Misplaced Pages

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Meher Mansion (talk | contribs) at 18:25, 7 August 2017 (inputs). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Regunta Yesurathnam (born 16 October 1941; died 8 August 2011) was a Systematic Theologian with major contribution

Writings

• 1972, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin's concept of man and its relevance for a Christian interpretation of man in India,
• 1987, The adequacy of the concept of avatara for expounding the Christian doctrine of incarnation,
• 2006, A Christian Dialogical Theology: The Contribution of Swami Abhishiktananda,

Studies

Graduate

After initial schooling at the Christian mission schools founded by the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society (WMMS) in Telangana, Yesurathnam discerned his avocation to take up Priesthood during the bishopric of Eber Priestley who became his Spiritual Confessor and led Yesurathnam to take up spiritual studies at the United Theological College, Bangalore during 1963-1965 then under the notable principal Joshua Russell Chandran, CSI and the Old Testament Scholar E. C. John, CSI and others who were the Spiritual Formators during that period. Yesurathnam's companions at the College studying at varying internals included Arvind P. Nirmal, CNI, K. C. Abraham, CSI, C. L. Furtado, CSI, G. T. Abraham, CSI, Philipose Mar Eusebius, MOSC and others. At the subsequent convocation of the Senate of Serampore College (University), Yesurathnam was awarded a B. D. degree during the Registrarship of Chetti Devasahayam, CBCNC.

Postgraduate

In 1969 during the bishopric of H. D. L. Abraham, Bishop - in - Medak, Yesurathnam was recalled from recalled from parish work and sent to the Protestant Regional Theologiate in Bangalore for further spiritual studies leading to M. Th. during 1969-1972 where he researched under Joshua Russell Chandran, CSI, a Systematic Theologian himself. This time around, Yesurathnam's companions included D. W. Jesudoss, TELC, and his graduate companion Philipose Mar Eusebius, MOSC who returned the same time as Yesurathnam for pursuing postgraduate studies. Yesurathnam's other companions from the graduate section comprised S. J. Theodore, CSI, Timotheas Hembrom, NELC, H. S. Wilson, CSI, D. I. Hans, CSI, P. J. Lawrence, CSI, Basil Rebera, J. W. Gladstone, CSI, D. Dhanaraj, CSI, Sydney Salins, CSI, John Sadananda, CSI, Christopher Asir, CSI and others.

Yesurathnam was awarded the postgraduate degree of M. Th. in the ensuing convocation of University led by the Registrar, Chetti Devasahayam, CBCNC.

Doctoral

After a 5-year teaching ministry that began in 1973 at the Andhra Christian Theological College, Secunderabad, Yesurathnam qualified to undertake doctoral level research in 1978 and sought a 5-year study leave from then Principal Victor Premasagar, CSI who enabled the leave through the Board of Governors of the College. Yesurathnam's Bishop during that period, B. G. Prasada Rao, Bishop - in - Medak made efforts to ensure that Yesurathnam was able to join his alma mater, the United Theological College, Bangalore where Yesurathnam was able to take up research in the discipline of Systematic theology under the guidance of the notable Systematic Theologian Arvind P. Nirmal, CNI who incidentally was his graduate companion during 1963-1965. During the research period between 1978-1982, Yesurathnam was also sent to the University of Birmingham, Birmingham, England for research exposure. In 1987, the Senate of Serampore College (University) awarded the doctoral degree of D. Th. to Yesurathnam during the Registrarship of D. S. Satyaranjan, IPC. Nearly two decades later, Yesurathnam sought permission from the Senate of Serampore College (University) to publish his doctoral work in 2006.

Ministry

Pastoral ministry

Yesurathnam was ordained in 1966 by Bishop Eber Priestley, then Bishop - in - Medak and was assigned ministerial functions in the parishes falling under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Diocese of Medak and served upto 1969. After a three-year period of study for postgraduate studies, Yesurathnam again returned in 1972 and pastored for a year until he took up teaching ministry at the Protestant Regional Theologiate in Secunderabad.

Teaching ministry

India

In 1972, the Andhra Christian Theological College moved from Rajahmundry to Secunderabad. The Systematic Theologian, Waldo Penner, CBCNC, one of the co-founders of the College hailing from the Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars did not move to the new location in Secunderabad and the unfilled vacancy that arose was sourced by inviting Yesurathnam from the Diocese of Medak of the Church of South India. Yesurathnam joined the College during the Principalship of the Cantabrigian and Old Testament Scholar, Victor Premasagar, CSI and was later joined by B. J. Christie Kumar, STBC in 1977 and the two led the teaching of Systematic theology for nearly a decade until they were joined by G. Dyvasirvadam, CSI in 1984.

Jamaica

The Council for World Mission (CWM) headquartered in England is involved in missionary enterprise in far reached areas around the globe. During the tenure of G. Dyvasirvadam, CSI as General Secretary at the Church of South India Synod, efforts were made by the CWM to garner missionary service from the participating dioceses of the Church of South India. Yesurathnam's former colleague, G. Dyvasirvadam, CSI sought the permission of B. P. Sugandhar, then Bishop - in - Medak to enable the missionary service to the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands and in 2000, Yesurathnam moved to the International University of the Caribbean, Kingston (Jamaica) where he began his sojourn in the New millennium and served for nearly a decade until his sudden death on 8 August 2011 at the Yashoda Hospitals, Hyderabad.

References

1. ^ R. Yesurathnam, Book Review on Mission Today, Challenges and Responses in International Bulletin of Missionary Research, Volume 3, Issue 136, July 1999, p.139.
2. ^ K. M. Hiwale (Compiled), Directory of the United Theological College 1910–1997, Bangalore, 1997. Past students of the graduate course, p.33; Postgraduate course, p.106.; D.Th., p.142.
3. R. Yesurathnam, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin's concept of man and its relevance for a Christian interpretation of man in India in Zaihmingthanga (Compiled), Thesis Titles, Board of Theological Education of the Senate of Serampore College, Bangalore, 1981.
4. R. Yesurathnam, The adequacy of the concept of avatara for expounding the Christian doctrine of incarnation in Dialogue and Alliance, Volume 1, Issue 2, 1987, pp.43-52.
5. ^ R. Yesurathnam, A Christian Dialogical Theology: The Contribution of Swami Abhishiktananda, Punthi Pustak, Calcutta, 2006.
6. Senate of Serampore College (University), List of the Recipient of the Degree of Doctor of Theology.
7. Council for World Mission Annual Report 2007, Missionaries serving with CWM, 2007, p.18.
8. Council for World Mission Annual Review 2009, Missionaries serving with CWM, 2009, p.23.

Further reading

• {{cite journal}}: Empty citation (help)

• Telugu people
• Indian Christian theologians
• People from Adilabad
• Osmania University alumni
• Senate of Serampore College (University) alumni
• Senate of Serampore College (University) faculty
• 1941 births
• 2011 deaths
• Church of South India