Mission and Submission

Presbyterianism in Indo-Trinidadian Communities, 1968 – 2012

Abstract

This paper explores the impacts of Presbyterianism on Indo-Trinidadian communities in Trinidad. Through interviews with notable figures in the Church’s history, surveys within Presbyterian congregations, and in-depth research into Presbyterianism’s history in Trinidad, an analysis was conducted on how this history has shaped the Church from the twentieth to twenty-first century. General observations were also made in Presbyterian Church settings. The findings suggest that many contemporary Presbyterian practices mirror those of colonial times, albeit in a neocolonial context. Historical evidence supports the hypothesis that ideologies of Eurocentrism and elitism existed within the Presbyterian Church in eighteenth and nineteenth-century Trinidad, and aspects of these ideologies persist today. Additionally, both youth and adults within the Church express a need to address prevalent societal issues such as homosexuality, traditionally a taboo topic. Consequently, this research paper examines the concepts of “mission” and “submission”, aiming to understand the Church’s past reality, present state, and future implications within the Trinidadian Presbyterian context.