Baba Premananda Bharati and “Churchianity”

Abstract

This article examines Baba Premananda Bharati (1858–1914) and his staunch opposition to "Churchianity," a term he coined to critique the institutionalized, materialistic, and authoritarian aspects of colonial Christianity. It highlights Bharati's efforts to counter the British Raj's cultural and religious imposition in India, a mission that intertwined with his goal of spreading Krishna Bhakti in the West. The paper argues that Bharati, as one of the first Vaishnava sannyasis to arrive in America (1902), aimed to expose the superficiality of organized religion and advocate for a humanitarian, authentic spiritual experience. His influence extended to figures like Leo Tolstoy and garnered praise from Sri Aurobindo and Ramana Maharshi, solidifying his role as a revolutionary voice for genuine spirituality against what he saw as "show-bottle Christians."