Jesuit-run online theology course promotes Christianity in India

Jesuit-run online theology course promotes Christianity Course very much in line with Pope Francis' vision of building a people-oriented church, says director July 14, 2016

    India's first online course for laypeople to integrate theology in their daily lives has awarded certificates to five students who successfully completed the program.

The Jesuit-run Vidyajyoti College of Theology based in New Delhi launched the Distant Education Program for Theology in 2013. Its 180 students are mostly Indians but also include some from United States, Sri Lanka and Malaysia.

At a July 11 function in New Delhi, the theology institute awarded diploma certificates to five students, who completed the online theology program.

One of them, Harold Singh, told ucanews.com that the program helped him gain the knowledge he was lacking. "It made me a better Christian who is well aware of his religion and does not follow anything blindly," he said.

Jesuit Father Rajkumar Joseph, director of the two-year online program, said the course "is very much in line with Pope Francis' vision of building a people-oriented church."

"Our motivation is their learning and growing faith commitment. Through this program Christianity should become a faith that is understood, personalized and integrated in daily life," Father Joseph said.