Christianity in Burma
(Myanmar)
Prepared by:
Rebecca Hsi
Introduction of the land
and the people
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the largest country in the Southeast Asia
the population is 55 millions
Known as Burma until 1989
East - Thailand
Northeast – China
Northwest – India
East and West – Laos and Bangladesh
Yangon – the capital city
Nay Pyi Daw – the capital city nowadays
• Famous as The land
of Pagodas
• Buddhism is
practiced by almost
90% - Theravada
Buddhism
• 135 ethnic groups
• 8 major groups
• Myanmar language is
Burmese
• Christians are from the
majority and minority
ethnic groups such as
Karen, Lisu, Kachin,
Chin, Shan and
Chinese
• 0.1 % of the Bamar
population is Christian
Kachin
Kayah
Kayin
Chin
Mon
Bamar
Rakhine
Shan
The percentage of Religions
II. History of Christianity
• A. Beginning and growth of Christianity (
1812-1862)
• In 1554 - the first Catholic priests came
to serve as chaplains
• After 3 years – they left the country
• No record during this period
The first missionary
• A. Beginning and
growth of
Christianity ( 18131862)
• Adoniram Judson
from United States
• Born – August 9, 1788
• Died – April 12, 1850
( aged 61)
• Nationality – U.S. A.
Adoniram Judson
• A baptist missionary from United States
• Forty years in Burma
• 25 years old, he was the first Protestant
missionary sent from North America
• The first significant missionary from
America to travel in Burma
• Pali-Burmese Dictionary of 4000 words
(Burmese English Dictionary)
• Started to preach the
gospel a small
roadside zayat (rest
houses)
• In 1816 – translated
New Testament in
Burmese
• In 1835 – completed
Old Testament
translation
• Translated Bible from Hebrew to
Burmese.
• Wrote many Burmese books
• “Burmese to English Dictionary”
• In July “Judson day” : Judson memorial
service for Baptists
Judson’s memorial church
U Naw – first Burman Convert
• 35 year old timber
worker from Mon
ethnic group
• In 1819 – Baptized by
Judson
• “U Naw day”
U Naw Baptist Church
B. Consolidation of the church in lower
Burma and Outreach to Minority
Groups ( 1852- 1886)
• In 1852 – Baptist Mission work in Burma
was forty years old
• Three Anglo-Burmese wars
• Evangelism work – great use
• The next Protestant group – Lutherans,
Methodist, Salvation Army, Seventh Day
Adventist, Assemblies of God, Church of
Christ and Presbyterians – early 20th cen
• Anglican Church – In 1825
• The first Catholic contacts in 16th cen
• Focus on Burmese, but 90 % of the
Catholicism – Karen, Kachin, and Chin
• Well-known for their charities, social
services and education in Burma
• Maintained leprosy, orphanages, homes
for the aged and infirm.
C Joint activities of Christians
from 1866 to the present
• Higher Education:
the languages of the minorities into
written form and prepared spelling
books, textbook and dictionaries
 in 1909 – junior college was started
 in 1920 – it is also called Judson College
Theological Education
• MIT (Myanmar Institute of Theology) is
affiliated with the Association for
theological education in South East Asia
• Was found in June 1927
• The first president – Dr.W.E. Wiatt, an
American missionary – 1927 to 1939
• Under MBC
• Offering courses like B.Th, B.R.E, B.D.,
B.Min, D.Min, M.th, MACS, M.Div., MTS, Bars
Healing Ministry
• Medical service occupied the vital part of
the Christian mission
• Dr. Jonathan Price and Dr. J. Dawsonmedical missionaries
• In 1890s medical program were started
some place
• Christian communities of Anglicans, Baptist,
and Methodist a Christian hospital was
started
• In the Sgaw Karen area Sir San C. Poss
Memorial Hospital was maintained
Ecumenical co-operation
Myanmar Council of Churches
• Was formed in 1914 under the National
Christian Council of India
• Main purpose is for unity of the Churches in
Myanmar through: mutual fellowship and
mutual understanding; mutual acceptance
and recognition in faith and practices of
different churches; coordination and
cooperation in common concerns of the
churches; and persistent endeavor towards
organic unity of the churches
14 member churches  Co-operating National
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MBC
Church of the Province
Methodist church
Mara Evangelical church
Presbyterian church
Independence Presbyterian
church
Lutheran Bethlehem church
St. Gabriel’s Congregational
Union Church
Salvation Army
Self-Supporting Kayin
Baptist Mission Society
Lisu Christian Church
Evangelical free church
Independent Church Home
Mission
Ecumenical Bodies
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Nation Council of YMCAs
National YWCA
Bible Society
Christian Literature Society
Association for Theological
Education in Myanmar
Myanmar Christian Health
Worker’s Service
Association
Myanmar Christian Leprosy
Mission
Myanmar Youth for Christ
National Ecumenical
Church Loan Fund
The Gideons International
Myanmar
The Myanmar Christian
Women Temperance Union
The strongest denominations
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Baptist
Assemblies of God
Methodists
Anglicans
I.Myanmar Baptist Convention
• Was found in 1865 the Burma Baptist
Missionary Convention – the evangelistic
work in Burma
• Were affiliated by all the regional and
linguistic groups
• The largest Protestant denomination
• An association of Baptist organization
The main purposes of MBC
• a) to preach and propagate the good
news of Jesus Christ in Myanmar and
throughout the whole world
• b) to abide in Baptist faith and practice
• c) to educate its members for Christian
maturity and discipleship
• d) to be united with other Christians in
Christ for mission and service
• e) to be good citizens of the country
• 20 racial associations
• In 2007 – 1142655
members
• Worship service in
own language,
Burmese and English
• 37 Theological
seminaries and Bible
colleges
II. Assemblies of God
the third largest denomination
Established in 1931
Mission began among Lisu and Rawang
Began through the extension ministry of
the missionaries at Southwest China
• The first missionary – Ada Buchwater
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III. Methodist
• Two groups
• Lower Myanmar
Methodist (Episcopal
Methodist Church) –
James Thoburn in
1879
• Upper Myanmar
Methodist (Wesleyan
Methodist Church) –
G. H. Bateson in 1887
IV. Roman Catholicism
• Under the spiritual
leadership of the
Pope and curia in
Rome
• 450,000 Catholics
Conclusion
• Preaching, house visits, establishment of
schools for children, hospitals and
dispensaries for the sick, agricultural
evangelism among the rural poor,
especially among the frontier tribes,
proved to be and useful instrument
The End!
• Thank you
so much!