Joseph D’souza Bio
Bishop Joseph D’souza is an internationally renowned civil rights advocate and Christian Bishop whose work in India and around the world has drawn the praise of countless civil and religious leaders.
As Moderator Bishop he serves as the primate of the Good Shepherd Church of India and its associated educational, medical, economic, job development, theological and literature ministries.
Bishop D’souza is also the founder and International President of the Dignity Freedom Network that works on behalf of poor and marginalized groups. The Dignity Freedom Network now has offices in Canada, the UK, Switzerland, Brazil, and Sweden, as well as network partners in over 25 nations. As the word Dalit means “broken” the Dignity Freedom Network espouses the cause of “broken” people everywhere especially broken women.
Finally, he serves as the distinguished, founding president of the ecumenical All India Christian Council, one of the largest interdenominational coalitions of Christians in India. The Council proactively addresses the persecution and oppression of Christians and other minorities in India and is known for strong ties to Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Sikhs, and other faith community leaders.
Bishop D’Souza is an eloquent spokesperson for the need for Church movements to be transformative within societies, addressing both spiritual and social needs. He has stated “I love India and I love Jesus Christ and there is no contradiction between the two loves.”
He is best known internationally for his constant advocacy on behalf of religious freedom for all, as well as for his respect for coreligionists even as he maintains his own faith and allegiance to Jesus Christ. He is a tireless campaigner for the freedom of conscience in India, and an apologist for India which he believes is worthy of compliment as the world’s largest pluralistic democracy and the extraordinary developments made in the economic development even as religious freedom continues to be under threat by extremist elements. He is an activist for peace and is an enemy of all forms of religious extremism and violence of any kind.
Bishop D’Souza has a particular concern for all the poor and especially for women, tribals, Dalits, and backward castes in India and abroad among all the major Indian faiths including Christians. In the tradition of Mahatma Phule, who fought for the rights of the Sudras (backward castes), Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the principal architect of the Indian constitution, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Bishop D’Souza imagines an India, and globe, where racism and caste discrimination have been eliminated. He has worked especially on the impact of caste discrimination on the trafficking of women and children, and he has worked with leading outcaste activists and prominent members of multiple faith communities to inaugurate a public debate in India and abroad about the need for eliminating caste within the Church and other main stream religions in India.
Bishop D’Souza played an indispensable role in pacifying unprecedented riots in 2002 in Gujarat and also in the Indian state of Orissa in 2008. He has testified on Dalit rights before European political bodies, including the UK Conservative Party Human Rights Commission. He has also served as an expert witness before a US Congressional SubCommittee hearing on castebased discrimination, and has been a witness at various United Nations’ hearings including before the Genevabased SubCommission on the Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities. Bishop D’Souza has keynoted countless events and held just as many meetings with members of Parliament in Canada, Switzerland, Germany and the United Kingdom, and Congressional leaders in the United States. He has also held the Presidency of the Christianity Solidarity Worldwide and serves as a member of the Council on Faith and International Affairs and he is a member of the Global Council of Christian Leaders.
D’Souza is the author of several books and many articles, and has been quoted and interviewed by many notable news outlets such as CNN, BBC, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Times, Washington Examiner, The Hill, Newsmax, Christianity Today, Charisma, Christian Today and the Church of England Newspaper.
ARTICLES
Christianity Headlines | Love is Our Superpower
Jesus has called each of his followers to love God with all we have and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Jesus made it clear that this love toward God and others has to be demonstrated in action, not just words. This fundamental commitment to love God and our neighbor helps us to develop a fully Christian character. We must demonstrate to a watching world the fuller life that Jesus promised us. Without apology, I confess to being a Christian evangelical, emphasis on “Christian.” Despite the checkered history of the Church, Christianity still has broad acceptance in many societies. The [...]
Christianity Today | In Covid-ravaged India, the situation is worse than people realise
The world needs to know that the situation in India is far worse than people realise and it will be so long after the final effect of this surge in Covid-19 infections ends. When a tsunami hits a coastline, the vulnerable and poor suffer more than the rich. The wealthy can afford to build disaster-proof houses and structures. They can get "anything money can buy." While it takes the lower class years to rebuild their lives, those in power recover at a faster rate. Yet, the second wave of Covid-19 in India is not discriminating between the rich and [...]
Newsweek | India is Battling a Major Health Crisis. Where are its Elites?
One of my friends, a lawyer, passed away recently in Hyderabad, India. He was fit and healthy, but tragically, his body was unable to fend off COVID-19. He leaves behind a grieving family who will be forced to bear an enormous financial burden imposed by the private hospital where he was employed and treated before his death. The world has seen images from cities like Delhi of crematoriums that have been overwhelmed with the bodies of COVID-19 victims. Funeral pyres have been lit in the streets. Our hospital infrastructure has collapsed and countless individuals and families are left hopeless [...]
These are Dr. D’Souza’s most recent articles. For a complete list, please visit: https://thekcompany.co/dignity-freedom-network/