B. P. Sugandhar

infobox bishopbiog
name = B. P. Sugandhar


religion=Christianity|
See = Medak
Title =Bishop in Medak
Period = 1993—"Incumbent"
consecration = September 1993
Predecessor = Victor Premasagar
Successor = "Incumbent"
post = Presbyter-in-Charge
ordination =
date of birth = September 28, 1944
place of birth = Ramayampet, Andhra Pradesh
date of death =
place of death=Anglican Portal

B. P. Sugandhar is the present Bishop in Medak of the Church of South India (CSI) [Church of St. John the Baptist, Official Web Site] . He was consecrated by Vasant P. Dandin, the then Moderator of the CSI in the Cathedral in Medak in September 1993.

He is an office-bearer of the Andhra Pradesh Federation of Churches, (APFC) a society that incorporates Bishop's of the Roman Catholic, Protestant, and Indigenous Church traditions and whose members strive for ecumenism [Conference of Catholic Bishops of India, Official Web Site [http://www.ccbi.in/viewnews.php?action=viewmore&value=746] ] .

Divinity and pastorship

Choosing the line of divinity, the young Sugandhar went to the United Theological College, "the only autonomous college under the Senate of Serampore College (University)", in Bangalore and took his B.D. degree. After graduation, the Diocese of Medak of the Church of South India posted him to churches in Ramayampet, Yellareddy, Utnoor, Bellampally, Medak and Secunderabad.

He served as Presbyter-in-charge at the Church of St. John the Baptist, Secunderabad before being consecrated as the Bishop in Medak. Although a Resident Presbyter has been appointed in that Church, Sugandhar continues to be the Presbyter-in-charge of the Church of St. John the Baptist [Church of St. John the Baptist, Official Site] .

Bishopric

Asia's largest bishopric is the Diocese of Medak. Victor Premasagar's tenure came to an end in the year 1992. With that, many Priests were in fray for election. During the elections, Sugandhar managed to sway the votes to his favour. The Synod of the CSI headed then by Vasanth P. Dandin, the then Bishop-in-Karnataka North and Moderator of the CSI, declared Sugandhar as the Bishop in Medak.

The 27th and 28th Synods of the CSI voted to elect the Bishop as the Deputy Moderator of the CSI. During the 29th Synod of the CSI held in Bangalore from 10 to 14 January 2004, Sugandhar was elected as the Moderator of the CSI replacing his predecessor Dr. K. J. Samuel [The Times of India, Bangalore, 15 January 2004 [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/423663.cms] ] . Subsequently, in the 30th Synod held in Mysore, he was re-elected as the Moderator.

In the 31st Synod held in Visakhapatnam in January 2008 [Net India 123, Bishop Gladstone New CSI Moderator, January 13, 2008, Visakhapatnam [http://www.netindia123.com/showdetails.asp?id=868586&cat=India&head=Bishop+Gladston+new+CSI+Moderator] ] , fresh elections paved way for a new Moderator (Bishop J. W. Gladstone) to be elected in place of Bishop Sugandhar.

Theological arena

Bishop Sugandhar served as the Vice-President of the Andhra Pradesh Auxiliary of the Bible Society of India. He provides continuing leadership to the educational and other institutions in his diocese. He is also on the governing board of the following colleges, "viz.":

* United Theological College, Bangalore
* Andhra Christian Theological College, Hyderabad

The said colleges are affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College (University) which is India's first University.

Participations

* Lambeth Conference 1998.
* Representative in the Council of Christian Medical College & Hospital, Vellore [Christian Medical College - List of Authorized Signatories [http://home.cmcvellore.ac.in/admissions/SumAdd/authorised.htm] ]
* Delegate for the EMS Mission Council [Minutes of the EMS Mission Council, November 07/08, and 10 to 12, 2002 in Neustadt / Palatinate [http://www.reformiert-online.net/agora2/docs/194.pdf] ] .
* President, CSI Council of North America [CSI Newsletter, Vol. 7 / Issue 29 / August 25 2005 [http://csinewsletter.com/csi-vol-7/csi-news-7v29.asp] ]
* Anglican Participant, The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the Anglican Communion Office [The Vatican, the Roman Curia, Pontifical Councils, The Mississauga Meeting, 19 May 2000. [http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/angl-comm-docs/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_20000519_iarccum-action-plan_en.html] ]

Authorship

Apart from the administratorship for which Sugandhar is known for, he also has written several works. For the "fetschrift" commemorating the "shastipoorthi" (completion of sixty years) of his predecessor, Victor Premasagar, he has also written an essay which is found in the book "The Church on the move" - Edited by H.S. Wilson [http://www.ltsp.edu/faculty/wilson/index.html] , The Christian Literature Society, Chennai, 2002 [Merging Currents [http://www.mergingcurrents.com/book.php?BookSKU=843] Books on Christianity in India, Hinduism and Indian culture and history. Retrieved April 23, 2006.]

Honours

The Throne of Grace Theological Seminary and Ministries Inc. (International) [Throne of Grace Ministries [http://throneofgrace.org/] ] , Hyderabad conferred the degree of D.Min. on the Bishop [However, the said "Seminary" is neither accredited by nor affiliated to any Indian Accrediting Agency or University. Neither is it accredited by any foreign agency. It is only the AEGA which is affiliated to the Evangel Christian University of America which in turn was accredited by Transworld Accrediting Commission with base in California] . The degrees issued by this "unaccredited" seminary are only nominal.

References