Chennai: Reverend Bastian Wielenga, writer, teacher, biblical scholar and a renowned liberation theologian passed away on December 23 in Chennai, southern India. He was 79.

His funeral was held the next day in Madurai, 420 km south of Chennai, where he lived and worked for many years.

Dr Wielenga came to India as a Dutch missionary. While in India he opted to become an Indian citizen.

Bas taught at the Madurai-based Tamilnadu Theological Seminary and was the founder of the seminary’s Centre for Social Analysis.

He made important contributions to contextual theologies, particularly theology of the poor and theology of liberation.

Dr George Zachariah, professor of Ethics at the United Theological College in Bangalore, says Bas Wielenga will be remembered as an organic theologian who inspired generations of seminarians and activists “to turn to the Galilees of those who are excluded today and enter into a common search to find how struggles for survival can become struggles for life in its fullness.”

According to Dr Zachariah, Bas Wielenga’s bible studies and theological reflections invited Indian Christian Theology to recognize the epistemological significance of Marxism and other transformative social theories in understanding Indian society.

“He has enabled his students and friends to discern social movements as new expressions of public witness and invited them to engage in the alternative politics spearheaded by the subaltern communities,” Zachariah said.

Madiki Ralte, associate professor at the Aizawl Thological College, remembered her teacher Bas who helped her to “understand the liberating thrust of the Bible in our everyday encounter with the forces of destruction.” He will always have my deepest respect and admiration for his commitment, she noted.

The National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) condoled his death and hailed Bas as a “great teacher who lived by what he taught.”

Pratush Jena from Odisha paid tribute to Bas by saying that he made significant contributions to theological thinking and learning.

Dr Wielenga had close association with the Christian Institute for the study of Religion and Society (CISRS), Ecumenical Christian Centre and the NCCI.

Both Bas and his German wife Dr Gabrielle Dietrich were greatly influenced by well known theologian and a former director of the CISRS Dr M M Thomas, who was an inspiration for them to start the Centre for Social Analysis.

Among the books he wrote were, Introduction to Marxism; It’s a long road to freedom: Perspectives of Biblical theology; Biblical perspectives on labour; Understanding Indian Society, co-authored with Dr. Gabrielle Dietrich, and Towards an Eco-just Society.

He has written and published numerous papers and articles, including a chapter titled Liberation theology in Asia in the Cambridge Companion to Liberation Theology edited by Christopher Rowland.
Bas is survived by his wife, Gabrielle Dietrich, a daughter and a son.