The New Evangelization and Bishop Lesslie Newbigin’s the Household of God

Abstract

The Church of South India The Church of South India came into being through a union of Anglican and Reformation churches/communities in South India. Although controversial at its inception, especially for the Anglican Communion, today, it has a membership of over five million, and is India's second largest Christian church after the Catholic Church. It came into existence just one month after India achieved independence from Britain in 1947. The inspiration for the Church of South India was born from those words of our Blessed Lord in the Gospel of St. John 17:21: “That they all may be one, as you, Father, are in me and I am in you, that they also may be one in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” The Church of South India took as its motto those words of the prayer of Jesus, “That they all may be one.” The Church of South India was a milestone in the ecumenical world. This was the first time in history in which a union was effected between episcopal and non-episcopal churches. In this union four Christian traditions came together --Anglican (Episcopal), Congregational, Presbyterian, and Methodist. One of the most well-known and theologically articulate bishops of the Church of South India was Lesslie Newbigin.