The Reverend Dr. Claudius Buchanan: an Appreciation

‘Dr. Claudius Buchanan, saved from sin by his friend John Newton (author of the hymn Amazing Grace), campaigns against wife-burning, self-immolation and the Portuguese Inquisition in British India.’ € This is a quote from the Kindle description of The Claudians: gardens, landscapes, reason and faith: John Claudius Loudon and Claudius Buchanan by Tom Turner, (Kindle, 2024). 

Claudius Buchanan's family background and early life

Buchanan's father was a school teacher. Little is known of his character. His father is likely to have been the Buchanan who was an elder in Cambuslang Kirk at the time of the Cambuslang Revival.  Alex/Alexander Buchanan was a teacher in Cambuslang when he met and married Janet Somers. Later, he taught in Inveraray and at the time of his death was teaching in Falkirk. Another of the Buchanan children (James) followed him as a school teacher in Falkirk.

Claudius Buchanan’s mother and grandfather (Claud/Claudius Somers) were pious members of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. Both hoped Claud/Claudius would become a minister. It seems likely that this was Claudihs' intention when he enrolled at the University of Glasgow. If so, his plan was derailed when he was dismissed from his job as a tutor and left Scotland in disgrace. In London, Claudius became a ‘lost soul’ and subject to the temptations of wine, women and song. When John Newton rescued Buchanan from dissolution he became passionately evangelical hoping that he could save the souls of others. This was however to be with the Church of England.

Claudius Buchanan's adult life

Meeting John Newton brought about a complete change in  Buchanan's life and circumstances. He had been a poorly paid and somewhat dissoute solicitor's clerk. In a few years he became a pious student of divinity at Cambridge. He was then ordained and worked as John Newton’s curate from 1795 to 1796, helping with various pastoral duties. This led to his appointment as a chaplain with the East India Company in Calcutta. It was a well-paid job but involved little preaching, because the soldiers had scant interest in religion. Buchanan therefore used his time to study oriental languages. This led to his being appointed Vice Principle of Fort William College in Calcutta, which had been established to educate East India Company staff. This was a very well-paid job. When the College was closed, Buchanan began to devote himself to missionary activities. He travelled in India, returned to England and published books that made the case for missionary activity in India. This work made Buchanan famous.

Appreciation of Claudius Buchanan 

The people Buchanan worked with held him in the highest regard, as a chaplain, as a scholar and as an and an evangelical advocate for the Church Missionary Society. It is for this work that he is remembered. Hugh Pearson (Dean of Salisbury from 1823) wrote that 'Among those who can justly appreciate distinguished worth, genuine piety, and enlarged and active philanthrophy, there can surely be but one opinion-that Dr. Buchanan was "a burning and a shining light," and a signal blessing to the nations of the East. We may, indeed, safely leave his eulogy to be pronounced by future generations in Great Britain and Hindostan, who will vie with each other in doing honour to his memory, and unite in venerating him as one of the best benefactors of mankind; as having laboured to impart to those who in a spiritual sense are “ poor indeed," a treasure “Transcending in its worth, The gems of India.”

Pearson had access to Buchanan's papers and published personal letters in his 1817 Memoirs of the Life and Writings of the Rev. Claudius Buchanan. Unpublished letters from Buchanan to his mother also survive. Buchanan had a deep affection for his mother and for his two admiring wives.  As an adult, he had a serious disposition. But he tells us that in his youth  he was more light-hearted. Buchanan had personal courage but not his cousin's strength of character. The sins he remembers in his last will and testament seem to have been consequent on weakness more than on the seven deadly sins. Religious faith provided support for a 'poor miserable sinner.' This phrase is from the Lutheran liturgy, specifically the Confession of Sins, where worshippers acknowledge themselves as 'poor, miserable sinners' in need of God's mercy. The language emphasizes human weakness, sinfulness, and the consequent need for repentance and God's forgiveness.

Buchanan's strengths and achievements

Visionary Leadership: Buchanan had a strong vision for the expansion of Christian missions and education in India. He believed in the importance of both evangelism and the practical benefits of education.

Adaptability: He demonstrated the ability to adapt his approach to different cultures and contexts, which was crucial for his work in India.

Scholarly Insight: Buchanan had a deep understanding of languages and cultures, which enabled him to effectively engage with and translate texts for different audiences.

 Determination and Dedication: His commitment to his mission work and educational initiatives was unwavering, despite the many challenges he faced.

Missionary Work in India: Buchanan played a key role in the early missionary efforts in India. He worked with the British and Foreign Bible Society to distribute Bibles and support mission stations in the Indian subcontinent.

 Linguistic Contributions: Buchanan made significant contributions to the study of Indian languages and the translation of Christian texts. Buchanan’s linguistic work helped in the translation and distribution of the Bible in various Indian languages.

 Publications: Buchanan authored several influential works, including "Christian Researches in Asia" (1806) and "The Star in the East" (1811). These publications highlighted his observations and findings about the religious and cultural landscape of Asia, and they had a lasting impact on missionary work and scholarship.

Opposition to Suttee (Sati): Buchanan was a vocal critic of suttee, the practice in which a widow was forced or chose to self-immolate on her husband's funeral pyre. Through his writings and missionary efforts, Buchanan highlighted the inhumanity of this practice and advocated for its abolition. His work helped raise awareness in Britain and among the British authorities in India about the need for reform.

 Child Sacrifice and Murder: Buchanan condemned practices involving child sacrifice and murder, which were reported in some regions of India at the time. His advocacy brought these issues to the attention of colonial authorities and helped stimulate reform efforts aimed at protecting vulnerable children.

 Advocacy for Women's Rights: Buchanan's work extended to broader issues of gender inequality and the subjugation of women. He was concerned with the social status and rights of women, and his advocacy included promoting education for women and supporting measures that would improve their status in society. He saw education and Christian teaching as tools for improving women's conditions and challenging oppressive practices.

 Establishment of Educational Institutions: Buchanan was instrumental in the founding of several important educational institutions in India, including the establishment of a college in Serampore (now part of Kolkata). This institution became a center for both theological and secular education.

Buchanan's work laid important foundations for the spread of Christianity in Asia and contributed to the broader understanding of the region's languages and cultures. His achievements are a testament to his commitment to his mission and his broader vision for education and intercultural engagement.