Editor’s Notes

What follows is adapted from the Editor’s Preface to the book, On Natural and Revealed Theology: The Collected Essays of Surrendra Gangadean (Phoenix: Logos Papers Press, 2023). 

Dr. Surrendra Gangadean (1943–2022), professor, pastor, husband, father, mentor, friend, and builder, was a giant in the faith, a Philosopher among philosophers, and a Theologian among theologians. He spent a lifetime refining the foundation for philosophy, theology, and Historic Christianity. The main focus of Dr. Gangadean’s work is the good as the knowledge of God and the goal of the earth being filled with the knowledge of the glory of God. He argues that for this goal to be achieved, there must first be unity in the Church, so that the world might believe. But for unity in the Church, there must be a shared foundation. Dr. Gangadean has paved the way by showing the philosophical, theological, and historical foundations for the Christian faith with the hope that others, by the grace of God, might build a lasting culture, a City with foundations.

Natural theology (general revelation) provides the philosophical foundation, while revealed theology (special revelation) provides the theological. Theological foundation and the work of the Holy Spirit leading the Church into all truth provide the historical foundation. Philosophical foundation argues that the basic things about God and man and good and evil are clear to reason, so that unbelief is without excuse. Dr. Gangadean seeks to establish clarity and inexcusability in a step-by-step process from foundation to fullness of life in Christ. He begins with the most basic—the cornerstone—and proceeds to the less basic, starting with Common Ground, then the argument that at least something must be eternal, that only some is eternal (matter exists and is not eternal, and the soul exists and is not eternal), for special creation (vs. naturalistic and theistic evolution), natural evil is due to moral evil (the problem of evil), the necessity for special revelation (scripture) based on the existence of natural evil, and the moral law that is written on the hearts of all men.

Theological foundation builds upon these first steps, going on to show that only Genesis 1–3, and what builds on the biblical worldview of creation–fall–redemption, is consistent with clear general revelation. Dr. Gangadean has developed the biblical worldview in both narrative and theological forms, drawing out the meaning and implications of creation as revelation, sin and death, curse and promise, repentance and faith, justification and sanctification, baptism and calling, resurrection and reward. These themes are present throughout the Collected Papers but became crystallized in Dr. Gangadean’s later work.

The Historic Christian Faith is the work of the pastor-teachers, after much discussion in Church councils, summed up in the great creeds and confessions/councils of the faith. Dr. Gangadean argues that Historic Christianity builds upon what was agreed upon in The Jerusalem Council (A.D. 51), The Apostles’ Creed (ca. 180), The Council of Nicaea (325), The Council of Carthage (397), The Council of Chalcedon (451), The Council of Orange (529), and the several creeds of the Reformation period leading up to the Westminster Confession of Faith (1648), which he considers the high-water mark of the Christian faith, meaning that it is the most conscious and consistent expression of Christian doctrine up to that time. Yet Dr. Gangadean emphasizes that there have been serious challenges to the Christian faith, both internal and external, since the Reformation that have not yet been addressed and must be addressed if we are to have unity of the faith, that the world might believe. His work paves the way for addressing these challenges.

Dr. Gangadean was born in Trinidad, West Indies, on April 26, 1943. He immigrated to the United States with his family in 1957. He had a Hindu background, seriously contemplated Buddhism and Existentialism, and ultimately converted to Christianity in 1961. He graduated with an M.A. in English from Arizona State University and an M.A. in Philosophy from the University of Arizona. He began teaching within the Maricopa County Community College District in 1968 and taught for 45 years before retiring in 2013. Dr. Gangadean developed much of his thinking about philosophical foundation in the context of teaching in the secular academy. He was the pastor of Westminster Fellowship Church from 2000 until 2022 and was the founder of Logos Theological Seminary. He developed much of his thinking about theological foundation in the context of pastoral ministry and preparing those who would teach in the church.

His early church background included time in the Baptist Church and then in the Charismatic movement before discovering the Reformed Faith and the Westminster Standards, which he held to for the rest of his life. Dr. Gangadean diligently sought the Lord by the ordinary means of daily searching of the Scriptures, family devotions, regular church attendance, fellowship with believers, witness to others, and writing. His life was a witness to many who came to the faith and who continue to hold to the hope of the teaching he shared. His entire Christian life was focused continually on the clarity of general revelation and the inexcusability of unbelief. He brought many to faith and is now with the Lord he loved, patiently waiting and watching for us to help complete the work of the Kingdom of God on earth. Dr. Gangadean entered into rest on February 12, 2022. The Logos Foundation, the educational ministry he founded, continues his work through publications and educational outreach.

From Foundation to Fullness: The Collected Papers of Surrendra Gangadean is a collection of papers, course materials, sermon notes, and handwritten notes by Dr. Gangadean, edited into publishable form. We have presented these papers in a systematic way to show how Dr. Gangadean envisioned each step of the way from foundation to fullness—beginning with the more basic and moving to the less basic. We include topics that may be repeated many times and in various ways because they address different aspects of a subject and are like facets of a diamond, which, when brought together, shine more brilliantly. In this way, we allow the reader and scholar alike to trace the development of Dr. Gangadean’s ideas over time.

The Collected Papers are organized under three major categories: philosophical foundation, theological foundation, and Historic Christian Faith. Within each broad category are collections of papers—more complete works developed by Dr. Gangadean—and notes—handwritten materials transcribed for publication. Papers and notes are organized by subtopic and then by date. We include PDF copies of Dr. Gangadean’s original papers and notes for the reader’s reference. The Collected Papers include nearly 5,000 papers and notes. The Logos Foundation plans to publish each paper on this website as it is transcribed and edited, and eventually to publish From Foundation to Fullness: The Collected Papers of Surrendra Gangadean as a multi-volume set. Completion of the transcription and editing project will take several years.

Dr. Surrendra Gangadean’s earlier papers (1975–1977) show him developing the idea of foundation, deepening his understanding of the faith, and moving toward Historic Christianity. Much of his thought during this stage stems from meditation on the Word of God and reflection on the implications of the Westminster Standards.

His mid- to late-career papers (1996–2013) were developed in the context of teaching within the academy, seeing the challenges of the Modern and Postmodern periods, and developing philosophical foundation—what is clear to reason about God, man, good, and evil, including the moral law and its applications. The seeds of philosophical foundation are present in his early thinking, but come to full expression during these years. His conversations within Christian philosophical circles also spurred his development of an apology for natural theology during this time.

The later post-retirement papers (2014–2020) were developed in the context of his pastoral ministry, teaching in the seminary, and outreach through seeking unity in the Church. These contexts helped further develop the theological foundation, including the biblical worldview in narrative and theological form, the historical foundation, and the focus on the goal of unity of the faith and completing the work. Each paper he wrote paved the way for his books on philosophical foundation, theological foundation, and the Historic Christian Faith.

Dr. Surrendra Gangadean’s works are to be read together as part of a systematic whole. He believed that the Christian worldview is a system of Truth and that the Logos, in its fullness, provides a way of life for the Church. His teaching is nothing less than the foundation for the City of God.

While we provide footnotes to other sources for ideas expressed in his publications, The Collected Papers makes minimal use of footnotes. Readers are encouraged to seek further explanation of Dr. Gangadean’s ideas by referencing the growing body of publications. We encourage those seeking to advance their understanding to make appropriate connections among the different texts in order to see the whole of Dr. Gangadean’s vision. The Collected Papers are intended to supplement, not replace, his published works.

Dr. Surrendra Gangadean’s Collected Papers include works that are developmental, preliminary, or ideas in progress. We have included the entire body of writing he left us. We hope the reader gains a sense of Dr. Gangadean’s focus and drive, passion for the good, love for others, and tireless witness to the truth through these papers. May you meditate on the words in this collection as Dr. Gangadean meditated on these ideas for a lifetime. May your understanding and faith be deepened. And may you be spurred on to seek the unity of the faith, that we might be one, that the world might believe, and that the earth be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. Amen.

THE LOGOS FOUNDATION
EDITORIAL BOARD
Young, Arizona
April 26, 2026