G. D. Melanchthon

G. D. Melanchthon[1]
Melanchthon in the 1960s
Born
Godi Daniel Melanchthon[1]

(1934-11-20)20 November 1934[7]
Died22 September 1994(1994-09-22) (aged 59)[7]
NationalityIndian
Other namesMelanchthon ayyagaru
EducationB. A. (Andhra),
M. A.[8] (Andhra),
B. D.[8] (Serampore),
M. Th.[8] (Serampore),[7] Research exposure (LSTC and Birmingham)[8]
Alma mater
OccupationPastor
Years active1961[1] to 1994[7] (33 years)
Known forInsights on Hinduism[10]
SpouseKatie Vyduryam-Melanchthon[9]
Children
  • Monica Jyotsna Melanchthon,[9]
  • Esther Suhasini-Williams,[9]
  • Mary Louise Shanti-Devadas,[9]
  • Rebecca Naveena-Roberts[9]
Parent(s)Smt. Mary (Mother),
Sri Godi Jesudas (Father)
ReligionChristianity
ChurchAndhra Evangelical Lutheran Church Society[1]
Ordained1961, K. Krupadanam, AELC
Writings
  • 1967, A study of the idea and meaning of God with special reference to the 11th chapter of Bhagavad Gita in the context of Renascent Hinduism,[2]
  • 1968, Visvarupasandarsanam and its relevance for today,[3]
  • 1980, Hindu Impact on the Christian Attitude to Scripture[4]
  • 1986, Mission and Evangelism in a Pluralistic Context[5]
Congregations served
Kothapeta, East Godavari district (Andhra Pradesh) (1961-1963),[1] Bangalore, Bangalore Urban district (Karnataka) (1968-1988)[6]
TitleThe Reverend

G. D. Melanchthon[1] (1934–1994)[7] was a Silver Jubilee Priest hailing from Protestant Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church Society who taught[5] Religions,[11] at United Theological College, Bangalore from 1968[7] until the latter half of the 1980s, with his career being brought to an abrupt end in 1988[7] when he was stricken with paralysis. Melanchthon used to be quite active among the academic community along with Chrysostom Arangaden, Arvind P. Nirmal and others in not only delivering scholarly talks,[12] but also in contributing research articles[3] and reviewing new titles.[13]

Melanchthon was born in Ramachandrapuram, East Godavari (Andhra Pradesh) into a Christian family and was raised in accordance with Lutheran traditions. The history of Christianity[14] in Ramachandrapuram is attributed to the French Jesuits[15] and the Canadian Baptists,[14][16] dating to the latter half of the nineteenth century. In 1892[17] the Canadian Baptist Ministries began their ministry through an integral mission comprising spiritual, educational and healing components with a church (1892),[18] an all-girls Raja Cockshutt School (1898),[18] and J. D. Kellock Home for Lepers[19] (1903).[20] Not only did the emerging Christian missions through Canadian Baptist Ministries mould Melanchthon's growth in Christianity, but as an adolescent, he also came under the influence of the popular evangelist, A. B. Masilamani, CBCNC, who was ministering as a priest between 1944 and 1947[21] in Ramachandrapuram. Masilamani's ability to make use of Homiletics made a definitive impact on the faith journey of early Telugu Christians, a fact recollected by the Old Testament scholar, G. Babu Rao,[22] CBCNC.[23]

  1. ^ a b c d e f The Andhra Pradesh Gazette, Part 1, 1962, p.259
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Thesis was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Bangalore Theological Forum, Volume II, Number 1, 1968, pp.29-46. Cited in Index to Volumes I-X of the Bangalore Theological Forum in Bangalore Theological Forum, Volume XI, Number 1, January–June, 1979, p.86.
  4. ^ Gnana Robinson (Edited), Influence of Hinduism on Christianity: papers presented at the Seminar on Hindu Influence on Christianity, held at the Tamil Nadu Theological Seminary, Arasaradi, Madurai, October 20–22, 1978, Tamil Nadu Theological Seminary, Madurai, 1980.[1]
  5. ^ a b The Bulletin of the Henry Martyn Institute of Islamic Studies, Volumes 9-10, 1986, pp.[2]
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Florence was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ a b c d e f g K. M. Hiwale (Compiled), Directory of the United Theological College 1910-1997, Bangalore, 1997. Past faculty of the college p.6.[3]
  8. ^ a b c d e f Cite error: The named reference Chandran was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ a b c d e Monica J. Melanchthon, Rejection by God: The History and Significance of the Rejection Motif in the Hebrew Bible, Peter Lang, Frankfurt, 2001, pp.ix-x.[4]
  10. ^ Asian Religious Studies Information, Volumes 3-4, 1988, p.106
  11. ^ Israel Selvanayagam, The Dynamics of Hindu Traditions: The Teape Lectures on Sacrifice, Gīta and Dialogue, Asian Trading Corporation, Bangalore, 1996, p.14.[5]
  12. ^ National Council of Churches Review, Volume 90, p.119.[6]
  13. ^ Bangalore Theological Forum, Volume IX, Number 1, January–June 1977, pp.54-58. G. D. Melanchthon (Reviewed): S. J. Samartha (Edited), Towards World Community: the Colombo Papers, World Council of Churches, Geneva, 1975.
  14. ^ a b W. Francis, et al., Gazetteer of South India, Volume 1, Mittal Publications, New Delhi, 1989, p.293.[7]
  15. ^ C. B. Firth, An Introduction to Indian Church History, SSC/ISPCK, Serampore/New Delhi, 1961, p.119.[8]
  16. ^ The St. Thomas Christian Encyclopaedia of India, Volume 1, 1982, p.108.[9]
  17. ^ Baptist Missionary Review, Volume 22, 1916, pp.98, 175, 291
  18. ^ a b G. Beulah Pearl Sunanda, The Missionary Enterprise of the Canadian Baptist Church in Andhra Pradesh - An Appraisal, Dissertation submitted to Acharya Nagarjuna University, Nagarjunanagar, 2012, pp.151, 234. [10][11]
  19. ^ C. E. Macleod (Edited), Baptist Year Book 1916: For Ontario, Quebec and Western Canada, Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec, Toronto, 1916, p.36.[12]
  20. ^ Imperial Gazetteer of India, Volume XII, 1908, Trübner and Co., London, 1886, p.297.[13]
  21. ^ G. Isaiah (Edited), Centenary Souvenir of Yesu Premalayam Church, Ramachandrapuram, 2000, p.16
  22. ^ G. Babu Rao, Content Analysis of Theological Syllabi – Old Testament in Religion and Society, Volume XXXII, Number 3, September 1985. [14]
  23. ^ G. Babu Rao, in Souvenir of Birth Centenary Greetings of Rev. Dr. A. B. Masilamani, New Life Associates, Hyderabad, 2014, p.19

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