United Theological College, Bangalore

United Theological College, Bangalore
Motto	SICUT FILIUS HOMINIS NON VENIT MINISTRARI SED MINISTRARE ET DARE ANIMAM SUAM REDEMPTIONEM PRO MULTIS
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.
Established	1910
Type	Seminary
Academic affiliation	Senate of Serampore College (University), Serampore 712 201, Hooghly District, West Bengal
Location	63, Miller's Road, Benson Town, Bengaluru 560 042, Telephone: [phone], Karnataka, India 12°59′45″N 77°35′56″E / 12.99583°N 77.59889°E
Director	Rev. Dr. Daniel Sadananda, CSI (President)
Principal	Rev. Dr. J. R. John Samuel Raj, CSI
Academic staff	10+
Website	http://www.utc.edu.in/

United Theological College (UTC) is a seminary founded in 1910^[1] situated in the southern city of Bangalore in the state of Karnataka in South India and affiliated to the nation's first^[2] University, the Senate of Serampore College (University) {a University under Section 2 (f) of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956^[3]}^[4]with degree-granting authority validated by a Danish Charter and ratified by the Government of West Bengal.

Since 1976, it has been granted the status of an autonomous^[5] college under the University. 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. The current Principal is Rev. Dr. John Samuel Raj.

Motto

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".^[6] 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

Courses offered

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:^[7]

• Diploma in Women's Studies
• Certificate Course in Christian Studies
• Diploma for Proficiency in Counselling
• Diploma in Young Men's Christian Association Professional Secretaryship
• Bachelor of Divinity
• Master of Theology
• Doctor of Theology

Exchange programs

The UTC has exchange programs with the Theological Faculty of the University of Basel Switzerland^[8] and the Divinity School of the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.^[9] It has a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Edinburgh wherein a post-graduate student can study a semester in Bengaluru.

Publications

Bangalore Seminary (1843) From the 'Evangelical Magazine and Missionary Chronicle: Vol XXI' (p.193). The London Mission Seminary was established early 19th Century, located at the beginning of Mission Road. This has since been demolished and the land is part of the Mitralaya School Campus

• The Bangalore Theological Forum, an academic journal brought out twice a year.^[10]
• Masihi Sevak, a pastoral magazine with three releases in a year.^[10]
• Hymns of the Tamil Śaivite Saints an English Translation of the Tiruvacakam, by Francis Kingsbury and GE Phillips (edited by Fred Goodwill)^[11]

Campus life

Mahatma Gandhi visited the College in the year 1927. The college had been a recipient of prizes from the Mysore Horticultural Society, Bengaluru for well-maintained gardens and lawns.

Library

The college has a massive 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.^[12]

Faculty

List of Principalships
1910[13]-1911[13][14], Rev. J. Matthers, 1911[13]-1924[13], Rev. Dr. L. P. Larsen,[14] Rev. D. S. Herrick, Rev. Dr. W. J. T. Small, Rev. Dr. W. H. Thorp, 1937[15]-1954, Rev. Dr. M. H. Harrison, 1954-1984, Rev. J. R. Chandran, 1984-1993, Rev. Dr. E. C. John, 1993-1999, Rev. Dr. G. Robinson, Rev. Dr. O. V. Jathanna, Rev. Dr. S. I. Selvanayagam, Rev. Dr. J. R. Samuel Raj,

• Old Testament
  • Rev. Dr. D. J. Muthunayagom, D.Th. (Serampore),
  • Rev. Dr. K. Jesuratnam, Ph.D. (Edinburgh),
  • Rev. Dr. J. R. John Samuel Raj, Dr. Theol. (Hamburg),
• New Testament
  • Rev. Dr. Joseph G. Muthuraj, Ph.D. (Durham),
  • Rev. J. Jeyakumar,
  • Rev. Dr. C. I. David Joy, Ph.D (Birmingham),
  • Rev. Dr. Dexter S. Maben, D.Th. (Bethel),
• Theology and Ethics
  • Rev. Dr. R. Sahayadhas, D.Th. (Serampore),
  • Rev. Dr. George Zachariah, Ph. D (Chicago),
  • Rev. Dr. Allan Samuel Palanna, Ph.D (Kent),
• History of Christianity
  • Fr. Dr. M.O. John
• Mission and Ecumenicism
  • Sr. Dr. Rani Joseph Mary Sruthi, Ph.D. (Urban)
• Religion and Culture
  • Rev. O. Densingh Oliver
• Languages Kannada and Sanskrit
  • Dr. R. N. Bissy
• Christian Ministry
  • Dr. Nalini Arles, Ph.D. (Edinburgh),
  • Dr. Joseph George, Th.D. (Emory),
  • Rev. Dr. Santosh S. Kumar
• Women's Studies
  • Dr. Lalrinawmi Ralte, D.Min., D.Th. (Serampore),
  • Rev. Dr. Evangeline Anderson Rajkumar, D.Th. (Serampore),
• Communication
  • Fr. Jerry Kurian, M.Th. (Serampore),
• English
  • Ms. Geetha Basappa
• YMCA Studies
  • Sri George Varghese

References

1. Vijaya Kumar, Ecumenical Cooperation of the Missions in Karnataka (India), 1834-1989: A Historical Analysis of the Evangelistic Strategy of the Missions, ISPCK, New Delhi, 2005, pp.99-105.
2. Sankar Ray, The Hindu (Business Line), 11 April 2008 Almost a century later, the charter was endorsed officially under the Bengal Govt Act IV of 1918. Internet, accessed 30 November 2008.
3. "UGC Act-1956" (PDF). mhrd.gov.in/. Secretary, University Grants Commission. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
4. The Senate of Serampore College (University) is a University within the meaning of Section 2 (f) of the UGC Act, 1956 under which a 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.
5. O. V. Jathanna, Principal's Report 2007-2008, Saplings, United Theological College, Benson Town, Bengaluru. p. 2
6. Latin Vulgate
7. College Handbook 2008-2009.
8. University of Basel. Internet, accessed 16 September 2008
9. Postgraduate Exchange with UTC, Bengaluru. Divinity School, University of Edinburgh. Internet, accessed 16 September 2008.
10. Publications
11. Kingsbury, F; Phillips, GE (1921). Hymns of the Tamil Saivite Saints (1921) (PDF). Oxford University Press. p. 132. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
12. Protecting Historic Treasures Accessed September 16, 2008.
13. George Oommen, The Radical Founding Vision, 1910-11 in Bangalore Theological Forum Centenary Issue: Journeying with Jesus: The continuing theological legacy of the United Theological College, 1910-2010, Volume XLII, Number 2, July 8, 2010, pp.11-12.
14. Vijaya Kumar, Ecumenical Cooperation of the Missions in Karnataka (India), 1834-1989: A Historical Analysis of the Evangelistic Strategy of the Missions, ISPCK, New Delhi, 2005, p.102.
15. The Missionary Herald at Home and Abroad, Volume 133, Missionary herald, 1937, p.315.

External links