BAPTISTS IN SRI LANKA

“Baptist life is Sri Lanka is a rich heritage of the first fruits of the modern missionary movement pioneered by William Carey in the final decade of the 18^th century. The unscheduled arrival of the first Baptist missionary, James Chater in 1812 could have been forgotten as an uneventful accident not uncommon in those days when sailing vessels were at the mercy of stormy winds and roaring waves. But church history teaches us that in God’s kingdom there are neither accidents nor uncharted territories. In the divine economy, this seemingly insignificant incident became a landmark of utmost importance in the history of Sri Lanka.”

Rev. Dr. W. G. Wickramasinghe, President, Sri Lanka Baptist Sangamaya (Convention), in a commemorative volume celebrating the 175^th anniversary of Bapitst Life in Sri Lanka.

From the establishment of the first Baptist church in 1817, Baptist missionaries spread throughout the land, particularly concentrating on inland rural areas. By the end of the 19^th century, small but significant Baptist churches were found throughout the island in small villages and hamlets, as well as in the cities. A complex web of factors saw the decline of Baptist missionary work in the first half of the 20^th century. Many of the small churches needed to be closed down or handed over to the Anglican church for the continuation of the mission work.

Today, Baptists form 23 churches with about 3000 members on their roles. Despite their small numbers Baptists in Sri Lanka have been a significant minority, often being the a prophetic leven in a largely Buddhist society. Baptists are known for being in the fore-front of women’s education at a time when girl’s schools were unheard of, and for their pioneering work in religious publishing and broadcasting.