his study is a historical and theological analysis of Christian mission to Buddhists in Myanmar. It endeavored to create new methods of the twenty-first Burmese Christian mission to Burman Theravada Buddhists, exploring the methods of the past foreign missions (Catholic, British Baptist, and American Baptist missions) in Burma. Since Burmese Christians focussed on mission to Burman Buddhists, this study tried to obtain informations about the worldviews of Burman Buddhism, Burman cultural, social, and political concepts and values.
The methodology entailed exchanges of the concepts and methods of mission between the past, present and future through the use of the archives of the American Baptist mission, the source of Catholic mission, the Myanmar Baptist Convention mission survey, and different theological concepts of well-known twentieth century theologians concerning contextualization and interreligious dialogue. The result showed that community development, contextualization, and Christian-dialogue are presented as effective to Buddhists in mission.
Part one included Burman rulers, Theravada Buddhism, foreign missions, and Myanmar Baptist mission. This study clearly showed that many Burman kings considered themselves to be boddhisattvas (the Buddha-to-be) and that they were responsible for the expansion of Buddhism in the whole country. The Burman nationality today cannot be apart from Buddhism. All Burman social, cultural, spiritual, and political lives have been deeply influenced by Buddhism. This study also showed us that Burman Theravada Buddhism itself is a contextualized religion with many beliefs and practices drawn from Burman traditional animism.
Foreign missions in Burma were begun by Roman Catholic missionaries in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and by the British Baptists in 1807. The most successful Protestant mission was started by the American Baptist missionaries in 1813. They, in doing mission in Burma, built schools and hospitals. In 1966 all foreign missionaries were expelled by the Burmese government.
The Zomi Baptist Convention's mission called Chins for Christ in One Century begun in 1983 was to reach all the Chins, who are Buddhists and animists in the southern Chin State, with the gospel of salvation. The Myanmar Baptist Convention's AD 2000 Baptist Mission begun in 1991 was mission to Burman Buddhists and animists of other ethnic groups in Myanmar.
Community development became an important method of mission to Buddhists in Myanmar because of the poor economy of Myanmar and of the Buddhist notion of this worldly life. This study showed that Christian mission must meet and address basic human needs as the Buddha encouraged his followers to work for the welfare and happiness of the multitudes.
Contextualization is another method of mission to Burman Buddhists. Because of different cultural and religious concepts, the gospel could not be meaningful for Burmans. The Burman intellectuals argued that the death of innocent person for the guilty is not just in their Buddhist concept of causality. According to the law of causality innocent Jesus should not die but get merit. The gospel should be presented in the receptor's culture and understanding.
Christian-Buddhist dialogue became another important method of mission to Buddhists in Myanmar. Christians and Buddhists need to mutually understand each other. They have to build a nation of justice, love, and peace by sharing with other love and metta-karuna.
This study is designed to provide strategies and resources for effective mission to Burman Buddhists in the twenty-first century.
