Intercultural Icons in Christian Worship and Evangelization. A (theological) Study of Joy Elamkunnapuzha’s Artworks in North India

This research project involves a discussion on the artistic trends of Indian Christian artists in the context of inculturation and a theological assessment of their implications. It focuses on the cultural and other-religious adaptations in creating places of Christian worship in North Indian mission context after Vatican II. The study views Indian artist Joy Elamkunnapuzha as a fair representative of inculturation movement in Christian art in India and makes a detailed case study of two churches he designed - Khrist Prem Mandir in Ashta and Darsana Mandir in Wardha. A theological assessment of these case studies and their implications is conducted based on a traditional Christian art theory especially Orthodox iconography and Bert Daelemans' three-fold methodology of theological assessment of contemporary church architecture. The project lays bare artistic, kerygmatic and liturgical significance of intercultural symbols in Christian art and architecture in a context of mission. It contributes to a theological understanding of artistic adaptations for Christian worship in multi-cultural and multi-religious contexts.