Christianity in Ceylon, Its Introduction and Progress Under the Portuguese, the Dutch, the British and American Missions: With an Historical Sketch of the Brahmanical and Buddhist Superstitions

Christianity In Ceylon, Its Introduction And Progress Under The Portuguese, The Dutch, The British And American Missions: With An Historical Sketch Of The Brahmanical And Buddhist Superstitions by James Emerson Tennent. Christianity in Ceylon traces the history of Christian influence in Sri Lanka from early Christian presence and Nestorian traces through the Portuguese conquest of 1505, the Dutch period, and the British and American missions. It pairs an account of missionary activities—catholic and Protestant, education reforms, church establishments, and ecclesiastical structures—with examinations of indigenous belief systems, Brahmanical ritualism, Buddhism, demon worship, and social structures such as caste. The Introduction explains the aims of missionary labor as civilizational progress and civilizational diffusion. The work surveys the rise and decline of Dutch churches, the reestablishment of Protestant missions, and the role of education in disseminating Christianity among Tamils, Singhalese, and Kandyan communities. It interweaves travelogues, archival material, and comparative religious analysis to illuminate the complex religious landscape of 19th-century Ceylon.