Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church

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Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church

Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church
AELC logo.jpg
AbbreviationAELC
ClassificationProtestant
OrientationLutheran
Polity Episcopal
AssociationsSynods
Region Andhra Pradesh
Karnataka
Tamil Nadu
Telangana
Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Language Telugu
English
Headquarters Guntur
Founder Evangelical Lutheran General Synod of the United States of America
Origin1842
Guntur
Congregations5,000+
Members3,500,000+ [1]
Ministers B. V. Subbamma
R. R. Sundara Rao
P. Solomon Raj
G. D. Melanchthon
Missionaries John Christian Frederick Heyer
Anna Sarah Kugler
W. D. Coleman
W. P. Peery,

Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church (AELC) [2] 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. [3]

Contents

Memberships

In India

Bartholomaeus Ziegenbalg and Heinrich Plütschau of the Danish-Halle Missionary Society at Tranquebar were the first Protestant Missionaries to India who were Lutherans.

In Andhra Pradesh

The AELC was founded as a mission field of the then General Synod of the Lutheran Church in America by John Christian Frederick Heyer (known as Father Heyer) on 31 July 1842. [7] AEL Church, Polepally

The first Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church in Polepally, near Macherla Mandal, Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh, was first established by Father Hyer, serving as a cornerstone of Christian faith in the region. Over time, the original structure deteriorated and was demolished.

In 2015, Rev. Gera Ananda Pratap revitalized the church during his seven years of service. Under his leadership, the church was rebuilt, restoring its prominence as a center of worship and community life.

Google Maps Link to Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church, Polepally


As a first step, schools were established. With new baptisms, the confidence of the missionaries increased. Later hospitals were established.

Structures

Administration

The current Moderator / Bishop of the AELC is Most Rt.Rev.Dr.K.F.PARADESI BABU elected in the recent elections of the AELC, against BY K. Fredrick Paradesi Babu.

For administrative purposes, six synods have been established, each taken care of by a Synod President. A 32-member Executive Council whose members are drawn from the six synods administers the Church society. [8]

Moderator / Bishop

The Executive Council of this Church Society elects a set of office-bearers each quadrennium. [9] The Moderator / Bishop heads this century-old Church Society. In earlier nomenclature, the term President was used. However, with the arrival of Rev. G. Emmanuel, the nomenclature was changed to Moderator / Bishop to denote a more ecclesiastical term. However, the term President also continues to be used.

AELC Steering Committee

AELC Steering Committee

Succession of Presidents

YearsSuccession of Presidents Academic Credentials
1944–1950 E. Prakasam L. Th. (Serampore)
1951–1955 A. N. Gopal L. Th. (Serampore), Th. M. (LSTC)
1956–1960 G. Devasahayam L. Th. (Serampore), S. T. M. (LTSP)
1961–1962 K. Krupadanam L. Th. (Serampore)
1963–1964 G. Devasahayam L. Th. (Serampore), S. T. M. (LTSP)
1965–1969 K. Devasahayam B. A. (Andhra), B. D. (Serampore), Th. M. (LTSP)
1969–1981 S. W. Schmitthenner M. Div. (LTSG)
1981–1989K. Nathaniel L. Th. (Serampore)
1993–1997 M. Victor Paul B. A. (Andhra), BEd (Andhra), B. D. (Serampore), M. Th. (Serampore), S. T. M. (LS), D. Min. (LS)
1997–2000G. Emmanuel L. Th. (Serampore)
2000–2001 N. Ch. Joseph
2001–2005 Ch. Victor Moses B. Th. (Serampore), B. D. (Serampore), M. Th. (Serampore)
2005–2009 V. E. Christopher B. Th. (Serampore), B. D. (Serampore)
2009–2013 B. Suneel Bhanu [10] B. D. (Serampore), Th. M. (SEAGST)
2013-2017 K. Frederick Paradesi Babu B. Th. (Serampore), B. D. (Serampore)
2017-2020K. Fredrick Paradesi BabuB. Th. (Serampore), B.D. (Serempore)
2020-2025B. D (Serempore), M. Th (Serempore)

Women's ordination

For long, women's ordination in the AELC was taboo. One of the first theologically trained women of this Church, the Fuller Theological Seminary-educated Rev. Dr B. V. Subbamma [11] could have been ordained long ago. But Church leaders, fearing her leadership kept the issue of women's ordination aside. [12]

However, with sustained efforts and dialogue of Dr. K. Rajaratnam, Rev. Dr. Prasanna Kumari Samuel, and Dr. Monica J. Melanchton of the Gurukul Lutheran Theological College and Research Institute (GLTCRI), the dream of women's ordination became a reality. With the active cooperation of the then President, Bishop G. Emmanuel, seventeen women were ordained into pastoral ministry on 20 February 1999. [11]

Synod Presidents of the AELC [13]
  • Visakha Synod

Rev.P Sudarsan Kumar

  • East Godavari Synod

Rev. A Samuel Raju

  • West Godavari Synod

Rev. B.Anand kumar

  • East Guntur Synod

Rev. K. Ratna Mohan

  • Central Guntur Synod

Rev. S.J Babu Rao

  • West Guntur Synod

Rev. J.Prabhakar

Related Research Articles

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

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">Victor Premasagar</span> Indian churchman and Old Testament scholar

Victor Premasagar (1927–2005) was the fourth successor of Frank Whittaker as Bishop in Medak. He was an Indian churchman and Old Testament scholar who made major contributions to research on the Old Testament and to the field of theology. Premasagar's articles appeared in the Expository Times (1966), the Vetus Testamentum (1966), the International Review of Mission (1972), and the Indian Journal of Theology (1974) and cited in major works relating to the theme of Promise in the Bible and critical works on Psalms LXXX and the Hebrew word HOQ in the Tanakh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andhra Christian Theological College</span> Seminary in Telangana, India

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">John Christian Frederick Heyer</span> American minister and missionary

John Christian Frederick Heyer was the first missionary sent abroad by Lutherans in the United States. He founded the Guntur Mission in Andhra Pradesh, India. "Father Heyer" is commemorated as a missionary in the Calendar of Saints of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on November 7, along with Bartholomaeus Ziegenbalg and Ludwig Ingwer Nommensen.

V. E. Christopher is President Emeritus of the Protestant Lutheran Church Society, the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church.

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.

Bishop T. B. D. Prakasa Rao was the fourth CSI-Bishop - in - Krishna-Godavari of the Protestant Church of South India who occupied the Cathedra placed at CSI-St. Paul's Cathedral, Vijayawada. The Bishopric of Prakasa Rao lasted for two decades from 1981 through 2001, one of the longest in the history of the Church of South India Society. Prakasa Rao led the bishopric of Krishna-Godavari that comprised the Christian missions established by the London Missionary Society (LMS) and the Church Missionary Society (CMS) which merged its South India Christian missions in India into the Church of South India Society which was inaugurated in 1947 at the CSI-St. George's Cathedral, Madras.

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.

A. N. Gopal was the second 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.

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 to 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).

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.

B. V. Subbamma also known as Bathineni Venkata Subbamma was an Indian theologian and scholar. Noted for founding Christian ashrams, she was widely recognized for her analysis of Christianity from a cultural perspective. She was one of the first women in India to attain theological training and was one of the inaugural women pastors ordained by the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church (AELC) in 1999 at AELC-St. Matthews West Parish, Guntur.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">G. D. Melanchthon</span> Indian theologian

G. D. Melanchthon (1934–1994) was a Silver Jubilee Priest hailing from Protestant Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church Society who taught Religions, at United Theological College, Bangalore from 1968 until the latter half of the 1980s, with his career being brought to an abrupt end in 1988 when he was stricken with paralysis. Melanchthon used to be quite active among the academic community along with Chrysostom Arangaden, Arvind P. Nirmal and others in not only delivering scholarly talks, but also in contributing research articles and reviewing new titles.

References

  1. "Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church (AELC) of India". North West Missouri Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
  2. United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India "Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church". Archived from the original on 18 December 2005. Retrieved 23 February 2007. AELC
  3. Kolluri Luther Richardson, Towards Self-Reliance : A historical survey of the programmes and efforts of Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church from 1927–1969, Published by Christopher and Kanakaiah, Vijayawada, 2003.
  4. Lutheran World Worldwide Faith News
  5. National Council of Churches in India "Welcome to NCCI". Archived from the original on 25 January 2009. Retrieved 27 March 2010. Affiliate Members
  6. UELCI Archived 1 April 2007 at the Wayback Machine Member Churches
  7. Luther Richardson, Kolluri, Rev., Towards Self-Reliance, p. xi, Editorial by Rev. Dr. D. V. Daniel
  8. Almanac 2008, pp. 1–8
  9. Ibid.
  10. Professor B. Suneel Bhanu was elected as the President of the AELC for a term of four years beginning from 1 June 2009 replacing Bishop V. E. Christopher. Professor Bhanu pursued theological studies up to M. Th. under the Senate of Serampore College (University). Prof. Bhanu taught at the prestigious Bishop's College in Kolkata and thereafter at the Gurukul Lutheran Theological College in Chennai. Archived 10 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  11. 1 2 Lutheran World Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine Worldwide Faith News
  12. Victor Premasagar, Indian Women in Evangelism and Theology, Published by Dr. B. V. Subbamma, October 2005. pp. 12–15
  13. Almanac 2008, p. 3

Further reading