Launched officially on the anniversary of Lesslie Newbigin's death at the end of January, the Bishop Newbigin Institute for Church and Mission Studies is an exciting venture sponsored jointly by the CSI Diocese of Madras and the Synod of the Church of South India. The brainchild of Bishop Masilamani Azariah, at present Bishop in Madras, the Institute seeks to promote scholarship in fields of ecclesiology, mission, evangelism, dialogue, and other related subjects which are linked to the vision and thought of Bishop Newbigin.
The Institute, which will be situated close to the Synod Offices in Madras, will provide a centre for study and research. It expects to cater for students working on long-term projects as well as people - clergy and lay - seeking resource material for on-going work or space for reflection during a sabbatical.
Mirroring one of Bishop Newbigin's long held concerns - ecumenism - the Institute's Board is made up of people from various groups within the Church in India. As well as the CSI Moderator, Most Revd William Moses and Bishop Azariah, Dr Rajaratnam, Master of Serampore, President of NCCI and Chairman of the National Committee of the Lutheran World Federation, together with the principles of the United Theological College, Bangalore, Gurukul Lutheran Seminary, Madras, and Tamilnadu Theological Seminary, Madurai and Newbigin's son John will sit as members.
At the opening ceremony, Dr Eleanor Jackson spoke movingly of her recollections of Newbigin - amusing, poignant and serious - and gave a picture of a dedicated scholar, a man of prayer and action, a loving family man and at times a ruthless bureaucrat. She spoke of his evangelical outlook and his search for ways towards unity and she told too of the breadth of his areas of interest. Right up until his death he was involved in schemes such as the gospel and Culture. It is hoped that the Institute will reflect that breadth of vision and subject matter.
On the day following the launch a tablet to the memory of Bishop Newbigin was unveiled in St George's Cathedral, Madras.
At present work is afoot to gather documents related to Newbigin and materials written by him. Anyone having access to such papers or books and who would be willing to share them is asked to contact the archivist at Bishop Newbigin Institute for Church and Mission Studies, Whites Road, Royapettah, Madras 600014, South India.