P. Solomon Raj

P. Solomon Raj (21 February 1921 - 28 December 2019) was a pastor of Protestant Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church Society headquartered in Guntur with major contribution to theological research and arts.Volker Kuester, Renunciation of Inculturation as an Aesthetic Resistance: The Indian artist Solomon Raj seen in a new light in Fiery Wheels: Art Works and Meditations, Lalit Kala Ashram, Vijayawada, 2003, pages 100–111 Old Testament scholar Victor Premasagar wrote about Raj as a pastor, professor of communications, creative artist, sculptor, poet and a theological writer.

Church historian, K. L. Richardson of the Andhra Christian Theological College, Hyderabad, India, in Towards Self-Reliance: A historical survey of the programmes and efforts of Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church from 1927 to 1969K. L. Richardson, Towards Self-Reliance: A historical survey of the programmes and efforts of Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church from 1927–1969, Published by D. Christopher and T. Kanakaiah, Vijayawada, 2003, pages 120, 133, 134. has highlighted the contribution of Raj with special reference to Indian liturgy and music. Richardson writes,

Much like theologians of India believing in the Indian ethos akin to A. B. Masilamani, D. S. Amalorpavadass, Victor Premasagar, M. Victor Paul and others, Raj believes that it is only that form of Christianity, deeply etched in diverse cultures of India, that can influence Christianity in India. While A. B. Masilamani promoted Indian liturgy in the Christian Hymnal in Telugu, D. S. Amalorpavadass advocated for vernacular liturgy. Similarly, Victor Premasagar had recognised the contribution of indigenous movements. M. Victor Paul rooted for indigenous churches in place of institutionalized ones. It is in such a setting that Raj's contribution gains credence in the light of his doctoral dissertation on the Bible Mission Movement by Father Devadas which Roger E. Hedlund writes as,

As an artist, Raj received global acclaim. Gudrun Löwner of the United Theological College, Bangalore has devoted a section in The Oxford Handbook of Christianity in Asia,

Early education and studies Graduate studies Raj underwent initial studies between 1940 and 1945 at the AELC-Andhra Christian College, Guntur and became a teacher. During the tenure of A. N. Gopal as president of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church Society, Raj was sent for theological studies to the Gurukul Lutheran Theological College, Madras, where he studied from 1953 to 1956 under thoroughbred faculty, including Professor Hans-Werner Gensichen.

Post-graduate studies In 1964 during the tenure of G. Devasahayam at the AELC Church Society, Raj was sent for post-graduate studies to the Indiana University Bloomington, where he completed a master's degree in education.

Doctoral studies When the Selly Oak Colleges, Birmingham invited Raj to lecture in communication for term between 1978 and 1983, Raj not only taught at the college but also enrolled as a doctoral candidate and pursued research studies under the guidance of Walter Hollenweger. Raj also spent time at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.

Art student As an artist, Raj first learnt the nuances of art through the Sunday School and later became a student of the notable artist, Damerla Rama Rao and cleared a state examination in drawing and painting. While at the Indiana State University, he learnt woodblock printing and etching. As for batik, he learnt it from his friends in Hyderabad.

Career The career graph of Raj shows him as a teacher, pastor, administrator, professor and as an artist.

Pastor Although Raj began his career as a teacher, he soon became a pastor of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church Society serving as a chaplain of the AELC-Andhra Christian College, Guntur serving during 1956–1959. He then served at the Lutheran Theological College, Rajahmundry for a year, 1959–1960.

Administrator In 1960, on the invitation of the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI), he took up the directorship of the Department for Audio-Visual education and served in Nagpur, the headquarters of the NCCI from 1960 to 1968. In 1968, he moved to Vijayawada to take up a role as director of the radio station, Suvartha VaniFrancis Peter Barboza, Christianity in Indian Dance Forms, Sri Satguru Publications, 1990, page 193. , a multimedia project of the Andhra Pradesh Council of Churches in partnership with Canadian Baptist Ministries, Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church and Church of South India, serving during the period 1968–1978. K. L. Richardson writes that Rev. P. Solomon Raj of the AELC who had rich experience in radio evangelism also served in the programme of Suvartha Vani.

Professor Raj took up professorship and lectured at the Selly Oak Colleges, Birmingham, from 1978 to 1983, where he taught communication. Raj was visiting lecturer in the United States of America during 1984–1985.

Contribution Scholars down the line have acknowledged the contribution of Raj to theology and art.

Writings Ravela Joseph and B. Suneel Bhanu, who had undertaken a compilation in 1993 entitled Bibliography of original Christian writings in India in Telugu on behalf of the Board of Theological Education of the Senate of Serampore College, acknowledged Raj to be one of the original Christian writersRavela Joseph and B. Suneel Bhanu (Compiled), Bibliography of original Christian writings in India in Telugu, Board of Theological Education of the Senate of Serampore College, Bangalore, 1993, pages 3, 20, 29, 36, 40 and 67. in Telugu. They have listed out the following works by Raj, in 1957, How to Study the Bible,P. Solomon Raj, How to Study the Bible, Christian Publishing House, Rajahmundry, 1957. Cited by Ravela Joseph and Suneel Bhanu in Bibliography of original Christian writings in India in Telugu, BTESSC, Bangalore, 1993. in 1957, Story TellingP. Solomon Raj, Story Telling, Christian Publishing House, Rajahmundry, 1959. Cited by Ravela Joseph and Suneel Bhanu in Bibliography of original Christian writings in India in Telugu, BTESSC, Bangalore, 1993. in 1973, Wild FlowersP. Solomon Raj, Wild Flowers, Christian Literature Society, Hyderabad, 1973. Cited by Ravela Joseph and Suneel Bhanu in Bibliography of original Christian writings in India in Telugu, BTESSC, Bangalore, 1993. in 1977, A Theological DictionaryP. Solomon Raj, A Theological Dictionary, St. John's Publications, Hyderabad, 1977. Cited by Ravela Joseph and Suneel Bhanu in Bibliography of original Christian writings in India in Telugu, BTESSC, Bangalore, 1993. in 1978, Christ, the King of KingsP. Solomon Raj, Christ, the King of Kings, Christian Literature Society, Hyderabad, 1978. Cited by Ravela Joseph and Suneel Bhanu in Bibliography of original Christian writings in India in Telugu, BTESSC, Bangalore, 1993. in 1978, The House of WorshipP. Solomon Raj, The House of Worship, Christian Literature Society, Hyderabad, 1978. Cited by Ravela Joseph and Suneel Bhanu in Bibliography of original Christian writings in India in Telugu, BTESSC, Bangalore, 1993.

In addition to the books listed out, Raj has also authored, in 1986, A Christian Folk Religion in India: A study of the small Church movement in Andhra Pradesh with special reference to the Bible Mission of Devadas.P. Solomon Raj, A Christian Folk Religion in India: A study of the small Church movement in Andhra Pradesh with special reference to the Bible Mission of Devadas, Peter Lang, Frankfurt, 1986. Second edition in 2004 published by the Centre for Contemporary Christianity, Bangalore,Centre for Contemporary Christianity, Bangalore in 1993, Living flame and Springing Fountain: Batiks and Meditations,P. Solomon Raj, Living flame and Springing Fountain: Batiks and Meditations, ISPCK, New Delhi, 1993. in 2003, Fiery Wheels: Art works and meditations, in 2003, New Wine Skins: The Story of the Indigenous Missions in coastal Andhra Pradesh.P. Solomon Raj, New Wine Skins: The Story of the Indigenous Missions in coastal Andhra Pradesh, published by the ISPCK, New Delhi for the Mylapore Institute for Indigenous Studies, Madras, 2003

Arts Art forms interested Raj since his Sunday School days, and he soon got to show his arts from the later half of the 1960s. He was Artist-in-Residence in United States of America, Great Britain, Canada, Japan and Philippines (Asian Institute for Liturgy and Music, Manila). He held art shows and gave lectures in United Kingdom, United States of America, Japan, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Netherlands and the Philippines.

Scholarly appraisal H. L. Richard, Research Scholar, Fuller Theological Seminary, Fuller,

Volker Küster,Johannes Gutenberg Universität, Mainz Professor of Comparative Religion and Missiology, Johannes Gutenberg Universität, Mainz,

Karel Steenbrink,Utrecht University Emeritus Professor, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Utrecht University,

Fr. Peter Balleis, SJ, Mission Procurator, Nuremberg,

Recognition and honours In 1986, Raj was elected as the president of the Indian Christian Art Association. In 1987–88, Raj was William Paton Fellow at the Selly Oak Colleges, Birmingham.

In 2006, a postgraduate candidate at the Utrecht University, Jojanneke Dekker undertook a research on the works of Raj entitled Solomon Raj, Prophetic Artist in India: A Research on Dr. P. Solomon Raj's Art as a Medium of Inculturation of the Gospel in India.Jojanneke Dekker, Solomon Raj, Prophetic Artist in India: A Research on Dr. P. Solomon Raj's Art as a Medium of Inculturation of the Gospel in India, Utrecht University, Utrecht, 2006. Cited by Jan Peter Schouten in Jesus as Guru: The Image of Christ among Hindus and Christians in India, Rodopi, page 266.

References

P. Solomon Raj

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