Pandipeddi Chenchiah (1886–1959), spelt also as Pandippedi Chenchiah, a first generation indigenous convert to Christianity, was a jurist, South Indian Christian theologian, and radical thinker of Rethinking Christianity in India group for Indianisation of Christianity. He published Rethinking Christianity in India, as an Indian Christian answer to the Hendrik Kraemer's The Christian Message in a Non-Christian World.
He along with his brother-in-law Vengal Chakkarai were the founders of Madras Christo Samaj, influenced by Calcutta Christo Samaj founded by K.C. Banerjee and J.G. Shome—Both Madras Presidency and Calcutta were British East India Company provinces - later part of British Raj.
Biography
Chenchiah was born into a Hindu Brahmin home in Nellore, Andhra Pradesh (India), in 1886. He was the oldest of 12 children who grew up together. At the age of 15, Chenchiah converted to Christianity, along with his family and he was baptized by William Miller, a Scottish Missionary. Chenchiah went on to marry Matilda Raghaviah, and had 1 son and 4 daughters.
Chenchiah got his education from Madras Christian College that grew enormously under William Miller — Scottish missionary, principal. He received a degree in philosophy in 1906, where he received a gold medal for "proficiency in Philosophy." He then did his Bachelor of Laws degree (BL) in 1908, and a Master of Laws degree (ML) in 1913, from Madras Law College. He started his practice as an advocate of High Court of Madras, served as government servant in various offices. One source states that Chenchiah became the Judge of the district of Pudukottah, in the Madras Presidency (now Tamil Nadu), in 1928. Another source provides a later date, saying that Chenchiah became a Judge in 1935. According to V. Devasahayam, Chenchiah "retired from that position after refusing to yield to Government pressure to pass a verdict in their favor." Chenchiah rejoined the Madras High Court, and became the Chief Examiner of the Law exams for the Madras and Andhra Universities.
Chenchiah was a "voracious reader," and "it was through this interest in philosophy and ethics that Chenchiah grew in prominence in Christian circles." He pursued "active friendships with people of others faiths" and was involved in several formal and informal inter-faith discussions.
Chenchiah "wrote for two prominent Christian journals, Guardian and The Pilgrim," and served as the editor of The Pilgrim from 1949 to 1952. He was also on the editorial committee of the Christian Patriot, an Indian Christian nationalistic organ, between 1916 and 1924. He was a member of Board of Directors of YMCA, Madras(present Chennai). He also served as a member of Executive committee of the National Missionary Society. He was one of the founders of Madras Christo Samaj in Madras Presidency, and has been actively associated with the Bangalore Continuation conference for the discussion association with problems of Indian Christian life. Apart from this, Chenchiah represented the South Indian Union Church at the International Missionary Conference at Jerusalem (1928) and was listed as a "Judge" at the International Missionary Conference at Tambaram (1938).
His most significant association was with the "Madras Rethinking Group," which produced the book Rethinking Christianity in India. Some have pointed out that it was William Miller, who played a major role in encouraging Chenchiah and his brother-in-law Vengal Chakkarai Chetti to rethink Christianity within the Indian context, possibly in an effort to integrate Hinduism and Christianity.
Chenchiah died on April 19, 1959, in Madras.
Writings
Chenchiah was a prolific writer and wrote on several themes, but mainly about rethinking Christianity in the Indian context. His literary contributions are in the form of numerous articles he contributed to the periodicals, "The Guardian," "The Patriot," and two books he co-authored with others, "Rethinking Christianity in India," and "Āsramās Past and Present." Two of his most significant works are long reviews of two books. The first is his review written as an Indian reply to Hendrik Kraemer’s Barthian broadside, "The Christian Message in a Non-Christian World," appeared in 1938 on the eve of the International Missionary Council’s world conference at Tambaram, Madras, South India. This review is included in the book "Rethinking Christianity in India." His other major review of Marcus Ward’s "Our Theological Task" appeared in The Guardian 1947.