In this book, the author attempts to re-construe an Indian ecclesiology vis-à-vis the narrowly defined ideals of Hindu nationalism in contemporary India by analyzing and investigating the ecclesiological thoughts of Martin Luther, the 16th century Protestant Reformer. The book brilliantly places the teachings of the Reformer within ‘the social and historical travails of that time and brings them to bear on the ongoing constructive task of living into a relevant and appropriate Indian ecclesiology (and thereby, Indian Christian theology) today’.In this process, it is being maintained that the Indian Church must transform itself into a “Perichoretic Communion”, in which the diverse Christian ethnic groups and the plurality of cultures of India must interpenetrate in order to form one unit, while keeping their respective ethnic, linguistic and cultural identities intact. The author draws his insights from Luther’s fundamental theological/ ecclesiological principle: unity of the opposites or distinction and integration, and passionately proposes that it must be the principle of the Indian Church today. This theological writing presents an important and pioneering opus. It clearly focuses on contemporary contextual issues, concerns and challenges, and offers insights of general validity, not only for the Indian world but also from a global perspective. It is a timely volume and is well advised for the worldwide Church and the public at large.
| The Author |
 |
 Rev. Dr. R. Sahayadhas is an ordained minister of the India Evangelical Lutheran Church (IELC). Currently he is Professor, teaching systematic theology at the United Theological College, Bangalore. Prof. Sahayadhas affirms himself as an ecclesial person with a deeprooted passion and commitment for the mission/ministry of the Church, especially in India. He has come to academia after having a long stint of pastoral experience to his credit. What is the relationship between ecclesia and academia? With the emergence of Enlightenment rationalism, there was an attempt to thrust religion within the limits of reason and a good number of theologians developed a kind of scepticism with regard to the ability of ecclesia to stand rational scrutiny. But Prof. Sahayadhas iterates not only the indispensable inter-connection but also their inter-dependence. This volume represents his passion to be a genuine bridge-builder or interlocutor between ecclesia and academia. He can best be caricatured as a ‘Middle-Path’ theologian. He is the recipient of Dr. Frank Collision Award (2012) for the best published article by an Indian theologian entitled: “Religion-State Relationship: Significance of a Middle-Path in Contemporary India”. Prof. Sahayadhas is married to J. Usha, a High School Teacher, teaching Tamil language, and they are blessed with a son, Benil Sahayadhas, who is studying in the 11th grade now.
|
|
No comments:
Post a Comment