“Absolute Independence For Indian Christians” – The World Missionary Conference Edinburgh 1910 In The Debates Of The Protestant Christian Elite In Southern India

The high expectations expressed in the missionary press for the 1910 World Missionary Conference in Edinburgh frequently determine also the discussions of South Indian protestant Christians, which are reflected in their journal, “The Christian Patriot” (Madras 1890ff). Edinburgh is perceived here as a “universal” event, in which “all branches” of (protestant) Christianity are represented and racial barriers are “absolutely lost.” At the same time, further expectations are directed at the conference which go well beyond the agenda of conservative missionaries. These include the demand for the swift granting of “absolute independence for Indian Christians.” In addition, the selection and role of Indian representatives at the Edinburgh Conference are discussed with much controversy.