The Legacy of William Carey: A Model for the Transformation of a Culture (Paperback)

~ (Author), Ruth Mangalwadi (Author), Ralph D. Winter (Foreword) "IMAGINE A QUIZMASTER AT THE FINALS of the All India Universities competition..." (more)
Key Phrases: William Carey, East India Company, Charles Grant (more...)

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Product Description

He was an industrialist. An economist. A medical humanitarian. A media pioneer. An educator. A moral reformer. A botanist. And a Christian missionary. And he did more for the transformation of the Indian subcontinent in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries than any other individual before or since.

Many know of William Carey. Some know about the specifics of his work and ministry. But few understand the profound contemporary significance of his life. Few realize how much we owe the increasing globalization of Christianity to the silent revolution he initiated. Fewer still are aware of his legacy of sensitivity to the variety of issues confronting true gospel witness in any culture.

This biography about the central character in the story of India's modernization and transformation will help you understand Carey's impact. But The Legacy of William Carey is more than a biography. It is a charge to all Christians to respond in kind within our own cultures, and to use Carey's example as our model for taking the light of the Gospel into every corner of society. If we follow in his footsteps, not only will lives be bettered this side of heaven, but hearts will be changed for eternity--and entire cultures transformed for Christ.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Crossway Books (May 12, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1581341121
• ISBN-13: 978-1581341126
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #264,244 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Job Well Done!, August 12, 2000

By	Priscilla Koehn (Othello, WA United States) - See all my reviews

Wonderful work done by two individuals who know the country of India well. Not only is it an accurate description of William Carey, but the history of India itself. I am currently reading it for the second time. It is full of alot if information about how truely the power of the Gospel helps set people free in spirit and industrialization. Great gift for those who are our Hindu friends!

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars more a tease than a substantial essay, by design, April 27, 2006

By	R. M. Williams "just an avid reader" (tucson, arizona USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The book was a gift, towards the ministries of mercy class i am reading for, as such it moved to the top of my TBR list.
It's a quick and breezy read, writing informally and meant to inspire and motivate more than a deep discussion on the topic. It's a collection of 5 essays, the first 3 by Ruth and centering on the place of women in Indian society and how important Christian was in their freedom for Hindu bondage, with particular attention paid to the issue of sati, or widow burning on her husband's funeral pyre. Chapters 4, and 5 are by Vishal and center on the crucial elements of Carey's Christian vision and how it made India's modernization possible. Chapter 5 is, by far, the best chapter in the book, i'd recommend reading it first. The book is suitable probably to the junior high level of reading and would make an acceptable Sunday School text on either missions, Carey himself or the entry of Christianity into India, this is it's nature target audience.

It touches on a number of significant theological themes but doesn't dwell on them in any depth, that is not the book's goal. But rather a consistent theme emerges that Carey as the genius who brings Christianity to India is responsible for the modernisation and de-emphasis on Hindu religious elements that kept the people both poor and enslaved to idols. There is a secondary theme that is not explicitly developed, but is perhaps more interesting, that is this Christianization is under attack in India and has been since the 1970's by both Hindu restorationists and postmodernists who would undo the accomplishments and force India back into darkness.

I found the book an interesting, if shallow read, i see their passion for Carey and his work as well as their desire for India's cultural renassiance as it incorporates Christian elements in the place of it's Hindi ones. I see how ideas i've met in other contexts can be of value in analysis here, but the book left me with more questions than answers. Mostly to read something more difficult and expansive from Vishal's word processor. I've learned something about Carey, i didn't know his 1st wife went crazy in the mission field and was locked in her room for 12 years. But would be interested in learning more about the influence of Christianity in Hindu India in the 19thC.

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring, October 22, 2009

By	Sadech Prahok (Asia) - See all my reviews

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For someone who has worked their whole career in "developing countries", this book is a true inspiration. It shows not only what one man can do, but what Kingdom values can do to transform the world. Definitely not shallow (as commented by another reader), this book will speak to the heart of those who desire to see the transformation of individuals and cultures. Carey was an amazing man, and even if looking at him from a secular world view, he did much for the people of India as he sought to change unjust societal norms and laws. Fabulous book, and highly recommended.