Scottish missionaries and the end of empire: the case of Nyasaland

In 1960 Church of Scotland missionaries in the British colony of Nyasaland ostensibly fulfilled their commitment to transition from 'mission' to 'Church'. This process of transition was, however, marked by ambiguity, much of which related to Nyasaland's political status. Opinion within the missions and the Church of Scotland differed greatly as to whether (and for how long) colonial rule should continue. Controversy on the matter ranged beyond Nyasaland and Scotland, with missionary activities attracting the attention not only of colonial and imperial governments but of a range of unofficial but interested groups and religious organizations. This article examines one important aspect of the ambiguous missionary response to the 'end of empire' in British colonial Africa.