Joseph's academic regimen as a Seminarian in established portals of learning, both in India and the United States shaped his thinking. His contribution, in particular to Church history in the Telugu states and to the field of Telugu literature, has marked him out as a major contributor enriching the history of Telugu people. A content analysis of the writings of Joseph reveals his voracious readership and an ability to quote from a variety of readings.
In Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature,[6] published in 1987 by Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters dedicated to the promotion of literature in the languages of India, the contribution of R. Joseph to the field of Telugu Christian Literature in the modern times has been acknowledged. Incidentally, it was Joseph who took the onus to compile an exhaustive bibliography[7] of original Christian writings in Telugu language in the eighties[7] during the tenure of D. S. Satyaranjan, IPC at the Senate of Serampore College (University) in the post-Vatican context. This bibliography[8] became a ready source of reference for Theologians and those with academic interest to peruse material on Telugu Christian Literature.
With special reference to the American Baptist Churches in Telugu states, Joseph's postgraduate thesis of 1973 was published in 2003 under the title, A History of the Telugu Baptist Churches: American Baptist Telugu Mission.
The influence of the Bhakti Movement had touched Christian writings and lyrics. R. Joseph had researched on the lyrics of Puroshottam Choudhary . In 2011, James Elisha Taneti in History of the Telugu Christians: A Bibliography published by Scarecrow, Plymouth[9] writes that Ravela Joseph book on the life of Puroshottam Choudhary had been to analyse his contribution as an early Indian Christian to Christology.
As a member of the fully-ecumenical, Fellowship of Telugu Churches, Joseph had been an active[10] contributor to the unity of the Churches in the Telugu states.[11] In 2016, Joseph's paper on Promoting unity of the body of Christ evoked an action-based response from the participants. Joseph's participation in ecumenical gatherings brought him into direct contact with Catholic prelates, Anthony Poola, Addagatla Chinna Innayya, Mallavarapu Prakash, Doraboina Moses Prakasam, Gali Bali and others.
———; Suneel Bhanu, Busi (1993). Bibliography of Original Christian Writings in India in Telugu.[7]
——— (1993). "Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches: A Brief History and Baptist Doctrinal Distinctives". In Toews, Paul (ed.). Mennonites and Baptists: A Continuing Conversation. Kindred Press. pp. 133–140.
2003-2012
——— (2003). A History of the Telugu Baptist Churches (American Baptist Mission).[13]
——— (2004). Bhakti Theology of Puroshottam Choudhary.[14]
——— (2013). Christian Theology (in Telugu). Hyderabad: GS Media. ISBN978-9385080197.[1]
——— (2016). "Unity of the Body of Christ" (Document). Hyderabad: Fellowship of Telugu Churches.[15]
——— (2017). Fr. Martin Luther, OSA – The Church Reformer (in Telugu). Hyderabad: GS Media. ISBN978-9385194979.
——— (2020). Towards the Reform of Telugu Churches: Some Propositions and Proposals. Hyderabad: Fellowship of Telugu Churches.
Reminiscences
Rev. Talathoti Punnaiah, STBC who underwent a 1-year spirituality course in 1969 at the Ramayapatnam Baptist Theological Seminary at Ramayapatnam as an Aspirant to discern his avocation towards religious life writes that,
Ravela Joseph was the youngest among the Teachers at the Ramayapatnam Seminary and was teaching Church history. He used to love playing football. Later he did his S.T.M. in the United States of America and then M. Th. He later became the President of the Seminary and Professor at the Andhra Christian Theological College. Joseph is a good writer, singer and composer.[16]
the scholarship and writings of Ravela Joseph is not limited to theology alone. His research in Church History has yielded many fruits in the form of books on the history of the Early Church, Telugu Baptist Church, Martin Luther's Reformation, etc. He is also a well-known poet, essayist and playwright in Telugu.
Paul D. Wiebe, Department of Sociology and the Center for Asian Studies at the University of Illinois,
Ravela Joseph, a philosopher, poet and Professor Emeritus at Andhra Christian Theological College, Hyderabad, assisted me in the
collection of the data in relation to which my PhD thesis was written and remain close friend.
During the 1950s Joseph pursued a Pre-university course at AELC-Andhra Christian College, Guntur. He then underwent a Teacher-training course and became a Teacher at a government-run school. Following his call towards spirituality, he discerned his vocation and took to theology, enrolling at a major seminary in Ramayapatnam. In 1985, Joseph enrolled at the State-run Osmania University from where he studied Master of Arts.[1]
Soon after R. Joseph completed his licentiate, he began teaching at his Alma mater. He also upgraded his studies to earn a B. D. in 1967[1] at the Ramayapatnam Baptist Theological Seminary, Ramayapatnam. By this time, efforts among the Protestants to form a unified seminary gained credence leading to the formation of the Andhra Christian Theological College in 1964 Rajahmundry by,
In his second phase at Ramayapatnam, R. Joseph rejoined the seminary in 1984[1] taking up teaching. This institution was training Catechetists to take up rural evangelism and R. Joseph took responsibility to build up the seminary and stayed in Ramayapatnam until 1997 when he finally moved again to Hyderabad.[1]
While this was so, K. Wilson had by that time left the Office of the Priesthood moving to the State-run Osmania University to take up teaching of the Philosophy as a civilian. After teaching for nearly six years at the Andhra Christian Theological College, R. Joseph had to revisit his academics to tune up his postgraduate degree earned in the United States to suit the requirements of the Senate of Serampore College (University) and left for Bangalore in 1978,[20] rejoining the college in 1980 and taught for nearly three more years till 1983 when he went on study leave to his alma mater at Bangalore.
After a gap of more than a decade, R. Joseph rejoined the Andhra Christian Theological College in 1997[1] which by then was led by Rev.R. Yesurathnam, the Principal and R. Joseph continued to teach Theology for the aspirants until he retired on attaining superannuation in 2003.[1]
^Sankar Ray, The Hindu (Business Line), 11 April 2008 Almost a century later, the charter was endorsed officially under the Bengal Govt Act IV of 1918. Internet, accessed 30 November 2008. [1]
^The Senate of Serampore College (University) is a University within the meaning of Section 2 (f) of the UGC Act, 1956 under which a University means a University established or incorporated by or under a Central Act, a Provincial Act or a State Act, and includes any such institution as may, in consultation with the University concerned, be recoginsed by the Commission in accordance with the regulations made in this behalf under this Act. The UGC took the opinion that the Senate fell under the purview of Section 2 (f) of the said Act since The Serampore College Act, 1918 was passed by the Government of West Bengal.
^R. Joseph, Unity of the Body of Christ in Illuminare Omnes (Monthly bulletin of the Catholic Diocese of Eluru), Volume 39, Number 3, March 2016, p.14.[5]
^Talathoti Punnaiah, My Memoir, Ministry and Message: (60 years Life Experiences 1950–2010), Kakinada, 2010, pp.12–13.
^Joseph, Ravela (2020). Towards the Reform of Telugu Churches: Some Propositions and Proposals. Hyderabad: Fellowship of Telugu Churches.
^Paul D. Wiebe, Heirs and Joint Heirs: Mission to Church Among the Mennonite Brethren of Andhra Pradesh, Published simultaneously by Kindred Productions, Winnipeg, Manitoba and Kindred Productions, Goessel, Kansas, 2010.[6]
^ abcdefghijklmnopqrB. R. Moses, Ramayapatnam Baptist Theological Seminary Centenary Report 1874-1974, in K. J. W. Jayakumar (Compiled), The Lights That Never Quench – Baptist Missionaries, Self published by the author, Nellore, 2008, pp.107–114.
