Rev. Florence Deenadayalan: The Feminine Voice of the Devine!

On this day, September 28, the Church of South India and the wider ecumenical community celebrate the life of Rev. Florence Deenadayalan on her second death anniversary. As one of the first women to be ordained in the CSI, she occupies a historic place in the struggle for women’s ordination and ministry in India, breaking barriers in an era when the role of women in the church was still fiercely contested!
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Shibi Peter

Rev. Florence Deenadayalan, a prominent figure in the Church of South India and one of the first women pastors in India, passed away on September 28, 2023. Her remarkable life and testimony, serving in the CSI Central Karnataka Diocese, will be remembered as a significant milestone in the ecclesial history of India. In 1982, the Synod of the Church of South India officially accepted the ordination of women, following years of deliberations that began in 1972. In 1987, Florence, along with Rev. Elizabeth Paul and Rev. Nirmala Vasantakumar, became one of the first women pastors to be ordained.

Rev. Gundala Florence Deenadayalan, a native of Chirala, Andhra, was born to Sangeetha Rao and Soubhagyam as the fourth of seven children on March 17, 1950. Despite facing several obstacles, including two vehicle accidents, typhoid, and malaria, she pursued her dream of studying theology. She was a communicant member of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church (AELC) and served as a spiritual formator at the Charlotte Swensson Memorial Bible Training School (CSMBTS) in Rajahmundry before pursuing higher theological studies. The Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Ministerial Committee, with support from the Lutheran World Federation, provided her with a scholarship to attend the United Theological College in Bangalore, where she was influenced by the Christian environment and the college's secular character. Later, she incardinated into the Church of South India and ministered in Kolar (KGF) and Bangalore for over four decades, dedicating her pastoral and social work to the wider community.

However, she faced difficulties when she started studying theology, as her male classmates were eccentric and patronising. She even had an incident where she had to pour tea on a male student who was harassing her. After completing her theological studies, Florence became a teacher in the seminary. However, she believed that her true calling was church service. Florence, who married a CSI priest, developed a growing passion for ordained ministry. She encountered many difficulties, including a legal battle. Dealing with the attitudes of the clergy and believers was difficult. Florence wrote that even her own father initially did not accept her in the early years of her ministry. His opposition ended in 1994, when he participated in the service led by Florence and received Holy Communion. A group of people obtained a stay order from the High Court, delaying her ordination as a deaconess for two years. In 1981, she finally took charge as a deaconess at the Wesley English Church in Bangalore; in 1987, she entered the pastoral ministry as a presbyter. Rev. Florence, who served in many churches in Bangalore and Birmingham for six years, leaves behind a legacy of service.

"Rev. Florence's influence in inspiring and empowering women to enter the field of church ministries will always be remembered"

Rev. Florence Deenadayalan was firm in her belief that God's love was the only source of strength that sustained her amidst persistent discrimination against women. Over time, she was able to convince even conservative believers through her strong theological convictions and compelling testimony. Her influence in inspiring and empowering women to enter the field of church ministries remains enduring. While serving the church in Kolar (KGF), she was deeply concerned about the struggles of mine workers and became an advocate for women’s movements in the church. In a deeply entrenched patriarchal society and church, she consistently challenged oppressive values and policies, making struggle central to her life and ministry. Bishop Lawrence was a significant influence in her life, particularly during the time of her ordination, which also drew her into wider Christian social action movements across the country. She later served as a board member of Partners in Justice Concerns (PJC) and the Program for Social Action (PSA), and also provided leadership to the Association of Theologically Trained Women of India (ATTWI), where she was elected vice-president in 1981.

When she was young, Florence had to represent the voice of God in a solo drama performed at an event in the Vacation Bible School. The entire congregation, including the priest, gathered around her, yelling angrily, stating: “A woman's voice for God?” It was that incident which confirmed Rev. Florence's decision to become God's voice and inspired her to preach at the altar of the same church where she had been humiliated and isolated. Later, her voice was heard not only in that church but also at many altars. When Rev. Florence Deenadayalan fulfilled her mission and joined the heavenly abode, a large community of witnesses remembered her. There is no doubt that the Church seeks fulfilment through the struggles witnessed by people like Rev. Florence in their lives.

Rev. Florence passed away in Bangalore on September 28, the opening day of the 15th General Assembly of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) in Kottayam. This was a profound coincidence, for nearly four decades earlier, in 1985, she had led the opening worship at the Eighth Assembly of the CCA in Seoul, South Korea. These two moments, separated by time but united in spirit, symbolise the depth of her lifelong commitment to the ecumenical movement and the church’s mission of justice, inclusion, and witness.

In bidding farewell to Rev. Florence Deenadayalan, Rev. David Selvaraj recited Maya Angelou’s poignant words, echoing the courage, perseverance, and indomitable spirit that guided her journey:

You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I'll rise.

You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I'll rise.

Out of the huts of history's shame
I rise
Up from a past that's rooted in pain
I rise.

I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.

While serving in the Student Christian Movement of India in Bangalore, I had the privilege of receiving the love and care of Rev. Florence Deenadayalan, who was the pastor of CSI St. Peter's Telugu Church in the CSI Compound. By then, she had reached the twilight of her official life. I will always cherish the memory of the compassionate and courageous leader we affectionately called 'Pastor Amma.' Rev. Florence Deenadayalan's life and ministry have had a significant impact on my later research into the unique historical paths of women in the Anglican Communion, particularly in the Church of South India.

I pay tearful tribute to the powerful
feminine voice of the Divine!