P. Antonyraj Sampath Kumar (25 October 1951 – 9 March 2015) was an Indian New Testament scholar who was the President of the Society for Biblical Studies in India, and was the Escande Chair of Asian Christian Studies at Pondicherry University and was the Chief Warden of the Pondicherry University Hostels. He was a Roman Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore.
Writings
Les récits de miracle dans les Actes des Apôtres
The Rich and the Poor in Luke-Acts
History of Pondicherry Mission: An Outline
Current Trends in Indian Biblical Studies
Studies
Sampath Kumar pursued postgraduate studies at St. Peter's Pontifical Seminary, Bengaluru from 1983 to 1985 in the discipline of New Testament after which he went to Strasbourg and registered as a doctoral candidate at the University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg for research in New Testament exegesis. In 1990, the University conferred upon him the doctoral degree based on his thesis. For some time he was Professor of New Testament at the United Theological College, Bengaluru and also tutored Babu Immanuel, C. I. David Joy and K. Suraj Kumar and Rev.K.Balakrishnan who were pursuing post-graduate studies during that period.
Publications
Books
History of Pondicherry Mission: An Outline (a translation from French of the book Le précis de l’histoire de la mission de Pondicherry, by Lafranez, MEP), Department of Christian Studies, University of Madras, Chennai, 2000. An introduction to Christian Studies(Edited with J.T.K Daniel) all India Association for Christian Higher Education(AIACHE), New Delhi, 2001 Bible Kattum Anmeegam,(Tamil),Mission Press,Pondicherry,2004 Darshanik: Studies in the New Testament, Escande Research Centre for Religion Culture, Pondicherry 605014,2006 Villianur Vidivalli: 30th Special Book (editor), Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine, Villianur, 2008. A Priest to His Brother Priests(Ed) Escande Chair in Asian Christian Studies,Pondicherry University,2010
Articles
"Society and Religious Tensions a Case Study: The Maccabean Period", Jeevadhara, 29(1999)48-53. "Bandits and Messiahs: Social Revolts in the Time of Jesus", Jeevadhara, 30(2000)72-89. Discovering the Asian Paradigm for Advocacy" in The Prophetic Path to the New Millennium Through Social Advocacy(edited by Anthony Rogers),Manila: FABC Office for human development,2000,pp31–39. Bible and children, Vaihari(2001)3-15 The Prohibition of Foreign Mission: A Study of Mt10:5-6, Vidyajyoti 65(2001)245-258. "History of Indian Biblical Hermeneutics", Word and Worship, NBCLC Ruby Jubilee 1967-2007,vol.41,(March-April2008)Bangalore
Papers Presented
International Seminars
Paper on Lecture indienne de la Bible (Indian Way of Reading the Bible) - Presented at the French Bible Association Meeting, Strasbourg, France, on 16 June 1999. Paper on Discovering Asian Paradigm for Advocacy presented at Consultation on Advocacy for Justice and Peace conducted by the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conference (FABC) at Redemptorist Centre, Pattaya City, Thailand, on 28 August 2000. Paper on Indian Reading of the Bible at the French Bible Association Conference held at Strasbourg University, 15 February 2006. Paper presented at the International Seminar organized by the Chair in Asian Christian Studies on Italian Contribution to Religion and Culture at Pondicherry University on 8 February 2008.
National Seminars
Paper on Indian Exegesis presented at the National conference of the Society for biblical Studies, UBS, Pune on 2 April 1999. Paper on Historical Jesus presented at the National Seminar, Department of Christian Studies, University of Madras, on 25 October 1999. Paper on Bible and Culture presented at the colloquium of Bishops and Theologians, held at NBCLC, Bangalore, on 14 March 2000.