Ray Burbank
Thesis title: The Cross-Cultural Transmission of Evangelical Conversion Theology in Nineteenth-Century Western India
World Christianity
Year of study: 3
- Centre for the Study of World Christianity
Contact details
- Email: ray.burbank@ed.ac.uk
PhD supervisors:
Address
- Street
-
Hewat Room
New College, Mound Place - City
- Edinburgh
- Post code
- EH1 2LX
Background
Ray Burbank is an American originally from the state of Arkansas. After completing his undergraduate degree, he lived and worked in Asia for seven years. He has taught in professional and academic capacities in Asia, the US, and the UK.
Qualifications
M.Th. - The University of Edinburgh
M.Div. - Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
B.A. - The University of Arkansas
Responsibilities & affiliations
Evangelical Missiological Society
Yale-Edinburgh Group on World Christianity and the History of Christian Mission
Undergraduate teaching
History of Christianity as a World Religion 1A, tutor (2022-23 Semester I)
History of Christianity as a World Religion 1B, tutor (2022-23 Semester II)
Faith Mission Bible College (Edinburgh): Foundations for Christian Mission, lecturer (2022-23 Semester I; 2023–24 Semester I)
Research summary
My research focuses on conversion theology among evangelical missionaries and Marathi Christians connected to the Scottish mission in nineteenth-century Western India. I examine Christians and churches in Bombay, Poona, and Jalna alongside their ideological predecessors in British evangelicalism and Hindu bhakti and reformist groups. My thesis argues that these Christians demonstrate a corporate, or “horizontal,” understanding of conversion through their attention to the issues of church, caste, and country. Some of the key individuals include David Ganpatrao Malhar, James Mitchell, John Murray Mitchell, Dhanjibhai Nauroji, Robert Nesbit, Baba Padmanji, Narayan Sheshadri, John Wilson, and Margaret Bayne Wilson.
My research is partially supported by funds from the Teape Trust Fund.
Knowledge exchange
Publications:
"The Three-Self Model, Christ's Headship and Christian Unity: Bengali Christians Seeking and Reforming the Nineteenth-Century Indigenous Church Ideal," Scottish Church History 52, no. 2 (2023): 109–130.
“The Holistic Effects of Mystical Union with Christ in the Soteriology of Dhanjibhai Fakirbhai.” Mission Studies 41, no. 1 (2024): 31–52.
Affiliated research centres
Invited speaker
2021 - Evangelical Missiological Society, Southeast regional conference (online). Paper title: "The Theological Significance of Language in the Missiological Thought of Henry Martyn, William Carey, and Alexander Duff."
2019 - The Rethinking Forum, Raleigh, NC. Title: “The Life and Legacy of N.V. Tilak (1861-1919).”
2018 - Yale-Edinburgh Group Conference, Edinburgh, Scotland. Paper title: “Bhajans and Biblical Theology: Indian Expressions of Christian Theology through Song.”
2017 - Evangelical Missiological Society, national conference, Dallas, TX. Paper title: “Bhajans and Biblical Theology: An Evaluation of the Indigenous Indian Devotional Songs’ Educational Potential.”