Andhra Christian Theological College

Infobox_University
name=Andhra Christian Theological College
native_name=


latin_name= COLLEGIUM THEOLOGICA ANDHRA CHRISTIANUS
motto=Latin: AD CONSUMMATIONEM SANCTORUM IN OPUS MINISTERII IN AEDIFICATIONEM CORPORIS CHRISTI. "English: For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ."
established=1964
type=Seminary
chancellor=Chairperson Bishop V. E. Christopher
principal=Rev. Dr. N. V. Luther Paul
students=
city = Hyderabad
state = Andhra Pradesh
country = India
coor =coord|17|25|36|N|78|27|10|E|type:edu
address = Lower Tank Bund Road, Gandhinagar Post, Hyderabad 500 080, India
campus=Urban
telephone = 91 040 2761 3892
affiliations=Senate of Serampore College (University), Serampore 712 201, Hooghly District, West Bengal, India
website=http://www.actc.in/
footnotes=Data as of May 2008

Andhra Christian Theological College [Reformed Online [http://www.reformiert-online.net/adressen/detail.php?id=11197&lg=eng] Addresses. Retrieved April 23, 2006.] (ACTC) is an ecumenical enterprise of some of the Church societies in Andhra Pradesh in India founded in the year 1964 and affiliated [Senate of Serampore College (University), List of Affiliated Colleges "(Graduate and Post Graduate Centres)", Internet, accessed 25 August 2008. [http://www.senateofseramporecollege.org/affiliation/graduate.htm] ] to the Senate of Serampore College (University), Serampore, West Bengal. [Government of India, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of Education [http://www.education.nic.in/cd50years/n/75/7Y/757Y0H01.htm] Other Universities. Retrieved April 23, 2006.]

This college is one of the three [Mennonite Brethren Centenary Bible College, Shamshabad and the St. John's Regional Seminary (theologiate), Ramanthapur are the other two.] seminaries in Telangana region to offer university-recognised graduate-level courses in theology ["Victor Paul who served as Principal felt that the word Andhra be done away with and instead rename it to Andhra Pradesh to denote a broader allegiance."] .

It came into being as a result of the Kretzmann's Commission [Martin Kretzmann (1906-2000) was a missionary to India and was also instrumental in affiliating the Concordia Theological Seminary, Nagercoil with the Senate of Serampore College (University). [http://www.gracelutheranchurch.ca/MMS_IELC.html] Internet, accessed April 23, 2006.] which suggested carving out a unified seminary out of existing century-old seminaries catering to the various Church societies in Andhra Pradesh. It was also as a result of ecumenism where a greater need for unity among the Protestant churches was felt worldwide [Laravoire Morrow S.T.D., Most Reverend Louis, My Catholic Faith - A manual of religion, My Mission House, Kenosha, Wisconsin [http://willingshepherds.com/Doctrine.htm] page 156] .

ACTC is situated on the banks of Hussain Sagar excess water canal (north) in Gandhinagar, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh.

Motto

In the "Novum Testamentum" of the Latin Vulgate, it is said thus in Verse XII of Chapter IV of "Epistula Ad Ephesios" (The Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians) , [The Latin Vulgate [http://www.latinvulgate.com/verse.aspx?t=1&b=10&c=4] The Epistle of St. Paul to the Ephesians: Chapter 4. Retrieved April 23, 2006.] "AD CONSUMMATIONEM SANCTORUM IN OPUS MINISTERII IN AEDIFICATIONEM CORPORIS CHRISTI" which translates into English (King James Version) as - "For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ" [:Scripturetext.com [http://scripturetext.com/ephesians/4-12.htm] Ephesians 4:12. Retrieved April 23, 2006.]

Affiliation

The Senate of Serampore College (University) to which the College is affiliated is a University within the meaning of Section 2 (f) [Under Section 2 (f) of the UGC Act, 1956, "University means a University established or incorporated by or under a Central Act, a Provincial Act or a State Act, and includes any such institution as may, in consultation with the University concerned, be recoginsed by the Commission in accordance with the regulations made in this behalf under this Act." The UGC took the opinion that the Senate fell under the purview of Section 2 (f) of the said Act since "The Serampore College Act, 1918" was passed by the Government of West Bengal. [http://www.senateofseramporecollege.org/act/UGC.htm] ] of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956 [The University Grants Commission Act, 1956. [http://www.ugc.ac.in/policy/ugcact1956.html] ] "(as modified upto 20^th December 1985)".

In fact, Serampore was the first institution [Murli Manohar Joshi, Higher Education in India Vision and Action, A paper presented at the UNESCO World Conference on Higher Education in the Twenty First Century, Paris, 5-9 October 1998. Internet, accessed 22 August 2008. [http://education.nic.in/unhighedu.asp] ] to be given the status of a university in India. ["Ibid"]

The following are the present Officers of the Senate [Officers of the Senate, Senate Web Site, Internet, accessed 3 May 2008 [http://www.senateofseramporecollege.org/administration/senate.htm] ] :
* President - Rev. Dr. John S. Sadananda
* Convenor - Rev. Dr. Lalchungnunga
* Registrar - Rev. Dr. Y. Ravi Tiwari
* Treasurer - Dr. R. L. Hnuni

Background

Missionaries in Andhra Pradesh were involved in spreading [ Martin Senftleben [http://www.drmartinus.de/bio/de/thesis1.pdf] Influences of Hinduism on Christianity in Andhra Pradesh. Retrieved April 23, 2006.] the "Word of God". With a sizeable converts at hand the need for ministering them was possible only with Priests. With this, they started to open seminaries.

The missionaries were careful not to encroach into others territories while ministering - they created comities for this purpose. Seminaries were established in Gooty (Union Theological Seminary) [Edmund Davies draws attention to Prof. Wilfred Scopes, a Missionary of the London Missionary Society who taught in the seminaries in Gooty and Dornakal. Edmund Davis, The History of Theological Education in Jamaica: The United Theological College of the West Indies and its four antecedent colleges (1841-1966), 1998, page 167. [http://igitur-archive.library.uu.nl/dissertations/01872495/full.pdf] ] , Dornakal (Andhra Union Theological College [http://www.library.uu.nl/digiarchief/dip/diss/01872495/chapter9.pdf] ) to cater to the Church of South India, Ramayapatnam (Baptist Theological Seminary) for the American Baptists, Luthergiri. [Winnipeg Free Press [http://www.abrahamlincolnarchive.com/Landing.aspx?search=luthergiri&
] United Lutheran Church Advances - The Board sends new missionaries to each of six foreign mission fields. Retrieved April 23, 2006.] (Lutheran Theological College) for the Lutherans, in Kakinada (Baptist Theological Seminary) for the Canadian Baptists, and Shamshabad (Mennonite Brethren Bible College) for the Mennonite Brethren.

There was exchange of Professors between the Seminaries. However, for higher education (Bachelor of Divinity), they had to send their students to West Bengal where Serampore College is located.

The Kretzmann's Commission

Some of the Church societies in Andhra Pradesh felt the need for having a unified seminary where higher theological education could be taught. Together, they appointed a Commission under the Chairmanship [crossings.org [http://www.crossings.org/thursday/Thur010804.htm] The LCMS Mission Affirmations of 1965 - Then and Now. Retrieved April 23, 2006.] of M.L.Kretzmann [Martin Kretzmann belonged to the Missouri Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. [http://www.ltsg.edu/db/index.htm?dir=news&page=news&cat=news&artid=612] Internet, accessed June 28, 2008] to explore the possibilities of forming such a unified Seminary. After a lot of talks, the Commission came out with a report that was tabled before many of the then existing Church societies. Some of the Church societies agreed for the setting up of a unified Seminary. They zeroed-in onto Luthergiri. With this, all higher-educated Theologians taught in the newly set-up College.

Location

In the year 1964, the College was set up in Luthergiri in the river town of Rajahmundry in East Godavari District with the coming together of the following theological colleges, [Victor Premasagar [http://www.mergingcurrents.com/book.php?BookSKU=2928] Interpretive Diary of a Bishop, Chennai, 2001, p.88] "viz.,"
* Andhra Union Theological College, Dornakal,
* Baptist Theological Seminary, Kakinada,
* Ramayapatnam Baptist Theological Seminary, Ramayapatnam, [ The Ramayapatnam Seminary later shifted to Rajahmundry and functioned as an independent entity within the campus of ACTC in Luthergiri before amalgamating itself into ACTC] and
* Lutheran Theological College, Rajahmundry,
* Union Theological Seminary, Gooty [Edmund Davies, "op. cit."] .

Later, due to pollution from nearby Paper Mills, they felt the need to relocate. After many deliberations, they chose Secunderabad. By 1973 the college in its entirety was moved from Rajahmundry to Secunderabad. By virtue of postal re-classification in the 1990s, its location fell under Hyderabad.

Courses offered & admissions

Internal

* Bachelor of Theology (B.Th.)
* Bachelor of Divinity (B.D.)

External

* Diploma in Christian Studies (Dip.C.S.)
* Bachelor of Christian Studies (B.C.S.)
* Master of Ministry (M.Min.)

Apart from the courses offered through the Senate, the College independently offers a three-year Master of Divinity (M.Div.) course through evening classes targeting the lay people.

Admission of students

Students are admitted on quota-basis linked to the representation factor of the participating Church societies and taught varied subjects of religion. An entrance test is conducted before admission. Church sponsorship is a must before joining. Bachelor of Theology (four years) and Bachelor of Divinity (five years) are awarded by the Senate of Serampore College (University).

Campus Life

ACTC has a lot of playgrounds [Nathan Productions [http://www.nathanproductions.com/india/india_sbs1998_photos.html] India Ministries. Retrieved April 23 2006.] including a throwball court, a tennis court, a basketball court, a volleyball court, a table tennis room and a large ground that is used for playing football and cricket.

By evening, students could be seen in these courts. Sometimes, the members of the faculty also take part in the games.

Every morning, worship services are held in the Chapel on the top floor of the administrative building for the students and the faculty.

On Sundays, the Chapel is also used for worship services for the general public too. Sunday School classes are held separately for children according to their ages.

Many festivals also take place here exclusive to the ACTC community. Christian Home Festival, Carey Day, CSI Day, Reformation Day, Independence Day are some of the festivals celebrated here.

Graduation Day is when graduating students prepare to leave ACTC for Church ministry.

Library

The college has a well-equipped library including reading room facilities with more than 38,000 [Paul, Luther N.V.L., Principal's Annual Report 2007-2008, "for private circulation", pp. 10-24] books on its racks besides 35 subscribed periodicals. Rev. D. J. Jeremiah is the present Librarian who is ably assisted by Smt. B. Lucy Sunil.

The Hall System

The Church societies commonly associated with Protestantism in India include those from the Church of South India, Baptists, Lutherans, Methodists among others. Each Church has a tradition of its own. In ACTC, apart from teaching of theological subjects, students are also taught their respective Church doctrine. This is of course "extra curricular" and does not part form part of the syllabi prescribed by the University.

Board of Governors

The College is governed by representatives of participating Church societies: Founding mission / Indian succeeder / Headquarters
* American Baptist Mission
** Samavesam of Telugu Baptist ChurchesBaptist World Alliance - Heritage and Identity Commission [http://www.bwa-baptist-heritage.org/hst-ind.htm] Who are the Baptists ?. Retrieved April 23, 2006.]
*** Nellore
* American Methodists
** Methodist Church in India (Hyderabad Regional Conference) [General Board of Global Ministries - The United Methodist Church [http://gbgm-umc.org/country_profiles/countries/ind/Missionprofile.stm] Religious Demographics. Retrieved April 23, 2006.] /
*** Hyderabad
* Church Missionary Society, Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, The Church of England, Wesleyan Methodist Society
** Church of South India - Dioceses of Medak, Karimnagar, Dornakal, Krishna-Godavari, Nandyal, and Rayalaseema
*** Medak, Karimnagar, Dornakal, Bandar, Nandyal, and Gooty

* Rev. Dr. S. Joseph"Ibid."] , "New Testament"
* Rev. R. Joseph, "Theology and History of Christianity"
* Rev. Dr. M. Victor Paul, "New Testament"
* Rev. Dr. G. Sampoorna Rao [ [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/841663.cms 'LeT it be known we are Jewish'-Hyderabad-Cities-The Times of India ] ] "Practical Theology"
* Rev. James Carl, "New Testament"
* Bishop Rev. Dr. S. K. Parmar, "New Testament"
* Professor Moon. Heung Key, "Counselling"
* Rev. G. Babu Rao, "Old Testament"

Administrative staff

Accounting Staff Members
* Sri R. Chitti Raju
* Sri P. Joshua
* Rev. M. S. Vara Prasad

Secretarial Staff Members
* Smt. V. M. K. Mani
* Smt. T. Suneetha
* Smt. P. Shakeena
* Smt. M. . Prashanthi Kumari
* Smt. P. Vasantha Kumari

Maintenance Staff Members
* Sri D. Jacob, "Driver"
* Sri K. Manikya Rao
* Smt. K. Lakshmi Manikya Rao
* Sri A. Swamy
* Smt. A. Lakshmi Swamy
* Sri B. John
* Sri G. Sundaraiah
* Sri P. Nageswara Rao
* Sri Joseph
* Sri Yakobu
* Smt. Yakobu
* Sri Jayaraju, "Driver"
* Sri Arjun
* Smt. Prakash

Library Staff Members
* Smt. J. Usha
* Smt. G. Ruth Susheela
* Smt. B. Lucy Sunil "(honorary)"
* Smt. Pochamma

Hostel Staff Members
* Sri M. Yellaiah
* Sri Prakash
* Smt. Chandramma John

Past Teachers

Inland

Sacred Scriptures
* Old Testament
Rev. Dr. William D. Coleman [ [http://www.muhlenberg.edu/cultural/magazine/wn02/31.html Muhlenberg Magazine ] ] , Rev. Dr. P. Victor Premasagar, Rev. G. Solomon, , Rev. G. Babu Rao, Rev. Dr. Scott Harris [ [http://www.stjohnelca.org/harris.html St. John's Lutheran Church - Pastor Scott Harris ] ] , Rev. Dr. Fung Maier

* New Testament
Dr. Muriel Carder [ [http://www.myfbcwoodstock.com/FBC_MESSENGER_FOR_SEPTEMBER_2007-1.doc] ] , Rev. Dr. K. David, Rev. Dr. S. Joseph, [ [http://www.bgct.org/texasbaptists/Page.aspx?&pid=2116&srcid=2127 Baptist General Convention of Texas ] ] , Rev. Dr. M. Victor Paul [http://www.drmartinus.de/bio/de/thesis1.pdf] , Rev. Dr. Klaus Schäfer [ [http://ctbi.org.uk/index.php?op=modload&name=knowledge&file=kbasepage&LinkID=203] ]

Religions
Rev. Dr. Eric J. Lott [Eric J. Lott taught at ACTC from 1964 through 1976. He later moved to the United Theological College, Bengaluru. He is also a known ornithologist [http://www.orientalbirdclub.org/publications/forktail/15pdfs/Lott-Tit.pdf] .] , Rev. Dr. R. R. Sundara Rao [Merging Currents [http://www.mergingcurrents.com/book.php?BookSKU=30] Bhakti Theology in the Telugu Hymnal] , Rev. M.N. Paul, Rev. Dr. David Lindberg [ [http://www.luthermemorialchicago.org/release.htm Luther Memorial Church of Chicago Publicity ] ] , Rev. K.D.G. Prakasa Rao

Christian Ethics
Rev. Dr. Louis Knoll [ [http://www.wfn.org/2004/03/msg00015.html wfn.org | ABCUSA: Louis Knoll, Former Missionary in South India, Dies ] ]

History of Christianity
Rev. Dr. Gordon Carder [ [http://crossman2.tripod.com/encyclopaediaollur/ St. Thomas Christian Encyclopaedia of India VOL. III ] ] , Rev. Dr. Tracy Greer Gipson, Rev. R. Joseph [ [http://www.internationalministries.org/wmc/04_wmc/InternationalGuests.htm] ] "Rev. R. Joseph's name was earlier deleted by unknown vandals", Rev. Saroja Moses Sangha,
Rev. C. Yesupadam, [ [http://archive.eci.gov.in/GE98/pollupd/pc/states/S01/Pcnstcand16.htm ÊÚÈÂÑÚ's candidates list ] ] , Rev. Dr. B. C. Paul [ [http://www.stjamesgettysburg.org/Missionaries.html Missionaries ] ]

Systematic Theology
Rev. Dr. Waldo Penner [ [http://www.baptist.ca/news/prayer.php Baptist.ca ] ] , Rev. Ryder Devapriyam [Wikipedia [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Premasagar] Victor Premasagar] , Rev. Dr. R. Yesurathnam [ [https://www.bagchee.com/qsearch.aspx?page=0&SerFld=Author&qsearch=true&page=0&SerTxt=Regu... ] ] , Rev. G. Dyvasirvadam, Rev. Dr. Ray Waldock http://www.trentvalleyarchives.com/Data-1/Osborne%20Collection%20-1.pdf]

Practical Theology / Christian Ministry
Rev. P. Joseph, Rev. Dr. G. Sampoorna Rao, Rev. G. T. Abraham [ [http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/lambeth/lc053.html] ] , Rev. C. Jeevaiah

Telugu
Rev. Dr. P. Dass Babu

Communication
Rev. M. Reginald [ [http://www.mllcchicago.com/2.html] "Rev. M. Reginald currently pastors Martin Luther Lutheran Church in Chicago, North America; the reference directly leads to his picture in that site."]

Linguistics
Ms. Laverne Waldock

ee also

"The Serampore Trio:"
* Rev. Dr. William Carey, Rev. Dr. Joshua Marshman, Rev. Dr. William Ward----"Old Testament Scholars:"
* Julius Wellhausen, Hermann Gunkel, Rudolf Kittel, Martin Noth, Albrecht Alt, Gerhard von Rad, B. S. Childs, Klaus Koch, K. V. Matthew, Victor Premasagar, Claus Westermann, Walter Brueggemann----"Indigenous Scholars:"
* Rev. Fr. Dr. D. S. Amalorpavadass
* Rev. Dr. B. V. Subbamma----"Theological degrees:"
* Doctor of Theology, Master of Theology, Bachelor of Divinity, Bachelor of Theology----"Arms of the Senate of Serampore College (University)"
* Board of Theological Education of the Senate of Serampore College (BTESSC)
* South Asia Theological Research Institute (SATHRI)----"Past Registrar of the Senate of Serampore College (University)"
* Rev. D. S. Satyaranjan

References

Further reading

* cite journal
author=Senftleben, Martin
title="Influences of Hinduism on Christianity in Andhra Pradesh." Unpublished Ph.D. thesis, Sri Venkateshwara University, Tirupati
year=1992
volume=I
issue=
url =http://www.drmartinus.de/bio/de/thesis1.pdf
* cite journal
author=_______________,
title="Influences of Hinduism on Christianity in Andhra Pradesh." Unpublished Ph.D. thesis, Sri Venkateshwara University, Tirupati
year=1992
volume=II
issue=
url =http://www.drmartinus.de/bio/de/thesis2.pdf