The recent shenanigans in a high profile Delhi college provided the capital city with some much needed comic relief. The principal of the college suddenly resigned, accusing the ex-officio chairman of his board, who happens to be the CNI (Church of North India) Bishop of Delhi, of applying excessive pressure for an admission. In his resignation letter he questioned what he termed the “divine right” of bishops to chair institutional boards. Within a few days the resignation was withdrawn after a prayerful rapprochement, but not before many unsavoury accusations and counter accusations had been traded in full view of a sniggering public. Such hubris must inevitably arouse speculation, primarily about the role of the church in education. And perhaps a fair perspective of its role is needed. And here attempted.

From the 17th century until not very long ago, western Christians felt that the dark worlds and barbaric civilisations of Africa, India and the orient needed help. Disease was rampant, healthcare primitive and without adequate reach, superstition and a parochial understanding of the world and the universe prevented intellectual and even spiritual progress, while international trade and commerce were exploitative in the extreme.

The global missionary movement was well intentioned. Its major aim was to provide organised education, medical expertise and the chance of spiritual salvation. And the pioneer missionaries themselves were not necessarily of the established Roman Catholic or Anglican churches. Many individuals came of their own volition and served God and the people in their individual capacities.

Some of our more illustrious schools such as Welham Girls in Dehra Dun, were established by individuals of great courage, vision and unflagging commitment. Others, like Leslie Goddard and David Gibbs of St. Paul’s and Arthur Foote of Doon School, served the cause of education not because they belonged to the church but because it was their calling. Of the thousands who “went out to serve” were many who wrought almost miraculous results out of sheer devotion and dedication. To belittle this is to deny the human race its most dignified bits of history.

And so too for the church.

Bishop George Edward Lynch Cotton, Bishop Packenham-Walsh, Bishop Foss Westcott, Bishop Wilson and numerous others of the Anglican or Church of England (now the Churches of south and north India), parallelly with the Jesuits of St. Xavier’s and the Irish Christian nuns and priests of Loreto and St. Columba’s; St. Joseph’s, Darjeeling; St. Edmund’s, Shillong; St. Edward’s, Shimla; St. John’s, Chandigarh, plus the Belgian order of the Convents of Jesus and Mary and the Italian priests and brothers of Don Bosco, to name a few, established institutions that continue to provide first class education to thousands of the country’s students.

Unquestionably these institutions are formally Christian, in that they are vested in the custody of the bishop or archbishop as the case may be. The church exercises its authority in a variety of ways, ranging from supervising worship to active day-to-day management, depending on the applicable institutional constitution. It does this with mixed success for it is no secret that representatives of the church, have also been frequently implicated in the mire and murk of contemporary corruption as have principals, secretaries, judges and captains of industry. But just as it would be absurd to dismantle the authority of the civil services, judiciary, schools or colleges to nail the corrupt, similarly the role of the church is not open to question. Neither is the chairmanship of the bishop if that is what is provided in the constitution of a school or college.

As one who has grown up in, and served in Christian missionary schools for more than 25 years, I know that the authority of the bishop is neither absolute nor beyond question. Even as the country is democratic so are most of its governing boards. A successful education institution owes its success to the design and implementation of a sound and transparent administrative system, loyalty to heritage and stability that stems from a non-fractious governing board. To provide stability and a united front to its stakeholders is the primary job of the board of governors.

Fractiousness intrudes when objectives become hazy and when personalised ad hominem arguments, quarrels and wrangling become commonplace. In such an administrative environment scheming and vindictiveness flourish.

Ambition is strange. It propels us through school and college and work, and then often vaulting, catapults us to shame. For ordinary beings, it’s mostly petty greed for control and command. It’s not easy to detail the compulsions which drive petty schemes and plans especially when two or more people believe that they can work towards a broader, more purposive institution development plan. 

Then disparate ambitions begin to coil within noble institutions. And evil rustles among the leaves. 

(Kabir Mustafi, former principal of Bishop Cotton School Shimla, is principal designate of Scottish High, Gurgaon)