View source for V. E. Christopher

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2015}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type        = Bishop
| name        = V. E. Christopher, [[Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church|AELC]]
| title       = [[Moderator of the General Assembly|Moderator]] / [[Bishop]]
| image       =
| alt         =
| caption     =
| church      = [[Christianity|Christian]]
| archdiocese =
| diocese     =
| see         = [[Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church]] (AELC)
| term        = 2005–2009
| predecessor = [[Ch. Victor Moses]]
| successor   = [[B. Suneel Bhanu]]<ref>[http://www.asia-lutheran.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=345 New AELC President Elected]</ref>
<!--   Orders   -->
| ordination     = 1978
| ordinated_by   =
| consecration   = 1 June 2005
| consecrated_by =
| rank           =
<!--   Personal details   -->
| birth_date    = 19 January 1949
| birth_place   = [[Bhimavaram]], [[Andhra Pradesh]]
| death_date    =
| death_place   =
| previous_post = Vice-President of the AELC
}}
'''V. E. Christopher''' is President Emeritus of the [[Protestant]] Lutheran Church Society, the  [[Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church]].<ref name="LWF">The Lutheran World Federation, New President for India's Largest Lutheran Church.  Internet, accessed 14 September 2008.  [http://www.lutheranworld.org/News/LWI/EN/1760.EN.html]</ref>
{{Portal|Christianity}}
==Early years==
Ernest Christopher was born into a pastoral family in [[Bhimavaram]] in [[Andhra Pradesh]] to [[The Reverend|Rev.]] Vardanapu Krupadas and [[Smt.]] Bhagyamma.  His father, [[The Reverend|Rev.]] V. Krupadas was a pastor of the AELC.<ref name="Prema">''Prema Sakshi'', National Christian Telugu Monthly, August 2006.</ref>  He had his schooling in [[Bhimavaram]] and collegiate education in [[Rajahmundry]].<ref name="Prema"/>  Later, he pursued degree studies in [[Sri]] Y. N. College ''(an [[National Assessment and Accreditation Council|NAAC]]-A grade college affiliated to the [[Andhra University]])'', [[Narsapur, West Godavari|Narsapur]] in [[West Godavari]] District.
{{Christianity in India sidebar}}
==Divinity==
Like his father, Christopher had an inclination to pursue the ultimate profession of priesthood.  His Church society (the [[Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church]]) readily sponsored him for his priestly studies.  The AELC was then headed by [[The Reverend|Rev.]] [[Dr.]] S. W. Schmitthener.
Armed with a sponsorship letter from his Church society, Christopher enrolled<ref name="Prema"/> for the graduate degree of [[Bachelor of Theology]] ([[B. Th.]]) offered by the [[ecumenical]] [[Andhra Christian Theological College]] ''(affiliated to the [[Senate of Serampore College (University)]])'', [[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]].  Later, the [[Senate of Serampore College (University)]] under the Registrarship of [[D. S. Satyaranjan]] awarded him with a degree.
The then principal of the college was the [[Cantabrigian]] [[Victor Premasagar]].  With disciplined faculty at ACTC, the young Christopher had a sound priestly formation.  He was taught New Testament by [[Muriel Carder]] and K. David while [[Victor Premasagar]] and G. Babu Rao, taught him Old Testament, the core subjects in any seminary or theological faculty of a [[university]].  Christopher was known to be studious and disciplined.
==Ordination and pastorship==
After Christopher's ordination, his church president, the India-born [[The Reverend|Rev.]] [[Dr.]] S. W. Schmitthener posted<ref name="Prema"/> him to [[East Godavari]] District to minister in a rural parish.  He also served in Lutheran parishes in [[Rajahmundry]] and [[Bhimavaram]].
==Higher studies ==
Christopher later enrolled for the degree of [[Bachelor of Divinity]] ([[B. D.]]) at his ''[[alma mater]]'', the [[Andhra Christian Theological College]], [[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]] and upgraded himself to earn a [[B. D.]] degree.
==Synod of the AELC==
Rev. Christopher was twice<ref name="Prema"/> elected as the synod president of the West Godavari Synod, one of the six Synods of the AELC.
==Presidentship==
In due course of time, Christopher was elected to the vice-presidency<ref name="Prema"/> of the Church Society.  Later on 1 June 2005,<ref name="Prema"/> he was declared elected as the president of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church.
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{{Succession box
| before=[[Ch. Victor Moses]]
| title=President, <br />[[Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church]]
| after=[[B. Suneel Bhanu]]
| years=2005&ndash;2009
}}
{{s-hon}}
{{Succession box
| before=C. L. Johnson, [[Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars|CBCNC]], <br />2005-2007
| title=Chairperson, Board of Governors,<br />[[Andhra Christian Theological College]], [[Hyderabad]]
| after=[[P. Surya Prakash]], [[Church of South India|CSI]]<br />2009-2011
| years=2007-2009
}}
{{s-end}}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==Further reading==
* {{cite book
| author=Erwin Fahlbusch, Geoffrey William Bromiley (Ed.)
| title=The Encyclopedia of Christianity, William B. Eerdmans Publishing, ISBN 0-8028-2415-3, ISBN 978-0-8028-2415-8
| year=1999
| volume=Page 357
| publisher=Wm. B. Eerdmans
| url =https://books.google.com/books?id=7ly4DgtT3LkC&dq=andhra+evangelical+lutheran+church&pg=PA357
| isbn=978-90-04-12654-1
}}
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[[Category:1949 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian Lutheran clergy]]
[[Category:21st-century Lutheran bishops]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian bishops]]
[[Category:Andhra University alumni]]
[[Category:Indian Lutheran theologians]]
[[Category:Senate of Serampore College (University) alumni]]
[[Category:Indian Christians]]