Lutheran – Anglican Relations: An Indian Experience

German Lutherans were the first Protestant missionaries to work in South India from 1907. From the beginning, the Anglican Mission (SPCK) supported the Lutheran missionaries. There was a good relationship between Anglican Mission and the Lutheran missionaries till the end of the 18th century. From the beginning of the 19th century, only those who accepted the Anglican Order were permitted to work under Anglican mission. C.T.E. Rhenius a German Lutheran Missionary came to India in 1814 and worked under the CMS. From 1820 onwards, he started to work in Tirunelveli area where he established 371 village churches, about 400 primary schools and a Missionary Training Centre. In the beginning of 1832 Lutheran missionaries of the CMS were asked to follow the Anglican Order. In 1833, Rhenius had been asked to review a small book entitled The Church, Her Daughter and Handmaidens. In his review he criticized the Anglican Church Order that the book was not in accordance with the Holy Scripture. After a long period of dispute he was dismissed from CMS on 16th May 1835. This controversy was called the 'Rhenius Schism'. This book gives the detailed history of the events.