Conservative in Theology, Liberal in Spirit

ebook Modernism and the American Presbyterian Mission in Thailand, 1891–1941 · American Society of Missiology Monograph Series

By Karl Dahlfred

cover image of Conservative in Theology, Liberal in Spirit

Sign up to save your library

With an OverDrive account, you can save your favorite libraries for at-a-glance information about availability. Find out more about OverDrive accounts.

   Not today

Find this title in Libby, the library reading app by OverDrive.

Download Libby on the App Store Download Libby on Google Play

Search for a digital library with this title

Title found at these libraries:

Library Name Distance
Loading...
In the early twentieth century, theological modernism was gaining ground in the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Conservatives claimed that there were modernists on the mission field but that the Board of Foreign Missions was doing nothing about it. In Thailand, the executive secretary of the American Presbyterian mission did not want to address the issue, claiming that "almost all of our Mission . . . are conservative in their theology, and liberal in their spirit." But was it true? In this book, Karl Dahlfred explores letters, reports, and other primary sources to reveal instances and indicators of modernism among Presbyterian missionaries in Thailand. Officially committed to making disciples of Jesus Christ, American Presbyterian missionaries were increasingly divided over what that meant, and how to carry out their task. Were schools or evangelism the best mode of Christian influence? Did the gospel need adjustment for the modern world? The mission formally maintained a conservative consensus, yet modernism was present. And fundamentalist-minded missionaries were not happy about it. Scholars, missionaries, Thai Christians, and anyone interested in mission history or the long-term trajectory of Protestant work in Thailand will enjoy this exploration of an overlooked chapter in the history of Christianity in Thailand.
Conservative in Theology, Liberal in Spirit