This week I virtually travelled for some hours to Bangalore in India to participate in the inaugurating of the Centenary Women’s Research Center of the United Theological College (UTC) and to dedicate the Trinity Block of the Center.
I was invited to come to Bangalore for this very special moment, but the Corona-Pandemic made it impossible. Because of ZOOM more than 200 friends and supporters of UTC – including myself – could take part virtually and were present on the screen in the Ziegenbalg Chapel.
Together with the Protestant Church in Baden and the Evangelical Mission Worldwide (EMW – Hamburg) my Church supported financially this new research center especially for women at UTC.
One and a half years back I could visit UTC for the last time – some weeks before the Corona Virus developed to a worldwide pandemic. It was the 14th of January 2020 when I could be part of the “Turning the Sod” ceremony for the new women’s research center (Blog: turning the sod). At that time the starting of this project was long awaited. To get all the necessary permissions took quiet a long time. Some new plans came up to start constructing the whole building in one phase. And now – only 19 month later and under the challenges of a Pandemic the Center could be inaugurated!
This was only possible because of highly committed people in the leadership of UTC, staff and students, Alumni, well-wishers, fundraisers, international partners but also because of the hard work of the contractor, architect, planning staff, workers etc.
And I am sure, especially the women students at the faculty now are looking forward to getting some much better living and working conditions on the compound. Hopefully the Center will have an impact in the Indian society and especially in the churches so that women are enabled to be equal partners as theological teachers, pastors, bishops etc. It will bring more justice for women scholars who will be treated on par with men, who are provided decent infrastructure with dignified accommodation leading to living in healthy atmosphere and with an expected academic output.
Words of Dedication
“This is God’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.” Blessed are you, O God, God of all Creation, You fill the entire world with your presence. We hereby dedicate THE TRINITY BLOCK in the Centenary Women’s Research Centre in the name of the Triune God, the Parent, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
For the reason that I couldn’t be present I requested Dr. Rev. Solomon Benjamin – East Asia and Indian Secretary of the Evangelical Mission in Solidarity (EMS – Stuttgart) – to cut the ribbon and unveil the plague.
