Student Spotlight: Abel Abey Envisions a New Future for Theology in India

Abel Joshua Abey was working as an investment strategist at a major bank—secure, successful but increasingly restless. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic arrived and changed everything.  

“I began to wonder whether my work was really making a difference in people’s lives,” he said.  

Serving alongside his father, a priest in the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, during the pandemic gave him clarity. “That experience shifted everything,” he said.  

From there, Abel moved into ecumenical work with the Christian Conference of Asia in Thailand, where he spent a year and a half working with nearly 100 churches across the continent before continuing his studies in Greek, Hebrew, and Syriac at a Catholic seminary in India. 

Abel’s roots in the Mar Thoma Church deeply shape his outlook. He describes the Church as both rooted and open—committed to its apostolic heritage and liturgies yet ecumenical in spirit. Equally important, he said, is its bold stance on social justice.  

“There are things the Mar Thoma Church speaks about or does that other churches might hesitate to,” he said. “For example, my church is not afraid to talk about transgender rights in India.”  

For Abel, that openness to dialogue and justice is central to what it means to live out the gospel in today’s world. 

Now, in his second year as a master of divinity candidate at Harvard Divinity School (HDS), his goal is to bridge ancient traditions with contemporary thought, creating a model that engages India’s diverse religious landscape while contributing to global theological discourse. 

At HDS, Abel has found an environment that both challenges and inspires him. He highlighted the course “Introduction to the Hebrew Bible” with Professor Andrew Teeter, which opened his eyes to recurring cycles and patterns within the text, and “Before and After Muhammad,” co-taught by Professors Charles Stang and Mohsen Goudarzi, which allowed him to explore the intersections of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.  

“The readings, the class discussions, and even the professors themselves—everything about the course was fascinating,” he said. These classes connect closely to his core research interest: the relationship between Judaism and Syriac Christianity. 

“The freedom to shape my own path stood out to me. And, of course, the multiple traditions represented here,” he said. “It is not just Christianity; it’s also Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism. Coming from Kerala, where different traditions are always in conversation, it makes me feel at home.” 

Looking ahead, Abel hopes to help transform theological education in India, where much of the curriculum still reflects colonial-era frameworks introduced by British missionaries. These programs, he noted, often emphasize Western theological categories while neglecting India’s philosophical traditions, interreligious engagement, and contemporary social realities.  

His vision is for a more holistic, Eastern Christian model—one that embraces mystery, integrates rigorous scholarship with lived experience, and engages Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, and indigenous traditions alongside Christianity. 

Abel dreams of theological schools in India equipped with the resources, faculty, and vision to shape not just local communities but also global theological conversations. At HDS, within a multireligious and intellectually rich environment, he has begun laying the groundwork for that future.  

“All I need now,” he said, “is the chance to make a difference.” 

As for the 2025-26 academic year, Abel said he hopes to attend several interesting lectures, especially "Judaism Text and Tradition" with Professor Jon Levenson. He also plans to participate in the "Archaeology of the Levant" lectures by Professor Andrew Danielson.   

“HDS provides an outstanding environment for growth—challenging and demanding, but that's part of what makes it exciting,” he said. “Every day offers a wealth of new knowledge."

Banner photo by Alex Bayer.