by Gianni Criveller
MILAN (AsiaNews): Father Felix Wilfred, one of India’s most important and respected theologians died in Chennai at the age of 76 on January 7.
Felipe Neri Cardinal Ferrão, president of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC), remembers Wilfred as “a beacon of intellectual and spiritual wisdom”, recognising the transformative impact of his thought on the global theological landscape.
Father Wilfred was born into a devout Catholic family in the rural village of Puthenkadai (Tamilnadu), South India. He entered the seminary, and as a bright and promising young man that he was, he was sent to Rome in 1965, at only 17 years of age, to study philosophy and theology.
The Second Vatican Council was in progress: the young Felix was an eyewitness to the impressive closing ceremony, an experience that impressed him and had a significant impact on his choices. From that point on, his entire theological research life has been marked by the realisation of the Council and its most innovative inspirations.
After his doctorate at the Urbanian University, Wilfred studied Italian and French literature in Perugia and Caen respectively. His academic excellence, mastery of philosophical, theological and humanistic subjects, and extraordinary competence in numerous ancient and modern languages won him many prestigious domestic and international awards and commissions.
Wilfred’s contribution to academic research is impressive: it lies within the framework of postcolonial studies and contextual and multidimensional theology, i.e. a theological discourse that necessarily interacts with all aspects of the complex existential reality of men and women
He was a prolific author, with hundreds of titles of essays, books and editions. He collaborated with many institutions, including the FABC, Unesco, the Indian Bishops’ Conference, the University of Madras, and countless commissions.
When he was only 35 years old, he became president of the Indian Theological Association (1983); he was then a member of the International Theological Commission (1986-1991) and a member of the editorial board of Concilium, the most prestigious theological journal with a progressive bent. He also became chairman of its editorial board, moving its headquarters from Europe to Chennai.
Wilfred’s contribution to academic research is impressive: it lies within the framework of postcolonial studies and contextual and multidimensional theology, i.e. a theological discourse that necessarily interacts with all aspects of the complex existential reality of men and women.
Father Wilfred studied a variety of subjects including justice and human rights, starting with the emancipation of Dalits and Indian minorities; national, identity and women’s question in India; popular and subaltern religions; inculturation; plurality of religions and interreligious dialogue; globalisation, relativism and ecology.
Wilfred was a critical and prophetic intellectual, with clearly innovative positions, but without ever abandoning his ecclesial responsibility and strong sense of belonging to the Catholic community and tradition
He also wrote, in an innovative way, on the treatises of classical theology, such as Christology and ecclesiology. His whole life was dedicated to theological study and teaching: Felix Wilfred believed that the labour of thinking was by no means useless, on the contrary it was an exercise in “transformative knowledge” that opened up freedom and truth.
Wilfred was a critical and prophetic intellectual, with clearly innovative positions, but without ever abandoning his ecclesial responsibility and strong sense of belonging to the Catholic community and tradition.
Pope Francis had called him as an expert to the Synod, for which he collaborated in drafting the Instrumentum laboris of the second session (2024).
Father Riccardo Battocchio, president of the Association of Italian Theologians and special secretary of the synod, reflected on the contributions of Father Wilfred, and highlighted his competence, collaborative spirit, and the respect he garnered from colleagues.
The two first met at a theological conference in Hong Kong in 1999, where Wilfred’s critiques of Battocchio’s work ultimately fostered a deeper relationship. They were scheduled to participate together in significant events this year, including a conference on mission theology in Rome and a congress of the association in Pisa, both of which will lack Wilfred’s insightful input. Father Battocchio emphasises that Wilfred’s absence will be felt not only by the Italian theologians but also across Asian and international theological communities dedicated to a
more synodal and missionary Church.
