Biography Myanmar Christian Writers

Din, U Khin Maung

(b. Thaton, Myanmar, 5 Jul 1931; d. Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 10 Sep 1987). Professor, lay church leader, and composer in Myanmar.

   U Khin Maung Din was a respected academic who was popular among students and youth in general. He may be described as a true successor of his mentor, U Hla Bu, both in the university and in the church. The second of the three children of U Tha U Khin Maung Din and Daw Thein Nyunt, U Khin Maung Din was baptized when he was 11 at the First Baptist Church in Moulmein by Ah Shoo. He matriculated at Morton Lane Judson High School in Moulmein in 1947. He graduated with a bechelor of arts degree in 1953, served as a philosophy tutor in Moulmein College, and in four year secured a master of arts degree in philosophy with first class honors. He married Daw San San Swe on 7 Aug 1958. They had two sons and an adopted niece.

   From 1958 to 1960, U Khin Maung Din was the full time general secretary of the National Student Christian Movement of Burma. He attended the general assembly of the World Student Christian Federation at Strasbourg, France. The university invited him back to the philosophy department at its main campus in Yangon and by 1981 he had become the head of that department. Later in the same year, he was promoted to professor and remained so until his death in 1987.

   U Khin Maung Din was active in the Student Christian Movement, the Baptist church, the Myanmar Council of Churches, and the Myanmar Institute of Christian Theology. He led seminars, presented papers, and deliberated ecumenical issues. He helped the study commission of the Myanmar Council of Churches to formulate a response to the statements of the World Council of Churches on "Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry" and "Education for Ecumenism." He also composed popular hymns and wrote plays on Christian themes, inspiring both young and old. Examples of his work are the song Hlaung ein de hmar (The Bloodstained Dove in the Cage) and the play Metta maingan (The Country of Love), which focused on the theme of overcoming evil with love. U Khin Maung Din died while on a government study tour in the United States.

Bibliography
The Burman Messenger (Oct/Nov 1987; Jan 1988)

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