United Theological College (UTC) is an Eccumenical

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

seminary A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy, ...

founded in 1910 situated in the southern city of

Bangalore Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...

in the state of

Karnataka Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...

South India South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union territo ...

and affiliated to India's first Theological University, the

Senate of Serampore College (University) The Senate of Serampore College (University) is located in Serampore in West Bengal, India. Serampore was granted the status of university in 1829, making it India's first institution to have the status of a university.Government of India, Mini ...

'' ''with degree-granting authority validated by a Danish Charter and ratified by the

Government of West Bengal The Government of West Bengal also known as the West Bengal Government, is the subnational government of the Indian state of West Bengal , created by the National Constitution as the state's legislative, executive and judicial authority. The ...

. Currently, the principalship is held by the

Old Testament The Old Testament (often abbreviated OT) is the first division of the Christian biblical canon, which is based primarily upon the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible or Tanakh, a collection of ancient religious Hebrew writings by the Israelites. The ...

Scholar, The Rev. Ch. Vasantha Rao, CSI, Dr.theol. (

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), an '' alma mater''K. M. Hiwale (Compiled), ''Directory of the United Theological College 1910–1997'',

, 1998

/ref> of this institution and an acknowledged lead in

studies and

Biblical Hebrew Biblical Hebrew (, or , ), also called Classical Hebrew, is an archaic form of the Hebrew language, a language in the Canaanite branch of Semitic languages spoken by the Israelites in the area known as the Land of Israel, roughly west of ...

language, having been groomed by the

Scholar, Victor Premasagar, CSI, throughout his

Spiritual formation Spiritual formation may refer either to the process and practices by which a person may progress in one's spiritual or religious life or to a movement in Protestant Christianity that emphasizes these processes and practices. The processes may inc ...

period, beginning with his graduate and post-graduate studies, well into his doctoral studies. Vasantha Rao is also known for his continuing association with the fully

ecumenical Ecumenism (), also spelled oecumenism, is the concept and principle that Christians who belong to different Christian denominations should work together to develop closer relationships among their churches and promote Christian unity. The adjec ...

Society for Biblical Studies in India (SBSI) right from the

New millennium In contemporary history, the third millennium of the anno Domini or Common Era in the Gregorian calendar is the current millennium spanning the years 2001 to 3000 ( 21st to 30th centuries). Ongoing futures studies seek to understand what is l ...

to the Golden Jubilee conclave held in 2012, where he was elected President, at the

Ecumenical Christian Centre Ecumenical Christian Centre (ECC) was founded in 1963 by M. A. Thomas. ECC is located in Whitefield in Bengaluru on a campus. Taking the total context of the world as "the text" and "the context" of theologizing: > Involving all church ...

, Whitefield and continues to steer the Society.

The College

Since 1976, it has been granted the status of an

autonomous In developmental psychology and moral, political, and bioethical philosophy, autonomy, from , ''autonomos'', from αὐτο- ''auto-'' "self" and νόμος ''nomos'', "law", hence when combined understood to mean "one who gives oneself one's ow ...

college under the University. The college has welcomed world leaders.

Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure who transformed ... anti- ...

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.

Motto

UTC's motto comes from

Matthew Matthew may refer to: * Matthew (given name) * Matthew (surname) * ''Matthew'' (ship), the replica of the ship sailed by John Cabot in 1497 * ''Matthew'' (album), a 2000 album by rapper Kool Keith * Matthew (elm cultivar), a cultivar of the Ch ...

20:28 in the

Vulgate The Vulgate (; also called (Bible in common tongue), ) is a late-4th-century Latin translation of the Bible. The Vulgate is largely the work of Jerome who, in 382, had been commissioned by Pope Damasus I to revise the Gospels u ...

: ''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". 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

. The following are the courses offered by the College:College Handbook 2008–2009. * 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 In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity or Baccalaureate in Divinity (BD or BDiv; la, Baccalaureus Divinitatis) is a postgraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology ...

, B.Div. *

Master of Theology Master of Theology ( la, Theologiae Magister, abbreviated MTh, ThM, or MTheol) is a post-graduate degree offered by universities, divinity schools, and seminaries. It can serve as a transition degree for entrance into a PhD program or as a stand ...

, Th.M. *

Doctor of Theology Doctor of Theology ( la, Doctor Theologiae, abbreviated DTh, ThD, DTheol, or Dr. theol.) is a terminal degree in the academic discipline of theology. The ThD, like the ecclesiastical Doctor of Sacred Theology, is an advanced research degree equiva ...

, Th.D.

Exchange programs

The UTC has exchange programs with the Theological Faculty of the

University of Basel The University of Basel (Latin: ''Universitas Basiliensis'', German: ''Universität Basel'') is a university in Basel, Switzerland. Founded on 4 April 1460, it is Switzerland's oldest university and among the world's oldest surviving universit ...

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

and the Divinity School of the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

. It has a Memorandum of Understanding signed by Revd Dr O V Jathanna and Prof Kenneth Brown with the University of Edinburgh wherein a post-graduate student can study a semester in

Bengaluru Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...

Publications

* '' Bangalore Theological Forum'', an academic journal brought out twice a year.Publications
utcbangalore.in * ''Masihi Sevak'', a pastoral magazine with three releases in a year. * ''Hymns of the Tamil Śaivite Saints'' an English Translation of the

Tiruvacakam ''Thiruvasagam'' ( ta, திருவாசகம், tiruvācakam, translit-std=IAST, lit=sacred utterance) is a volume of Tamil hymns composed by the ninth century Shaivite ''bhakti'' poet Manikkavasagar. It contains 51 compositions and cons ...

, by Francis Kingsbury and GE Phillips (edited by Fred Goodwill)

Campus life

The college had been a recipient of prizes from the Mysore Horticultural Society, Bengaluru for well-maintained gardens and lawns. Good environment for study purpose.

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.

Present Faculty

Succession of Administrators

Academic administrators who have led the seminary have been designated Principal.''To Serve Not to be Served 1910–1985'', United Theological College, Bangalore, 1985, p.57. Cited in Merithung Tüngoe, ''Administrators, Missionaries and a World Turned Upside Down'', ETC/ISPCK, Jorhat/New Delhi, 2000, p.7

/ref>

Notable people

MAR APREM METROPOLITAN METROPOLITAN OF MALABAR AND ALL INDIA NOW NATHAR KURSIYA

References

External links

{{authority control Seminaries and theological colleges in India Colleges in Bangalore Educational institutions established in 1910 Reformed church seminaries and theological colleges Anglican seminaries and theological colleges Presbyterian universities and colleges Christian seminaries and theological colleges in India 1910 establishments in India Universities and colleges affiliated with the Church of South India Seminaries and theological colleges affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College (University)

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...