Stephen Neill

Stephen Charles Neill (1900–1984) was a Anglican missionary, bishop, and scholar from Scotland. He was proficient in a number of languages including Greek, Latin and Tamil. He was educated and later worked in Trinity College, Cambridge. He moved to Tamil Nadu and assumed as bishop of Tirunelveli.

He believed in unification of all churches in South India and communion beyond denominations. He wrote several books on theology and church history.

Early life

Neill was born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1900 to Charles Neill and Daisy Neill. He had two sisters, Marjorie and Isabel. He belonged to the third generation of missionaries from his family. He graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge where he mastered various European languages including Greek and Latin. He also learned a few Indian languages including Tamil.

Career

Neill started his career at Trinity College in 1924. In 1925 he moved to Dohnavur with his parents. While at Dohnavur he learnt Tamil and was involved in teaching schoolboys.

Ministry

Neill joined the Church Missionary Society (CMS) in 1928 and was ordained a priest. After his ordination he moved to Tirunelvely and later led Thomas Ragland's North Tirunelveli Itineracy evangelism program. He taught Tamil in CMS theological college in Palayamkottai where he served at its first Principal. There he became involved in negotiations for uniting the churches in South India for the formation of Church of South India. He believed that all churches should unite and no church should be left out as not being in communion. He was elected the bishop at Tirunelveli in 1939. There he led the diocese together during the troubled times of the war, resisting encroachments by the state and initiating development projects in publishing, banking among other areas. In 1944 he was forced to resign because of ill health and allegations of scandal for reaching out to a pregnant widow with a child who lost her husband shortly after marriage.He enabled her to continue her education and to stand on her own feet.This woman who was ostracized by the then society and was living a lonely life.The community looked upon her as an image of shame and tarnished Stephens reputation.Finally Stephen accepted this widow as his wife against all social odds.For the then Indian community, widow remarriage was unacceptable and for the white the an Anglo-India child had black blood.Stephen married an educated Tamil destitute and gave her a new life.Stephen's only son was born in 1939. This has not been verified and is suspect content.

After his return from India he became the assistant bishop of Archbishop of Canterbury.

Literary contribution

Neill worked for World Council of Churches from 1947 to 1954. He edited History of Ecumenical Movement 1517-1948 with Ruth Rouse. He edited World Christian series and co-edited Concise Dictionary of the Christian World Mission (1971). Some of his books include The Interpretation of the New Testament 1891 - 1961, Bhakti, Hindu and Christian and Christian Faith and Other Faiths. In 1962 he went to the University of Hamburg as a professor of mission until 1967 and a professor of philosophy and religious studies in Nairobi between 1969 and 1973.

Magnum Opus

Neill retired to Wycliffe Hall, Oxford but still regularly visited America on preaching and lecture tours. It was at this time he authored his magnum opus History of Christianity in India among many other of his works. He could achieve this task since he suffered from insomnia which kept him awake most of the night allowing him to write more.

References

• Rowell, Geoffrey (2003). Love's Redeeming Work. Oxford University Press. pp. 648–650. ISBN 978-0-19-107058-7. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)

• Anderson, Gerald (1999). Biographical Dictionary of Christian Missions. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. p. 488. ISBN 978-0-8028-4680-8.

• Yates, Timothy (1996). Christian Mission in the Twentieth Century. Cambridge University Press. pp. 143–144. ISBN 978-0-521-56507-3.

• Simonson, Conard (1973). The Christology of the Faith and Order Movement. Brill Archive. p. 3. ISBN 978-90-04-03430-3.