Missionary development spin-offs in the postcolonial era. Case study: The Village Reconstruction Organization (India)

This case study aims to contribute to historical research of missions and international development, as well as to contemporary debates concerning faith-based development aid. The Village Reconstruction Organization (°1970) provides a striking example of missionaries looking for new meaning and legitimacy for their ‘mission’ in the context of Western secularization, postcolonial sensitivities and changing missiology (Vatican II). VRO’s founder, the Belgian Jesuit Michael Windey, radically shifted from traditional missionary activity to Gandhian village reconstruction and community building.

Firstly, the personal and contextual motivations of ‘postcolonial missionary development workers’ will be explored. Secondly, the research will examine to what extent ideas and discourse regarding Indian society and development work were reminiscent of missionary work in the colonial era (typified as an Eurocentric and paternalistic civilizing mission). Finally, the project will highlight possible (dis)continuities between the operational practices of VRO (and Windey) and colonial missionary activity.

Informed by historiographical and anthropological perspectives and methodologies, the research gives voice to different perspectives on the postcolonial missionary encounter. Not only the views and experiences of missionaries and VRO actors will be included, but especially the perceptions and memories of stakeholders in so-called ‘VRO villages’ will be a focus of attention.