Daniel Sadananda

Daniel Ratnakara Sadananda is a New Testament Scholar who is presently the General Secretary^[4] (biennium 2014-2016) of the Church of South India Synod headquartered in Chennai as well as the Chairperson (triennium 2015-2018^[5]) of the Council of the United Theological College, Bangalore, the only autonomous College under the Senate of Serampore College (University).

In terms of scholarship, Sadananda is an authority on Johannine theology and has also contributed the history of the Basel Evangelical Mission to the encyclopedia, Bibliotheca Carnatica.^[6]

Studies

After ministerial formation at the Karnataka Theological College, Mangalore, Sadananda studied at the United Theological College, Bangalore where he enrolled for a postgraduate programme, Master of Theology, specializing in New Testament under Professor K. James Carl between 1988-1990.^[7] Sadananda's companions during his study years' at Bangalore comprised B. D. Prasad Rao, H. R. Cabral and Jonadob Nathaniel, the present Director Translations of the Bible Society of India. Sadananda's postgraduate thesis was entitled Sacramentalism in the Fourth Gospel: An exploration into the sacramental concern of the Fourth Evangelist^[1] for which he was awarded a Master of Theology (M. Th.) degree by the University under the Registrarship of D. S. Satyaranjan.

The autonomous college in Bengaluru where Sadananda pursued post-graduate studies. {Picture credit: Colette Cook}

For doctoral studies, Sadananda researched at the Kirchliche Hochschule, Bethel, Bielefeld under Professor Andreas Lindemann.^[8] Sadananda's doctoral dissertation was entitled ^[2]The Johannine Exegesis of God: An Exploration Into the Johannine understanding of God which was co-moderated by Professor François Vouga.^[9]

Ecclesiastical ministry

Teacher

Since 1990, Sadananda began teaching at the Karnataka Theological College, Mangalore, a Seminary established in 1965^[10] and affiliated to the nation's first^[11] University, the Senate of Serampore College (University).

Administrator

Sadananda was the first Kannadiga^[6] to have been elected as the General Secretary in the history of the Church of South India during the 34th Synod of the Church of South India held in Vijayawada in January 2014 which also saw the election of Govada Dyvasirvadam as the Moderator and Thomas K. Oommen as the Deputy Moderator.^[6]

Honorary initiatives

As an ecclesiastical figure, Sadananda is also a member of the Dialogue Commission between the Vatican and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and also a member of the Theological Commission of the World Communion of Reformed Churches.^[6]

In August 2015, the Council of the United Theological College, Bangalore elected Daniel Sadananda as the Chairperson of the College Society for the triennium 2015-2018^[5] succeeding G. Devakadasham, the outgoing Chairperson.

References

1. ↑ The Hindu, B. Kolappan, CSI plans to raise Bishops’ retirement age, Chennai, April 7, 2015.
2. ↑ Architect M. M. Philip was reelected consecutively during the bienniums 2010-2012 and 2012-2014.
3. 1 2