Missionary message to Hinduism: a critical study of T.E. Slater's contribution to fulfilment theology in India

Abstract

Thomas Ebenezer Slater (1840-1912) was an English missionary scholar who appealed to the educated Hindus of India from 1866 to 1905, based on the idea that the age-long aspiration of Hinduism is fulfilled in Christianity.

The thesis aims to analyse the entire corpus of Slater's writing, in order to come to a scientific assessment of his contribution (a) to interpreting the Christian gospel in relation to Hindu philosophy and 19th century educated Hindus, and (b) to the development of 19th century Protestant fulfilment theology.

The five arguments of the thesis are advanced as following. Firstly, Slater was markedly emerged that fulfilment model was the dominant major model to reach the Hindus in the late 19th century in India. Secondly, Slater not only laid the foundations of 19th century Protestant fulfilment theology, but developed its organised form from 1876 to 1910. Thirdly, Slater pioneered, among Protestant missionaries, an irenic relationship between Christianity and Hinduism, and indigenous Christian theology, based on his application of the logos doctrine to the Hindu Vedanta. Fourthly, Slater's theology had a major influence in the preparation of the Commission IV (The Missionary Message in Relation to Non- Christian Religions) of the 1910 Edinburgh Conference. Lastly, Slater's theological approach to world faiths was exemplary of late 19th century Congregationalist theology on both sides of the Atlantic, and in India.

Chapter One examines British attitudes to Hinduism in the 19th century, particularly in terms of the time when tolerant attitudes emerged. Chapter Two deals with the life of Slater and his intellectual and religious background, essential in understanding the development of his theological reflections on fulfdment. Chapter Three details Slater's audience, his approach to them and his methodology. The core of this thesis is contained in Chapter Four: Slater's view of Hinduism and his message to the Hindus; divine reason in Hinduism, Christ as the Fulfiller, and Christianity as an Eastern religion. Chapter Five focuses on the distinctive Congregational principles related to fulfilment theology, along with the leading Congregationalists' links to fulfilment theology. Chapter Six investigates Slater's influence on the Commission IV of Edinburgh Missionary Conference. Chapter Seven discusses the criticisms made by J.N. Farquhar, A.G. Hogg, H. Kraemer, R. Panikkar and the Dalit theologians. Finally, the legacy of Slater is suggested as the conclusion.