Ravela Joseph (1 September 1937 – 12 April 2024) was a Sapphire jubilee-Priest involved in Spiritual formation from the mid-1960s into the early 2000s in the Telugu states. He taught Systematic theology in Major SeminariesDirectory of Teaching Staff, Senate of Serampore College (University) affiliated with the Senate of Serampore College (University), the nation's first modernSankar Ray, The Hindu (Business Line), 11 April 2008 Almost a century later, the charter was endorsed officially under the Bengal Govt Act IV of 1918. Internet, accessed 30 November 2008. University {a University under Section 2 (f) of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956}The Senate of Serampore College (University) is a University within the meaning of Section 2 (f) of the UGC Act, 1956 under which a University means a University established or incorporated by or under a Central Act, a Provincial Act or a State Act, and includes any such institution as may, in consultation with the University concerned, be recognised by the Commission in accordance with the regulations made in this behalf under this Act. The UGC took the opinion that the Senate fell under the purview of Section 2 (f) of the said Act since The Serampore College Act, 1918 was passed by the Government of West Bengal. with degree-granting authority validated by a Danish Charter and ratified by the Government of West Bengal.
Joseph died on 12 April 2024 while undergoing treatment in Secunderabad. A Funeral mass was conducted at 14:30 hours on Monday, 15 April 2024 at STBC-Narayanaguda Baptist Church, Hyderabad led by G. Samuel, STBC. The solemn mass was well-attended by the faithful, notable among them being Church Historian B. C. Paul, AELC, Comparative religion Scholar T. Swami Raju, AELC, Entomologist P. Judson, Old Testament scholar Ravela Jeeva Kumar, STBC and others. A graveside burial mass held at 16:30 hours, the same day, at Christian Cemetery, Narayanguda, Hyderabad where Joseph's Mortal Remains were buried.
Contribution Joseph's academic regimen as a Seminarian in established portals of learning, both in India and the United States shaped his thinking. His contribution, in particular to Church history in the Telugu states and to the field of Telugu literature, has marked him out as a major contributor enriching the history of Telugu people. A content analysis of the writings of Joseph reveals his voracious readership and an ability to quote from a variety of readings.
Telugu literature
In Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature, published in 1987 by Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters dedicated to the promotion of literature in the languages of India, the contribution of R. Joseph to the field of Telugu Christian Literature in the modern times has been acknowledged. Incidentally, it was Joseph who took the onus to compile an exhaustive bibliography of original Christian writings in Telugu language in the eighties during the tenure of D. S. Satyaranjan, IPC at the Senate of Serampore College (University) in the post-Vatican context. This bibliography became a ready source of reference for Theologians and those with academic interest to peruse material on Telugu Christian Literature.
Church history
With special reference to the American Baptist Churches in Telugu states, Joseph's postgraduate thesis of 1973 was published in 2003 under the title, A History of the Telugu Baptist Churches: American Baptist Telugu Mission.
Systematic theology
The influence of the Bhakti Movement had touched Christian writings and lyrics. R. Joseph had researched the lyrics of Puroshottam Choudhary. In 2011, James Elisha Taneti in History of the Telugu Christians: A Bibliography published by Scarecrow, Plymouth writes that Ravela Joseph book on the life of Puroshottam Choudhary had been to analyse his contribution as an early Indian Christian to Christology.
Ecumenism
As a member of the fully-ecumenical, Fellowship of Telugu Churches, Joseph had been an active contributor to the unity of the Churches in the Telugu states. In 2016, Joseph's paper on Promoting unity of the body of Christ evoked an action-based response from the participants. Joseph's participation in ecumenical gatherings brought him into direct contact with Catholic prelates, Anthony Poola, Addagatla Chinna Innayya, Mallavarapu Prakash, Doraboina Moses Prakasam, Gali Bali and others.
Writings Inter-disciplinary research pursuits in the fields of Church history, Systematic theology, Telugu literature and Ecumenism prompted Joseph to publish his writings, these were spread over five decades, beginning with the 1970s.
1973–2002
R. Joseph, B. Suneel Bhanu (Compiled), Bibliography of Original Christian Writings in India in Telugu, published by the Board of Theological Education of the Senate of Serampore College, Bangalore, 1993.
2003-2012 R. Joseph, A History of the Telugu Baptist Churches (American Baptist Mission), Andhra Christian Theological College, Hyderabad, 2003. Cited by James Elisha Taneti in History of the Telugu Christians: A Bibliography, Scarecrow, Plymouth, 2011, p.91. R. Joseph, Bhakti Theology of Puroshottam Choudhary, CLS, Madras, 2004.
2013-2022 R. Joseph, Christian Theology, Andhra Christian Theological College, Hyderabad, 2013. R. Joseph, Unity of the Body of Christ in Illuminare Omnes (Monthly bulletin of the Catholic Diocese of Eluru), Volume 39, Number 3, March 2016, p.14.
Reminiscences Rev. Talathoti Punnaiah, STBC who underwent a 1-year spirituality course in 1969 at the Ramayapatnam Baptist Theological Seminary at Ramayapatnam as an Aspirant to discern his avocation towards religious life writes that,
Rev. Fr. Anthonyraj Thumma, RCM, Secretary, Catholic Bishops Conference of India Office for Dialogue and Desk for Ecumenism, NBCLC, Bangalore,
Paul D. Wiebe, Department of Sociology and the Center for Asian Studies at the University of Illinois, Paul D. Wiebe, Heirs and Joint Heirs: Mission to Church Among the Mennonite Brethren of Andhra Pradesh, Published simultaneously by Kindred Productions, Winnipeg, Manitoba and Kindred Productions, Goessel, Kansas, 2010.
Studies and academics General studies During the 1950s Joseph pursued a Pre-university course at AELC-Andhra Christian College, Guntur. He then underwent a Teacher-training course and became a Teacher at a government-run school. Following his call towards spirituality, he discerned his vocation and took to theology, enrolling at a major seminary in Ramayapatnam. In 1985, Joseph enrolled at the State-run Osmania University from where he studied Master of Arts.
Propadeutic studies The American Baptist Mission/Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches was one of the Protestant missions that began its Christian mission in the early nineteenth century in India whose south India ministries were headquartered in Ramayapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. R. Joseph evinced interest in pursuing Priesthood as a full-time vocation and underwent Spiritual formation at the historic Baptist Theological Seminary, Ramayapatnam studying under the Principalship of The Rev. Maurice BlanchardB. R. Moses, Ramayapatnam Baptist Theological Seminary Centenary Report 1874-1974, in K. J. W. Jayakumar (Compiled), The Lights That Never Quench – Baptist Missionaries, Self published by the author, Nellore, 2008, pp.107–114. and other faculty comprising The Rev. G. Solomon. The seminary was directly affiliated with the Senate of Serampore College (University) and Joseph was awarded an L. Th. He later upgraded his studies to earn a B.D. in 1967, awarded by Seminary President, Louis F. Knoll.
Research studies United States: Newton In 1972, The Council of the Ramayapatnam Baptist Theological Seminary, Ramayapatnam and the Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches sent R. Joseph to the Andover Newton Theological School, Newton for postgraduate studies where he earned a Master of Sacred Theology (S.T.M.) degree and on his return continued to teach at the Seminary which by then had integrated its B. D. section into the Andhra Christian Theological College and R. Joseph was reassigned to teach there by the Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches.
India: Bangalore In 1978,K. M. Hiwale (Compiled), Directory 1910–1997 of the United Theological College, Bangalore, 1997, p.115 the Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches had accorded study leave to R. Joseph who went to the United Theological College, Bangalore to upgrade his S. T. M. obtained from the United States to Master of Theology (M. Th.) degree and researched the writings of Puroshottam Choudhary under the supervision of Joshua Russell Chandran and Eric J. Lott, his Professors. Joseph's companions at the college included G. Devakadasham, G. D. V. Prasad and others. By 1980, R. Joseph rejoined Andhra Christian Theological College and resumed his teaching responsibilities.
Again in 1983, he returned to the United Theological College, Bangalore to undertake doctoral studies but had to leave it midway as he was recalled to teach at his alma mater the Baptist Theological Seminary,Print Asia Ramayapatnam from where he again joined the Andhra Christian Theological College.
Teaching Andhra Pradesh Soon after R. Joseph completed his licentiate, he began teaching at his Alma mater. He also upgraded his studies to earn a B. D. in 1967 at the Ramayapatnam Baptist Theological Seminary, Ramayapatnam. By this time, efforts among the Protestants to form a unified seminary gained credence leading to the formation of the Andhra Christian Theological College in 1964 Rajahmundry by,
the Baptists of the Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars, the Lutherans of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church and the South Andhra Lutheran Church, the Methodists of the Methodist Church in India, the Anglicans, Congregationalists and the Wesleyans of the Church of South India
However, compared to the Ramayapatnam Baptist Theological Seminary which was entitled to admit students for the Bachelor of Divinity degree courses – that too with English as the medium of instruction, the new unified Protestant seminary offered only Licentiate in Theology level courses in Telugu medium. The Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches was way ahead of its times both in terms of the academic credentials of its faculty as well as its affiliation with the Senate of Serampore College (University). Though the Baptists of the Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches were in favour of joining the new unified Protestant initiative in Rajahmundry, the integration did not seem ripe at that stage. R. Joseph had just finished his graduate studies at Ramayapatnam in 1967 and just at that time his Principal, The Rev. Maurice Blanchard and his successor The Rev. Louis F. Knoll decided to experiment and moved their B.D. section from Ramayapatnam to Rajahmundry and functioned as a separate entity within the premises of the Andhra Christian Theological College in Rajahmundry. R. Joseph's teaching companions, K. Wilson, K. S. Prasada Rao, Tracy G. Gipson, Alice M. Findlay, B. R. Moses and Louis F. Knoll moved to Rajahmundry while G. Solomon, S. Joseph, P. Joseph and D. Daniel joined later.
In his second phase at Ramayapatnam, R. Joseph rejoined the seminary in 1984 taking up teaching. This institution was training Catechetists to take up rural evangelism and R. Joseph took responsibility to build up the seminary and stayed in Ramayapatnam until 1997 when he finally moved again to Hyderabad.
Telangana