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]
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]
As a first step, schools were established. With new baptisms, the confidence of the missionaries increased. Later hospitals were established.
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 24-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.
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]
^"Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church (AELC) of India". North West Missouri Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
^United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India . Archived from the original on 18 December 2005. Retrieved 23 February 2007. AELC
^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.
Kolluri Luther Richardson (2003). "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". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
Martin Senftleben (1992). (PDF). I. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 December 2008. Retrieved 23 February 2007. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
(PDF). II. 1992. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 December 2008. Retrieved 23 February 2007. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
andhra, evangelical, lutheran, church, aelc, constituted, year, 1927, andhra, pradesh, india, indian, successor, united, lutheran, church, america, which, started, self, supporting, self, governing, self, propagating, church, among, telugu, christians, abbrevi. 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 Andhra Evangelical Lutheran ChurchAbbreviationAELCClassificationProtestantOrientationLutheranPolityEpiscopalAssociationsSynodsRegionAndhra Pradesh Karnataka Tamil Nadu Telangana and Andaman and Nicobar IslandsLanguageTelugu EnglishHeadquartersGunturFounderEvangelical Lutheran General Synod of the United States of AmericaOrigin1842 GunturCongregations5 000 Members3 500 000 1 MinistersB V Subbamma R R Sundara Rao P Solomon Raj G D MelanchthonMissionariesJohn Christian Frederick Heyer Anna Sarah Kugler W D Coleman W P Peery Christianity portal Office Bearers of the AELC President Most Rt Rev Dr K F PARADESI BABU Vice president Rev Rev K V PRASANNA KUMAR Secretary Mr CHINNAM KISHORE BABU Treasurer Mr K Moses Arnold Contents 1 Memberships 2 In India 2 1 In Andhra Pradesh 3 Structures 4 Administration 4 1 Moderator Bishop 5 Succession of Presidents 6 Women s ordination 7 References 8 Further readingMemberships EditAndhra Christian Theological College Hyderabad Lutheran World Federation LWF 4 Geneva It is an affiliate member of the National Council of Churches in India NCCI 5 Nagpur It is a member church in the United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India UELCI a communion of Lutheran Churches 6 Chennai Asia Lutheran CommunionIn India EditBartholomaeus Ziegenbalg and Heinrich Plutschau of the Danish Halle Missionary Society at Tranquebar were the first Protestant Missionaries to India who were Lutherans In Andhra Pradesh Edit 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 As a first step schools were established With new baptisms the confidence of the missionaries increased Later hospitals were established Structures EditTheological Charlotte Swenson Memorial Bible Training School Rajahmundry Andhra Lutheran Theological Seminary Rajahmundry Andhra Christian Theological College Hyderabad Medical Kugler Hospital Guntur Ruth Sigmon Memorial Lutheran Hospital Guntur Augustine Hospital Bhimavaram Baer Christian Hospital Chirala Prakasam District Educational Andhra Christian College Guntur Andhra Lutheran College Guntur Stall School Guntur Lutheran High School Bhimavaram Shade Girls High School RajahmundryAdministration EditThe 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 24 member Executive Council whose members are drawn from the six synods administers the Church society 8 Moderator Bishop Edit 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 Succession of Presidents EditYears Succession of Presidents Academic Credentials1944 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 1989 K 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 2000 G Emmanuel L Th Serampore 2000 2001 N Ch Joseph2001 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 2020 K Fredrick Paradesi Babu B Th Serampore B D Serempore 2020 2025 B D Serempore M Th Serempore Women s ordination EditFor 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 SynodRev P Sudarsan Kumar East Godavari SynodRev A Samuel Raju West Godavari SynodRev B Anand kumar East Guntur SynodRev K Ratna Mohan Central Guntur SynodRev S J Babu Rao West Guntur SynodRev J PrabhakarReferences Edit Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church AELC of India North West Missouri Synod Evangelical Lutheran Church in America United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church Archived from the original on 18 December 2005 Retrieved 23 February 2007 AELC 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 Lutheran World 1 Worldwide Faith News National Council of Churches in India Welcome to NCCI Archived from the original on 25 January 2009 Retrieved 27 March 2010 Affiliate Members UELCI 2 Archived 1 April 2007 at the Wayback Machine Member Churches Luther Richardson Kolluri Rev Towards Self Reliance p xi Editorial by Rev Dr D V Daniel Almanac 2008 pp 1 8 Ibid 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 3 Archived 10 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine a b Lutheran World 4 Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine Worldwide Faith News Victor Premasagar Indian Women in Evangelism and Theology Published by Dr B V Subbamma October 2005 pp 12 15 Almanac 2008 p 3Further reading EditKolluri Luther Richardson 2003 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 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help Martin Senftleben 1992 Influences of Hinduism on Christianity in Andhra Pradesh Unpublished PhD thesis Sri Venkateshwara University Tirupati PDF I Archived from the original PDF on 9 December 2008 Retrieved 23 February 2007 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help Influences of Hinduism on Christianity in Andhra Pradesh Unpublished PhD thesis Sri Venkateshwara University Tirupati PDF II 1992 Archived from the original PDF on 9 December 2008 Retrieved 23 February 2007 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help B C Paul 1984 The Emergence of a Church in South India A Study of the Growth and Development of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church 1905 1927 Unpublished Th D thesis submitted to the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago Archived from the original on 12 July 2011 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church amp oldid 1106345460, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
