Fr Jack Winslow founded the Christa Seva Sangha ashram in India in 1920. After the arrival of Fr Algy and other Englishmen in 1928 they settled in Puna and built their own buildings. Fr Jack worked on the Rule of the ashram through several revisions in 1928 and 1929. Christa Seva Sangha later split into two in 1934. The branch with the more flexible ashram style kept the original name and reverted to the original Rule of 1920. The other branch, more monastic in style, took the name Christa Prema Seva Sangha, and the more monastic Rule of CSS 1929.
Before this split, Fr Algy had returned to England in 1930 and founded what was initially the English branch of Christa Seva Sangha, the Brotherhood of the Love of Christ, in St Ives, Huntingdonshire. The Rule of this Brotherhood was based on that of Christa Seva Sangha. Fr Algy soon took this Brotherhood to Dorset to join the Brotherhood of St Francis of Assisi. When they amalgamated as the Society of St Francis the Principles of BLC substantially became the Principles of SSF.
On this page are some of the historical documents about the ashram, and later attempts to study it. For the actual texts of the Rule in its various versions go to: https://firstorderssf.org/index.php/the-rule/historical-of-the-three-orders/christa-seva-sangha-related
Br Francis SSF writes about two early Tertiary pioneers in India, Jane Latham and Ronald Freeman.
Sr Barbara Noreen CSMV writes about the revival of the ashram life in the 1970s - 1980s. Published in Anglican World, Michaelmass, 1996.
Savarirayan Jesudason. Ashrams: Ancient and Modern: Their Aims and Ideals. 2003.
Bishop Bill Lash, "Monastic Experiment in India" [lecture given at Oxford, no date].
CPS Hostel Souvenir. 1929 - 2004. This university hostel was founded by the Ashram, and its wardens in the early days were all ashram members.
Barbara Noreen, CSMV. Crossroads of the Spirit. Delhi, ISPCK, 1994.
An edited and condensed version of the history of the Ashram she wrote oriignally under the title of, A wheat grain sown in India [1988].
Christa Seva Sangha Minute Book of the Monthly Sabha and Mahasabha. July 8, 1929 - January 17, 1934.
Christa Seva Sangha Minute Book of the Joint Sabha and Mahasabha. October 8, 1932 - June 9, 1934.
William W. Emilsen. "The Legacy of John Copley Winslow". International Bulletin of Missonary Research (1997 Vol. 21 Issue 1). Pages 26-30.
Bishop W.Q. Lash talking to Dr. T.G.P. Spear in the Centre of South AsianStudies, 11th June, 1974.
Andrew Webb. "The Christa Seva Sangh Ashram, 1922-1934". South Asia Research 1981 Vol. 1 Pages 37-52.
Rosemary Sharpe. [extracts from] Franciscan values and social contexts: a sociological study of founders of Anglican Franciscan third orders, 1882-1939. London: London School of Economics PhD diss. 1993.
The Servant of Christ : News-sheet of Christa Seva Sangha. No. 20 (St Barnabas, 1934). Jack Winslow, Acharya, sets out the history of the Ashram and announces its split into two different groups.
Jack Winslow. Christa Seva Sangha. Westminster: Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, 1930.
Jack Winslow. The Eyelids of the Dawn: Memories, Reflections and Hopes of J. C. Winslow [extract]. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1954.
Jack Winslow. A Testament of Thanksgiving [extract]. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1974.
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