DR. ARAVIND JEYAKUMAR MONIRAJ – Gurukul Lutheran Theological College

Biography:

DR. ARAVIND JEYAKUMAR MONIRAJis a member of the Methodist Church in India and serves as an Associate Professor and the Head of the Department of Old Testament at GLTC, Chennai. He has secured his theological degrees B.D. (2001-2005) and M.Th. ([Old Testament] – 2007-2009) from the Gurukul Lutheran Theological College and Research Institute which is affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College [University], West Bengal. He earned his Doctor of Theology degree (Dr. Theol.) from the University of Hamburg, Germany in April 2019as a scholarship holder of the Missionsakademie at the University of Hamburg.Dr. Moniraj has been engaged in the field of theological education since 2005. He has served as a Lecturer at Indian Theological College, Chennai, Tamilnadu (2005-2007) soon after his bachelor studies;and as Lecturer (2009-2013) and Assistant Professor (2019-2020) in the department of Old Testament at the Leonard Theological College, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh.

Research Interests:

Biblical Hermeneutics, Prophetic literature, Intertestamental literature,Eco-Theology.

Academic Publications (Articles):

1. “An Overview of the Practice of Witchcraft in India,” in Hexerei-Anschuldigungen in weltweiterPrespecktive – Witchcraft Accusations in the Global Perspective (eds., Werner Kahl and Gabriele Lademann-Priemer; SITMA 18; Hamburg: Missionshilfe Verlag, 2020), 107-114.
2. “Theology: Independent and Dangerous – Is the Bible/Theology a Tool for Transforming Society,” in Challenged by Ecumenism: Documentation of the Global Ecumenical Theological Institute – Berlin 2017 (eds. Uta Andrée, Anna-Katharina Diehl, Benjamin Simon; Hamburg: Missionshilfe Verlag, 2018), 85-89.
3. “Pentecostalism as New Reformation: It’s Origin, Growth and Impact on the Marginalized Communities in India,” NCCI Review, CXXXVII/4, (May 2017), 184-193. (modified & republished with permission from Missionsverlag, Hamburg)
4. “Remembering Katherina von Bora in the Context of Reformation Jubilee,” Sandeshharika – Prophetess Voice (Women’s Journal of LTC), 5 (April, 2017): 13-22.
5. “Pentecostalism in India: Its Origin, Growth and Impact on the Marginalized Communities,” in EinschätzungenzurPfingstbewegung. Beiträge von Theologinnen und Theologen der Missionsakademie/Hamburg und der Faculdade Unida/Vitória (ed. Uta Andrée; TIMA 12; Hamburg: Missionshilfe Verlag, 2016), 115-123.
6. “An Indian Reading of the Good Samaritan,” in Global Perspectives on the New Testament (eds. Mark Roncace and Joseph Weaver; New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc., 2014), 45-50.
7. “The Hindu Purusa-Sukta Compared to the Biblical Texts,” in Global Perspectives on the Old Testament, (eds. Mark Roncace and Joseph Weaver; New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc., 2013), 3-5.
8. “Towards a Non-hierarchical Creation Order: An Inter-Textual Reading of Genesis and Purusa-Sukta Creation Narratives,” in Among the People – Essays in Honour of Rev. Dr. P.G. Vargis (eds. V.D. John &Viju Wilson; New Delhi: ISPCK/SALT DC, 2012), 105-117.
9. “Sexuality in Indian History,” in Public and Sensual: Exploring Solutions – Bible Studies on Human Sexuality (ed. Christopher Rajkumar; Nagpur: NCCI, 2012), 49-54.
10. “Sex, Exploitation and Prostitution,” in Public and Sensual: Exploring Solutions – Bible Studies on Human Sexuality (ed. Christopher Rajkumar; Nagpur: NCCI, 2012), 60-64.
11. “Revisiting Pre-Monarchic Israelite Tribal Society: An Appraisal of Cooperatives,” in The Sower – A Christian Education Journal of Methodist Church in India, 24/1 (April, 2012): 23-32.
12. “Priestess and Prophetess in the Old Testament,” ABS Journal, 3/2 (October 2011), 26-42.
13. “Doing Feminist Theology from a Feminist Perspective Special Reference to the Contributions of Phyllis Trible,” Sandeshharika – Prophetess Voice (Women’s Journal of LTC), 1/1 (January 2011), 14-24.
14. “Greening the Globe: Christian Response to the Ecological Crisis,” NCCI Review, CXXXI/4 (May 2011), 13-24.
15. “Re-Visiting Josianic Reformation: A Reading from the Periphery,”Samskriti, 14/2 (January 2011), 28-48.
16. “The Church’s Response to HIV/AIDS,” NCCI Review, CXXX/10, (November 2010), 49-60.

Unpublished Works:

1. Presented a paper entitled “Towards a Non-Hierarchical Order of Creation: A Contrapuntal Reading of Genesis and Purusa-Sukta Creation Narratives,” in the international symposium – “Postcolonial Biblical Hermeneutics,” held at the Academy of Missions (Missionsakademie) at the University of Hamburg, Germany, on 2 October 2018.
2. .Presented a paper entitled “Yahweh the Creator: The Role and Function of Creation Motif in Isaiah 40:12-31 in the Light of EnūmaEliš” in the OTSEM conference in Oslo organized by the Old Testament Studies: Epistemologies and Methods (OTSEM: A Nordic-German Network for Old Testament Studies), held at the Norwegian School of Theology, Religions and Society, during 7-9 September, 2018.
3. Presented a paper entitled “’Creation’ in Deutero-Isaiah: A Syntactic and Semantic Analysis of Isaiah 41:17-20 with Eco-Theological Implications,” in the SABS Conference 2018 (Society for Asian Biblical Studies), held in Malang, Indonesia, at the Sekolah Tinggi Filsafat dan Teologi (STFT) WidyaSasana, 18 July 2018.
4. Presented a paper entitled “Counter-Narratives as Stories of Resistance: A Juxtaposed Reading of EnûmaElîš and Isaiah 40-48,” in the SABS Conference 2018 (Society for Asian Biblical Studies), held in Malang, Indonesia, at the Sekolah Tinggi Filsafat dan Teologi (STFT) WidyaSasana, 19 July 2018.
5. Presented an exegetical paper entitled “A Syntactic and Semantic Analysis of Isaiah 41:17-20,” in the HARK-net (international colloquium) meeting, held at the University of Kiel, on 20 January 2018.
6. Presented a paper entitled “The Structure and Formation of Isaiah 40-55 with Special Reference to the Creation Theme,” in the OTSEM conference in Helsinki, organized by the Old Testament Studies: Epistemologies and Methods (OTSEM: A Nordic-German Network for Old Testament Studies), held at the University of Helsinki, 9 September, 2017.
7. Presented a paper entitled “Christian Missions and Social Media – Digital/Social Missionaries” a paper presented in the seminar on “Training on Cyber Mission,” jointly organized by World Association for Christian Communication (WACC), National Council of Churches in India (NCCI), Tamilnadu Christian Council (TNCC), United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India (UELCI), India Missions Association (IMA) and Christian Service Agency (CSA), at the Friends Missionary Prayer Band Campus, Chennai, on 23 March, 2017.
8. Presented a paper entitled “The Structure and Formation of Second Isaiah with Special Reference to Creation Thought,” a part of the doctoral research work presented at ‘Research Forum For Methodist Doctoral Students in Europe,’ jointly organized by Reutlingen School of Theology (RST), Methodist Global Education Fund for Leadership Development-Europe and Central Conference Theological Fund, held at RST, Reutlingen, Germany, during 30 June – 1 July, 2017.
9. Presented a part of the doctoral research entitled “A Literature Review on the Theme Creation in the Old Testament with Special Reference to Deutero-Isaiah,” in the “Study Visit to the Ecumenical Institute: Encounter with Doctoral Students,” held at the Ecumenical Institute, Bossey, Switzerland, during 28 – 31 May 2016.
10. Presented a short paper entitled “Reformation and Mission ausindischerPerspektive,” in the seminar Reformation and Mission – Themenjahr Reformation und die Eine Welt, organized by the EvangelischesBildungswerk und KirchenkreisAmmerland, Germany, on 15 April 2016.
11. An exegetical paper presented entitled “Creation in Deutero-Isaiah: An Exegesis on Isaiah 45:18-25,” at the HAKnet seminar, held at Aarhus University, on 23 January 2016.
12. Presented a short paper in German entitled “Mission, Ökumene und interreligiöser Dialog – Prespektiven aus Indien,” in the seminar organized by the Kirchenkreis Nienburg under the theme Kirche im Dialog: Mission, Ökumene und interreligiöser Dialog, during 11-13 November 2014.
13. “Sexuality in Indian History”, a paper presented at Daring to Study Scriptures Publicly and Sensually: A Bible Study Workshop organized by the Commission on Justice, Peace and Creation of the National Council of Churches in India, held at Chennai, during 4-5 February 2011.