The 2005 Athens Mission Conference was unique in several respects, not simply because this was th... more The 2005 Athens Mission Conference was unique in several respects, not simply because this was the first major ecumenical mission meeting to be held in a predominantly Orthodox context. Apart from the rich and visible participation of the various Orthodox traditions from around the globe, the meeting was further enriched by the official participation of the Roman Catholic and the sizeable presence of the Evangelical and Pentecostal churches. By all accounts, the conference perhaps provided a platform for the broadest gathering of all Christian confessional groups. Such a large gathering, however, brings with it certain challenges as well. One key question is how can the widening participation in the ecumenical movement enrich the distinct direction the movement has attained during the last half a century - direction in terms of the visible unity of the churches, inter-faith relations, focus on justice-peace concerns, an increased and just participation of women in the life of the church and other ditch concerns. For the very survival of the ecumenical movement in a meaningful way, it is crucial that we maintain, in our journey forward, the dialectical tension between participation and direction. There are other specific questions that come from the Athens Conference: the Conference was the first major ecumenical mission gathering to choose a theme focussing on healing and reconciliation. At the week-long Conference attended by a large number of medical practitioners, theologians and church leaders, there were, however, no sessions on the larger social and political question that affect healing and reconciliation. Could the theme have been dealt with at a level deeper than was seen at Athens? This paper argues that, with all the potential for wider ecumenical participation initiated at Athens, what was lacking at the conference was a keen theological and social analysis of the various missional challenges before us today.
The first challenge in the new situation has been that of the new lifestyle of the governor to th... more The first challenge in the new situation has been that of the new lifestyle of the governor to the simplicity and ascetic character of the lifestyle which I had accepted and practiced all through the past. A Governor's lifestyle in Raj Bhavan is almost an established one, quite artificial, luxurious with all symbols of authoritywith lots of bearers, gardeners, peons, security personnel, secretaries and ADCs. All goings out and comings in are accompanied by the ADCs, pilot cars, police vans and other paraphernalia. I thought I could get a private way of going to the Churches on Sundays, but that is not permitted for allegedly or valid security and other reasons. And I am gradually conforming myself to the new lifestyle and it is only in the inner self of spiritual detachment that one can keep oneself from falling into a spiritual conformity of the new lifestyle. I hope that I would be able to keep an inner personal poverty of spirit without falling spiritually into the outer externally accepted lifestyle. It is possible for the present because the new lifestyle is seen as external to me, but one has to watch that habits lead to the surrender of the inner self to the outer. Before that happens, I suppose, I can quit the post! 1
LIST OF ENTRIES EDITORIAL BOARD COUNTRY AND REGIONAL EDITORS SPECIALIST INFORMANTS TOPICAL CONSUL... more LIST OF ENTRIES EDITORIAL BOARD COUNTRY AND REGIONAL EDITORS SPECIALIST INFORMANTS TOPICAL CONSULTANTS INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANTS CONSULTANTS FROM SOUTH ASIA COUNCIL OF REFERENCE ADVISORY MEMBERS STAFF DONORS LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT INTRODUCTION ABBREVIATIONS A-Z ENTRIES BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX
The arrival in South Asia of the Western missionaries marked a turning point in the Babylonian co... more The arrival in South Asia of the Western missionaries marked a turning point in the Babylonian connection of the church. While Christians in South India initially welcomed the missionaries, their reforms turned traditional Christians against the missionaries. Dalit theology emerged, rejecting the notion that a caste-ridden society and Christianity are compatible. The retreat of communism led to the rise of secularism and religious fundamentalism, while in South Asia, this tension led to renewal of religion. ‘Little Traditions’ are the narratives subsumed by mainline religions; they play a role in interreligious encounters. Pentecostalism in India at the beginning of the twentieth century appealed to Dalits as an alternative to the traditional churches. In South Asia, Western ethnocentrism often identified Christianity almost exclusively with European culture. Religiosity and poverty are two realities in Asia and theologising in the region needs to take seriously the struggles for fu...
For 11 years in the role of Project Manager & Editorial Assistant, Jessica Richard coordinated be... more For 11 years in the role of Project Manager & Editorial Assistant, Jessica Richard coordinated between 1100 writers for the “Dictionary of South Asian Christianity” which was subsequently published as the The Oxford Encyclopedia of South Asian Christianity, a two-volume encyclopedia covering for the first time the 2000-year old story of Christianity in India and its neighbouring countries. “Looking at Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, and Maldives, alongside India, as well as Myanmar, Afghanistan, and the global South Asian diaspora, the Encyclopaedia celebrates the trans-cultural, migratory, and unique nature of South Asian Christianity.”
This engaging encyclopedia covers the religions and religious traditions of various Southeast Asi... more This engaging encyclopedia covers the religions and religious traditions of various Southeast Asian countries, including Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. * Promotes respect for cultural diversity by helping students learn about the religious traditions important to many Asian Americans * Highlights important information about countries, cultures, religious practices, and key figures in 50 sidebars * Examines a variety of religions in Southeast Asia * Includes contributions from American, European, and Asian scholars
The African nations and India have several common features, and both were the subjects of colonia... more The African nations and India have several common features, and both were the subjects of colonial exploitation and oppression for a long period. Yet, in recent decades, the thousands of African students in India have faced harassment and intimidation at the hands of the local public. Why is there so much hostility between the people of the two regions? What makes the African students and youth in India tick against the backdrop of xenophobia and socioeconomic deprivation? In attempting to answer these questions, this paper argues that the discrimination the African diaspora communities experience in India is rooted in India’s identity as a society built on the Hindu system of caste hierarchy. The paper further points out that the African indigenous religions and cultures, on arrival in India, blended with the local traditions in the process providing a spiritual and emotional anchor for the immigrants.
The 2005 Athens Mission Conference was unique in several respects, not simply because this was th... more The 2005 Athens Mission Conference was unique in several respects, not simply because this was the first major ecumenical mission meeting to be held in a predominantly Orthodox context. Apart from the rich and visible participation of the various Orthodox traditions from around the globe, the meeting was further enriched by the official participation of the Roman Catholic and the sizeable presence of the Evangelical and Pentecostal churches. By all accounts, the conference perhaps provided a platform for the broadest gathering of all Christian confessional groups. Such a large gathering, however, brings with it certain challenges as well. One key question is how can the widening participation in the ecumenical movement enrich the distinct direction the movement has attained during the last half a century - direction in terms of the visible unity of the churches, inter-faith relations, focus on justice-peace concerns, an increased and just participation of women in the life of the church and other ditch concerns. For the very survival of the ecumenical movement in a meaningful way, it is crucial that we maintain, in our journey forward, the dialectical tension between participation and direction. There are other specific questions that come from the Athens Conference: the Conference was the first major ecumenical mission gathering to choose a theme focussing on healing and reconciliation. At the week-long Conference attended by a large number of medical practitioners, theologians and church leaders, there were, however, no sessions on the larger social and political question that affect healing and reconciliation. Could the theme have been dealt with at a level deeper than was seen at Athens? This paper argues that, with all the potential for wider ecumenical participation initiated at Athens, what was lacking at the conference was a keen theological and social analysis of the various missional challenges before us today.
The first challenge in the new situation has been that of the new lifestyle of the governor to th... more The first challenge in the new situation has been that of the new lifestyle of the governor to the simplicity and ascetic character of the lifestyle which I had accepted and practiced all through the past. A Governor's lifestyle in Raj Bhavan is almost an established one, quite artificial, luxurious with all symbols of authoritywith lots of bearers, gardeners, peons, security personnel, secretaries and ADCs. All goings out and comings in are accompanied by the ADCs, pilot cars, police vans and other paraphernalia. I thought I could get a private way of going to the Churches on Sundays, but that is not permitted for allegedly or valid security and other reasons. And I am gradually conforming myself to the new lifestyle and it is only in the inner self of spiritual detachment that one can keep oneself from falling into a spiritual conformity of the new lifestyle. I hope that I would be able to keep an inner personal poverty of spirit without falling spiritually into the outer externally accepted lifestyle. It is possible for the present because the new lifestyle is seen as external to me, but one has to watch that habits lead to the surrender of the inner self to the outer. Before that happens, I suppose, I can quit the post! 1
LIST OF ENTRIES EDITORIAL BOARD COUNTRY AND REGIONAL EDITORS SPECIALIST INFORMANTS TOPICAL CONSUL... more LIST OF ENTRIES EDITORIAL BOARD COUNTRY AND REGIONAL EDITORS SPECIALIST INFORMANTS TOPICAL CONSULTANTS INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANTS CONSULTANTS FROM SOUTH ASIA COUNCIL OF REFERENCE ADVISORY MEMBERS STAFF DONORS LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT INTRODUCTION ABBREVIATIONS A-Z ENTRIES BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX
The arrival in South Asia of the Western missionaries marked a turning point in the Babylonian co... more The arrival in South Asia of the Western missionaries marked a turning point in the Babylonian connection of the church. While Christians in South India initially welcomed the missionaries, their reforms turned traditional Christians against the missionaries. Dalit theology emerged, rejecting the notion that a caste-ridden society and Christianity are compatible. The retreat of communism led to the rise of secularism and religious fundamentalism, while in South Asia, this tension led to renewal of religion. ‘Little Traditions’ are the narratives subsumed by mainline religions; they play a role in interreligious encounters. Pentecostalism in India at the beginning of the twentieth century appealed to Dalits as an alternative to the traditional churches. In South Asia, Western ethnocentrism often identified Christianity almost exclusively with European culture. Religiosity and poverty are two realities in Asia and theologising in the region needs to take seriously the struggles for fu...
For 11 years in the role of Project Manager & Editorial Assistant, Jessica Richard coordinated be... more For 11 years in the role of Project Manager & Editorial Assistant, Jessica Richard coordinated between 1100 writers for the “Dictionary of South Asian Christianity” which was subsequently published as the The Oxford Encyclopedia of South Asian Christianity, a two-volume encyclopedia covering for the first time the 2000-year old story of Christianity in India and its neighbouring countries. “Looking at Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, and Maldives, alongside India, as well as Myanmar, Afghanistan, and the global South Asian diaspora, the Encyclopaedia celebrates the trans-cultural, migratory, and unique nature of South Asian Christianity.”
This engaging encyclopedia covers the religions and religious traditions of various Southeast Asi... more This engaging encyclopedia covers the religions and religious traditions of various Southeast Asian countries, including Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. * Promotes respect for cultural diversity by helping students learn about the religious traditions important to many Asian Americans * Highlights important information about countries, cultures, religious practices, and key figures in 50 sidebars * Examines a variety of religions in Southeast Asia * Includes contributions from American, European, and Asian scholars
The African nations and India have several common features, and both were the subjects of colonia... more The African nations and India have several common features, and both were the subjects of colonial exploitation and oppression for a long period. Yet, in recent decades, the thousands of African students in India have faced harassment and intimidation at the hands of the local public. Why is there so much hostility between the people of the two regions? What makes the African students and youth in India tick against the backdrop of xenophobia and socioeconomic deprivation? In attempting to answer these questions, this paper argues that the discrimination the African diaspora communities experience in India is rooted in India’s identity as a society built on the Hindu system of caste hierarchy. The paper further points out that the African indigenous religions and cultures, on arrival in India, blended with the local traditions in the process providing a spiritual and emotional anchor for the immigrants.
Uploads
Papers by Jesudas Athyal