Christianity is not merely a set of religious principles; it is a covenant in the same lines of the covenant of the People of Israel for whom the Decalogue, the principles of their life, was a Testament. In a similar fashion, for a Christian, the Holy Bible is the Testament of one’s covenant with Christ and the Abba whom He revealed, in the Holy Spirit. Rightly are its two parts called, the Old and the New ‘Testaments’. Bible is the foundation of the faith experience of an individual who professes to be a Christian and it is in itself the faith expression of generations of people whose faith the individual makes one’s own.
However, the place of this testament today, within the faith expression of an individual or the community has undergone a long process of evolution in history. Within the Christian community of the original times, it was merely used by the elders or the priests during worship. Later it was used by those persons who sought to teach and guide the communities and individuals to instruct them from the examples and the teachings of the people who were originally instruments of the faith experience recorded in the Scriptures.
Further later, it was considered a privilege to hold the Scriptures and read or proclaim from it. There was a moment in history in which the community of faith felt the need to assert that the Scriptures originated from the community (which was trying to record the foundational experiences), for the community (so that the community of faithful could find their ground in those experiences) and that the Scriptures should go back to the hands of the community and not remain merely in the hands of a select few. This feeling and conviction gave rise to a movement in history towards making the Bible the most important factor within the ambit of making sense of one’s faith and its expressions in life and worship.
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
2. THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF NBCLC
2.1. From NCLC to NBCLC
2.2. The Contributions of the National Centre through its activities
2.2.1. Survey of Catholic Translation of the Bible into Indian Regional Languages
2.2.2. Getting the Bible to the People – Bible Diffusion
3. AMALORPAVADASS – THE KEY FIGURE AND HIS CONTRIBUTIONS
3.1. The National Centre and the National Episcopal Commissions
3.2. His Engagements at the International and National level
4. THE NBCLC AND FR. AMALORPAVADASS – THE GRAND INTERVENTIONS
4.1. Word and Worship – the Journal since 1967
4.2. The National Seminars – the Animation of the National Church
4.2.1. National Seminar on Holy Scripture
4.2.2. First All India Consultation on the Biblical Apostolate
4.2.3. The All India Catechetical Meetings
5. CONCLUSION
Objectives and Research Focus
This work examines the historical development and foundational role of the National Biblical, Catechetical and Liturgical Centre (NBCLC) in promoting the Catholic Biblical Movement in India following the Second Vatican Council, with a specific focus on the leadership and theological influence of Fr. D. S. Amalorpavadass.
- The historical emergence of the Catholic Biblical Movement in post-conciliar India.
- The institutional foundation and strategic development of the NBCLC.
- The pivotal role of Fr. D. S. Amalorpavadass in theological and pastoral renewal.
- Key interventions including Bible translation, diffusion, and national animation programs.
Excerpt from the Book
3. AMALORPAVADASS – THE KEY FIGURE AND HIS CONTRIBUTIONS
Duraisamy Simon Amalorpavadass, born in Kallery, a small village in Tamilnadu, on June 15, 1932, was ordained a priest on April 12, 1959 and was appointed that June as a Staff at Tamilnadu Regional Catechetical Centre, which was animating the catechetical, biblical and liturgical renewal in Tamilnadu. Within his short stint there (June 1959 – April 1962), he made contributions which has stood the test of time till date. A few of them include, the permanent catechetical biblical exhibition set up, the documentation centre, the library, and the re-starting of the defunct catechetical periodical, Asiriyarin Thozhan (Teachers’ Companion) begun earlier by Fr. Thomas Duffy now to become popular from December, 1959 as simply Thozhan.
In 1962 he left for Paris and returned in 1965, a Doctor in Catechetics and Theology. Providence had it that during the years of the great Council, he was to be close to the venue and in fact during the Council he met more than a few times the bishops from Tamilnadu in Rome and already began his contributions towards liturgical renewal in the Catholic Church of Tamilnadu. On his return, he was to take up responsibility as the Director of a proposed Institute for Pastoral Formation of Young Priests, a proposal that did not materialize as the Archbishop Louis Mathias the proponent left all of a sudden for his eternal reward. Hence he served from June 1965 to December 1966 as the Parish Priest of Viriyur, a parish in Pondicherry Archdiocese.
Summary of Chapters
1. INTRODUCTION: Provides a theological context for the Biblical Movement and outlines its historical evolution from Protestant origins to the post-Vatican II Catholic context in India.
2. THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF NBCLC: Details the transition from the regional centre to the national level and the early initiatives concerning Bible translation and diffusion strategies.
3. AMALORPAVADASS – THE KEY FIGURE AND HIS CONTRIBUTIONS: Profiles the life and work of the founder-director, emphasizing his institutional leadership and international theological engagements.
4. THE NBCLC AND FR. AMALORPAVADASS – THE GRAND INTERVENTIONS: Analyzes the specific methodologies used to animate the Indian Church, including the journal 'Word and Worship' and key national seminars.
5. CONCLUSION: Synthesizes the long-term impact of the NBCLC on the Indian Catholic faith and acknowledges the visionary legacy left by Fr. Amalorpavadass.
Keywords
NBCLC, Fr. D. S. Amalorpavadass, Catholic Biblical Movement, India, Vatican Council II, Bible Translation, Bible Diffusion, Catechetical Renewal, Liturgical Renewal, Word and Worship, Biblical Apostolate, Post-conciliar Church, Christian Renewal, Inculturation, Anjali Ashram.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this publication?
The book focuses on the historical role and contribution of the National Biblical, Catechetical and Liturgical Centre (NBCLC) to the Biblical Movement within the Indian Catholic Church.
What are the central themes discussed?
The work covers institutional development, the history of Bible translation in Indian regional languages, catechetical renewal, and the life and visionary influence of Fr. D. S. Amalorpavadass.
What is the core objective of the research?
The primary goal is to highlight the special contribution that the NBCLC and its founder-director, Fr. Amalorpavadass, made to the renewal of the Indian Catholic Church after the Second Vatican Council.
Which methodology is employed in this study?
The study utilizes a descriptive and analytical approach, synthesizing archival data, historical documents, and the published works of Fr. Amalorpavadass to track the development of the centre.
What does the main body of the text cover?
The main body examines the structural foundations of the NBCLC, the biographical background of Fr. Amalorpavadass, and his specific strategies such as the 'Word and Worship' journal and various national seminars.
Which keywords best describe this work?
Key terms include NBCLC, Fr. D. S. Amalorpavadass, Biblical Apostolate, Indian Catholic Church, and liturgical/catechetical renewal.
What significance did the journal 'Word and Worship' hold?
It served as a crucial platform for animating the National Church and integrating the ministries of proclamation, liturgy, and service under the vision of the Second Vatican Council.
What was the importance of the national seminars conducted by the centre?
These seminars functioned as vital moments for regional and national collaboration, allowing for the sharing of experiences and the formulation of long-term priorities for the Biblical Apostolate.
How is the influence of Fr. Amalorpavadass described?
He is portrayed as a visionary architect of catechesis in India whose leadership, academic rigor, and perseverance were essential to the establishment and success of the NBCLC.
- Quote paper
- Antony Christy Lourdunathan (Author), 2013, The Growing Years of the Catholic India and the Special Contribution of NBCLC and Fr. Amalorpavadas to the Catholic Biblical Movement, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/419029
