Faculty Pool
Dr Balu Savarikannu
Faculty of Old Testament and Coordinator
of Research and Development
Hindustan Bible Institute and College
Chennai, India
Education:
- Ph.D. in Old Testament, Asia Graduate School of Theology, Manila, Philippines, 2019
- M.Th. in Old Testament, South Asian Institute of Advanced Christian Studies, Bangalore, India, 2012
- M.A. in Theological Studies, South Asia Institute of Advanced Christian Studies, Bangalore, India, 2009
- B.Th., Bethel Bible Institute, Danishpet, Tamilnadu, India, 2006
Bio
Dr Balu Savarikannu teaches Old Testament and supervises students for their master’s thesis at the Hindustan Bible Institute, Chennai since 2012. He has published a number of articles on Biblical Laments and Prophets. He has been a visiting scholar at the Tyndale House, London, UK and Asbury Theological Seminary, Kentucky, USA and delivered lectures in Philippines, Malaysia, and Nepal. He was a cross-cultural missionary in Bihar, and he spent his early days as a school teacher.
Dr Balu is married to Margaret and they have two sons. Margaret is currently pursuing her PhD in theology at the Asia Graduate School of Theology, Manila, Philippines.
Dr Immanuel Ebenezar
Guest Lecturer
Department of Christian Studies
University of Madras
Chennai, India
Education:
- Ph.D. in Christian Studies, University of Madras, Chennai, India 2019
- M.Phil. in Christian Studies, University of Madras, Chennai, India 2004
- M.A. in Christian Studies, University of Madras, Chennai, India 2003
- B.Th., Senate of Serampore College, Serampore, India 1999
Bio
Dr Immanuel Ebenezar, since 2011, teaches subjects relating to Christian Studies & Christian Scripture at the Department of Christian Studies, University of Madras, Chennai, earlier as a UGC Project Fellow, Teaching cum Research Fellow and now as a Guest Lecturer. He comes with a wide range of experience. He was IASACT fellow. He has worked as Lecturer in Southern Asia Christian College, Chennai. He also served as an editorial assistant for the International Missiological journal – Dharma Deepika and for the publication of the Oxford Encyclopaedia of South Asian Christianity. He has published several articles in international journals, contributed book chapters, and authored study materials for MA/BA in Christian Studies offered by the Institute of Distance Education, University of Madras. He has presented a number of papers at international and national seminars on Pentecostalism, lived religion, folk religion, and inter-religious exchange among people of various religious traditions as ethnographer. Now he also serves as a Lay Pastor in an AG church in Chennai.
Dr Ebenezar is married to Ms. Suriya, Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, Queen Mary’s College, Chennai.
Dr. Joshua Iyadurai
Founder and Director
MCISR and THEOn
Online Faculty,
University of Roehampton, London
Education:
- Ph.D. in Christian Studies, University of Madras, Chennai, India, 2008
- M.Phil. in Christian Studies, University of Madras, Chennai, India, 2002
- M.A. in Philosophy and Religion, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, India, 1999
- B.D. Union Biblical Seminary, Pune, India, 1996
- B.Th., Union Biblical Seminary, Pune, India, 1990
Bio
Dr Joshua Iyadurai is the Founder and Director of Marina Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies in Religion and THEOn [Theology Online]. He teaches theology online at the University of Roehampton, London. He serves as a Guest Faculty at the Department of Christian Studies, University of Madras, Chennai. He is a Visiting Professor at the Department of Advanced Theological Studies, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Science (SHUATS), Allahabad; and South Asia Institute of Advanced Christian Studies (SAIACS), Bangalore. He has published several articles in international journals and authored a book on religious conversion titled, Transformative Religious Experience: A Phenomenological Understanding of Religious Conversion. He is currently working on a book, Social Research Methods for Theology and Religious Studies.
He lives in Chennai with his wife, Hema and three grown-up daughters.
Dr Thomas John
Vice Principal & HoD of Pastoral Theology and Counselling,
MITS, Nagpur, India.
Education
- D.Th. in Spiritual Theology/Counseling, St. Peters Pontifical Institute, Bangalore, India, 2014
- M.Th. in Spiritual Theology/Counseling, St. Peters Pontifical Institute, Bangalore, India, 2010
- M.Th. in Pastoral Theology and Counseling, South Asian Institute of Advanced Christian Studies, Bangalore, India, 2008
- B.D., United Theological College, Bangalore, India, 1993
- B.Th., Union Biblical Seminary, Pune, India, 1990
Bio
Dr Thomas John, as a visiting faculty, has been teaching
courses on counseling, pastoral theology, spirituality, and other courses
beyond his specialization at various seminaries in India. He has published
several articles on spirituality. Dr Thomas John comes with rich ministry
experience at the grassroots level; he has served with Operation Mobilization,
Youth for Christ, and Young Men Christian Association.
Dr Vikas Anand Ram
Associate Director – Field Training,
SAIACS, Bangalore, India
Education:
- Ph.D. in Missions, South Asian Institute of Advanced Christian Studies, Bangalore, India, 2020
- M.A. in Sociology, Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu, India, 2007
- M.Th. in New Testament, South Asian Institute of Advanced Christian Studies, Bangalore, India, 2005
- M.A. in Christianity, South Asia Institute of Advanced Christian Studies, Bangalore, India, 2003
- B.Sc., Bundelkhand University, Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, India, 1999
Bio
Dr Vikas Anand Ram teaches subjects relating to Mission and develops training programmes for grassroots leaders at the South Asian Institute of Advanced Christian Studies, Bangalore, India. He comes with a wide range of experience as administrator, researcher, pastor, and coordinator for a project on capacity building. He has authored a book on discipleship, and also published book chapter/article.
Dr Vikas is married to Ioana and they have a son, Samuel.