home

As part of this special issue dedicated to the theological legacy of Dr. Felix Wilfred, this Cover Story by Fr. Binny Mary Das explores his vision of theology as a transformative quest for truth.

Theology, as we know, cannot be disengaged from involvement in world affairs and left in a realm of theory. Its role is not simply that of interpreting the world, but of transforming it in response to God’s initiatives in setting up the Kingdom which has already been inaugurated in this life. If so, Dr Felix Wilfred was a champion of ‘Theology as Transformation’, a theological method which is aimed at personal and social transformations. If ‘quest for truth’ is an integral activity, then in his writings, theology becomes a tool for the quest for truth since his writings embrace an integral vision of transformation. His ‘quest for truth framework’ was not only a personal spiritual journey but also a communal and interfaith process.

1. Lighthouse of ‘Transformative Theology’

Dr. Felix Wilfred was a source of profound theological insights and his scholarly contributions have a transformative impact on the global theological landscape. With his universalistic outlook he explored areas of faith and Christian life with an inclusive mindset, nurtured by open-ended practices and discourses. In short, he is one of the outstanding theologians who emerged in Indian Christianity to mould a theological approach that has the taste of a transformative quest for truth.

Fr Binny Mary Das

To read the entire article, click Subscribe

Felix Wilfred reshaped Indian Christian theology, challenging complacency and urging deeper social engagement. This cover story explores his enduring influence, highlighting his call for critical faith, justice, and a Church rooted in real-world concerns.

I came to know Felix when he was transitioning from a seminary professor to a university professor. The chair in Christian Studies (later Department) in the University of Madras was an initiative of the farsighted clergy of the Archdiocese of Madras Mylapore. The initiative of Fr Dr Thomas George, the first director and head, paved the way for the emergence of Dr Felix Wilfred as a secular theologian. He dared to engage with secular thinking and ideological developments within the departments at the university. The Headship of the Department and that of the School of Religion and Philosophy that came to him became all the more positions from which he succeeded to give visibility to Christian Studies and Scripture, Theology and Philosophy. His career provided a pivotal position in creating a dialogue within the churches. The thinking within the Church and its traditional concerns came face to face with an emerging openness toward the secular world and ideologies, recognizing their unique contributions. He showed the way and provided an impetus to engage with social sciences. His life trajectory was a tightrope walking: on the one hand, making religious studies, especially Christian studies, palatable within a secular ambient, and on the other, challenging Christian thinking to be drawn outwards and as willing to engage with secular sciences in search of contemporary relevance.

Fr George Thadathil SDB

To read the entire article, click Subscribe

In this Cover Story, Dr. Kochurani Abraham delves into Felix Wilfred’s bold vision of Her—the Divine who unsettles, disrupts, and journeys with the marginalized. A compelling read on a thinker who never settled for easy answers.

The passing away of Felix Wilfred at a most unexpected moment raised many unsettling questions: How could this happen so suddenly when he seemed to be enjoying robust health? Why did he go so soon when he could have contributed so much more to liberative theology from Asia? What can we do to make sense of this mystery of life and death, which are so deeply entwined beneath the surface and could manifest at any moment?

To many who are activists or researchers, it could be very disconcerting that the strong prophetic voice of Felix that challenged them constantly – to push the boundaries of theological knowledge making by listening to particular contexts – has stopped all of a sudden.   And still unsettling is the vacuum left by his absence to many for whom Felix Wilfred was a guide, a mentor, a colleague and a friend, as it has left a void that cannot be easily filled.

DR KOCHURANI ABRAHAM

To read the entire article, click Subscribe

Felix Wilfred compels us to hear those silenced, see faith as liberation, and reimagine the Church as an ally in the struggle against caste oppression. Cover story 4 unpacks this urgent call to action.

As a relentless seeker of knowledge, Felix Wilfred attempted to redraw boundaries, create new knowledge, and looked for transformative dimensions, manifesting a dynamic understanding of knowledge, which crosses borders irresistibly to be anchored on reality. Being a proponent of contextual theology, Felix theologised in a unique manner reflecting upon contemporary realities. One such reality is the ‘Dalit reality’. In a world deeply marred by injustice, exclusion, and inequality, Dr. Felix’s contributions to Dalit theology stand as a ray of hope and a profound call to action. Rooted in a passionate commitment to justice and human dignity, His work reshapes the very foundations of theological discourse by centering the voices of the oppressed.

Centering the Voices of the Oppressed

One of the most compelling features of Felix’s Dalit theology is its focus on the voices of the oppressed. In a theological tradition often dominated by the voices of the powerful, Felix’s work sought to amplify the experiences and perspectives of those who have been silenced for centuries. He believed that the Gospel message is best understood when it is seen through the eyes of the marginalized.

Fr Jayaseelan Savariarpitchai SDB

To read the entire article, click Subscribe

On this Women’s Day, we honour Fr. Felix Wilfred’s prophetic legacy—his unwavering commitment to justice, equality, and dignity. Cover Story 5 calls us to carry forward his vision for a world where the woman and the girl enjoys freedom and is empowered.

The sudden passing of Fr. Felix Wilfred is a great loss to the Church and the cause of justice, equality, and women’s dignity. Though I never knew him personally, I saw him at symposiums and was struck by his rare blend of profound knowledge and simplicity. As Missiology students, we were to attend his class at St. Peter’s Pontifical Institute, but his sudden demise left us shocked. A prophetic voice for the marginalized, he continues to inspire, making this Women’s Day a fitting occasion to honour his vision for a just and equitable world.

Fr. Felix Wilfred: A Visionary for Justice

Through his writings and teachings, Fr. Wilfred consistently called for a deeper understanding of theologizing, one that transcends abstract ideas and is firmly rooted in the lived experiences of the marginalized. His works, such as Margins: Site of Asian Theologies and For a Socially Engaged Faith (2024), emphasized the importance of engaging with the ground realities faced by women, Dalits, and the impoverished people. His theology was shaped by the struggles of those at the periphery victims of any society.

SR AMALA SAT

To read the entire article, click Subscribe

Felix Wilfred’s cosmo-centric vision calls for a world where people and nature thrive together. This cover story explores how his inter-religious eco-theology inspires hope and transformation.

A UN report states that nearly 32 million people got displaced due to climate-related hazards in 2022, which represents a 41 per cent increase compared to 2008. Apart from displacements caused directly from extreme weather, climate is called a ‘threat multiplier.’ It magnifies the impact of other factors that contribute to displacement such as poverty, loss of livelihoods, and tensions relating to dwindling resources, and finally creating environment that will lead to conflict and displacements. These staggering figures represent the prime victims of humanity’s actions toward the earth.

Fr. Felix Wilfred, in an interview, spoke of two fundamental options that had shaped his life. First, his commitment to the cause of the poor and the marginalized and the second, his concern for plurality and diversity. His thoughts, theologies and proposals had always been viewed through these lenses. To address the ecological crisis, he called for a deeper listening to the cries of the victims, both the poor and the earth. He urged us to review our foundational views and approaches towards nature and humanity, and proposed a people-centred and nature-flourishing theology and praxis.

Fr Ricopar Royan SDB

To read the entire article, click Subscribe

This cover story, the 7th in this issue, honours Prof. Felix Wilfred’s profound contributions to contextual and public theology in India and beyond.

Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrao, President of the Federation of Catholic Bishops’ Conferences of Asia (FABC) and the Indian Bishops’ Conference, paid tribute to Prof. Felix Wilfred, stating, “Prof. Felix’s life was a testament to his extraordinary dedication to theological scholarship, interreligious dialogue, and the promotion of justice and harmony.” Prof. Felix Wilfred, who entered eternal life on 7th January 2025, was one of the most renowned Asian theologians of our time, recognized globally and nationally. His “profound insights, scholarly rigour and compassionate pastoral approach” have “inspired theologians, clergy and laypersons worldwide” (Cardinal Filipe). This essay offers an overview of his idea of ‘public theology as contextual theology’ one of his favourite topics found in his recent writings.

Felix Wilfred: A Theologian’s Life

As a 17-year-old seminarian witnessing the concluding sessions of the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s, Prof. Felix Wilfred deeply imbibed its spirit of openness to diverse cultures and religions. This formative experience shaped his journey as a contextual theologian, leading him to become a professor at St. Paul’s Seminary, Trichy, in 1978.

Responding to the Council’s call to read the signs of the times, he engaged deeply with India and Asia’s socio-cultural realities. His extensive study of sociology and history gave him profound insight into poverty, patriarchy, caste discrimination, and other injustices while also attuning him to India’s rich philosophical and religious traditions.

His theological work evolved over decades—from addressing poverty, inculturation, and the people’s church in the 1980s to tackling caste, Dalit issues, religious violence, and fundamentalism in the 1990s. In the 2000s, he focused on globalization, minorities, and subalternity, later moving toward public theology and multidisciplinary inquiries into Asian Catholicism.

Fr James Ponniah

To read the entire article, click Subscribe

“Giving, receiving and even witnessing gratitude can improve your well-being.” says Christina Caron in an article on the benefits of gratitude in the “New York Times.” In recent times there have been many studies on gratitude and research shows that it has many benefits for our life.

1. What is Gratitude?

            Robert A. Emmons who has done much research on gratitude says that gratitude is a two-step process: i) acknowledging that one has obtained something good is one’s life and ii) recognizing that the source or sources of this goodness are at least partly outside oneself.  The sources of this goodness could be other people, animals, nature, and/or God.  The American Psychological Association (APA Dictionary of Psychology) describes gratitude as “a sense of thankfulness and happiness in response to receiving a gift, either a tangible benefit (e.g., a present, favor) given by someone or a fortunate happenstance (e.g., a beautiful day).” Gratitude involves the intellect, will and emotions.  We recognise (intellectually), we acknowledge (willingly) and we appreciate (emotionally).  “Only when all three come together is gratitude complete.”  Gratitude implies humility – an acknowledgement that we are what we are or where we are because of the contributions of others.

Jose Kuttianimattathil, sdb

To read the entire article, click Subscribe

The fifth element in the Wholeness Paradigm is the Moral Dimension, an essential facet of an individual’s holistic personality. This will be the point of discussion in this and forthcoming issues, wherein we shall try to decipher the all-important role of moral dimension in the holistic growth of each of us.

In the developmental psychology course that I teach at the Salesian Pontifical University, Rome, one of the chapters we study is the moral development of a person. At the start of the class, the students were asked to list all the words that came to mind related to the moral dimension of a person. They came up with the following: honesty, justice, authenticity, responsibility, courage, service, accountability, virtue, purpose, consistency and stewardship. To these I added my own list, which were, conscience, integrity, honour, ethicality and humility. Indeed, each of these words, and a few other words as well, would indicate the different contours of the moral dimension. In fact, we finished the first hour of our lessons learning the definition given by the American Psychological Association (APA): “It is the gradual and progressive development of an individual’s understanding, grasping of the wrong and right principles, conscious, ethical and religious values, social attitudes and their behaviours.”

Fr. Dr. Joseph Jeyaraj, sdb

To read the entire article, click Subscribe

On May 24, 2025, we will mark the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si’, the first papal document dedicated entirely to ecology. An encyclical refers to a letter circulated by the Pope, with Laudato Si’ being one of the seventeen encyclicals describing Catholic Social Teaching.

Although Pope Francis signed the encyclical Lumen Fidei less than four months after his election, the document was primarily authored by his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI. Consequently, Laudato Si’ is regarded as the first encyclical fully written by Pope Francis.

Typically, papal documents are directed towards either the bishops of the Church or the laity. However, akin to Pope Saint John XXIII’s Pacem in Terris, Pope Francis directs his message to a broader audience encompassing every human being irrespective of religion or denomination.

In a groundbreaking departure from tradition, Pope Francis wrote Laudato Si’ in Italian rather than Latin, the customary language for magisterial documents of the Church primarily to reach a wider audience for pastoral reasons.

ST FRANCIS’ ECOLOGICAL VISION 

Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’ derives its title from Saint Francis’ Canticle of the Creatures which begins with the phrase, “Praise be to you, my Lord”.

Br Sunil Britto CFC

To read the entire article, click Subscribe