MM
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
Christian Institute for the Study of Religion and Society was founded in Bangalore in 1956 with<br />
The<br />
Devanandan as director and myself as associate. It was founded by the NCC of India (then the<br />
Paul<br />
Christian Council, now the National Council of Churches) to help the churches understand the<br />
National<br />
religious and social environment in which they had to discharge their mission in independent<br />
changing<br />
Devanandan was convinced that the church's faith and evangelistic mission must be set<br />
India.<br />
and challengingly within the context of Christian participation in nation-building and of the<br />
relevantly<br />
dialogue on the nature and destiny of human-being-in-society (anthropology) inevitable in<br />
interfaith<br />
participation. Devanandan saw Christ at work in the struggle of Hinduism to grapple with the<br />
such<br />
anthropology" derived from Christianity and Western culture informed by Christianity, and in the<br />
"new<br />
this grappling exerted on the "classical theology" of Hinduism. I had long been concerned for<br />
pressure<br />
secular dialogue with the political ideologies of India. Under Devanandan's influence I incorporated<br />
a<br />
my concern dialogue with NeoHindu religious and cultural movements. And I became interested<br />
into<br />
only in the anthropological basis of national politics but also in the exploration of an Indian theology<br />
not<br />
Christ, church, and Christian mission in this context. After the death of Devanandan in 1962 it was<br />
of<br />
effort to make the institute an instrument of this exploration. My own studies Acknowledged Christ<br />
my<br />
the Indian Renaissance (1969), Secular Ideologies of India and the Secular Meaning of Christ<br />
of<br />
and Salvation and Humanisation (1971) deal with the theology of mission in its several aspects.<br />
(1976),<br />
same theological concerns within the larger world-setting of secular ideological and religious<br />
The<br />
were present in my participation in the life and work of the World Council of Churches over<br />
pluralism<br />
years. the<br />
I spend my time in Kerala mostly doing two things-<br />
Today<br />
keeping contact with the radical Christian social action groups in India and their theological<br />
(l)<br />
and<br />
reflections,<br />
writing my theological reflections, on biblical books, in the Malayalam language.<br />
(2)<br />
me, technical socioeconomic developmental creativity and the politics of liberation of the poor and<br />
For<br />
oppressed are the realms of modern life that most need the judgment and redemption in Jesus<br />
the<br />
to make them the signs of the kingdom. But my tragic sense of history prevents me from<br />
Christ<br />
any historical movement of human creativity or political liberation as totally continuous with<br />
identifying<br />
movement of the kingdom. The church's message is power to transform-always through judgment<br />
the<br />
forgiveness in the crucified and risen Christ.<br />
and<br />
human, if it recognizes and receives into itself the power of the gospel."<br />
IV<br />
V