The Legacy of Paul David Devanandan
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Selected Bibliography Material Written by Freytag 1938 Die junge Christenheit im Umbruch des Ostens. Vom Gehorsam des 1958 "Changes in the Patterns of Western Missions," in R. K. Orchard, Glaubens unter den Volkern. Berlin: Furche-Verlag. 272 pp. English ed., The Ghana Assembly of the International Missionary Council. edition: Spiritual Revolution in the East. Translated by M. O. Stalker, London: Edinburgh House Press, pp. 138-47. London: United Societies for Christian Literature, 1940. 1958 Kirchen im neuen Asien. Eindrucke einer Studienreise. Weltmission 1952 "Die neue Stunde der Weltmission," in Walter Freytag and Karl heute, Heft 7/8. Stuttgart: Evang. Missionsverlag, 63 pp. Hartenstein, Die neue Stunde der Welfmission. Stuttgart: Evang. 1961 Reden und Aufsti1ze. Edited by J. Hermelink and H. J. Margull. Missionsverlag, pp. 3-21. 2 vols. Munich: Chr. Kaiser Verlag. 293, 237 pp. 1956 Das Ridsel der Religionen und die biblische Anttoort. Wuppertal For a complete bibliography covering the years 1926-58, see Ursula Ebert, Barmen: Jugenddienst-Verlag. 32 pp. English edition: The Gospel "Bibliographie Walter Freytag," in J. Hermelink and H. J. Margull, eds., and the Religions. A Biblical Enquiry. I.M.C. Research Pamphlets, Basileia. Walter Freytag zum 60. Geburtstag. Stuttgart: Evang. no. 5. London: SCM Press, 1957. 47pp. Missionsverlag, 1959, pp. 503-11. Material Written about Freytag Beyerhaus, Peter. "Walter Frey tags Begriff des Gewissens in der Sicht Mackay, John A. "A Tribute to Walter Freytag." Basileia, pp. 13-14. siidafrikanischer Missionsarbeit," in Jan Hermelink and Hans [ochen Manecke, Dieter. Mission als Zeugendienst. Wuppertal: Theologischer Margull, eds., Basileia. Walter Freytag zum 60. Geburtstag. Stuttgart: Verlag Rolf Brockhaus, 1972, pp. 64-106. Evang. Missionsverlag, 1959, pp. 146-57. Margull, Hans [ochen. "Walter Freytag als Lehrer." Eoangelische Blauw, Johannes. "Dienst in geh66r-zaamheid." De Heerbaan (1961): 219 Missionszeifschrift16 (1959): 165-68. 30. Triebel, Johannes. Bekehrung als Ziel der missionarischen Verkundigung. Die --. "Ik send U." De Heerbaan (1961): 235-48. Theologie Waller Freytags und das ~icumenische Gesprach. Erlangen: Grubb, Sir Kenneth. "Communication." Basileia, pp. 15-17. Verlag der Ev.-Iuth. Mission, 1976. Linz, Manfred. "Herrschaft Christi und Mission." Eoangelische Warren, Max A. C. "The Thought and Practice of Missions. Notes on Missionszeitschrift 19 (1962): 25-40. Walter Freytag's Contribution." Basileia, pp. 158-65. The Legacy of Paul David Devanandan Creighton Lacy "Doc" Devanandan-as his friends and associates called Provisional Study Document on "Christians and the Prevention him-was above all an enabler, a facilitator, an of War in an Atomic Age," but broadened its concerns to the encourager, an inspirer, a challenger, a friend. To be sure, he controversial role of Christians in relation to India's foreign was-as farewell tributes reminded us-an outstanding preacher, policy.P) pastor, scholar, prophet, evangelist, even practical joker. One col At the "First Regular Meeting of the (Advisory) Council" league called him "a finder and builder of men."! Another wrote: of the CISRS in 1958 the directors presented an ostensibly joint "Gradually he built up a team of younger thinkers and writers report." Devandan's name appears only once in the annual review; who have the opportunity to move into larger areas of thought he refers at least six times to his associate, giving M. M. Thomas and witness which he suggested, but had no time to explore."? credit for arranging seminars, supervising publications, editing These are the marks of a gifted and humble teacher. Let me the Bulletin, and so forth. At the memorial "Service of Thanks illustrate this in several areas. giving" for P. D. Devanandan, E. V. Mathew, a distinguished In 1959 a relatively young, unknown American professor, Christian lawyer, recalled sitting beside "Doc" at the New Delhi totally ignorant of the Indian scene, arrived in New Delhi on Assembly of the World Council of Churches when Thomas read an academic quest and a financial shoestring to undertake in a paper. No mention of the fact that Devanandan also delivered dependent research on India's social ethics. Somehow "Doc" heard a major address on Christian Witness. Said Mathew: " 'Doc' was about it, and within a few weeks, on his next visit to the capital, almost overcome by joy and pride at the achievement of his he was literally on the doorstep (not merely offering an ap teammate. He gloried himself in the glory of his friends.:" How pointment), welcoming, advising, guiding, suggesting contacts, much more he would have gloried-and probably did-when and inviting me to the next seminar/colloquium of the Christian M. M. Thomas, years later, became chairman of the Central Com Institute for the Study of Religon and Society (CISRS). (The mittee of the World Council of Churches. group happened to be reviewing the World Council of Churches' This trait of genuine modesty causes problems for biographers and interpreters. Few major books are directly and wholly at tributed to P. O. Oevanandan. Others he edited, without iden tifying the individual work of contributors; many CISRS pub Creighton Lacy is Professor of World Christianity in the Divinity School of Duke lications were reports of seminars and conferences, in which University, North Carolina. As a Fulbright Research Scholar he spent two years in "Doc's" hand-and mind and heart-played a key role as recorder India and published two books on contemporary social thought: The Conscience and compiler, but cannot be isolated or "credited" as his personal of India and Indian Insights: Public Issues in Private Perspective. input. Many of these collections or summaries are officially called 18 International Bulletin "A Group Writing ..." "A Group Work ..." "A Symposium..."; Two years he spent as head of the YMCA Department of Devanandan's name appears only as editor, usually along with Literature and Publications. But it was as director of the Christian that of M. M. Thomas. Institute for the Study of Religon and Society, an appointment His deference and self-effacement extended into all his re tragically cut short after only five years, that P. D. Devanandan lationships. "Doc" knew no boundaries of caste or class, race traveled the length and breadth of India and shared more widely or rank; he "walked with kings"-or at least with presidents his mature social and theological reflections. The institute (when and sadhus and swamis and bishops-"nor lost the common I saw it, at least) occupied a small, breezy, enormously cluttered touch." Frequently in his theological apologetics and his respectful bungalow immediately adjacent to the United Theological College study of Hinduism, Devanandan took issue with Sarvepalli in Bangalore. There the plain but pregnant Bulletin, later called Radhakrishnan, one of the great philosophers of the twentieth Religion and Society, was published; there books and pamphlets century world. Yet Radhakrishnan, later the second president of were collected and edited; there plans were made for the seemingly independent India, contributed a foreword to Devanandan's book, endless succession of workshop consultations conducted all over Christian Concern in Hinduism, acknowledging that "it is written the country. with learning and insight." In a final eulogy Russell Chandran, For the CISRS was really at work, most truly carrying out principal of United Theological College in Bangalore, neighbor its mission, wherever P. D. Devanandan and M. M. Thomas and close associate of the CISRS, said of Devanandan: "No one happened to be. From "The Urban Community and the Urban in the Indian Church has had so many friends among non-Chris Church" to "The Pattern of Rural Community Development," tian scholars and thinkers and few Indian Christians have been from "Dynamic Democracy" to "The Communist Role in Kerala held in so high a regard by non-Christians."6 and Christian Responsibility," these seminars and study confer P. D. Devanandan was always on the move. It is appro ences focused the attention of Indian Christians on their essential priate-one resists such words as "fitting"-that he died at the involvement in "nation-building" (a favorite term). In writing railway station at Dehra Dun on his way to yet another conference on international affairs, for example, Devanandan asked: "Can at the Christian Retreat and Study Centre. He had averaged one foreign aid be so utilized as to realize cultural and social objectives "such seminar/workshop consultation a week for the preceding as well" as economic and technological ones78 two hottest months, most of them in Kerala or Madras at the But "Doc" knew-as many missionaries and church members opposite end of the Indian subcontinent. "Doc" took his ideas did not-that a tiny minority of Christians could not make a and his challenges to all sorts of people where they were, never significant contribution to their country or their community with expecting them to come to him. out understanding and appreciating the truths and values and in He was born on July 9, 1901, and graduated from Nizam sights of the dominant Hindu culture. Devanandan's final weeks College in Hyderabad. Stanley Samartha suggests? that the two of activity included a "dialogue on the Concept of Truth between paramount influences on "Doc's" life and thought were his mother Christian and Hindu friends held at the Christavasram" and a and K. T. Paul, one of the first Indian Christian nationalists. conference of theologians on the "Christian Doctrine of Creation," .Christian Concern in Hinduism is dedicated "to the memory of a conference to which he invited noted Hindu scholars to present .K. T. Paul in gratitude and affection." It was to K. T. Paul "the Hindu view of purpose, society and history so that the that Gandhi is reported to have written: "Pray help the Muslims theologians may do their thinking on the [Christian] Doctrine to show a Christian attitude toward the Hindus." It was K.