Govada Dyvasirvadam
| Govada Dyvasirvadam | |
|---|---|
| Moderator of the Church of South India and Bishop of Krishna-Godavari Diocese of the Church of South India | |
| Church | Christian |
| See | Church of South India |
| In office | 2002–present |
| Predecessor | T. B. D. Prakasa Rao |
| Successor | Incumbent |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | December 1979 |
| Consecration | 24 November 2002 |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
28 March 1951 Challapalli, Andhra Pradesh |
| Previous post | General Secretary of the Church of South India |
Govada Dyvasirvadam (born 28 March 1951) is the Moderator of the Church of South India and Bishop of Krishna-Godavari Diocese of the Church of South India(incorporating Anglicans, Methodists, and Presbyterians).[1]
St. Andrew's Cathedral in Machilipatnam is the seat of the Bishop-in-Krishna Godavari.
Earlier, in 1998, Dyvasirvadam was elected as the General Secretary of the CSI, the youngest ever in the church's history.[2]
Dyvasirvadam was also a member of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches headquartered in Geneva.[3] as well as a member of the General Committee of the Christian Conference of Asia headquartered in Thailand.[4]
Early years
Dyvasirvadam was born on 28 March 1951 in Challapalli in Krishna District. He was the tenth child of his parents, Rev. Govada Devamani and Smt. Suguna Sundaram.[5] Schooling was in Krishna and West Godavari districts. He had been an alumnus of Sreemanthu Raja Higher Secondary School, Challapalli in Krishna District and the Municipal School in Eluru in West Godavari District.
He later did his college studies in A.V.N. College (established in 1860), one of the oldest institutes in Visakhapatnam.
Dyvasirvadam also pursued post-graduate studies in Noble College, Machilipatnam and was inspired by the then Bishop in Krishna-Godavari, N. D. Ananda Rao Samuel.
Ordination & Pastorship
After studying at the Bishop's College in Calcutta, the Diocese of Krishna Godavari first posted him to Kanumolu near Hanuman Junction in Krishna District.[5]
In March 1978, he was ordained by Bishop Henry Lazarus as a Deacon in the St. Andrew's Church in Machilipatnam.[6] Later, he was posted to Christ Church in Eluru in West Godavari District. The then Moderator's Commisary, The Right Reverend H. D. L. Abraham (Bishop in Medak) ordained him as a Priest.
Higher Studies & Professorship
With interest to pursue higher studies in theology, the Diocese granted him study leave. Dyvasirvadam proceeded to the United Theological College, Bangalore, [the only autonomous college under the Senate of Serampore College] and enrolled himself for the post-graduate degree of Master of Theology (M. Th.) in the discipline of Systematic Theology. Joshua Russell Chandran was the Principal of UTC during that time.[7]
After successful completion of post-graduate studies in theology, his diocese assigned him a teaching task at the ecumenical Andhra Christian Theological College in Hyderabad in which his diocese is a participating member.[8]
Dyvasirvadam taught Systematic Theology to students pursuing Bachelor of Theology (B.Th.) and Bachelor of Divinity (BD) degrees.
Research
Later, on invitation from the UTC, Bangalore, he went on study leave to serve as the Acting Registrar there. Subsequently, he enrolled for pursuing the doctoral degree (Doctor of Theology – D. Th.) in the South Asia Theological Research Institute (SATHRI) in Bangalore. He chose the discipline of Liberation Theology.[9]
Subsequently, he went back to ACTC to resume his teaching responsibilities and became Warden.
Synod of the CSI
The biennial Synod of the CSI elected Rev. Dyvasirvadam as its general secretary in 1998 in Arogyavaram in Chittoor District, succeeding George Koshy.[10] He was re-elected unanimously in the Synod of 2000 in Secunderabad and in the Synod of 2002 in Melukavumattam. Bishop G.Dyvasirvadam has been elected as the Deputy Moderator of CSI in the Synod of 2012 at Kanyakumari.
He has been elected as the Moderator of CSI in the Synod of 2014 at Vijayawada.
Bishopric
The CSI Diocese of Krishna-Godavari is one of the largest extending from Ongole District in the south through Srikakulam District in the norther circars of Andhra Pradesh. Its Cathedral was first erected in Eluru and was subsequently shifted to Vijayawada. Earlier Bishop's who served in this diocese were notable and exemplary. Following the retirement of The Right Reverend T. B. D. Prakasa Rao,[10] Rev. Dyvasirvadam contested and was elected unopposed. Subsequently, the Cathedral was shifted to Machilipatnam. St. Andrew's Church was consecrated as a Cathedral.
The Moderator of the CSI during that time was The Most Reverend K. J. Samuel who principally consecrated him in the St. Andrew's Cathedral in Machilipatnam.
Appraisal
According to B. P. Sugandhar,Dyvasirvadam's "contribution to the Church both as a theological teacher and a church leader has been tremendous."[11]
Honours
In the year 2001, friends of the Bishop proceeded to write a 365-page festschrift in his honour on the occasion of the completion of fifty years. Rev. Vinod Victor, Leslie Nathaniel and Rev. Dr. P. Surya Prakash edited the festschrift.
References
- ↑ Anglican Communion, Provincial Directory: Krishna-Godavari
- ↑ Vinod Victor in Vinod Victor, Leslie Nathaniel (Eds.), Ecumenism: Prospects and Challenges – A Festschrift to the Rev. G. Dyvasirvadam, Indian Society for Promotion of Christian Knowledge (ISPCK), New Delhi, 2001, pp.xxix – xxxiv
- ↑ The eighty assembly of the world council of churches held from 3–14 December 1998 in Harare, Zimbabwe elected a total of 37 members to its central committee
- ↑ The eleventh assembly of the CCA held in Indonesia from 2–6 June 2000 elected Dyvasirvadam as a member of its general committee.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Vinod Victor, Leslie Nathaniel (Eds.), op. cit.
- ↑ Ibid.
- ↑ Ibid.
- ↑ Ibid.
- ↑ Vinod Victor, Leslie Nathaniel (et al.), op. cit.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 K. M. George, Church of South India: life in union, 1947–1997, Jointly published by Indian Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge and Christava Sahitya Samithi, Tiruvalla, 1999.
- ↑ B. P. Sugandhar in Vinod Victor, Leslie Nathaniel (Eds.), Ecumenism: Prospects and Challenges – A Festschrift to the Rev. G. Dyvasirvadam, Indian Society for Promotion of Christian Knowledge (ISPCK), New Delhi, 2001, xi–xii
Further reading
- Thompson, A. Frank (1997). "The Bairagi Madonna: Leaves from a Calcutta Notebook, Indian Society for Promotion of Christian Knowledge (ISPCK), New Delhi ISBN 81-7214-372-9.".
| Religious titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by T. B. D. Prakasa Rao 1981–2001 |
Bishop in Krishna Godavari of the Church of South India 2002– |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
| Preceded by George Koshy 1990–1998 |
General Secretary of the Synod of the Church of South India 1998–2003 |
Succeeded by Pauline Sathyamurthy 2002–2008 |