secretary CHAI, and Dr. Leonard Fernando, General Editor spoke on the occasion.

History of Christianity in Northwest India in the 19^th and 20^th Centuries is the latest book to appear in the Church History Association of India’s (CHAI) multi-volume History of Christianity in India project. Departing from earlier patterns of historical writing on Christianity, this series has been written from a ‘New Perspective’ which combines the socio-cultural with the ecumenical and uses the region as its basic working unit.

This book covers present-day Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, as well as pre-Partition Pakistan, the Punjab and Northwest Frontier Province and sets the history of Christianity within the context of the socio-political history of the region. This was, until Independence, a Muslim majority region of India and the Christians there were, until quite recently, overwhelmingly Protestant. These features, plus the fact of Partition, give Christianity’s history in Northwest India a distinctive quality.

This history begins in 1800 when there were only a few scattered Christians in Delhi. It traces the encounters, growth, challenges, and the changing nature of the Christian community from then up to the present time. It treats the subject chronologically and highlights major developments within each period: e.g., Christianity and the Revolt of 1857; the important role played by mission education in the 19^th century; the Christian encounter with urban religious reform movements and with rural Dalits; Christians and the nationalist movement both outside and inside the Churches; the Christian Churches, institutions, and community in the changing political and economic context of independent India.

One of the significant contributions of CHAI has been its prestigious History of Christianity in India Series. In 1973, at its Bangalore Triennial meet, CHAI finalized the plan to publish a six-volume History of Christianity in India to be written by India-based scholars with an emphasis on socio-cultural development of the Indian Christian community rather than narrating mere institutional history. After the demise of Dr. D. V. Singh, the first General Editor of the multi-volume project, Fr. Dr. A. M. Mundadan, CMI, who succeeded him, brought out the third volume and parts of the 4^th and 5^th volumes. Fr. Dr. Leonard Fernando, SJ, currently serves as the General Editor of the project.

Copies of the book may be ordered from:

Business Manager, CHAI, Dharmaram College, Bangalore 560 029

Price: For Students & Researchers in India– Rs. 150.00 (plus P&H –Rs. 30.00)

Asia, Africa, Latin America– US $ 12.00 (or equivalent in Indian Rupees)

All Other Countries – US $ 25.00 (or equivalent in Indian Rupees)

Send Cheque / Draft in favour of CHURCH HISTORY ASSOCIATION OF INDIA payable at Bangalore.