A. N. Gopal

Last updated

A. N. Gopal, AELC
The Reverend Doctor
Church Lutheran
Diocese Synods of East Godavari, West Godavari, East Guntur, West Guntur, Central Guntur
See Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church (AELC)
In office1951–1955 [1]
Predecessor E. Prakasam [1]
Successor G. Devasahayam [1]
Personal details
Born
Died Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India
Previous post(s) Pastor, Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church Society

A. N. Gopal was the second [1] Indian President of the Protestant Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church Society and served from 1951 to 1955. On completion of his term, he was assigned the responsibility of president of the Lutheran Theological College, Rajahmundry.

Apart from his primary responsibility to the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church Society, he also served in an honorary capacity as president of the United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India (formerly Federation of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India). [2]

In 1955 when Gopal successfully completed a term as president of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church, he went on study leave to the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, where he underwent postgraduate studies in theology. [1] On his return, he was assigned to the Lutheran Theological College, Rajahmundry. [1]

In 1963, [3] Gopal accepted the position as principal of the Voorhees College (India) in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, the same college where Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan had once studied. [4]

Religious titles
Preceded by
E. Prakasam
1944-1950 [1]
President
Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church

1951-1955 [1]
Succeeded by
G. Devasahayam
1956–1960 [1]
Preceded by

[1]
President
Lutheran Theological College, Rajahmundry

1956 [5] -1963 [6]
Succeeded by

[1]
Honorary titles
Preceded by
Raja B. Manickam
1954 [2] -1960 [7]
President
United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India (formerly the Federation of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India)

1960 [8] -1963 [7]
Succeeded by
Raja B. Manikam
1963 [7] -1966 [9]
Academic offices
Preceded by
Principal
Voorhees College (India), Vellore

1963 [3] -1972 [10]
Succeeded by

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andhra Christian College</span>

The Andhra Christian College or A.C. College is one of the oldest colleges in India located in Guntur Andhra Pradesh. It started in 1885. AC College is part of the education enterprise of the Protestant churches. It admits intermediate, undergraduate and graduate students and awards degrees through the Acharya Nagarjuna University, Nagarjunanagar to which it is affiliated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andhra Christian Theological College</span>

Andhra Christian Theological College (ACTC) is a seminary in Telangana which was founded in 1964. It is affiliated with India's first university, the Senate of Serampore College (University), and has degree-granting authority under a Danish charter ratified by the government of West Bengal. ACTC is on the Hussain Sagar canal (north) in Gandhinagar, Hyderabad, about 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) from the Secunderabad Junction railway station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars</span> Baptist Christian denomination in Andhra Pradesh, India

The Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars (CBCNC) is a Baptist Christian denomination in north coastal Andhra Pradesh. The churches are part of the Telugu Christian community of Southern India. Its language is Telugu. It is affiliated to the Baptist World Alliance (BWA), the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) and the World Council of Churches (WCC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Council of Christian Hospitals</span>

Council of Christian Hospitals (COCH), an autonomous body that facilitates management of medical institutions founded by Missionaries of Canadian Baptist Mission. COCH is a body corporate under Indian Societies Registration Act and has its registered office in premises of one of its participating hospitals, that is, CBM Christian Medical Centre, Pithapuram in East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian Baptist Mission</span>

The Canadian Baptist Mission (CBM) is an international Baptist Christian missionary society. It is a constituent board affiliated with the Canadian Baptist Ministries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baptist Theological Seminary</span>

Baptist Theological Seminary is a Baptist seminary of the Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars (CBCNC) located in Jagannaickpur, Church Square, Kakinada in Kakinada district of Andhra Pradesh, India. The seminary was affiliated to nation's first University, the Senate of Serampore College (University) in 1949.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church</span>

Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church (AELC) was constituted in the year 1927 in Andhra Pradesh, India. It is the Indian successor to the United Lutheran Church in America which was started as a self-supporting, self-governing, and self-propagating church among Telugu Christians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eva Rose York Bible Training and Technical School for Women</span>

Eva Rose York Bible Training and Technical School for Women was founded in 1922 by the Canadian Baptist Mission (CBM). The school is in Tuni in Andhra Pradesh, India.

M. Victor Paul was a biblical scholar who served as President of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church from 1993 to 1997.

K. Devasahayam was President of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church from 1965 to 1969.

E. Prakasam, a Lutheran, was the first Indian President of the Protestant Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church Society whose ministry was primarily based in the Guntur District and also in East Godavari District, West Godavari District, Krishna District, and Visakhapatnam District. Being one of the established Indian Pastors, Prakasam was elected as president and served from 1944 to 1950 after which he resumed his Pastoral duties as a Lutheran Pastor.

G. Devasahayam was the Indian President of the Protestant Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church Society and served during the periods 1956–1960 and again from 1963–1964. During his second stint as President of the AELC, Devasahayam participated in the opening of the newly formed Andhra Christian Theological College then located in the same campus of the Lutheran Theological College in Rajahmundry.

K. Krupadanam was the Indian President of the Protestant Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church Society and served for a short period from 1961-1962. His tenure was embroiled in a legal wrangle but ultimately the AELC Church Society won the case.

Samuel William Schmitthenner was a Lutheran who served as the President of the Protestant Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church Society in Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh, India from 1969 to 1981.

B. Suneel Bhanu is President Emeritus of the Protestant Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church Society who served a term from 2009 through 2013. At present, Suneel Bhanu teaches at the Gurukul Lutheran Theological College, Chennai.

K. Frederick Paradesi Babu is the current President of the Protestant Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church Society. He had his ministerial formation at the Andhra Christian Theological College, Hyderabad, a Seminary affiliated to the nation's first university, the Senate of Serampore College (University).

N. Ch. Joseph was the President of the Protestant Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church Society.

Ch. Victor Moses is President Emeritus of the Protestant Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church Society headquartered in Guntur. Victor Moses is an Old Testament Scholar and a member of the Society for Biblical Studies, India, an august body of learning having members well versed in Hebrew and Greek languages hailing from the Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox and Pentecostal traditions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">P. Solomon Raj</span>

P. Solomon Raj(21 February 1921 - 28 December 2019) was a pastor of Protestant Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church Society headquartered in Guntur with major contribution to theological research and arts. Old Testament scholar Victor Premasagar wrote about Raj as a pastor, professor of communications, creative artist, sculptor, poet and a theological writer.

William Powlas Peery was a Pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America/Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church who taught theology at ecumenical institutions, the Andhra Christian Theological College at its erstwhile location in Rajahmundry and also at the United Theological College, Bangalore both of which are affiliated to the nation's first University, the Senate of Serampore College (University), Serampore.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Kolluri Luther Richardson, Towards Self-Reliance : A historical survey of the programmes and efforts of Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church from 1927 to 1969, Published by Christopher and Kanakaiah, Vijayawada, 2003, pp.78, 85, 86, 96.
  2. 1 2 The American Lutheran, Volumes 43-44, 1960, p. 287
  3. 1 2 Conservative, Volume 3, 1963. Conservative, Volume 3, 1963
  4. Dutt, Kunduri Iswara (1966). Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan: A Study of the President of India. Popular Book Services. p. 125. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  5. Minutes of the Annual Convention, 1955, p.86. ...Gopal will be the First Indian President of the Lutheran Seminary in Luthergiri, Rajahmundry.
  6. World Council of Churches, Faith and Order Paper, Issue 36, 1962, p.61. A. N. Gopal had attended the World Council of Churches meeting even in 1962. The WCC lists his address as the Lutheran Theological College, Rajahmundry.
  7. 1 2 3 The Lutheran Standard, Volume 3, 1963, p.249
  8. Concordia Theological Monthly, Volume XXXI, Number 11, November, 1960, p.714. [www.ctsfw.net/media/pdfs/CTMTheologicalObserver31-11.pdf]
  9. The Lutheran, Volume 5, p.34
  10. Dharma Vira Agarwala, Gurbachan Singh (Compiled), All India Educational Directory, 1972, p. 359.

Further reading