KOTTAYAM: Church of South India (CSI) former moderator Bishop K J Samuel, 81, passed away at a private hospital in Kottayam on Sunday. He was under treatment for age-related ailments. The Church has called an emergency meeting of its executive committee at 9.30am on Monday to decide on the funeral service. Samuel was the bishop of CSI East Kerala diocese from 1990 to 2007.
A two-time moderator of the CSI, Samuel courted controversy when he ordained K P Yohannan as a bishop in 2003. While the CSI said Bishop Samuel presided over the ordination without the consent of the CSI synod, other protestant Churches also came out against him.
Born to K S Joseph and Rachel Joseph of Kunnumpurath House at Elappally in Thodupuzha on January 7, 1942, he completed his primary education at Elappally Government LP School and high school education from Erumapramattam MD CMS School.
He completed his higher education at Madras Hindustan Bible Institute and Yavatmal theological seminary in Maharashtra. Bishop Samuel was elected as the CSI deputy moderator in 1998 and became Moderator of the CSI in 2000.