About the Indian Theological Association

In the post-Vatican II scenario, it was Rev. Joseph Constantine Manalel who proposed the idea of forming an association of Indian theologians. In 1971 he had already published a theology journal, named Jeevadhara in two editions, English and Malayalam, for which he had formed a society, called “Jeevadhara Theological Society”. On August 28, 1975, he convened a meeting of the above society at the Tourist Home Kochi where for the first time he proposed the idea of forming an all India association of Indian theologians. The idea was welcomed by many theologians.

The period after Vatican II was, indeed, an extraordinary spring time for the Church in India. After elaborate preparations the “Church in India National Seminar” was held in 1968 in Bangalore at Dharmaram College, in order to plan and implement the recommendations of Vatican II and to translate its implications for the Church in India. To follow up the work of the Church in India Seminar several National and Regional consultations and meetings were held. In January 1976 a Dialogue between Bishops and theologians was held at Jeevan Jyothi, Hyderabad. After the official dialogue meeting, at the initiative of Fr. Constantine Manalel a group of theologians separately met to deliberate on the founding of an “Indian Theological Association”. Those theologians should be considered as the “founding fathers” of the ITA among whom were included Constantine Manalel, John Britto Chethimattam, Samuel Rayan, Kurien Kunnumpuram, Joseph Pathrapankal, Paul Puthanangady, Georges-Soares Prabhu, Sebastian Kappen, Thomas Manickam, and Dhiranand Bhatt. Unfortunately the complete list of the participants of this founding meeting of ITA is missing. In his inaugural address, Fr. Constantine Manalel highlighted the Indian political, social, cultural, and ecclesial scenario and he emphasized the significant role to be played by Indian theologians at a critical period of history in building up both the Nation and the Church. He said,

"… I do not think that we are carrying out our prophetic role as we ought. We have to proclaim the Truth even if it is unpleasant without being hindered either by individuals or by the establishment…we have not yet tapped all the potentialities of discussing together, of submitting our views to mutual criticisms, of supplementing our specializations with those of others, above of, of cross-fertilizing our ideas and of personal sharing of our mutual insights and experiences… No people are alien to us, all are kith and kin and we theologians have an important part to play as much towards the making of the county as towards the shaping of the Church… If we Indians are to make any positive contribution to theology, it is essential that we begin with serious reflection on our theological task and the problem of theological method in the three-fold context of (1) the meeting of religions, (2) the poverty of the masses and (3) the confrontation or rather reconciliation between the religious and the secular attitudes to life. It seems these are the basic factors which constitute the ambience of theological thinking in this country."

. Constantine Manalel, “Original Vision of the Indian Theological Association”, in Theologizing in Context, edited by Jacob Parappally, Bangalore: Dharmaram Publications, 2002, pp. 3 - 9.

The theologians gathered at Hyderabad had a lively discussion and exchange and at the end they took a unanimous decision to found the “Indian Theological Association” and they drafted a one page Constitution of the Association without much formality. According to the Constitution, the objectives of ITA were the following: to be a forum for theologians to meet and discuss current theological issues; to promote the development of an Indian Christian Theology; to foster research in matters of religion and society; and to give theologians the encouragement and support they need.

For the last 40 years ITA has been faithful in fulfilling its objectives, in making powerful and insightful Annual Statements and publishing the proceedings of the Annual meetings and Seminars and the papers presented on the main themes. The Annual Statements of ITA were also published in the current theological journals of Jeevadhara, Vidyajyoti, Indian Theological Studies, Kristu Jyoti and so on. Unfortunately, we miss the reports and records of the first three meetings of ITA. In his article mentioned above Fr. Constantine Manalel mentions about two meetings after the first meeting in 1976, one in Pune on “Uniqueness of Jesus Christ” and another at Kodaikanal on “Religious Pluralism and Spirituality”. In Jacob Parappally’s volume on ITA, the first published statement is that of 1980 on “Understanding Salvation in the Indian Context”, and Parappally records it as the “Fourth Annual Meeting” held at Kristu Jyoti College, Bangalore, in 1980. Fr Kuncheria Pathil attended that meeting in which he was appointed as the Secretary of ITA and continued as Secretary for the next 9 years. The Annual Statements from 1980 to 2001 in one volume was edited by Jacob Parappally and published by Dharmaram Publications in 2002.

Themes of the annual meetings were selected by the general assembly after mature deliberation. The context and needs of the nation and that of the churches played the key role in deciding the topics of the Annual Meetings. Task of theologizing in India, theological methodologies, task of inculturation, identity and legitimate autonomy of the local churches, Indian theologies of liberation, Indian ecclesiology, theological education in India, theology of religions, theology of religious pluralism etc. were some of the themes ITA has discussed. When the very existence of India as a nation was threatened by serious problems like religious fundamentalism,Hindutva ideology, communalism, threats to Indian secularism, violation of human rights, discrimination against women, Dalits and Tribals, ITA always took it as a challenge to deal with those urgent problemsand to give a Christian theological response to them. Similarly, the problems of public corruption, ecological concerns, minority issues and similar questions were taken up and discussed by ITA.

The Indian Theological Association (ITA) understands theology not merely as an abstract academic discipline but as a living and contextual reflection on faith within the concrete realities of India. Its methodology is grounded in the conviction that theology must arise from lived experience. Rather than beginning exclusively with theoretical formulations, ITA encourages reflection that starts from the historical, social, cultural, and religious contexts in which people live and struggle.

At the heart of this methodology is a dialogical approach. Theology is pursued through collective discernment, scholarly exchange, and engagement with diverse perspectives. Annual seminars and consultations provide spaces where theologians critically analyze contemporary issues in the light of Scripture, Tradition, and the teachings of the Church. This process involves listening attentively to the experiences of marginalized communities, engaging the insights of the social sciences, and entering into meaningful dialogue with India’s pluralistic religious environment.

ITA’s method also reflects a commitment to contextualization and inculturation. Theological reflection is shaped by Indian philosophical traditions, cultural symbols, and spiritual practices, while remaining rooted in the Christian faith. In this way, theology becomes both faithful to the Gospel and responsive to the Indian milieu. Questions of caste, poverty, gender justice, ecology, and interreligious harmony are not treated as peripheral concerns but as central theological loci.

Finally, ITA’s methodology integrates academic rigor with prophetic responsibility. Scholarly research, critical analysis, and theological clarity are combined with a commitment to justice and transformation. Theology, in this understanding, is not confined to classrooms or publications; it seeks to illuminate pastoral practice, inspire social commitment, and contribute to the Church’s mission in India. Through this dynamic and participatory method, ITA continues to foster a theology that is intellectually robust, contextually grounded, and socially engaged.