| Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Abbreviation | AELC |
| Type | Society |
| Classification | Protestant |
| Orientation | Lutheran |
| Scripture | Holy Bible |
| Theology | Postmodernism |
| Polity | Episcopal |
| Controller | JusticeKurian Joseph |
| Administrator | P. S. Joseph |
| Secretary to Controller | Nelaturi Jesu Ratna Kumar |
| Associations | Synods |
| 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 |
| Origin | 1842 Guntur |
| Congregations | 1,000+ |
| Members | 3,500,000+[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 inAndhra Pradesh, India. It is the Indian successor to theUnited Lutheran Church in America which was started as a self-supporting, self-governing, and self-propagating church amongTelugu Christians.[3]
Bartholomaeus Ziegenbalg andHeinrich Plütschau of the Danish-Halle Missionary Society atTranquebar were the first Protestant Missionaries to India who wereLutherans.
The AELC was founded as a mission field of the then General Synod of the Lutheran Church in America byJohn 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.
As a first step, schools were established. With new baptisms, the confidence of the missionaries increased. Later hospitals were established.
At present, w.e.f. 25 April 2025,vide judgement dated 3 April 2025 of High Court of Andhra Pradesh, W.A. No. 1033 of 2023 along with W. A. No. 746, 1052, 1053, and 1163 of 2023, the administration is taken up by,
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]
The Executive Council of this Church Society elects a set of office-bearers eachquadrennium.[9] The Moderator / Bishop heads this century-old Church Society. In earliernomenclature, the termPresident was used. However, with the arrival ofRev. G. Emmanuel, the nomenclature was changed toModerator / Bishop to denote a moreecclesiastical term. However, the termPresident also continues to be used.
| Sl. No | Tenure | Name | Domicile | Earned academic credentials |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I. | 1927-1927 | Sylvester Clark Burger | United States | B. A. (Gettysburg), |
| II. | 1928-1932 | Roy Martin Dunkelberger | United States | B.A. (Dickinson),M.A. (Dickinson),B. D. (Gettysburg),S. T. M. (Gettysburg) |
| III. | 1932-1934 | James Russell Fink | United States | B.A. (Gettysburg), S.T.M. (Gettysburg) |
| IV. | 1935-1936 | Ernst William Neudoeffer | United States | B.D. (LTSP) |
| V. | 1936-1937 | John Roy Strock | United States | B.A. (Dickinson), M.A. (Dickinson), B.D. (Gettysburg) |
| VI. | 1938-1940 | Luther Walter Slifer | United States | B.A. (Gettysburg), M.A. (Columbia), B.D. (UTS) |
| VII. | 1940-1944 | James Russell Fink | United States | B.A. (Gettysburg), S.T.M. (Gettysburg) |
| VIII. | 1944–1950 | Prakasam, Ethakoti | India | L. Th. (Serampore) |
| IX. | 1951–1955 | A. N. Gopal | India | L. Th. (Serampore),Th. M. (LSTC) |
| X. | 1956–1960 | Devasahayam, Garikapudi | India | L. Th. (Serampore), S.T.M. (LTSP) |
| XI. | 1961–1962 | K. Krupadanam | India | L. Th. (Serampore) |
| XII. | 1963–1964 | Devasahayam, Garikapudi | India | L. Th. (Serampore), S.T.M. (LTSP) |
| XIII. | 1965–1969 | Devasahayam, Kirlampudy | India | B.A. (Andhra), B.D. (Serampore),Th. M. (LTSP) |
| XIV. | 1969–1981 | Samuel William Schmitthenner | India | B.A. (Gettysburg), B.D. (Gettysburg) |
| XV. | 1981–1989 | Nathaniel, Kaki | India | L. Th. (Serampore) |
| XVI. | 1993–1997 | Victor Paul, Mortha | India | B. A. (Andhra),BEd (Andhra), B. D. (Serampore),M. Th. (Serampore), S. T. M. (LS),D. Min. (LS) |
| XVII. | 1997–2000 | Emmanuel, Gangavarapu | India | L. Th. (Serampore) |
| XVIII. | 2000–2001 | N. Ch. Joseph | India | |
| XIX. | 2001–2005 | Victor Moses, Chukka | India | B. Th. (Serampore), B. D. (Serampore), M. Th. (Serampore) |
| XX. | 2005–2009 | Christopher, Vardanapu | India | B. Th. (Serampore), B. D. (Serampore) |
| XXI. | 2009–2013 | Suneel Bhanu, Busi[10] | India | B. D. (Serampore), Th. M. (SEAGST) |
| XXII. | 2013-2025 | Frederick Paradesi Babu, Kollabathula | India | B. Th. (Serampore), B. D. (Serampore) |
For long, women's ordination in the AELC wastaboo. One of the first theologically trained women of this Church, theFuller Theological Seminary-educatedRev. DrB. 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 theGurukul 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] |
|---|
Rev.P Sudarsan Kumar
Rev. A Samuel Raju
Rev. B.Anand kumar
Rev. K. Ratna Mohan
Rev. S.J Babu Rao
Rev. J.Prabhakar |
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