REV. DR. GIRI KRISHNAN

Professor and Head of the Department
B.A., M.A., B.D., M.Th., D.Th., (Senate of Serampore College [University] – NIIPGTS)
Church Affiliation: Assemblies of God in India
Contact Number: +919496101334
Email: girikgltc@gmail.com

Biography:

REV. DR. GIRI KRISHNAN hails from Kerala and is an ordained minister of the Assemblies of God Church in India. He is serving as the Professor and Head of the Department of Religions at GLTC. He did his B.D. studies at Union Biblical Seminary, Pune, M.Th. from Serampore College and and D.Th. from Bishop’s College, Kolkata, which are affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College [University]. Formerly he served as the Principal of Kerala Theological Seminary, Kottarakara, Kerala. He also served as teaching faculty at Union Biblical Seminary, Serampore College, North India Institute of Post-Graduate Theological Studies – NIIPGTS, Gospel For Asia Biblical Seminary (GFABS), Tiruvalla, Kerala and at Mennonite Brethren Centenary Bible College (MBCBC), Shamshabad, Telangana. Prior to his full-time teaching ministry, he engaged in Pastoral Ministry with Assemblies of God in India (Kerala) and served as the Student Counsellor with Inter Collegiate Prayer Fellowship in Gujarat.

Research Interests:

Advaita Vedānta, interreligious hermeneutics, interfaith relations and dialogue; caste and religious identities, ecological and gender justice in religion, Hindutva and cultural nationalism, postcolonial theory and critical methodologies in the study of religion.

Publications

Books:

Śabda Pramāṇa and Indian Biblical Hermeneutics: An Inter-Cultural Dialogue. New Delhi: Christian World Imprints, 2015.

Brahmajijñāsā of Śaṅkara as Theology: A Postcolonial Appraisal. Kolkata: Punthi Pustak, 2013.

Chapters, Essays and Articles in Books & Journals:

  1. “Study of Religion in Indian Philosophical Context and Significance of Perspectival Approaches.” In  Methodological Issues in Theological Research Vol. 7. Edited by Aswathy John. Serampore: SATHRI/BTESSC,25. [Soon to be published]
  2. “Hegemonic Religious Rhetoric: The interface of sacred symbols and politics in India.” SATHRI Journal  (2025). [forthcoming issue]
  3. “Significance of Tādātmya Relation towards a Relevant Symbiotic Ecosophy,” Gurukul Journal of Theological Studies 31/1 (March 2025): [Soon to be Released]
  4. “Poverty, Politics and Renascent Hinduism: The Role of Religion in Combating Poverty in India,” In Poverty and Politics: Intersectional Theological Discourse, Chennai/Delhi: Gurukul/CWI, 2025 (Soon to be Published)
  5. “Integral Humanism, Cultural Nationalism and Indian Christian Identity,” Gurukul Journal of  Theological Studies 30/1 (March 2024): 53-69.
  6. “Socio-Religious Movements of Hinduism” – Part I (Chapter 2): “Brahmo Samaj,” “Arya Samaj,” and “Ramakrishna Mission.” In Modern Religious and Secular Movements in India. Ed. by Swami Raju. Serampore: Senate of Serampore College, 2023, 44-90.
  7. “Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan,” in Modern Religious and Secular Movements in India. Serampore: Senate of Serampore College, 2023, 149-169.
  8. “Towards Decolonizing ‘Islamophobia’ in Global and Indian Context,” Gurukul Journal of Theological  Studies 29/1 (March 2023): 68-79.
  9. “Methodological Issues, Postcolonial Critical Tools and Liberative Perspectives in the Study of Religion” In Methodological Issues in Theological Research Vol. 5. Edited by Limatula Longkumer. Serampore: SATHRI/BTESSC, 2022, 214-250.
  10. “Yoga and Emotional Wellbeing: Trajectories of Yoga Practice from Ethnic to Global Phenomena in View of Network Hermeneutics.” In Emotional Wellbeing. Edited by Songram Basumatary and Wilson Paluri. Chennai: Gurukul Publication, 2022, 102-120.
  11. “Satkāryavāda and Tādātmya Relation: Quest on Creation in Advaitic View,” Gurukul Journal of Theological Studies 28/1 (March 2022): 40-54.
  12. “Hindu Perspectives of Care, Healing and Human Well-being.” In Care, Healing and Human Well-being  in Inter-religious Discourses. Edited by Helmut Weiss (et al.). African Sun Media/SIPCC, 2021, 181-197.
  13. “Religion as ‘Social Determinant’: An Exploration of the Responses of Faith Communities to Pandemics.”in Faith and Pandemic: Covid-19 in Perspectives Towards Theo-Pandemology. Edited by Songram Basumatary and Wilson Paluri. Chennai: Gurukul Publication, 2021, 132-145.
  14. “Care for Seniors during Corona Pandemic.” New Life Theological Journal 11/1&2 (Jan.-Dec. 2021): 89-99.
  15. “Religious Rhetoric and the Dance of Pseudo-Democracy: In Search of Metonymic Gap.” Gurukul Journal of Theological Studies 27/1 (March 2021): 75-92.
  16. “Vānaprastha-Sannyāsa Schemes of Life as Gerotranscendence: An Appraisal of a Hindu Perspective of Ageing.” In Ageing: Perspectival Explorations towards Theo-gerontology. Edited by Songram Basumatary. Chennai: Gurukul Publication, 2020, 125-     139.
  17. “The Dynamic Status of Women in Hindu Tradition: Re-reading of the Narratives of Women from Hindu Scriptures.” UBS Journal 14/1 March 2020): 53-70.
  18. “Serampore Mission and Indian Religions: Approach of Missionaries to Religious Practices, Caste and Conversion.” In Serampore Mission: Perspectives in Contexts. Edited by Johnson Thomaskutty. New Delhi: ISPCK, 2019, 230-239.
  19. “Woman’s Role and Participation in Contemporary Hindu Religious Movements in the Context of ‘Gender Socialization’.” In Religion and Women: Pilgrims in search of Justice and Equity. Aizawl: Lengchhawn Offset, 2018, 54-77.
  20. “Overcoming Violence and Pursuing Justice: An Interreligious Perspective.”  UBS Journal 11/2 (September 2018): 53-68.
  21. “Darśana: Philosophy or Theology?” Kerala Theological Journal 9 (September 2017): 25-40
  22. “Yoga, Ghar Wapsi and Beef Politics: Dance of Pseudo-Democracy in India.” Bethany Journal of Theology 8/1 (April 2016): 9-30.
  23. “Cow-Beef Politics: A Communalist Issue in India.” Conviction 3/2 (July-December 2015): 5-15.
  24. “Religious Conversion: A Convert’s View.” Ebenezer Theological Journal 4/1&2 (July 2015): 29-46.
  25. “Ghar Wapsi and Christian Response.” Kerala Theological Journal 7 (February 2015): 21-29.
  26. “Dhirendra Mohan Datta’s Contribution to an Indian Philosophical Approach to the Study of Religion.” Indian Journal of Theology 56/2 (2014): 90-103.
  27. “Communal Riots in India: An Exploration of its Roots.” Indian Journal of Theology 55/1 (2013): 15-22.
  28. “Binary of Darśana in Postcolonial Thought: A Quest after the Philosophy/Theology Debate.” In William Carey and National Harmony. Edited by Pratap Chandra Gine and Ratna Dutta. Serampore: Serampore College, 2012, 58-79.
  29. “Hermeneutical Relevance of Postcolonial Theory.” Kerala Theological Journal 4/1 (Feb. 2012): 39-54.
  30. “Conversion: An Issue for Allegation? – A Convert’s Perspective.” NCCI Review CXXIX/2 (February, 2009): 65-81; “Is Conversion an Issue?” Light of Life 51/3 (March 2009): 21-27.
  31. “A Critical Study of the Teachings of the Five Popular Gurus/Mata Traditions in Contemporary Indian    Society.” SATHRI Journal 2/2 (December, 2008): 24-98.

Unpublished Research Papers:

    1. Discovering the Dynamic Status of Women in Hindu Tradition: Re-reading of the Narratives of Hindu Women towards Gender Justice, Faculty Seminar at Union Biblical Seminary, Pune on 14th January 2020.
    2. From Religiosity to Atrocity: A Historical Overview of the Evolution of Hindu Religious Tradition, One Day Seminar on Indian Religions for Administrative Staff at Mukti Mission, Maharashtra on 8thDecember, 2018.
    3. Serampore Mission and Indian Religions: Approach of Missionaries to Religious Practices, Caste and Conversion, at Center for Mission Studies (CMS) Consultation on ‘Serampore Mission: Perspective in Context’, at Union Biblical Seminary, Pune, India on 2nd November 2018.
    4. Religion, Violence and Pursuit of Peace: An Interreligious Perspective, Faculty Seminar at Kerala Theological Seminary, Kottarakara on 21st September 2017.
    5. Overcoming Violence: Interreligious Perspective, Seminar on “Overcoming Violence and Pursuing Justice: A Christian Engagement for Change” at Union Biblical Seminary, Pune on 20th November 2016.
    6. Methodological Issue in Religious Studies, seminar on ‘Research Methodology’ for the Doctoral students at United Theological College, Bangalore on 28th May 2016.
    7. Cow – Beef Politics: A Communalist Issue in India, Seminar at Bethany Bible College, Trivandrum on 21st October 2015.
    8. Ghar Wapsi and Christian Response, presented in a Faculty Seminar at Kerala Theological Seminary, Kottarakara on 30th July 2015.
    9. Communal Riots in India: An Exploration of Its Roots seminar on ‘Current Issues in Indian Religion and Culture’ at SCEPTRE on 31st August 2012