Motto | SICUT FILIUS HOMINIS NON VENIT MINISTRARI SED MINISTRARE ET DARE ANIMAM SUAM REDEMPTIONEM PRO MULTIS |
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Motto in English | Even as the Son of man is not come to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life a redemption for many. |
Type | Seminary |
Established | 1910 |
Affiliation | Senate of Serampore College (University) Serampore – 712201 West Bengal |
Director | The Right Reverend Dr. Royce Manoj Victor, CSI |
Principal | The Rev. Chilkuri Vasantha Rao, CSI, Dr.theol.(Hamburg) [1] |
Academic staff | 10+ |
Location | 63, Miller's Road, Benson Town, Bengaluru 560 006 , , 12°59′45″N77°35′56″E / 12.99583°N 77.59889°E |
Website | http://www.utc.edu.in/ |
United Theological College (UTC) is an ecumenical mainline seminary founded in 1910. [2] It is situated in the southern city of Bangalore in the state of Karnataka in South India and affiliated to India's first [3] Theological University, the Senate of Serampore College (University) {a University under Section 2 (f) of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956 [4] } [5] with degree-granting authority validated by a Danish Charter and ratified by the Government of West Bengal. Renowned for its contributions to Subaltern and Dalit theology, it is a highly respected ecumenical institution in Bangalore.
Currently, [6] the principalship is held by the Old Testament Scholar, The Rev. Ch. Vasantha Rao, CSI, Dr.theol. (Hamburg), an alma mater [7] of this institution and an acknowledged lead in Old Testament studies and Biblical Hebrew language, having been groomed by the Old Testament Scholar, Victor Premasagar, CSI, throughout his Spiritual formation period, beginning with his graduate [8] and post-graduate studies, [9] well into his doctoral studies. [10] Vasantha Rao is also known for his continuing association with the fully ecumenical [11] Society for Biblical Studies in India (SBSI) right from the New millennium to the Golden Jubilee conclave held in 2012, where he was elected President, at the Ecumenical Christian Centre, Whitefield and continues to steer the Society. [12]
Since 1976, it has been granted the status of an autonomous [13] college under Senate of Serampore. The college has welcomed world leaders. Mahatma Gandhi visited it in 1927 and declared, To live the gospel is the most effective way…I can say that the life of service and uttermost simplicity is the best preaching. India Post released a centenary commemorative stamp in honor of the United Theological College (UTC) on 8 July 2011.
UTC's motto comes from Matthew 20:28 in the Vulgate: SICUT FILIUS HOMINIS NON VENIT MINISTRARI SED MINISTRARE ET DARE ANIMAM SUAM REDEMPTIONEM PRO MULTIS which translates as "Even as the Son of man is not come to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life a redemption for many". [14] It is sometimes condensed to Not to be Served but to Serve. In the University emblem the motto is in Greek (not in Latin): οὐ... διακονηθῆναι ἀλλὰ διακονῆσαι
The UTC was granted autonomy in the year 1976 by the Senate of Serampore College (University). The following are the courses offered by the College: [15]
Succession of Old Testament Faculty at UTC, Bangalore |
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Full-time faculty
Visiting Faculty
|
The UTC has exchange programs with the Theological Faculty of the University of Basel Switzerland [18] and the Divinity School of the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. [19] It has a Memorandum of Understanding signed by Revd Dr O V Jathanna and Prof Kenneth Brown with the University of Edinburgh wherein a post-graduate student can study a semester in Bengaluru.
The college had been a recipient of prizes from the Mysore Horticultural Society, Bengaluru for well-maintained gardens and lawns. Good environment for study purpose.
The college has a large theological library including 200-year-old palm leaf manuscripts. The United States Embassy awarded a grant for preservation of these rare palm leaf manuscripts in 2006. [22]
Academic administrators who have led the seminary have been designated Principal. [25]
Tenure | Names of Administrators at UTC, Bangalore | Earned academic credentials (highest degree) |
1910–1911 | The Rev. ✝ James Mathers, LMS, [26] OBE, [27] | B. D. [28] [29] |
1911–1924 | The Rev. ✝ L. P. Larsen, [29] DMS, [30] | M.A., [28] [31] |
1924–1930 | The Rev. ✝ D. S. Herrick, ABCFM | M.A., [32] |
1930–1931 | The Rev. ✝ W. J. T. Small, WMMS | M.A. (Cantab.), [33] |
1931–1936 | The Rev. ✝ W. H. Thorp, WMMS | B.A. (London), [34] |
1936–1937 | The Rev. ✝ George Parker, [35] |LMS | B. D. |
1937–1954 | The Rev. ✝ M. H. Harrison, ABCFM | Th.M. (Andover), [16] |
1954–1983 | The Rev. ✝ J. R. Chandran, CSI | S.T.M. (Union), |
1983–1993 | The Rev. ✝ E. C. John, CSI | Dr. Theol. (Heidelberg), |
1993–2000 | The Rev. ✝ Gnana Robinson, CSI | Dr. Theol. (Hamburg), |
2000–2008 | The Rev. O. V. Jathanna, CSI | Dr. Theol. (Basel), [36] [37] |
2008–2009 | The Rev. S. I. Selvanayagam, CSI | D. Th. (Serampore), [38] |
2009–2017 | The Rev. J. R. Samuel Raj, CSI | Dr. Theol. (Hamburg) [1] |
2017–present | The Rev. Ch. Vasantha Rao, CSI [39] | Dr. Theol. (Hamburg) [1] |
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