A. N. Gopal was the second[1] Indian President of the Protestant Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church Society and served from 1951 to 1955. On completion of his term, he was assigned the responsibility of president of the Lutheran Theological College, Rajahmundry.

A. N. Gopal, AELC
The Reverend Doctor
ChurchLutheran
DioceseSynods of East Godavari, West Godavari, East Guntur, West Guntur, Central Guntur
SeeAndhra Evangelical Lutheran Church (AELC)
In office1951–1955[1]
PredecessorE. Prakasam[1]
SuccessorG. Devasahayam[1]
Personal details
Born
DiedGuntur, Andhra Pradesh, India
Previous post(s)Pastor, Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church Society

Apart from his primary responsibility to the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church Society, he also served in an honorary capacity as president of the United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India (formerly Federation of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India).[2]

In 1955 when Gopal successfully completed a term as president of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church, he went on study leave to the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, where he underwent postgraduate studies in theology.[1] On his return, he was assigned to the Lutheran Theological College, Rajahmundry.[1]

In 1963,[3] Gopal accepted the position as principal of the Voorhees College (India) in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, the same college where Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan had once studied.[4]

Religious titles
Preceded by President
Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church

1951-1955[1]
Succeeded by
Preceded by President
Lutheran Theological College, Rajahmundry

1956[5]-1963[6]
Succeeded by
Honorary titles
Preceded by
Raja B. Manickam
1954[2]-1960[7]
President
United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India (formerly the Federation of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India)

1960[9]-1963[7]
Succeeded by
Raja B. Manikam
1963[7]-1966[8]
Academic offices
Preceded by
Principal
Voorhees College (India), Vellore

1963[3]-1972[10]
Succeeded by

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Kolluri Luther Richardson, Towards Self-Reliance : A historical survey of the programmes and efforts of Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church from 1927 to 1969, Published by Christopher and Kanakaiah, Vijayawada, 2003, pp.78, 85, 86, 96.
  2. ^ a b The American Lutheran, Volumes 43-44, 1960, p. 287
  3. ^ a b Conservative, Volume 3, 1963. Conservative, Volume 3, 1963
  4. ^ Dutt, Kunduri Iswara (1966). Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan: A Study of the President of India. Popular Book Services. p. 125. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  5. ^ Minutes of the Annual Convention, 1955, p.86. ...Gopal will be the First Indian President of the Lutheran Seminary in Luthergiri, Rajahmundry.[1]
  6. ^ World Council of Churches, Faith and Order Paper, Issue 36, 1962, p.61. A. N. Gopal had attended the World Council of Churches meeting even in 1962. The WCC lists his address as the Lutheran Theological College, Rajahmundry.
  7. ^ a b c The Lutheran Standard, Volume 3, 1963, p.249
  8. ^ The Lutheran, Volume 5, p.34
  9. ^ Concordia Theological Monthly, Volume XXXI, Number 11, November, 1960, p.714. [www.ctsfw.net/media/pdfs/CTMTheologicalObserver31-11.pdf]
  10. ^ Dharma Vira Agarwala, Gurbachan Singh (Compiled), All India Educational Directory, 1972, p. 359. [2]

Further reading edit