Indian theologians elect woman as president second time

By Xavier Tharamel

Pune, Oct 3, 2025: The Indian Theological Association (ITA) has elected Sister Evelyn Monteiro, a member of the Sisters of the Cross of Chavanod, as its president, the second woman to head the 49-year-old association.

The election took place during the association’s 47th annual meeting at Ishvani Kendra in Pune, western India. Sister Monteiro was the association’s vice president during the past three years.

The first woman president of the association was Presentation Sister Shalini Mulackal.

The meeting also elected Jesuit Fathers Thomas Kuriacose as the ITA vice-president and Joseph Victor Edwin, the secretary.

The new executive members are Astrid Lobo Gajiwala, a lay woman theologian from Mumbai, Fransalian Father Jacob Parapally, Blessed Sacrament Father Jacob Naluparayil, and Jesuit Father Xavier Francis Tharamel.

Sister Monteiro, who has a doctorate in systematic theology from the Centre Sèvres, Facultés jésuites de Paris, France, teaches the same subject in a number of theoretical institutions in India and overseas.

She is the co-founder of Ecclesia of Women in Asia (EWA), an association of Catholic women theologians in Asia.

In 2004, she authored the “Church and Culture: Communion in Pluralism,” besides editing several books and publishing a number of articles in national and international theological journals.

Her research addresses ecclesiology, particularly in situating the conciliar and post-conciliar understanding of the Church in the pluri-religious and socio-cultural context of Asia and India, and contextual and liberation theologies.

The September 26-28 gathering explored Lumen Gentium and Gaudium et Spes, two key documents from the Second Vatican Council.

In his keynote address, Jesuit Father A Alangaram, a former ITA president, noted that these conciliar texts have reshaped the Church’s self-understanding and its relationship with the modern world, providing a rich ground for reflection within the Indian context.

The discussions highlighted how these documents continue to inspire and challenge the Indian Church to embrace a deeper sense of inculturation, dialogue, and prophetic witness.

The papers also stressed the urgent need to weave a greater sense of ‘Indianness’ into the theological reflection and practice of the Church in India.

While Vatican II urged the universal Church to discern the “signs of the times” and respond creatively to contemporary realities, the Indian Church is called to do so in ways that resonate with its cultural, social, and spiritual heritage.

The meeting pointed out that seeking Indianness means engaging more deeply with Indian philosophies, traditions, and religious experiences. It encompasses dialogue not only with other religions but also with the lived wisdom of indigenous communities, Dalits, tribals, and marginalized groups whose voices are often overlooked in theological discussions.

Navigating this path has its challenges. A key tension persists between maintaining the universality of the Catholic faith and embracing contextual local expressions. Liturgical adaptations, theological frameworks, and pastoral approaches must reflect the Indian ethos while remaining faithful to the essence of the Gospel, the meeting stressed.

The Indian Church must also tackle systemic issues such as caste discrimination, gender inequality, ecological degradation, and socio-economic injustices, the meeting said.

It also stressed that theology cannot remain an abstract exercise but embody prophetic courage, offering liberative insights that resonate with the struggles of ordinary people.

The meeting reaffirmed the vocation of theologians in India is to be deeply rooted and dialogical. An Indian theologian is called to be grounded in the Catholic tradition while engaging in dialogue with the diverse religious and cultural landscape of India.

By embracing this dual path, the Indian Church can move closer to realizing its true identity as a community of disciples that welcomes everyone without discrimination. The call for greater Indianness transcends mere cultural expression; it is a profound theological imperative, making the Church a credible sign of God’s Kingdom in this land, the meeting said.