The recent shenanigans in a high profile Delhi college provided the capital city with some much needed comic relief. The principal of the college suddenly resigned, accusing the ex-officio chairman of his board, who happens to be the CNI (Church of North India) Bishop of Delhi, of applying excessive pressure for an admission. In his resignation letter he questioned what he termed the “divine right” of bishops to chair institutional boards. Within a few days the resignation was withdrawn after a prayerful rapprochement, but not before many unsavoury accusations and counter accusations had been traded in full view of a sniggering public. Such hubris must inevitably arouse speculation, primarily about the role of the church in education. And perhaps a fair perspective of its role is needed. And here attempted. From the 17th century until not very long ago, western Christians felt that the dark worlds and barbaric civilisations of Africa, India and the orient needed help. Disease was rampant, healthcare primitive and without adequate reach, superstition and a parochial understanding of the world and the universe prevented intellectual and even spiritual progress, while international trade and commerce were exploitative in the extreme. The global missionary movement was well intentioned. Its major aim was to provide organised education, medical expertise and the chance of spiritual salvation. And the pioneer missionaries themselves were not necessarily of the established Roman Catholic or Anglican churches. Many individuals came of their own volition and served God and the people in their individual capacities. Some of our more illustrious schools such as Welham Girls in Dehra Dun, were established by individuals of great courage, vision and unflagging commitment. Others, like Leslie Goddard and David Gibbs of St. Paul’s and Arthur Foote of Doon School, served the cause of education not because they belonged to the church but because it was their calling. Of the thousands who “went out to serve” were many who wrought almost miraculous results out of sheer devotion and dedication. To belittle this is to deny the human race its most dignified bits of history. And so too for the church. Bishop George Edward Lynch Cotton, Bishop Packenham-Walsh, Bishop Foss Westcott, Bishop Wilson and numerous others of the Anglican or Church of England (now the Churches of south and north India), parallelly with the Jesuits of St. Xavier’s and the Irish Christian nuns and priests of Loreto and St. Columba’s; St. Joseph’s, Darjeeling; St. Edmund’s, Shillong; St. Edward’s, Shimla; St. John’s, Chandigarh, plus the Belgian order of the Convents of Jesus and Mary and the Italian priests and brothers of Don Bosco, to name a few, established institutions that continue to provide first class education to thousands of the country’s students. Unquestionably these institutions are formally Christian, in that they are vested in the custody of the bishop or archbishop as the case may be. The church exercises its authority in a variety of ways, ranging from supervising worship to active day-to-day management, depending on the applicable institutional constitution. It does this with…
