Louis F. Knoll

Louis F. Knoll
1974 inauguration tablet at Hyderabad
Died(2004-02-12)12 February 2004[1]
Other namesLouis Fred Knoll
EducationB. A. (Saskatchewan),[2]
B. D. (NBTS),[3]
M. A. (California),[4]
PhD (GTU)[5]
ChurchBaptist International Missions, Inc.,[1] North America
WritingsSee Section
TitleReverend Doctor

Louis F. Knoll (died 2004) was an American Baptist missionary[6] who taught Christian Ethics at the Andhra Christian Theological College, Hyderabad, affiliated with the Senate of Serampore College (University).

Robert Eric Frykenberg, Professor Emeritus of History & South Asian Studies at the University of Wisconsin, Madison writes that Louis F. Knoll believed that the British Rule in India was a major obstacle to the spread of Christianity in India.[7]

Leadership

India

Knoll was the co-founder[1] of the Andhra Christian Theological College, Hyderabad. Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches ran their seminary in Ramayapatnam. At first in 1967, the B. D. section of the Ramayapatnam Baptist Theological College, of which he was the Principal, was made to be situated on the same campus of Andhra Christian Theological College before it was fully integrated into the Andhra Christian Theological College in 1972 through an Act of Integration performed by Louis F. Knoll and then acting Principal William P. Peery.[8] Talathoti Punnaiah who underwent a 1-year spirituality course as an Aspirant at the Ramayapatnam Baptist Theological Seminary affirms the fact that it was Knoll as President of the Ramayapatnam Seminary who integrated the graduate section of the Ramayapatnam Seminary into the Andhra Christian Theological College.[9]

The Mennonite Brethren Mission also sought Knoll to consolidate its organizational structure[10] In 1978, when the Telugu movie Karunamayudu was released, the movie acknowledged the contribution of Knoll as a financial adviser displayed during the opening titles.

Overseas

After Knoll left India, he served as Vice President of the American Baptist Seminary of the West from 1978 to 1985.[1]

Writings

  • 1951 – The Abrahamic covenant in the Light of History[3]
  • 1959 – The Role of the Depressed Classes in Andhra Pradesh[11]
  • 1967 – Now We are Together[12]
  • 1968 – Population Trends and the Mission of the Church in Andhra Pradesh[13]
  • 1971 – State and Religions in British India: 1814 to 1865[5]
  • 1975 - A Christian understanding of Hinduism (in Telugu)[14]

Studies

After pursuing doctoral studies at the Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, California, Knoll was awarded the doctoral degree in 1971. His doctoral thesis is preserved in microfilm[15] and kept at the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library in New Delhi.

University academic

Knoll became a member of the Council of Senate of Serampore College (University) in 1966,[16] a position in which he continued until his resignation in 1986. In 1972, Knoll became the Master of the University.

Honorary titles
Preceded by
A. D. Khan
1971[17]
Master,
Senate of Serampore College (University)

1972[17]
Succeeded by
A. D. Khan
1973-1991[17]

Further reading

  • T. Punnaiah (2010). "My Memoir, Ministry and Message". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  • K. J. W. Jayakumar (Compiled) (2008). "The Lights That Never Quench - Baptist Missionaries". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  • The Council of Serampore College (2005). "The Story of Serampore and its College" (Fourth). {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  • R. Joseph (2003). "A History of the Telugu Baptist Churches (American Baptist Mission)". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

References

Notes
  1. ^ a b c d Richard Schramm, ABCUSA: Louis Knoll, Former Missionary in South India, Dies, From the Worldwide Faith News archives www.wfn.org. 2 March 2004. [1]
  2. ^ University of California, Berkeley, Commencement programme, 1959, p.125.[2]
  3. ^ a b Louis Fred Knoll, The Abrahamic covenant in the Light of History, Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1951. [3]
  4. ^ University of California, Register 1958-1959, Volume II, 1959, p.125.[4]
  5. ^ a b Louis F. Knoll, State and Religions in British India: 1814 to 1865, Graduate Theological Union, 1971. [5]
  6. ^ Peter Penner Russians, North Americans and Telegus: the Mennonite Brethren p390 1997 "Louis F. Knoll of the American Baptist Society, then located in Madras, was given power of attorney."
  7. ^ Robert Eric Frykenberg, Oxford History of the Christian Church, Oxford University Press, 2008. p.287.
  8. ^ Foundations, Volume 11, American Baptist Historical Society, 1968. p. 321. [6]
  9. ^ Talathoti Punnaiah, My Memoir, Ministry and Message: (60 years Life Experiences 1950-2010), Self-published by the Author, Kakinada, 2010, p.11
  10. ^ Peter Penner, Russians, North Americans and Telegus: the Mennonite Brethren mission in India, 1885–1975, Issue 10 of Perspectives on Mennonite life and thought, Volume 10 of Russians North Americans & Telagus, Kindred Productions, 1997. p. 276. [7]
  11. ^ Louis Fred Knoll, The Role of the Depressed Classes in Andhra Pradesh, University of California, Berkeley, 1959. [8]
  12. ^ Louis F. Knoll, Now We are Together. Cited in Indian Church History Review, Church History Association of India, 1980. Volume 14. p.132. [9]
  13. ^ Louis F. Knoll, Population Trends and the Mission of the Church in Andhra Pradesh in National Christian Council Review, Volume 88, Wesley Press, 1968. [10]
  14. ^ Louis F. Knoll, A Christian understanding of Hinduism (in Telugu), Telugu Theological Literature Board, Secunderabad, 1975. Cited in Ravela Joseph, Suneel Bhanu (Compiled), Bibliography of Original Christian Writings in India in Telugu, BTESSC, Bangalore, 1993, p.59.[11]
  15. ^ Syed Yusuf Shah, Higher Education and Politics in Colonial India: A Study of Aligarh Muslim University, 1875–1920, Renaissance, 1996. pp. 53 and 298. [12]
  16. ^ Serampore College, The story of Serampore and its college, Council of Serampore College, 1961, fourth edition 2005, pp.129-138. [13]
  17. ^ a b c Senate, President and Speakers at the Convocations