M. Victor Paul
Encyclopedia
M. Victor Paul is a biblical scholar who served as President
of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church
from 1993 to 1997.
family in Rajahmundry
, East Godavari District in Andhra Pradesh
as the eldest of nine children to Smt. Sundaramma and Pastor
Mortha Sudarshanam. After undergoing schooling at the Lutheran Boarding in Peddapuram
, his parents sent him to the Andhra-Christian College
, Guntur
. Paul studied Arts (B.A.
) in the College when Rao Sahab T. S. Paulus was at the helm of affairs. After completing graduate studies in Guntur
, Victor Paul returned to Rajahmundry
where he underwent studies in education at the local Government Training College leading to B.Ed..
family tradition, Victor Paul chose to pursue divinity and his Church Society, then under G. Devasahayam, sent him to Madras during the academic year 1959-1960 for ministerial formation at the Gurukul Lutheran Theological College
(GLTC), Madras {affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College (University)
} where Victor Paul pursued a graduate course in theology (B.D.
). The GLTCRI was then headed by Dr. P. David.
and ordained in April 1962 as a Priest
of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church
headquartered in Guntur
. He was assigned a pastoral role in in Samalkot and Peddapuram
parishes. Victor Paul also replaced S. W. Schmitthenner as honorary Youth Director of the Church Society.
(M.Th.) beginning from the academic year 1963-1964. Initially Victor Paul spent a year working on Greek
with Jim Bergquist as well as on the revision of portions from the Westminster Dictionary of the Bible (Revised Edition) edited by Henry Snyder Gehman and John D. Davis.
From 1964-1965 onwards Victor Paul registered as an M.Th. student with the Gurukul Lutheran Theological College
and worked out a thesis entitled A theological exposition of 'to know' in the Johannine literature with some points of contact and contrast between John and Gita under the guidance of his Professor, Jim Bergquist and later at the end of the academic year 1965-1966, the Senate of Serampore College (University)
awarded the post-graduate degree of M.Th. in New Testament
.
In 1966, Victor Paul went to the Jesuit-run De Nobili College, Poona along with Gali Bali to attend the biennial conference of the scholarly Society for Biblical Studies in India held on the theme The significance of the historical in the New Testament Kerygma
.
When Victor Paul returned from Madras after his post-graduate studies, he was re-assigned his former ecclesiastical duties in Samalkot and Peddapuram
. Paul continued to serve in pastoral roles from 1966 to 1969 in the assigned Parishes.
In 1969, Victor Paul was relieved as Pastor
and made Lecturer
in New Testament
at the ecumenical Andhra Christian Theological College then located in Rajahmundry
where he began teaching New Testament
and Greek
along with Waldo Penner, Muriel Carder, and K. David, then members of the faculty teaching New Testament
.
When W. D. Coleman was Principal of the Andhra Christian Theological College, Rajahmundry
, the Board of Governors of the College accorded study leave to Victor Paul who proceeded to Saint Paul, Minnesota
and pursued an S.T.M. in Counselling for academic years 1970-1973 in the Luther Seminary
(a degree granting authority accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada
duly recognised by the United States Government as an accrediting agency). James A. Bergquist then Professor at the Luther Seminary
was the guide of Paul.
Beginning from the academic year 1973-1974 Victor Paul resumed teaching responsibilities at the ecumenical Seminary in Hyderabad after completing studies in North America
. Among the new additions to the College faculty in Hyderabad were G. Solomon, R. Yesuratnam, and Ravela Joseph. By then, Victor Premasagar
had already become Principal of the College in Hyderabad. Under the aegis of the Andhra Pradesh Council of Churches in 1974, a discussion was initiated on the theme Renewal of the ministry in Andhra Pradesh in which Victor Paul also participated. The findings of the consultation were later tabled before the Churches of Andhra Pradesh.
A. A. Sitompul and others of the Lutheran World Federation
took cognizance of Victor Paul's paper on Parish Renewal as early as September 1975 at an international consultation held at the Ecumenical Institute of Bossey in September, 1975.
In 1976, A. A. Sitompul on behalf of the Lutheran World Federation
invited Victor Paul to pursue doctoral studies (D.Min.) in Practical Ministry at the Luther Seminary
, Saint Paul, Minnesota
. Victor Premasagar
, then Principal of the College put up the matter before the Board of Governors of the College which decided to accord study leave to Victor Paul. While at the Luther Seminary
, Victor Paul's doctoral supervisor was James A. Nestingen, currently Professor Emeritus of Church History. By 1979, Victor Paul was awarded the doctoral degree D.Min. by the Luther Seminary
and he returned to take up his teaching responsibilities back in India
. The College in Hyderabad by then had seen new teaching staff being added onto its rolls. B. C. Paul, G. Sampurna Rao, B. J. Christie Kumar, and G. Babu Rao had joined the College when Victor Paul went on sabbatical at varying intervals.
included a book by Victor Paul entitled The Liberated Ones: Explanations of Lutheran Catechism and Confessions published as early as 1981.
Victor Paul also authored the following theological books in Telugu
published by the Telugu Theological Literature Board, Hyderabad which are devotional commentaries on:
Martin Senftleben who researched at the Sri Venkateswara University
in Tirupati acknowledged Victor Paul to be a Scholar.
Michael Bergunder, Professor of Missions at the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg
, Germany
believes that Victor Paul attempted to recognise Charismatic Christianity which was fast enveloping traditional Christianity. Being a person who puts theory into practice, Victor Paul as Principal of ACTC once went ahead and invited the pioneer charismatic Pastor, Apostle P. L. Paramjyoti to deliver the graduation address of the College in a particular year.
Excerpt from Victor Paul's article quoted by Prof. Michael Bergunder:
Victor Paul first began teaching New Testament
in ACTC from 1969. Past-timers acknowledge Victor Paul as having an influence in students lives in unique ways. After the four-year cycle of Principalship of the Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches
ended in the academic year 1989-1990, the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church
's cycle of Principalship began. Besides Victor Paul, there were four other faculty from this Church Society teaching in the College at that time, namely, B. W. David Raju, B. C. Paul, G. Sampurna Rao, and C. Yesupadam. Since the participating Church agency decides the name of the Principal, the Board of Governors of the College left the decision to the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church
, then under the Presidentship of K. Nathaniel, which chose to nominate Victor Paul to the Principalship of the ecumenical seminary for a term of four years. B. Ryder Devapriam, then Chairperson of the Board of Governors of the College appointed Victor Paul as Principal of the College for a term of four years. As Principal, Victor Paul was able to prove himself as an able Administrator following the footsteps of his predecessors.
In the final phase of Victor Paul's tenure as Principal, he contested the bishopric of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church
and proceeded on leave from the College. To fill the vacancy, the AELC then nominated G. Sampurna Rao as Principal of the College.
ended, Victor Paul contested and was elected in 1993 as the ninth President of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church headquartered in Guntur. In 1997, when Victor Paul's term ended, he returned to Hyderabad to teach at the Andhra Christian Theological College then headed by R. Yesurathnam. Victor Paul retired in 2000.
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church
Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church
Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church was constituted in the year 1927 in Andhra Pradesh, India. It is the Indian successor to the United Lutheran Church in America which was started as a self-supporting, self-governing, and self-propagating church among Telugu Christians.-Memberships:* Andhra...
from 1993 to 1997.
Early years
Victor Paul was born on 7 April 1935 into a into a pastoralPastoral
The adjective pastoral refers to the lifestyle of pastoralists, such as shepherds herding livestock around open areas of land according to seasons and the changing availability of water and pasturage. It also refers to a genre in literature, art or music that depicts such shepherd life in an...
family in Rajahmundry
Rajahmundry
Rajahmundry is a city and municipal corporation of the Andhra Pradesh state in India. It is located east of the state capital, Hyderabad, on the banks of the River Godavari. Known as the Cultural Capital, Rajahmundry is noted for its intense Veda culture and intellect...
, East Godavari District in Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
as the eldest of nine children to Smt. Sundaramma and Pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
Mortha Sudarshanam. After undergoing schooling at the Lutheran Boarding in Peddapuram
Peddapuram
Peddapuram is an important Municipal town in the East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh in South India. It is also capital town for Peddapuram Mandal.- Geography :Peddapuram is located at . It has an average elevation of 35 metres ....
, his parents sent him to the Andhra-Christian College
Andhra-Christian College
Andhra-Christian College, popularly known as AC College, is one of the oldest colleges in India. AC College is part of the educational enterprise of the Protestant churches...
, Guntur
Guntur
Guntur , is a city and a municipal corporation in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, located to the north and west of the Bay of Bengal. It is approximately to the south of the national capital, New Delhi and south east of state capital, Hyderabad. Guntur is the fourth largest city in Andhra...
. Paul studied Arts (B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
) in the College when Rao Sahab T. S. Paulus was at the helm of affairs. After completing graduate studies in Guntur
Guntur
Guntur , is a city and a municipal corporation in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, located to the north and west of the Bay of Bengal. It is approximately to the south of the national capital, New Delhi and south east of state capital, Hyderabad. Guntur is the fourth largest city in Andhra...
, Victor Paul returned to Rajahmundry
Rajahmundry
Rajahmundry is a city and municipal corporation of the Andhra Pradesh state in India. It is located east of the state capital, Hyderabad, on the banks of the River Godavari. Known as the Cultural Capital, Rajahmundry is noted for its intense Veda culture and intellect...
where he underwent studies in education at the local Government Training College leading to B.Ed..
Graduate Studies
Continuing the priestlyPriestly
Priestly may refer to:* Alexander Priestly Camphor , American Methodist bishop* JB Priestley, author of An Inspector Calls* Joseph Priestley, discoverer of oxygen* Miranda Priestly, a character in the novel The Devil Wears Prada...
family tradition, Victor Paul chose to pursue divinity and his Church Society, then under G. Devasahayam, sent him to Madras during the academic year 1959-1960 for ministerial formation at the Gurukul Lutheran Theological College
Gurukul Lutheran Theological College
Gurukul Lutheran Theological College and Research Institute is an ecumenical seminary situated in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, South India. It is affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College .-Background:...
(GLTC), Madras {affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College (University)
Senate of Serampore College (University)
The Senate of Serampore College is located in Serampore Town, in Hooghly District, 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....
} where Victor Paul pursued a graduate course in theology (B.D.
Bachelor of Divinity
In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology or, rarely, religious studies....
). The GLTCRI was then headed by Dr. P. David.
Ordination & Priesthood
At the end of the academic year 1961-1962, Victor Paul was awarded a B.D.Bachelor of Divinity
In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology or, rarely, religious studies....
and ordained in April 1962 as a Priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church
Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church
Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church was constituted in the year 1927 in Andhra Pradesh, India. It is the Indian successor to the United Lutheran Church in America which was started as a self-supporting, self-governing, and self-propagating church among Telugu Christians.-Memberships:* Andhra...
headquartered in Guntur
Guntur
Guntur , is a city and a municipal corporation in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, located to the north and west of the Bay of Bengal. It is approximately to the south of the national capital, New Delhi and south east of state capital, Hyderabad. Guntur is the fourth largest city in Andhra...
. He was assigned a pastoral role in in Samalkot and Peddapuram
Peddapuram
Peddapuram is an important Municipal town in the East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh in South India. It is also capital town for Peddapuram Mandal.- Geography :Peddapuram is located at . It has an average elevation of 35 metres ....
parishes. Victor Paul also replaced S. W. Schmitthenner as honorary Youth Director of the Church Society.
Post-graduate studies
After serving as a Pastor, Victor Paul's Church Society under G. Devasahayam (second term of Presidentship) sent him again to Madras where Paul was to pursue a post-graduate degree in New TestamentNew Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
(M.Th.) beginning from the academic year 1963-1964. Initially Victor Paul spent a year working on Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
with Jim Bergquist as well as on the revision of portions from the Westminster Dictionary of the Bible (Revised Edition) edited by Henry Snyder Gehman and John D. Davis.
From 1964-1965 onwards Victor Paul registered as an M.Th. student with the Gurukul Lutheran Theological College
Gurukul Lutheran Theological College
Gurukul Lutheran Theological College and Research Institute is an ecumenical seminary situated in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, South India. It is affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College .-Background:...
and worked out a thesis entitled A theological exposition of 'to know' in the Johannine literature with some points of contact and contrast between John and Gita under the guidance of his Professor, Jim Bergquist and later at the end of the academic year 1965-1966, the Senate of Serampore College (University)
Senate of Serampore College (University)
The Senate of Serampore College is located in Serampore Town, in Hooghly District, 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....
awarded the post-graduate degree of M.Th. in New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
.
In 1966, Victor Paul went to the Jesuit-run De Nobili College, Poona along with Gali Bali to attend the biennial conference of the scholarly Society for Biblical Studies in India held on the theme The significance of the historical in the New Testament Kerygma
Kerygma
Kerygma is the Greek word used in the New Testament for preaching . It is related to the Greek verb κηρύσσω , to cry or proclaim as a herald, and means proclamation, announcement, or preaching.The New Testament teaches that as Jesus launched his public ministry he entered the synagogue and read from...
.
When Victor Paul returned from Madras after his post-graduate studies, he was re-assigned his former ecclesiastical duties in Samalkot and Peddapuram
Peddapuram
Peddapuram is an important Municipal town in the East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh in South India. It is also capital town for Peddapuram Mandal.- Geography :Peddapuram is located at . It has an average elevation of 35 metres ....
. Paul continued to serve in pastoral roles from 1966 to 1969 in the assigned Parishes.
In 1969, Victor Paul was relieved as Pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
and made Lecturer
Lecturer
Lecturer is an academic rank. In the United Kingdom, lecturer is a position at a university or similar institution, often held by academics in their early career stages, who lead research groups and supervise research students, as well as teach...
in New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
at the ecumenical Andhra Christian Theological College then located in Rajahmundry
Rajahmundry
Rajahmundry is a city and municipal corporation of the Andhra Pradesh state in India. It is located east of the state capital, Hyderabad, on the banks of the River Godavari. Known as the Cultural Capital, Rajahmundry is noted for its intense Veda culture and intellect...
where he began teaching New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
and Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
along with Waldo Penner, Muriel Carder, and K. David, then members of the faculty teaching New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
.
Studies Abroad
Rajahmundry
Rajahmundry is a city and municipal corporation of the Andhra Pradesh state in India. It is located east of the state capital, Hyderabad, on the banks of the River Godavari. Known as the Cultural Capital, Rajahmundry is noted for its intense Veda culture and intellect...
, the Board of Governors of the College accorded study leave to Victor Paul who proceeded to Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
and pursued an S.T.M. in Counselling for academic years 1970-1973 in the Luther Seminary
Luther Seminary
Luther Seminary is the largest seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America . Located in the Saint Anthony Park neighborhood of St...
(a degree granting authority accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada
Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada
The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada is an organization of seminaries and other graduate schools of theology. ATS has its headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and has more than 250 member institutions...
duly recognised by the United States Government as an accrediting agency). James A. Bergquist then Professor at the Luther Seminary
Luther Seminary
Luther Seminary is the largest seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America . Located in the Saint Anthony Park neighborhood of St...
was the guide of Paul.
Beginning from the academic year 1973-1974 Victor Paul resumed teaching responsibilities at the ecumenical Seminary in Hyderabad after completing studies in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. Among the new additions to the College faculty in Hyderabad were G. Solomon, R. Yesuratnam, and Ravela Joseph. By then, Victor Premasagar
Victor Premasagar
Victor Premasagar was the fourth successor of Frank Whittaker as Bishop in Medak. He was an Indian churchman and Old Testament scholar. He also became Moderator of the Church of South India.-Early years:...
had already become Principal of the College in Hyderabad. Under the aegis of the Andhra Pradesh Council of Churches in 1974, a discussion was initiated on the theme Renewal of the ministry in Andhra Pradesh in which Victor Paul also participated. The findings of the consultation were later tabled before the Churches of Andhra Pradesh.
A. A. Sitompul and others of the Lutheran World Federation
Lutheran World Federation
The Lutheran World Federation is a global communion of national and regional Lutheran churches headquartered in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland. The federation was founded in the Swedish city of Lund in the aftermath of the Second World War in 1947 to coordinate the activities of the...
took cognizance of Victor Paul's paper on Parish Renewal as early as September 1975 at an international consultation held at the Ecumenical Institute of Bossey in September, 1975.
In 1976, A. A. Sitompul on behalf of the Lutheran World Federation
Lutheran World Federation
The Lutheran World Federation is a global communion of national and regional Lutheran churches headquartered in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland. The federation was founded in the Swedish city of Lund in the aftermath of the Second World War in 1947 to coordinate the activities of the...
invited Victor Paul to pursue doctoral studies (D.Min.) in Practical Ministry at the Luther Seminary
Luther Seminary
Luther Seminary is the largest seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America . Located in the Saint Anthony Park neighborhood of St...
, Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
. Victor Premasagar
Victor Premasagar
Victor Premasagar was the fourth successor of Frank Whittaker as Bishop in Medak. He was an Indian churchman and Old Testament scholar. He also became Moderator of the Church of South India.-Early years:...
, then Principal of the College put up the matter before the Board of Governors of the College which decided to accord study leave to Victor Paul. While at the Luther Seminary
Luther Seminary
Luther Seminary is the largest seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America . Located in the Saint Anthony Park neighborhood of St...
, Victor Paul's doctoral supervisor was James A. Nestingen, currently Professor Emeritus of Church History. By 1979, Victor Paul was awarded the doctoral degree D.Min. by the Luther Seminary
Luther Seminary
Luther Seminary is the largest seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America . Located in the Saint Anthony Park neighborhood of St...
and he returned to take up his teaching responsibilities back in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The College in Hyderabad by then had seen new teaching staff being added onto its rolls. B. C. Paul, G. Sampurna Rao, B. J. Christie Kumar, and G. Babu Rao had joined the College when Victor Paul went on sabbatical at varying intervals.
Theological writings
The Church Historian R. Joseph, a colleague of Victor Paul at ACTC, who compiled a bibliography of original Christian writings in Telugu with the assistance of B. Suneel Bhanu under the aegis of the Board of Theological Education of the Senate of Serampore CollegeBoard of Theological Education of the Senate of Serampore College
The Board of Theological Education of the Senate of Serampore College is the arm of theological education under the Senate of Serampore College...
included a book by Victor Paul entitled The Liberated Ones: Explanations of Lutheran Catechism and Confessions published as early as 1981.
Victor Paul also authored the following theological books in Telugu
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
published by the Telugu Theological Literature Board, Hyderabad which are devotional commentaries on:
- Gospels
- The Messianic King in Gospel of Saint Matthew
- Gospel of Saint Mark
- Gospel according to Saint Luke
- Gospel of JohnGospel of JohnThe Gospel According to John , commonly referred to as the Gospel of John or simply John, and often referred to in New Testament scholarship as the Fourth Gospel, is an account of the public ministry of Jesus...
(also shown under Johannine Literature)
- Johannine literatureJohannine literatureJohannine literature is the collection of New Testament works that are attached by tradition to the person of John the Apostle. The collection is usually considered to include:*The Gospel of John*The First Epistle of John*The Second Epistle of John...
- Gospel of JohnGospel of JohnThe Gospel According to John , commonly referred to as the Gospel of John or simply John, and often referred to in New Testament scholarship as the Fourth Gospel, is an account of the public ministry of Jesus...
- First Epistle of JohnFirst Epistle of JohnThe First Epistle of John, often referred to as First John and written 1 John, is a book of the New Testament. This fourth catholic or "general" epistle is attributed to John the Evangelist, traditionally thought to be the author of the Gospel of John and the other two Epistles of John. This...
- Second Epistle of JohnSecond Epistle of JohnThe Second Epistle of John, often referred to as Second John and often written 2 John, is a book of the New Testament attributed to John the Evangelist, traditionally thought to be the author of the Gospel of John and the other two epistles of John.- Composition :The language of this epistle is...
- Third Epistle of JohnThird Epistle of JohnThe Third Epistle of John, often referred to as Third John and written 3 John, is a book of the New Testament attributed to John the Evangelist, traditionally thought to be the author of the Gospel of John and the other two epistles of John...
- Book of RevelationBook of RevelationThe Book of Revelation is the final book of the New Testament. The title came into usage from the first word of the book in Koine Greek: apokalupsis, meaning "unveiling" or "revelation"...
- Gospel of John
- Pauline EpistlesPauline epistlesThe Pauline epistles, Epistles of Paul, or Letters of Paul, are the thirteen New Testament books which have the name Paul as the first word, hence claiming authorship by Paul the Apostle. Among these letters are some of the earliest extant Christian documents...
- Epistle to the RomansEpistle to the RomansThe Epistle of Paul to the Romans, often shortened to Romans, is the sixth book in the New Testament. Biblical scholars agree that it was composed by the Apostle Paul to explain that Salvation is offered through the Gospel of Jesus Christ...
- Epistle to the GalatiansEpistle to the GalatiansThe Epistle of Paul to the Galatians, often shortened to Galatians, is the ninth book of the New Testament. It is a letter from Paul of Tarsus to a number of Early Christian communities in the Roman province of Galatia in central Anatolia...
- Epistle to the EphesiansEpistle to the EphesiansThe Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians, often shortened to Ephesians, is the tenth book of the New Testament. Its authorship has traditionally been credited to Paul, but it is considered by some scholars to be "deutero-Pauline," that is, written in Paul's name by a later author strongly influenced by...
- Epistle to the PhilippiansEpistle to the PhilippiansThe Epistle of Paul to the Philippians, usually referred to simply as Philippians, is the eleventh book in the New Testament. Biblical scholars agree that it was written by St. Paul to the church of Philippi, an early center of Christianity in Greece around 62 A.D. Other scholars argue for an...
- Epistle to the ColossiansEpistle to the ColossiansThe Epistle of Paul to the Colossians, usually referred to simply as Colossians, is the 12th book of the New Testament. It was written, according to the text, by Paul the Apostle to the Church in Colossae, a small Phrygian city near Laodicea and approximately 100 miles from Ephesus in Asia...
- Epistle to the HebrewsEpistle to the HebrewsThe Epistle to the Hebrews is one of the books in the New Testament. Its author is not known.The primary purpose of the Letter to the Hebrews is to exhort Christians to persevere in the face of persecution. The central thought of the entire Epistle is the doctrine of the Person of Christ and his...
- Epistle to the Romans
- General EpistlesGeneral epistlesGeneral epistles are books in the New Testament in the form of letters. They are termed "general" because for the most part their intended audience seems to be Christians in general rather than individual persons or congregations as is the case with the Pauline epistles...
- Epistle of JamesEpistle of JamesThe Epistle of James, usually referred to simply as James, is a book in the New Testament. The author identifies himself as "James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ", with "the earliest extant manuscripts of James usually dated to mid-to-late third century."There are four views...
- Epistle of JudeEpistle of JudeThe Epistle of Jude, often shortened to Jude, is the penultimate book of the New Testament and is attributed to Jude, the brother of James the Just. - Composition :...
- Epistle of James
Martin Senftleben who researched at the Sri Venkateswara University
Sri Venkateswara University
Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, is a state university, which was established in 1954, in the famous temple city of Tirupati, South India, under the auspices of Late Tanguturi Prakasam Pantulu, the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, and with support of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams...
in Tirupati acknowledged Victor Paul to be a Scholar.
Michael Bergunder, Professor of Missions at the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg
Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg
The Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg is a public research university located in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Founded in 1386, it is the oldest university in Germany and was the third university established in the Holy Roman Empire. Heidelberg has been a coeducational institution...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
believes that Victor Paul attempted to recognise Charismatic Christianity which was fast enveloping traditional Christianity. Being a person who puts theory into practice, Victor Paul as Principal of ACTC once went ahead and invited the pioneer charismatic Pastor, Apostle P. L. Paramjyoti to deliver the graduation address of the College in a particular year.
Excerpt from Victor Paul's article quoted by Prof. Michael Bergunder:
Academic
- Member of the Senate of Serampore College (University)Senate of Serampore College (University)The Senate of Serampore College is located in Serampore Town, in Hooghly District, 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....
- Member of the Research Committee of the Board of Theological Education of the Senate of Serampore CollegeBoard of Theological Education of the Senate of Serampore CollegeThe Board of Theological Education of the Senate of Serampore College is the arm of theological education under the Senate of Serampore College...
, Bengaluru.
Victor Paul first began teaching New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
in ACTC from 1969. Past-timers acknowledge Victor Paul as having an influence in students lives in unique ways. After the four-year cycle of Principalship of the Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches
Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches
Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches are churches, that form a denomination in India.The churches are part of the Telugu Christian community of Southern India. Its language isTelugu. It belongs to the Baptist World Alliance....
ended in the academic year 1989-1990, the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church
Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church
Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church was constituted in the year 1927 in Andhra Pradesh, India. It is the Indian successor to the United Lutheran Church in America which was started as a self-supporting, self-governing, and self-propagating church among Telugu Christians.-Memberships:* Andhra...
's cycle of Principalship began. Besides Victor Paul, there were four other faculty from this Church Society teaching in the College at that time, namely, B. W. David Raju, B. C. Paul, G. Sampurna Rao, and C. Yesupadam. Since the participating Church agency decides the name of the Principal, the Board of Governors of the College left the decision to the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church
Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church
Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church was constituted in the year 1927 in Andhra Pradesh, India. It is the Indian successor to the United Lutheran Church in America which was started as a self-supporting, self-governing, and self-propagating church among Telugu Christians.-Memberships:* Andhra...
, then under the Presidentship of K. Nathaniel, which chose to nominate Victor Paul to the Principalship of the ecumenical seminary for a term of four years. B. Ryder Devapriam, then Chairperson of the Board of Governors of the College appointed Victor Paul as Principal of the College for a term of four years. As Principal, Victor Paul was able to prove himself as an able Administrator following the footsteps of his predecessors.
In the final phase of Victor Paul's tenure as Principal, he contested the bishopric of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church
Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church
Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church was constituted in the year 1927 in Andhra Pradesh, India. It is the Indian successor to the United Lutheran Church in America which was started as a self-supporting, self-governing, and self-propagating church among Telugu Christians.-Memberships:* Andhra...
and proceeded on leave from the College. To fill the vacancy, the AELC then nominated G. Sampurna Rao as Principal of the College.
Church Leadership
When the term of K. Nathaniel as President of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran ChurchAndhra Evangelical Lutheran Church
Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church was constituted in the year 1927 in Andhra Pradesh, India. It is the Indian successor to the United Lutheran Church in America which was started as a self-supporting, self-governing, and self-propagating church among Telugu Christians.-Memberships:* Andhra...
ended, Victor Paul contested and was elected in 1993 as the ninth President of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church headquartered in Guntur. In 1997, when Victor Paul's term ended, he returned to Hyderabad to teach at the Andhra Christian Theological College then headed by R. Yesurathnam. Victor Paul retired in 2000.