Revisiting Ecumenical Theological Education in India- With a Special Reference to the Senate of Serampore College (Christian Heritage Rediscovered-34)

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About the Book This book seriously researches the significance of theological education in the pluralistic context of Asia and particularly India. It vividly recalls the historical development of theological education under different denominations and different periods. In particular detail, it analyses the history of the Senate of Serampore College/University (SSC), its curriculum and its role in fostering ecumenism in India through theological education. It critically exposes the indispensable need of interdependent and networking relationship between theological education and the ministry of the church in order to make our theological education relevant, contextual, transforming and thus. meaningful for the people and the context that we are to serve. In connection to that, the book strongly emphasized the need for designing the entire system and structure of our theological education along embracing and ecumenical lines so that it fittingly relates and responds to India's pluralistic context and the many challenging facets that form India's uniqueness as well as its complex nature.

This book is a 'must-have' for all theological teachers, institutions, students, church leaders and laity as well, for wider understanding of the ecumenical theological education in India in general and the SSC system of theological education in particular.

About the Author Rev. Dr. Woba James is an ordained minister of the Baptist Church. He is an Associate Professor in the Department of History of Christianity at Eastern Theological College, Jorhat, Assam. He received his Bachelor of Theology. Bachelor of Divinity, Master of Theology and Doctor of Theology degrees from Serampore College/University. He is also an active person in peace initiative activities in the region. He teaches peace concerns for Master of Arts in Peace Studies at Eastern Theological College under the department of Institute of Leadership Enhancement and Ministry Augmentation (ILEMA). He also involves in Peace programs in the region with the department of Peace and Justice of the Council of Baptist Churches in North East India.

He has been involved in the teaching field for many years. He is married to Dr. Lovely Awomi who is also an Associate Professor in the Department of Christian Theology at Eastern Theological College, Jorhat, Assam, and they have three children. Apart from many scholarly works to his credit he not only contributes extensively to various theological journals but also travels for seminars as resource person and speaker for several programs of different churches.

Foreword It gives me immense pleasure to go through this book written by Dr. Wobs James, a young, dynamic and up-coming bright scholar in the field of History of Christianity. In this well-documented research book, the author has made a strong attempt to make a historical analysis on the role of the SSC in fostering ecumenism in its theological education in India. Having thoroughly surveyed the whole history of SSC, he comes up with some concrete constructive suggestions for strengthening and deepening wider ecumenism through theological education. Reading this book will lead any reader to understand the whole history of the Senate of Serampore College/University (SSC) and its effort in fostering, imparting and promoting ecumenism through theological education in South Asia, mainly in India.

John Pobee, an African Theologian rightly pointed out the importance of ecumenical dimensions and theological education.

I quote:

There is a need to keep before the churches and the younger generation a concern for the visible unity which links sharing in God's mission and the pursuit together of justice and peace with their need to heal divisions between the churches through mutual dialogue, mutual recognition and reconciliation. Those involved in theological education and ministerial formation have a vital part to play, not only through the sharing of resources, the establishment of ecumenical colleges, institutions, courses and federations, and the interchange of faculty and students of different traditions. A genuine ecumenical institution will not only acknowledge the differences between churches, but will work towards their reconciliation. Faced by the challenges of the world, the prophetic voice calls out to the churches to respond to them together across cultural and geographical boundaries and not to reinforce divisions and hostilities between people. Those engaged in ecumenical theological education and ministerial formation can respond to that call as they can digest and reflect on significant ecumenical documents and live out new possibilities for common actions.

Introduction 1. Statement of the Problem.

The Senate of Serampore College (Hereafter cited as SSC) has been serving for decades as a center of Theological Education in India. It has become the main locus for training people, for Church and Christian ministry in India. The ministry of the Church in India is rooted in the midst of pluralities and diversities of cultures, religions, and traditions of India's population and hence it calls for a contextually relevant theological education. The SSC Act of 1918 incorporates the ecumenical dimension within its umbrella by stating that the Council of the SSC be based on interdenominational character and nature. As a result, over the years, the SSC also has known to grow as an ecumenical agency in the country taking into consideration the Indian pluralistic situation. Moreover, very often it is affirmed that the theological education under the SSC is contextual and ecumenical. The present research therefore seeks to analyze the role of the SSC in fostering ecumenism in the context of theological education in India.

2. Elaboration of the Problem

The SSC has a special place as a pioneer institution in India. It was established on July 15, 1818, in the Danish Settlement of Serampore, Calcutta, by the Serampore missionaries William Carey, Joshua Marshman and William Ward, basically for instructing Indian youth on Christianity and European Science.

**Contents and Sample Pages**