Introduction

This archive contains a collection of sermons and addresses preached by The Reverend John Thiagarajah Arulanantham between 1939 and 1964. Together, these writings provide a unique insight into the ministry of one of Sri Lanka's most respected Anglican priests during a period of profound social, political and religious change.

The survival of these sermons was largely a matter of providence. In 1984, as civil conflict intensified in northern Sri Lanka, Rev. Arulanantham's family was forced to flee their home in Jaffna, leaving behind his papers and personal effects.

Five years later, during the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) occupation of Jaffna, his son returned to the abandoned family home. Despite the dangers posed by military checkpoints and ongoing conflict, he recovered several handwritten volumes of sermons together with a collection of family photographs. These were brought to England, where his wife, Shanthi, painstakingly transcribed the manuscripts long before the widespread use of personal computers or the internet.

It is believed that many of these sermons were written out in full at the instruction of the Bishop, providing an official record of the sermons preached should their theological or social content ever be questioned. Today, these manuscripts form a remarkable historical and spiritual archive.

Although Rev. Arulanantham served for a time as Acting Vicar of Christ Church, Galle Face, Colombo, the majority of these sermons were delivered at St. John's Church, Chundikuli, often during school services. The collection also includes addresses delivered to teachers at Uduvil Girls' School, founded by the American Ceylon Mission, together with sermons prepared for weddings and other special occasions.

The sermons span a period of immense change in both Sri Lanka and the wider world. The following timeline provides historical context for many of the themes and references found throughout the collection:

• 1939–1945: World War II. Many families migrated from Singapore and Malaya to the relative safety of Jaffna during the war.
• 1940: Rev. Arulanantham became Principal of St. John's College, Jaffna.
• 1942: The Bombing of Colombo. During the Second World War, Japanese forces bombed Colombo and other cities, known as the 'Easter Sunday Raid'.
• 1948: Ceylon gained Independence from Great Britain.
• 1956: The "Sinhala Only" Act and the subsequent communal riots marked a turning point in ethnic relations.
• 1957: Rev. Arulanantham retired as Principal of St. John's College and became associated with the Centre for the Study of Religion and Society.
• 1958: Major communal riots led to a period of heightened social and political tension.
• 1961: The Satyagraha campaign of peaceful civil protest took place across the North and East.
• 1960s: Mission schools were nationalised and policies of "Sinhalization" increasingly affected education and public life.

These events profoundly shaped the communities to whom Rev. Arulanantham ministered and provide an important historical backdrop to many of the sermons preserved in this archive.

The sermons generally follow the Anglican liturgical calendar and are based upon the appointed Epistle or Gospel readings for each Sunday or feast day. While firmly rooted in Scripture, they frequently address the practical realities of Christian life during periods of uncertainty and change.

Recurring themes include:

• Christian faith and discipleship
• Hope in times of suffering
• Reconciliation and forgiveness
• Prayer and spiritual discipline
• Christian education
• Service to others
• The life and witness of the Church
• The relationship between faith and society

During a period in which Tamil Christian communities and mission schools faced increasing political and social pressures, these sermons offered spiritual encouragement while calling believers to remain steadfast in faith, charity and hope.

The texts presented in this archive are transcriptions of Rev. Arulanantham's original handwritten manuscripts. Every effort has been made to preserve the wording and style of the original sermons while presenting them in a clear and accessible digital format.

Where appropriate, obvious transcription or typographical errors have been corrected, but the substance and character of the original manuscripts have been faithfully retained throughout the archive.