This letter dated 23rd April 2008 addressed to the Bishop gives the piece of mind of the Prof. Richard P. Riesz President, The American College Endowment Fund (Trust)
April 23,2008
Bishop Christopher Asir
Diocese of Madurai-Ramnad
Church of South India
Pudur
Madurai 625 007
INDIA
Bishop Christopher Asir:
Greetings to you in the name of Jesus Christ.
It is with a heavy heart that I write you, following the receipt of many messages and public news articles and pictures relating recent dramatic events at The American College. It has taken a lot of courage for some of correspondents to relate their experiences, but nowhere have I found any indication of courage on your part to relate your position. Rather it appears that you have reserved your inclinations to subordinates to carry out.
If indeed these reports are as accurate as I believe them to be then I must accuse you of abandoning your care for a Christian institution that has stood for 127 years as a National example of the way in which its faculty, administration and students have reached out in love to all communities and specially to young people in oppressed social positions. It appears that in attempting to bring The American College under the control of the Church of South India you have succumbed to the lure of personal and factional aggrandizement. I cannot condemn this behavior except in the strongest way.
The American College was established by missionaries of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Mission. These men and women risked everything of advantage in their personal lives in the enterprise of bringing Christ's love into the lives of others through education. Generations of Old Boys richly witness to the way this enterprise has transformed their lives.
Mrs. Riesz and I had the honor to be the last-appointed missionaries of this tradition, and we have always rejoiced in the fact our lives were associated so closely with the faculty, administration and students of the College during the thirty years of our service. Since our retirement from active service we have revisited the College on numerous occasions and observed the continuation of the rich tradition of service and autonomy.
The presently-reported attempts by you as a leader in the Church of South India will appear only to reject the very basis for the life and witness of this great College. I believe that these attempts will fail, as witnessed by the world-wide support registered by thousands of well-wishers of the College, and that the reputation of the College will emerge as a shining example of integrity.
But as a leader of the Church of South India I understand that you are bringing the reputation of that institution into the lowest levels since its founding as a successor body to the groups that brought Christ to the attention of our great country. I can understand that you as a private person can succumb to the lure of personal privilege and power, but as a servant of Christ the behavior and attitudes you have reportedly instituted with respect to The American College are a betrayal of the very vows of love that any Christian person will accept.
I earnestly call upon you to enter into a spirit and action of repentance and reconciliation. I am sure that when you come to your senses in this matter you will find the loyal administration, faculty and students of the College more than eager to restore relationships and move ahead again so that ftie College may serve the Church and indeed all society, without being in any way a part of the Church.
If you feel offended by any of these comments may I beg your forgiveness, but do not retract from any of them. I am expressing myself so because of the love which I have for The American College and specially for the colleagues and students who shared their lives with us.
Yours, in Christ.
Prof. Richard P. Riesz
P.O. Box 384
Pleasant Hill TN 38578 USA
EMBLEM
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
பேராசிரியர் சார்ல்ஸ் ரயர்சனின் கடிதம் உங்கள் பார்வைக்கு
This letter of Prof. Charles A. Ryerson Former President, The American College Endowment Fund (Trust) warns Bishop's move to bring the college under diocese control
April 23, 2008
The Rt. Rev. A. Christopher Asir, M.A., B.D.
The Bishop of the Madurai Ramnad Diocese—CSI
Diocesan Office
Ratchanyapuram, K. Purdur
Madurai 625 007, India
Rt. Rev. and Dear Sir:
I last wrote to you in August and October of 2006. At that time, I was President of the American College Endowment Fund (Trust). I have served for more than thirty years as a Trustee and, for more than fifteen years I was its President. Last year I resigned my post in favor of Dr. Richard Reisz, who had taught Physics at the College for thirty years. I still am a Trustee, however, and as President Emeritus I am writing to ybu. I do know that Dr. Reisz has also been in communication with you about this matter.
I began my association with the College in 1955 as an Associate Lecturer of English with the (then) Oberlin program and have had a close relationship with the College ever since—including the years that I taught at TTS. Until my retirement from Princeton in 1999, I made almost annual trips to Madurai and have known all of the principals of the College and all the Bishops-of the Madurai-Ramnad Diocese. I was especially close to Madurai's first Bishop, Lesslie Newbigin, and to Bishop Pothirajulu, one of my former students.
It has come to my attention that you, as president of the Governing Council, may wish to place the College under Diocesian control. This would violate the provisions of 1934, when the College became independent of the Mission, and also under the agreements of 1947, when the College decided to stay independent of the newly-formed Church of South India—seeking to serve the Church but to be separate from it.
I find it difficult to believe that the Diocese would change the relationship, especially since the College has served the Church so well. Any change could force the Trustees to reevaluate their financial and moral support of the College. This would cause all of us much pain since I am certain you share our high opinion of the College and its service to the Church, the nation, and even internationally. I doubt that any change can be made unilaterally.
I would appreciate your communicating the real situation of theCollege since the reports we have received are so unbelievable. I also trust that you are enjoying your tenure in Madurai—one of my favoritecities.
With my best wishes to you and the Diocese,
Yours in Christ,
Charles A. Ryerson
President Emeritus,
The American College Endowment Fund
April 23, 2008
The Rt. Rev. A. Christopher Asir, M.A., B.D.
The Bishop of the Madurai Ramnad Diocese—CSI
Diocesan Office
Ratchanyapuram, K. Purdur
Madurai 625 007, India
Rt. Rev. and Dear Sir:
I last wrote to you in August and October of 2006. At that time, I was President of the American College Endowment Fund (Trust). I have served for more than thirty years as a Trustee and, for more than fifteen years I was its President. Last year I resigned my post in favor of Dr. Richard Reisz, who had taught Physics at the College for thirty years. I still am a Trustee, however, and as President Emeritus I am writing to ybu. I do know that Dr. Reisz has also been in communication with you about this matter.
I began my association with the College in 1955 as an Associate Lecturer of English with the (then) Oberlin program and have had a close relationship with the College ever since—including the years that I taught at TTS. Until my retirement from Princeton in 1999, I made almost annual trips to Madurai and have known all of the principals of the College and all the Bishops-of the Madurai-Ramnad Diocese. I was especially close to Madurai's first Bishop, Lesslie Newbigin, and to Bishop Pothirajulu, one of my former students.
It has come to my attention that you, as president of the Governing Council, may wish to place the College under Diocesian control. This would violate the provisions of 1934, when the College became independent of the Mission, and also under the agreements of 1947, when the College decided to stay independent of the newly-formed Church of South India—seeking to serve the Church but to be separate from it.
I find it difficult to believe that the Diocese would change the relationship, especially since the College has served the Church so well. Any change could force the Trustees to reevaluate their financial and moral support of the College. This would cause all of us much pain since I am certain you share our high opinion of the College and its service to the Church, the nation, and even internationally. I doubt that any change can be made unilaterally.
I would appreciate your communicating the real situation of theCollege since the reports we have received are so unbelievable. I also trust that you are enjoying your tenure in Madurai—one of my favoritecities.
With my best wishes to you and the Diocese,
Yours in Christ,
Charles A. Ryerson
President Emeritus,
The American College Endowment Fund
பேராசிரியர் கார்ல் ஜகோப்சன்னின் கடிதம்
April 21,2008
To
The Right Reverend Dr. Christopher Asir Bishop of the Diocese of Madurai-Ramnad
Dr. T. Chinnaraj Joseph, Principal The American College
Dr. George Selvakumar, Vice Principal The American College
Dr. Davamani Christober, Bursar
The American College
Sirs:
The Board of Trustees and the Staff of Oberlin Shansi are watching with acute distress the shocking news of events at The American College. We wish to make it clear that the takeover of the College by the Madurai-Ramnad Diocese as effected by the transfer of the post of Secretary of the College to the Diocese and the deposing of the Principal Dr. T. Chinnaraj Joseph and his replacement by Dr. George Selvakumar, may result in the termination of our historic relationship. Sadly, it may bring to a close a remarkable chapter of building international respect and understanding, one that has lasted more than half a century.
Sincerely,
Carl W. Jacobson, Ph.D. Executive Director
ஒபெர்லின் ஷன்ஷி
To
The Right Reverend Dr. Christopher Asir Bishop of the Diocese of Madurai-Ramnad
Dr. T. Chinnaraj Joseph, Principal The American College
Dr. George Selvakumar, Vice Principal The American College
Dr. Davamani Christober, Bursar
The American College
Sirs:
The Board of Trustees and the Staff of Oberlin Shansi are watching with acute distress the shocking news of events at The American College. We wish to make it clear that the takeover of the College by the Madurai-Ramnad Diocese as effected by the transfer of the post of Secretary of the College to the Diocese and the deposing of the Principal Dr. T. Chinnaraj Joseph and his replacement by Dr. George Selvakumar, may result in the termination of our historic relationship. Sadly, it may bring to a close a remarkable chapter of building international respect and understanding, one that has lasted more than half a century.
Sincerely,
Carl W. Jacobson, Ph.D. Executive Director
ஒபெர்லின் ஷன்ஷி
A BRIEF NOTE ON THE LEGAL CASE
*
A case had been filed by the Bishop & Co. in the Madurai High Court.
Their prayer was to order the Commissioner of Police of Madurai to evict the “unlawful” presence of the Principal Dr. Chinnaraj Joseph who had been suspended by a resolution of the Governing Council, convened by the Bishop and to help Dr. George Selvakumar to officiate as Principal.
The case was heard on April 29, 2008. The prayer has been dismissed. Once the official judgment copy was issued it will be shared here.
SOME SNIPPETS:
• The Judge asked what were the other avenues they had tried before coming to this court.
• When their counsel was talking about the Governing Council and its resolution, the Judge asked where the meeting was conducted; was it in any Hotel.
• The Judge asked for the original minutes of the meeting and for the resolution. It was replied that those evidences were all in the diocesan office.
• The Judge deputed two young advocates to rush to the diocesan office and to get the minutes immediately.
• The minutes note produced was a simple one-quire note book.
• The minutes were signed by “eight” Governing Council members.
• However the resolution was signed only by the Bishop and the “Secretary”, George Selvakumar. Judge asked the reason for this. But there was no answer from that side.
• The resolution was not accepted by the court.
• Hon Judge has issued an order that government officials (R.D.O.) have to monitor the daily routine of the college.
• Both the parties should not do anything that can harm the routine functioning of the college.
• The authority of the Bishop to convene the GC, the authenticity of the signatories of the GC meeting and the veracity of the signatures – all have to be contested in another case.
A friend commented: We have not won anything; but they have lost their case.
*
A case had been filed by the Bishop & Co. in the Madurai High Court.
Their prayer was to order the Commissioner of Police of Madurai to evict the “unlawful” presence of the Principal Dr. Chinnaraj Joseph who had been suspended by a resolution of the Governing Council, convened by the Bishop and to help Dr. George Selvakumar to officiate as Principal.
The case was heard on April 29, 2008. The prayer has been dismissed. Once the official judgment copy was issued it will be shared here.
SOME SNIPPETS:
• The Judge asked what were the other avenues they had tried before coming to this court.
• When their counsel was talking about the Governing Council and its resolution, the Judge asked where the meeting was conducted; was it in any Hotel.
• The Judge asked for the original minutes of the meeting and for the resolution. It was replied that those evidences were all in the diocesan office.
• The Judge deputed two young advocates to rush to the diocesan office and to get the minutes immediately.
• The minutes note produced was a simple one-quire note book.
• The minutes were signed by “eight” Governing Council members.
• However the resolution was signed only by the Bishop and the “Secretary”, George Selvakumar. Judge asked the reason for this. But there was no answer from that side.
• The resolution was not accepted by the court.
• Hon Judge has issued an order that government officials (R.D.O.) have to monitor the daily routine of the college.
• Both the parties should not do anything that can harm the routine functioning of the college.
• The authority of the Bishop to convene the GC, the authenticity of the signatories of the GC meeting and the veracity of the signatures – all have to be contested in another case.
A friend commented: We have not won anything; but they have lost their case.
*
TRUTH TRIUMPHS
The writ petition filed by the Bishop on April 28, 2008 in the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court praying for direction to the Commissioner of Police, Madurai City to help the Bishop to implement the suspension order of Dr. T. Chinnaraj Joseph Jaikumar was DISMISSED by the High Court on April 29, 2008 .
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