Joshy Joseph

Joshy Joseph Born                                          25 May 1974 Nationality                                Indian Occupation                                Parish Priest

Contents

•         Birth

•         Education

•         Specialization

•         Later Career

•         Vision

Birth

Joshy Joseph was born on 25 May 1974. His parents are Joseph N. S. and Annakutty Joseph. He joined the Carmelites of Mary immaculate (CMI) and was ordained a priest in the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church on 1 January 2015.

Education

He completed his high school education from St. George Higher Secondary, Kulathuvayal, Kozhikode, during the period 1987 to 1990. Before joining the CMI congregation, he completed his undergraduate studies from the University of Calicut. He secured a Bachelor of Philosophy during 2006-2008 and another Bachelor of Theology during 2009-2013from Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram, Karnataka, India. He did his Licentiate in Philosophy from Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram, Bengaluru, during 2013-2015.

Specialization

Joshy Joseph has done his licentiate research on the elements that impelled Dr. Ambedkar to convert to Buddhism and the thesis was titled "Conversion of Ambedkar to Buddhism: A Human Quest for Dignity Founded Human Values.”

Later Career

Joshy Joseph is a Lecturer at Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram, a Pontifical Athenaeum of philosophy, Theology, and Canon Law, Bengaluru. He taught Buddhism and Contemporary Western Philosophy during 2015-2016, and has also served as the assistant parish priest in St. Jude Church, Udayanagar, Bengaluru.

Vision

Philosophical Vision: Human birth has a mystical part. The question of his/her existence remains unanswered even after years of philosophical deliberation and thinking. One of the basic problems is that human subjectivity is absent at the time of his/her birth. Hence neither any knowledge nor an experience of it is possible about his origin. This is repeated at the time of his death, though in a dimmer manner. An experience of one’s own death is unattainable. Human knowledge is imperfect and limited. It is a limitation of human faculties and the acknowledgement of this fact should orient one to be humble. Proper philosophical insight would impel one to be humble.

Sociological Vision: Man is a social animal. His/her identity is formed in the society. Every human being is the product of social, cultural and political elements. Mutual relationship is the fiber with which human life is fashioned. Nevertheless, individual freedom and dignity is to be upheld at any social forum. Aggressive social interference, in terms of political or religious, in the individual life is unwholesome. Hence an ideal society would respect individual freedom, identity, and dignity. On the other hand, an individual would endorse and enhance the social bond through positive relationship and sharing.

Theological and Spiritual Vision: It is written in the Holy Bible that the human being is created in the ‘image and likeness of God’. What is the image of God Manifested in the human self? Human rationality is the image of God. Human reason is the faculty that enables human self to grow towards ultimate Goodness. This is precisely because human has freedom and option to choose what is prompted by reason. Hence when one lives according to the correct directions of reason, one is living according to the will of God. Human reason would not have led Abraham to sacrifice Isaac on the Mount, because killing is a crime. God would not have been displeased with Abraham if he had hesitated to take Isaac to be sacrificed. An action prompted by faith is glorified in the scriptures. However, actions prompted by reason also are equally rewarding, for reason is the image of God manifested in human person.