E. C. John (8 November 1927 – 29 October 2020) was an Indian Old Testament scholar and a member of the Society for Biblical Studies in India. He was also a member of the George Bell Institute at the University of Chichester, Chichester and the Society for Old Testament Study, England. He was acknowledged for his scholarship of the Old Testament. G. Babu Rao, one of his earliest pupils specializing in the Old Testament wrote that his professor, E. C. John pointed out parallels for Epiphany and Theophany from Vaishnavism and Saivism respectively.

Writings

Books written

Books edited

Articles

Studies

After completing graduate studies in sciences leading to B.Sc., E. C. John chose priesthood as a full time vocation and went for spiritual formation in Bangalore.

Spiritual studies

John studied theology at the United Theological College, Bengaluru from 1951 to 1954 when Max Hunter Harrison was its Principal. From 1954 to 1957 he served as a presbyter of the Church of South India in Tiruvalla.

Advanced spiritual studies

In 1957 he was sent to the University of Cambridge, Cambridge where he pursued both graduate and postgraduate studies leading to B. A. (1959) and M. A. (1963) specializing in Old Testament (MA Tripos part iii). During John's stay at the University of Cambridge, the decennial Lambeth Conference took place which John attended it as a guest along with Leslie Brown, and Lesslie Newbigin.

Doctoral research

While teaching at the Seminary in Bengaluru, he applied for the Alexander von Humboldt research fellowship and went on study leave from the Seminary to the University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg for doctoral studies in Old Testament where he studied with Claus Westermann and Gerhard von Rad who were experts in Old Testament studies. During John's study period in Heidelberg, his companions included Ulrich Bergmann (Neuendettelsau Mission), Ms Whittaker, Nicholas J. Tromp, who spent a period of study at the university. Upon completion of his doctoral studies in 1968, John's thesis was published with the title, Death and life in the prophecy of judgment with reference to Amos, Hosea, Isaiah and Jeremiah, E. C. John returned to Bengaluru and continued teaching in the United Theological College till his retirement in 1993.

Contributions

Teaching

After John completed his studies in Cambridge University in 1959, he began teaching the Old Testament in Bangalore for generations of students both at the graduate, postgraduate and doctoral levels. In 1983 E. C. John took charge as principal of the United Theological College, Bengaluru from his predecessor Joshua Russell Chandran and continued as principal until 1993 when he relinquished charge and handed over the baton to Gnana Robinson. John's legacy of teaching has passed on to his postgraduate students who specialized in the Old Testament and Hebrew language, which continued through those who took up teaching at seminaries elsewhere comprising,

Commentary

John led the editorial team comprising M. J. Joseph, K. V. Mathew, Jacob Verghis, Saphir P. Athyal and Mathew P. John that worked to bring out the One volume Malayalam Bible Commentary with contributions from 47 Scholars and published in 1979 through the Theological Literature Committee, Tiruvalla.

Peace studies

John worked with an international community of theologians at United Theological College, on the peace movement and peace for the people, in association with the World Council of Churches, and their advisory responsibilities with the United Nations Organization.

Hobbies

John was an avid gardener and enthusiastic tennis and volleyball player. He taught himself to play the flute.

Honours

In the Senate of Serampore College (University) Convocation 2009 held at the Tamil Nadu Theological Seminary, Madurai, John was awarded a Doctor of Divinity honoris causa.

Reminisce

Talathoti Punnaiah who studied a postgraduate course leading to Master of Theology at the United Theological College, Bangalore from 1989-1991 recalls his association with John, "E. C. John was my Principal at the College. He was a good Administrator."