Joseph Scaria Palakeel is a priest of The Missionary Society of St. Thomas the Apostle. Currently he serves as the Dean of Studies at Ruhalaya College of Theology in Ujjain (2019- ). He obtained a Masters Diploma in Social Communications (1993) and Doctorate in Fundamental Theology (1995) from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He has served as Dean of Theology in Ruhalaya (1997-2004), Founder Director of IMPACT Missionary Animation and Communication Centre (2005-2010) in Kochi, Kerala, First Executive Director of Syro-Malabar Church Internet Mission (2010-2014), Vice Director General of The Missionary Society of St. Thomas the Apostle (2014-2018). He teaches Fundamental Theology and Social Communications in several theological colleges in India. His research interests include Digital media culture, Media, religion and culture, anthropology in an interdisciplinary perspective. He has organized several International conferences in India and is a regular speaker (2013-) at the yearly Theology and Communications (THEOCOM) Conference at Santa Clara University in California, USA and has presented papers on theology and communication in several national and International Conferences. He has authored and edited several books and articles. His major publications include: The Use of Analogy in Theological Discourse. An Investigation in Ecumenical Perspective. Rome: Gregorian University Press, 1995; Towards a Communication Theology (ed.), ATC, Bangalore, 2003; The Bible and the Technologies of the Word (ed.), ATC, Bangalore, 2007; Evangelizing Mission. The Role and Relevance of Missionary Societies and Congregations in Evangelization and New Evangelization, ATC, Bangalore, 2018. His latest articles include “Missional Ecclesiology: Reflections on Church as the Universal Sacrament of Salvation'', in J. Kudiyiruppil, Studies in Ecclesiology, ATC Bangalore, 2021 and “Refining our Comprehension of Mission '' in SEDOS Mission Symposium, Rome, 2021.

​

Selected Other Publications

​

“Theology and the Technologies of Communication”, in Media Development LVIII 3/2011, pp. 32-40.

"Immersion and Emergence: The Spiritual vision of Teilhard" in Paul Maroky (editor), Convergence II. Teilhard's vision from Different Perspectives, OIRSI, Kottayam, 2016, pp.39-52.

“Crowdsourcing Diving Truth? ‘Sensus Fidei’ and Theological Authority in the Social Media Culture” in Miriam Diez Bosch and others, Authority and Leadership. Values, Religion, Media, Blanquerna Observatory, Barcelona, pp.123-140.

2013      “Theologian as Imagineer. Theologizing in the Era of Image, Music and Story” at THEOCOM 13 - “Who Do You Tweet That I Am?”, June 23-25, 2013 at Santa Clara University, CA

2014      “Babel, Pentecost and Facebook: Exploring Connection, Community and Presence in Actual and Digital Space” at THEOCOM 14, Santa Clara University, CA, June 21-24, 2014.

2016      " Disembodied Communities, Embodied Spirituality. An Exploration into the paradox of virtualization of communities and ritualization of spirituality in contemporary media culture. "THEOCOM 16: In the World, yet not of this World: Ecclesiology in the Digital Age", July 31-Aug 2, 2016 at Santa Clara University, CA

2017      "Feed My Geeks". Reflections on Ministerial Education and Formation in Digital Culture" at THEOCOM 17 on “Digital Shepherding: Pastoral Theology and Ministry in the Digital Age.” July 23-25, 2017.

2019      “Taught by the Spirit''. Reflections on Faith Education in the Digital Culture. THEOCOM 19 on “Faith formation in the Faith Formation in the Age of Information” July 21-23, 2019.