FRIENDS OF SERAMPORE The UK support group for one of the greatest and most historic of India's Christian institutions, which still has a vital and unique role to play.

January 2007 Newsletter

At the end of 2006 we did not quite make it to the figure that we sent last year, but slipped back to £3000 (plus journals, and also £500 plus Gift Aid, which one of our members earmarked for the scholarship fund) as in 2004 – largely because one-off or exceptional gifts are irregular – but bless you, all who gave so generously. It was still substantially more than the annual cost in salary and allowances of supporting one family on the Theology staff, and the Principal thanks us all very much.

We asked what they would wish to use the balance for, and you may be interested in the options he set out, with rupees converted to pounds:

1. To meet the salary needs of the theology department, say another teacher's salary or fraction thereof. 2. To meet the deficits we have in carrying out various works: (a) Putting pillars and fencing around the Meditation Centre, the place where the First baptism was given by William Carey in 1800 to Krishna Pal. We started the work with small gifts we received from a friend of mine, to which we added monthly voluntary contributions from some of us and our Mizo Pastor students. We have nearly completed the work but run short of money by £360 still. (b) We need £480 for the maintenance of St.Olave's Church, where we worship every Sunday morning. (c) The roof of the theology hostel is leaking heavily and we need at least £1,800 to have it repaired during this dry season. (d) There is a constant need of spending money for unforeseen situations of ill-health of staff, for which we do not have any standing fund. For instance, I had to have angioplasty July this year (you will be glad to know that he has made a good recovery) and my wife Hliri had to take medical treatment. We could not ask money from the Council because we knew the Council's financial position. Our Mizoram Church gave £2,400 which met the major portion of our expenses. I have to go for further check-up in January 2007. There are other smaller cases of health. Do you think we may reserve part of the balance for this kind of need? Knowing some of the troubles, and indeed tragedies, that staff have faced in the past, we chose this last option. In our last letter was the news that one of five mahogany trees believed to be planted by Carey, which was on the northern side of the main gate, was uprooted by a storm in April; if it had fallen the other way it would have demolished the Carey Library. We now hear that "the uprooted Mahogany tree has been sold for £6,000. This means something financially as we can take care of some of the more pressing needs, though we lost a very precious past of our property." This plan shows the tree, and also some of the buildings that are recently erected or changed in use: Carey Library, Senate building, Bi-Centenary Building, Postgraduate Hostel and Theology Family and Women Students Quarters. The college hosted the North India Theology Students' Conference this year, from 16 – 20 October, and also the Silver Jubilee celebrations of the North India Institute of Post Graduate Theological Studies in November. Peter Singh, the Vice Principal, who sent us this photo, also sent us a picture of the Ordination of his wife, Ivy, in the Kanyakumari diocese of the Church of South India – although not at Serampore, the photo is very similar in dress and also style of building. Peter and Ivy send their love and regards to all the members of the Friends of Serampore in UK. We have had the joy of getting to know two members of the Serampore staff recently. One was Sandeep Sinha, Head of the History Department at the college, who was in London for a month pursuing post-doctoral research on medical missions in India. He told us that he had found a church where he was able to take communion most days on his way in to central London, and we were surprised to discover that he was not actually a Christian but a member of the Brahmo Samaj the only one in Serampore College! He told us that they are rather like Unitarians, and that under the Indian constitution they are recognised as a separate religion. As someone from the plains of Bengal, we expected him to be a little less than sprightly on the steep hills of Malvern – we were amazed to find how wrong we were! Lawmsanga and his family are living in Selly Oak, where he is in his second year of doctoral studies in Birmingham University. They are from Mizoram, from the same area as Serampore's principal. Lawma and his wife, Mamuani, are lovely people, and were very thrilled when we took them for a visit to the Carey country – we were shown round Paulerspury church, where Carey's father was churchwarden, saw the birthplace itself in Pury End, and then went to Moulton where Margaret Williams (one of our members) showed us round the church where Carey was pastor, and then the museum next door in his cobbler's cottage. Lawmsanga told us that still on Wednesday evenings at Serampore they go to different staff members' homes in turn, for a time of news and prayers. The fellowship within the staff continues to be something very special.   There we leave this newsletter, in expectation of your continuing support with your prayers, interest and financial giving.   With warmest greetings to you all, Edward and Rosemary Williams

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The following account of the way the Senate operates is condensed from an article by the Registrar, Dr Ravi Tiwari, for a new edition of "The Story of Serampore and its College" – some of us have very warm memories of Ravi's father, Yisu Das. In administering its degree-giving functions under the Serampore College Act, with affiliated colleges and external students, the college is referred to as Serampore College (University) – as distinct from the Arts-Science-Commerce and Theology departments.

Structural Changes and Adjustments

Some very important developments took place from about 1970 onwards. The Council introduced the principle of equality among members of the Senate whereby any one of them can be appointed President of the Senate, which was traditionally held by the Principal of the College. This generosity of the College in accommodating others strengthened the work and functioning of the Senate to the satisfaction of all. It also resulted in the emergence of the Senate as the National Body directly related, and responsible, to the Council of Serampore College.

Another development was the closer cooperation between the Board of Theological Education, a wing of National Council of Churches in India, and the Senate. India has, besides BTE and the Senate, several other institutions concerned with non-formal and non-degree theological education, as well as degree and diploma granting institutions not affiliated to Serampore. As a result of several consultations, a single national structure for theological education in India was set up to deal with the administration of theological education, both formal and non-formal, theological research, and consultation on theological education. In 2005 this became an integral body as the One National Structure for Theological Education in India. The Board now consists of the principals of the affiliated colleges, the heads of institutions and representative of churches recognized by the Senate as having co-operative functions in the theological fields and accepted as members of the Board. There are also representatives of teachers and students and experts from the fields of secular education.

The One National Structure of the Board and the Senate is now well established. It has a membership of fifty affiliated theological colleges, federated faculties and research centres, and eighteen institutions. The National Structure for Theological Education meets once a year at the time of Convocation to transact business and participate in consultation related to theological education. It assesses the priorities of theological education in the Indian subcontinent and gives direction to the Senate about its programmes. The Senate, on its part, tries to meet the demands of modern ministries effectively by responding to current societal challenges and evolving newer patterns of theological education and research.

Academic Programmes
In the late sixties, a system of comprehensive examination was introduced whereby the affiliated colleges were given full freedom in conducting course examinations, and the Senate restricted itself in examining six papers for the award of the degree. This partnership was later modified on a 50-50 basis whereby Senate examined half of the courses on the basis of equal weightage. This system has been quite successful and has now become an accepted and integral part of the Senate examination system.

In 1969 the LTh diploma course was upgraded to Bachelor of Theology (BTh), now a three years course. At the specific suggestion of the affiliated colleges, the Senate introduced in 1985 a programme for pastors and Christian workers leading to the degree of Master of Ministry (M.Min) with a view to strengthening the professional dimensions of their ministries. The course did not meet with much enthusiasm and remained dormant for a long time till resurrected in 1997 in the form of a Doctorate programme, with the same objectives as M.Min. D.Min is a professional degree for pastors, and others engaged in Christian ministry, with a view to creating opportunities for continuing education and formation through reflection and action (praxis) on their ministerial experience. In 1989, the BD (external) programme was withdrawn and two new courses were introduced. The Diploma in Christian Studies (Dip.C.S) iswho desire to study Christianity as a religion. The degree of Bachelor of Christian Studies (B.C.S), however, is a replacement of BD (external) which now provides the laity an in-depth understanding of Christian faith, and deepens their commitment to service in the context of their vocation. Another programme leading to Diploma in Clinical Pastoral Counseling (DCPC) was introduced in 2001 for equipping lay and ordained person for participating effectively in the healing ministry of the church, through theologically and psychologically sound training in counselling,

The period after 1980 saw the emergence of a number of new branches and areas of theological studies. The six major branches of theological studies soon swelled into eleven by 1998 with the addition of Christian Ethics, Missiology, Social Analysis, Communication and Women Studies. Post-graduate and doctoral degrees are now being awarded in these branches. Apart from this, the concerns of the churches and institutions were taken into consideration in introducing specialisation within some of the branches at post-graduate level, such as, Translations and Linguistics (New Testament), Liturgical Theology and Early Teaching of Faith (Christian Theology).

New institutions
In order to promote research and programmes for theological education through extension, the Senate established two centres, at Bangalore and Kolkata. They are:

i. South Asia Theological Research Institute (SATHRI)
SATHRI was established in 1989 in Bangalore as the research wing of the BTESSC (Board of Theological Education of the Senate of Serampore College) to deal with the promotion of contextualised research, both at the degree and the non-degree level. It is meant to strengthen centres for research, to promote basic tools for theological education, to be involved in publication of research work and to arrange for programmes that would strengthen the relationship between the theological institutions for research.
Initially, it was the only Centre for Doctoral studies but, since 1999, BTESSC recognized other doctoral centres that have the capacity, facilities and infra-structures to develop their own doctoral programmes according to the criteria laid down by the Senate. SATHRI continues to be an enabling institute facilitating doctoral level research in all other centres.

ii. Senate Centre for Extension and Pastoral Theological Research (SCEPTRE)
Senate degree programmes were directed only towards a section of the people who were committed to the pastoral ministry of the church, excluding a majority who were already involved in a career of secular persuasion. Thus, a vast majority of the people of God was not provided enough theological education to cope with the fast changing realities of the world. The Senate realized that the need to equip this majority theologically was very real and urgent, as the expectation that the well-trained pastors will equip their congregations did not materialise. It is felt the solution may be found in a continuous process of learning in context, which should be made available both to the pastors as well as to the laity. It is in order to meet this emerging vision of equipping the whole people of God that the SCEPTRE project was envisaged, offering BCS and Dip.CS courses through distance learning.

The doctor of Ministry is field-research oriented study and in-service training for pastors and those in working in the diversified ministry of the church. Pastors who enrol for the programme are encouraged to do research through participatory involvement with their congregations. In order to monitor their progress, enhance their skills of conceptualisation and widen their horizon, the programme of field research and private study is interspersed with residential collegium under the guidance of appointed supervisors. The programmes are conducted under the direction of two directors who reside at SCEPTRE and periodically conduct contact seminars, collegium and supervise study programmes of the students at the centre or in selected centres in India.

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