A World of Faith Living Together, Beyond Our Differences
Biography of Joseph A. Manickam, Ph.D.
Joseph was born in Chiang Mai, Thailand to Paul and Mano Manickam, missionaries sent by the Church of South India to Thailand in 1958. The youngest of six children, he grew up in a family deeply committed to seeing God’s love translated into the local context crossing social barriers of many forms. During these formative years, cultural swinging was an assumed way of life for the Manickam family as they continually swung between a South Indian home, a western school system and living among the Thai people. Joseph’s high school years began at a boarding school in South India named Kodaikanal International School. These years marked a return to some of his familial roots in South India where much of his extended family still reside. He completed his high school at Hoover High School in North Canton, Ohio, where he earned a certificate in their automobile mechanics program. In 1985, Joseph attended Hesston College where he encountered an Anabaptist perspective on the biblical narrative for the first time. Though he majored in automotive technology, his greatest transformation during these academic years was a spiritual transformation toward a deeper understanding of God’s love as demonstrated by his instructors and classmates. The years at Hesston College proved to be time when a Gospel ethic of nonviolence took root in his worldview. This perspective would be further crafted and tested during his years at Goshen (Ind.) College as the United States entered into its first Iraq War. After completing his studies at Goshen College, Joseph returned to Hesston College to join their admissions department. This appointment offered him the opportunity to travel the country where he encountered the larger Mennonite church in the United States in its various shapes and forms. In particular, his encounter with urban Mennonites and Mennonites living on the margins of society captured his imagination of the power of the Anabaptist story to transform broken relationships. Joseph and Wanda Wyse were married in 1994 in Yoder, Kansas. At the time, Wanda was working with the Sedgwick County Health Department. In 1996, they moved to Southern California where he began his graduate studies at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena. Joseph joined the staff at the Center for Anabaptist Leadership which provided him a platform to connect with Anabaptist minded congregations in the Pacific Southwest. These encounters further shaped his understanding of diversity within the Mennonite churches as the vast majority of members were first generation Mennonite. These transformative relationships were foundational to his doctoral studies and continue to shape his thought and faith today. It was also during this chapter in Southern California that Wanda and Joe’s daughter, Faith, and son, Matthew, were born. The Manickam family moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 2005 where Joseph took up a position with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) as their area director for East Asia Program in their International Program department. This position would later morph into the area director for Asia Program. During these years in Pennsylvania, Joseph’s travel throughout Asia connected him to the pulse of the global church which often found itself in a complex religious environment – an environment where a person’s vibrant faith could manifest itself with unimagined colors. He also discovered that it was in this context that a genuine Gospel ethic of peacebuilding was relevant and could flourish. In 2012, following the administrative restructuring of MCC, the Manickam family moved to Chiang Mai, Thailand, where for three years Joseph and Wanda took part in establishing the MCC Asia Regional Office. Joseph then directed the Institute of Religion, Culture and Peace (IRCP) at Payap University in Chiang Mai, Thailand and served on faculty with the Peace Studies department for two years.
Joseph was born in Chiang Mai, Thailand to Paul and Mano Manickam, missionaries sent by the Church of South India to Thailand in 1958. The youngest of six children, he grew up in a family deeply committed to seeing God’s love translated into the local context crossing social barriers of many forms. During these formative years, cultural swinging was an assumed way of life for the Manickam family as they continually swung between a South Indian home, a western school system and living among the Thai people. Joseph’s high school years began at a boarding school in South India named Kodaikanal International School. These years marked a return to some of his familial roots in South India where much of his extended family still reside. He completed his high school at Hoover High School in North Canton, Ohio, where he earned a certificate in their automobile mechanics program. In 1985, Joseph attended Hesston College where he encountered an Anabaptist perspective on the biblical narrative for the first time. Though he majored in automotive technology, his greatest transformation during these academic years was a spiritual transformation toward a deeper understanding of God’s love as demonstrated by his instructors and classmates. The years at Hesston College proved to be time when a Gospel ethic of nonviolence took root in his worldview. This perspective would be further crafted and tested during his years at Goshen (Ind.) College as the United States entered into its first Iraq War. After completing his studies at Goshen College, Joseph returned to Hesston College to join their admissions department. This appointment offered him the opportunity to travel the country where he encountered the larger Mennonite church in the United States in its various shapes and forms. In particular, his encounter with urban Mennonites and Mennonites living on the margins of society captured his imagination of the power of the Anabaptist story to transform broken relationships. Joseph and Wanda Wyse were married in 1994 in Yoder, Kansas. At the time, Wanda was working with the Sedgwick County Health Department. In 1996, they moved to Southern California where he began his graduate studies at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena. Joseph joined the staff at the Center for Anabaptist Leadership which provided him a platform to connect with Anabaptist minded congregations in the Pacific Southwest. These encounters further shaped his understanding of diversity within the Mennonite churches as the vast majority of members were first generation Mennonite. These transformative relationships were foundational to his doctoral studies and continue to shape his thought and faith today. It was also during this chapter in Southern California that Wanda and Joe’s daughter, Faith, and son, Matthew, were born. The Manickam family moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 2005 where Joseph took up a position with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) as their area director for East Asia Program in their International Program department. This position would later morph into the area director for Asia Program. During these years in Pennsylvania, Joseph’s travel throughout Asia connected him to the pulse of the global church which often found itself in a complex religious environment – an environment where a person’s vibrant faith could manifest itself with unimagined colors. He also discovered that it was in this context that a genuine Gospel ethic of peacebuilding was relevant and could flourish. In 2012, following the administrative restructuring of MCC, the Manickam family moved to Chiang Mai, Thailand, where for three years Joseph and Wanda took part in establishing the MCC Asia Regional Office. Joseph then directed the Institute of Religion, Culture and Peace (IRCP) at Payap University in Chiang Mai, Thailand and served on faculty with the Peace Studies department for two years.
Interfaith Harmony Week
Interfaith Harmony Week Program
This tremendous Interfaith Harmony Week program on the golden rule was broadcast yesterday but you can view it at the link below. Presented by Toronto Catholic school board. The students were haring their interfaith througts during Interfaith Harmony Week in their country Canada and United States.
Our theme for Sunday is “Becoming a Beloved Community”. 63 years ago Martin Luther King Jr. envisioned the USA to become a “Beloved Community”. 63 years later it is obvious we have not become a “Beloved Community”. We are planning a different approach than other dialogues. After an opening Sam introduction that will include the MLK “Beloved Community” vision, Rabbi Michael Davis, and Naim Ballout will take 5-10 minutes each to share their religious cultural story based on the story/life of Abraham. Then the panelists as well as the listening audience will have time to ask questions. We also hope that the panelist of varied religions and the listening audience will make remarks regarding what they share in common.
Join us on the Global Faith in Action Facebook page
Join us on the Global Faith in Action Facebook page
AGAPE LOVE
What is Agape Love?
By defination Agape love is selfless, sacrificial, unconditional love. It is the highest of the four types of love in the Bible.
By defination Agape love is selfless, sacrificial, unconditional love. It is the highest of the four types of love in the Bible.
Join us Sunday January 17, 2021 as storytellers Sam Muyskens, Chelsea Whipple, Tony Brown and a special Larry Hatterberg People chosen by Larry himself. Maria Jacobia will recite a Jewish blessing, Dr. William Vann will say a Christian prayer & Naim Ballout will say a Muslim prayer. Tony Brown will end the program with a song. If you would like to share your stories of agape love please feel free to email us a gfianow@gmail.com
MEMORIES WITH SAM
Arriving at our stateside hotel at 1am on our way to Haiti just to have to awake at 5am to catch our departing flight to Haiti.
Flying on those cramped, noisy turboprop planes from the US to Haiti.
Being greeted by hot and humId weather at the Cap-Haitian airport.
Meeting on the roof in the evenings at Dantus' house to share how God revealed Himself and what touched our hearts that day.
Eating local food prepared by cooks at Dantus' house.
Dodging huge potholes in the roads to the Lambert campus.
Visiting the Citadel and riding back to Dantus' house in a tap-tap.
Searching for a location in Cap-Haitian that has a TV capable of showing the WSU basketball tournament games while sipping on a cool drink.
Listening to Sam preaching at the Lambert campus church and watching the audience clap and smile.
Shedding tears as our plane takes off from the Cap-Haitian airport to return home.
I’ve known Sam for 11 years. My family and I used to travel from TX to Wichita to visit relatives and I’d always be curious when we drove by the InterFaith office on Market Street. I wondered what that organization did. Little did I know back in the 90s that fate would land me a job at InterFaith one day, where I’d meet Sam Muyskens (then Executive Director of InterFaith Ministries). Sam has become a friend and a mentor to me. My life is richer for being able to work with him and learn from him. He is a jewel of a human being, and it’s an honor to celebrate this joyous occasion of his 80th birthday! Happy Birthday Sam! We love you, Surinder, Ray & Arjun
VIDEOS FROM OUR CONVERSATION IN ACTION
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