D. W. Jesudoss

D. W. Jesudoss (13 October 1939 – 10 April 2024^[4]) was the Principal during the years' 1985-1986 and 1988-1997 at Gurukul Lutheran Theological College, Chennai, affiliated to the nation's first^[5] University, the Senate of Serampore College (University).

The Reverend Devasahayam William Jesudoss, TELC[1] Spiritual Formator/*Principal: →Gurukul Lutheran Theological College and Research Institute, Chennai (1985-2004/*1985-86 & *1988-97) →Tamil Nadu Theological Seminary, Madurai (1973-78, 1983-85) Parish Priest: TELC Churches in Arulpuram (1966), Coimbatore (1967) and Tiruchirappalli (1968)
Born	(1939-10-13)October 13, 1939, Madras Presidency
Died	April 10, 2024(2024-04-10) (aged 84), Tamil Nadu
Nationality	British Raj 1939-1947, India 1947-2024
Education	B.A. (Madras)[2], B.D.[2] & M.Th. (Serampore), Dr.Theol. (Erlangen)
Alma mater	Scott Christian College, Nagercoil; Gurukul Lutheran Theological College, Madras; United Theological College, Bangalore; Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen
Occupation	Priesthood
Years active	1966-2024
Known for	Parish care & priestly formation
Children	The Rev. Santhosh Sahayadoss
Parent(s)	Smt. Jayaseeli and Sri D. Devasagayam
Church	Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church (TELC)[3]
Ordained	July 9, 1966 (1966-07-09)

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Studies

Graduate

Jesudoss graduated from the Gurukul Lutheran Theological College, Madras in 1965^[6] earning a Bachelor of Divinity degree conferred by the Senate of Serampore College (University).

Postgraduate

Jesudoss enrolled for a postgraduate degree at the United Theological College, Bangalore from 1970-1971,^[2] affiliated to the nation's first^[5] University, the Senate of Serampore College (University), under the Principalship of Joshua Russell Chandran, studying together^[2] with R. Yesurathnam, where he obtained a Master of Theology and working out a dissertation entitled A study of Luther's concept of the bondage of the will and its relevance for the interpretation of man in India today^[7] and later awarded a degree by the University under the Registrarship of Chetti Devasahayam.

Doctoral

For further research studies, Jesudoss went to the University of Erlangen where he submitted a dissertation in 1986 entitled What is man?: theological attempts and directions towards the formation of an Indian Christian anthropology for today^[8]

Writings

• 1984, Das Menschenbild in der Bhagavadgita und der Bibel (in German),^[9]
• 1985, Stärke und Nutzen der Kultur (in German),^[10]
• 1986, What is man?: theological attempts and directions towards the formation of an Indian Christian anthropology for today,^[11]
• 1987, Towards a bold theological vision: souvenir released on the occasion of the diamond jubilee celebrations,^[12]
• 1987, Reflections on the Paper Presented by Dr. Daniel Chetti on ‘Luther’s Doctrine of the Church’,^[13]
• 1988, Luther’s Concept of the Two Kingdoms,^[14]
• 1988, The Rise and Growth of Dalit Movement; an Offshoot or Solution to the Age-Old Caste Problem of India,^[15]
• 1989, Violence, non-violence,^[16]
• 1989, The Concept of the Church. A Lutheran Perspective,^[17]
• 1990, Justificação pela Fé e Missão num Contexto Multirreligioso e Multicultural (in Portuguese)^[18]
• 2008, The Present Scenario of Christians vis-a-vis People of Other Faiths in India,^[19]

Career

During his Career (1966-2024), he was Parish Priest of TELC Churches in Arulpuram (1966), Coimbatore (1967) and Tiruchirappalli (1968) and Spiritual Formator at Tamil Nadu Theological Seminary, Madurai (1973-78, 1983-85) and at Gurukul Lutheran Theological College and Research Institute, Chennai (1985-2004).

Honours

In 1999, Samuel W. Meshack, then a member of faculty at the Gurukul Lutheran Theological College, Chennai edited a festschrift in honour of Jesudoss marking the completion of his sixtieth year. The festschrift was entitled Building God's Kingdom on Earth, Writings in Honour of D.W. Jesudoss on His Shastiapthapoorthi.^[20]

Academic offices
Preceded by M. Bage, GELC and R. R. Sundara Rao, AELC	Principal, Gurukul Lutheran Theological College and Research Institute, Chennai 1985-86 and 1988-97	Succeeded by Mani Chacko, CSI 2001-2006

Further reading

• Naaman Laiser (1990). "Reação à Palestra de D. W. Jesudoss". Estudos Teológicos. 30. ISSN 2237-6461.
• L. E. Sahanam (1997). "Did you Preach Jesus Christ: The Christological Focus in the Writings of Joshua Russell Chandran" (PDF). 39 (2). {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
• Michael Welker (Edited) (2014). The Depth of the Human Person: A Multidisciplinary Approach. ISBN 978-0-8028-6979-1. {{cite book}}: |author= has generic name (help)