One of the people who most influenced the writing of my first book, Discipling Nations, was my Indian friend, Vishal Mangalwadi. Vishal, founder of The Revelation Movement, is an international lecturer, social reformer, cultural and political columnist, philosopher, and author.
Vishal and his wife, Ruth, wrote The Legacy of William Carey, a book which profoundly impacted the early direction of the Disciple Nations Alliance. In their chapter, “The Mind of the Modernizer,” Ruth and Vishal argue that development flows more from the human mind—metaphysical capital—than from physical capital. The Hindu mindset often led to poverty, corruption, and the exploitation of women. By contrast, William Carey’s Judeo-Christian mindset brought emancipation to women, restoration to the land, and flourishing to education. It also launched the establishment of science, and built a new appreciation for beauty.
As we move from the modern Western world to the post-modern neo-pagan worship of nature, the West is becoming more like the India Carey found when he first landed there as a missionary. What was the mind of India and the contrasting mind of Carey? What was the mind that laid the groundwork for the progress and development in India? Read The Mind of the Modernizer.
“Carey … believed that the real battle is in the mind. False beliefs lead to wrong behavior and harmful culture. Therefore, Carey strove to fill the Indian mind with the truth of God’s word. That he understood, was conversion – the cornerstone in the task of civilizing.”
– Darrow Miller
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12 Comments
Samuel Luna
May 31, 2012 - 3:09 pmI agree, the way we think reflects the reality of a Nation. My country: Dominican Republic, is a good place to produce anything we want, BUT, the level of corruption is so high that corruption looks normal.
Samuel Luna
Nation In Transformation
samuel7net@yahoo.com
admin
June 1, 2012 - 7:24 amThank you for your comment, Samuel. May God use you and other Christ followers to bring transformation to the Dominican Republic.
– Gary Brumbelow
Samuel Luna
June 1, 2012 - 11:14 amThanks Brother,
Samuel Luna
NET
Jon
June 1, 2012 - 6:55 pmI once began researching the theory that all reform in India began with William Carey, including reform initiated by people who did not embrace Christ.
I have that Mangalwadi book somewhere. I’ll have to read it now.
🙂
Jon
June 1, 2012 - 6:58 pmI’m reading through “The Mind of the Modernizer” right now. So far it’s pretty interesting and useful.
admin
June 4, 2012 - 8:31 amYes, Jon, I hope you have opportunity to read the book. I have given away many copies of it in my own circle of missionary friends. It’s very powerful.
Thanks for your response.
– Gary Brumbelow
Jon Davis Jr.
June 5, 2012 - 2:02 amI saw that it is out of print. The used copies are quite expensive, but I believe I actually have a copy somewhere in a box in storage. I’ll have to dig it up!
Darrow Miller
June 11, 2012 - 6:17 amJon
You can buy a copy of Mangalwadi’s book The Legacy of William Carey, from which this piece is taken, from the DNA Bookstore.
– Darrow
Jon
June 11, 2012 - 7:47 pmThe excerpt chapter says it is from Carey, Christ and Cultural Transformation.
Is The Legacy of William Carey a reprint of that book, or are they separate books?
admin
June 12, 2012 - 12:41 pmHi, Jon,
Carey, Christ and Cultural Transformation is another book, by Ruth Mangalwadi (wife of Vishal).
Jon Davis Jr.
June 12, 2012 - 12:54 pmHowdy again!
So it is a separate book.
The excerpt chapter “The Mind of the Modernizer” says that it is from Carey, Christ and Cultural Transformation, it does not say that it is from The Legacy of William Carey. The source is written right across the top of the document.
The article says the chapter is from The Legacy of William Carey.
This article and the top of the chapter excerpt are not saying the same thing!
I am confused.
But I still like you.
🙂
admin
June 12, 2012 - 1:15 pmJon,
Sorry for the confusion. In the meantime, your abiding affection is a gift!
I see that my copy of The Legacy of William Carey includes chapter 5, The Mind of a Modernizer.
As you point out, our post linked to a PDF of that chapter that noted it was from Carey, Christ and Cultural Transformation. That notations was not on my radar when I responded to your question about whether these are two separate books or, rather, one was the reprint of the other.
I simply went to Amazon and found a book by Ruth Mangalwadi entitled Carey, Christ and Cultural Transformation and concluded it was a separate book.
(To complicate things further, the fly leaf of The Legacy of William Carey says it was first published under the title, William Carey: A Tribute by an Indian Woman. !!)
If your first question has been answered by knowing that the chapter The Mind of a Modernizer is a chapter in The Legacy …, I’m glad!
If not, it may be that when Darrow has some discretionary time he can clear up the puzzle.
Thanks, Jon.
Gary Brumbelow