Ryder Devapriam
| Bishop B. R. Devapriam CSI | |
|---|---|
| CSI-Bishop – in – Nandyal | |
| Native name | మహ గనుడు రైడర్ దేవప్రియం అయ్యాగారు |
| Church |
Protestant Church of South India (comprising Wesleyan Methodist, Congregational and Anglican missionary societies - SPG, WMMS, LMS, CMS, and the Church of England) |
| Diocese | Nandyal |
| See | CSI-Holy Cross Cathedral, Nandyal |
| Elected | 1985[1] |
| In office | 25 August 1985 – 4 September 1992[2] |
| Predecessor | P. John |
| Successor | G. T. Abraham |
| Orders | |
| Consecration |
1985, CSI-Holy Cross Cathedral, Nandyal by The Most Reverend I. Jesudasan, Moderator, The Right Reverend Sundar Clarke, Deputy Moderator[1] |
| Rank | Bishop |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Bird Ryder Devapriam |
| Born |
July 3, 1931 Andhra Pradesh |
| Died |
September 4, 1992 (aged 61)[1] Germany |
| Buried | Nandyal |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Denomination | Christianity |
| Occupation | Priesthood |
| Previous post |
Pastor, Diocese of Nandyal, Church of South India (1956-1982) Teacher, Andhra Christian Theological College, Rajahmundry/Hyderabad |
| Education | B.Ed., B.D., M.A., S.T.M., (Th.D.) |
| Alma mater | Madras University, Chennai, Bishop's College, Kolkata, Nagpur University, Nagpur, McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago, General Theological Seminary, New York City |
Ryder Devapriam[3] (Bird Ryder Devapriam) was Bishop - in - Nandyal.[4][5] He once taught[6] at the Andhra Christian Theological College,[7] Hyderabad.
Studies
Devapriam studied theology (B. D.) at the Bishops College,[1] Kolkata under Emani Sambayya.
He also underwent further studies in the United States[1] on a World Council of Churches scholarship in 1975[7] enrolling at the General Theological Seminary,[8] New York City.
Ministry
In 1985,[9] Devapriam was consecrated as Bishop by the Moderator Isaiah Jesudason and Deputy Moderator Sundar Clarke at the CSI-Holy Cross Cathedral in Nandyal.
Devapriam was elected as the Moderator of the Church of South India Synod held in 1988 at the XXIII session held in the Diocese of Tirunelveli at Palayamkottai.
During Devapriam's bishopric he attended[10] the twelfth Lambeth Conference in 1988 presided by Robert Runcie, the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Death and Reminisce
Death
Devapriam died suddenly on 4 September 1992[2] during an overseas sojourn to Germany and within a day he was brought back to India to Hyderabad and then taken by road to Nandyal where he was buried. Then Prime Minister, P. V. Narasimha Rao who contested the by-election in 1991 from the Nandyal parliamentary constituency was instrumental in the quick passage of the body of Devapriam from Germany to India.[11]
At the funeral ceremony held at Nandyal, the Church of South India through its Bishops from the various Dioceses were present including Victor Premasagar, C. D. Jathanna, Samuel Amirtham, D. P. Shettian, N. D. Anandarao Samuel, S. J. Theodore, B. P. Sugandhar, G. Dyvasirvadam and others.[11]
The Andhra Christian Theological College where Ryder Devapriam had been a Teacher was also represented by the members of its faculty.[11]
Reminisce
Talathoti Punnaiah who studied a 3-year theology course leading to Bachelor of Theology at the Andhra Christian Theological College, both at Rajahmundry and at Hyderabad from 1970-1973 recalls his association with Ryder Devapriam,
Ryder Devapriam was our English Teacher. He was well educated and had rich experience in administration. He visited me twice in Madras, once before going to the United States of America in 1974 and after returning in 1981. He was more than a teacher to me. I am so grateful for his moral support and love. I was invited to attend his consecration as Bishop in Nandyal. He later became Moderator of the Church of South India.[6]
References
- Notes
- 1 2 3 4 5 K. M. George, Church of South India: life in union, 1947-1997, Jointly published by Indian Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge and Christava Sahitya Samithi, Tiruvalla, 1999.
- 1 2 Diocese of Nandyal
- ↑ The Church of England Yearbook, Volumes 108-111, Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, Great Britain, 1992, p.256.
- ↑ Geoffrey Wainwright, Lesslie Newbigin: a theological life, Oxford University Press, 2000. p. 439.
- ↑ Constance M. Millington, An ecumenical venture: the history of Nandyal diocese in Andhra Pradesh, 1947-1990, Issue 214 of ATC publication, Asian Trading Corporation, Bengaluru, 1993.
- 1 2 Talathoti Punnaiah, My Memoir, Ministry and Message: (60 years Life Experiences 1950-2010), Kakinada, 2010, p.23.
- 1 2 World Council of Churches - Theological Education Fund Archive
- ↑ The Episcopal Church Annual, Morehouse-Barlow, 1976, p.30.
- ↑ The National Christian Council Review, Volume 105, 1985, p.645.
- ↑ The truth shall make you free: the Lambeth Conference 1988 : the reports, resolutions & pastoral letters from the bishops, Church House Publishing, 1988, p.261.
- 1 2 3 National Council of Churches Review, Volume 112, 1992, pp.774-775.
- Further reading
- Thompson, A. Frank (1997). "The Bairagi Madonna: Leaves from a Calcutta Notebook, Indian Society for Promotion of Christian Knowledge (ISPCK), New Delhi ISBN 81-7214-372-9.".
- K. M. George (1999). "Church of South India: life in union, 1947-1997".
- Constance M. Millington (1993). "An ecumenical venture: the history of Nandyal diocese in Andhra Pradesh, 1947-1990" (214 of ATC publication).
| Religious titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by P. John |
Bishop in Nandyal 25 August 1985 – 4 September 1992 |
Succeeded by G. T. Abraham |
| Preceded by Victor Premasagar |
Moderator Church of South India March 1992 – 4 September 1992 |
Succeeded by Vasanth P. Dandin |