The Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church (TELC) is a Christian denomination in south India, which was established in 1919 and has approximately 500,000 members. Its headquarters is in Trichy, Tamil Nadu. It is one of the prominent Evangelical-Lutheran churches in Tamil Nadu.
On 14 January 1919, the Tamil congregation of different German, Danish, and Swedish Lutheran missions joined together to form the Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church. In March 1921, the constitution of the TELC was amended to include the structure of episcopacy. In 1921, a Swedish missionary, Ernst Heuman, was ordained as the first bishop of the TELC. The bishop of TELC holds the title Bishop of Tranquebar.
Ernst Heuman, who served as the first presiding bishop of the Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church in India, was ordained a priest in 1896 by Knut Henning Gezelius von Schéele (the Bishop of Visby) and consecrated as a bishop on 7 March 1921 by Hjalmar Danell (the Bishop of Skara) at New Jerusalem Church in the Indian city of Tranquebar (authorized by Archbishop of Uppsala Nathan Söderblom); Hjalmar Danell was confirmed as the Bishop of Tranquebar. The Swedish Line of apostolic succession was thus given to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in India.
In 1956, R B Manickam became the first Indian to be ordained as the bishop of TELC.
The bishops have the title Bishop of Tranquebar. It belongs to the Lutheran World Federation. The Leipzig Evangelical Lutheran Mission and Church of Sweden Mission were active in the area of Trichy in the 19th century and are still active there today. This Lutheran church comes under United Evangelical Lutheran Church in India.
Presidents of TELC and Bishops of Tranquebar
1921–1926: Ernst Heuman 1927–1934: David Bexe 1934–1956: Johannes Sandegren 1956–1967: Rajah Bushanam Manikam 1967–1972: Carl Gustav Diehl 1972–1975: A. John Satyanadhan 1975–1978: Lasarus Easter Raj 1978–1993: Jayseelan Jacob 1993–1999: Jubilee Gnanabaranam Johnson 1999–2009: Thaveedu Aruldoss 2009–2014: H. A. Martin 2014–2019: S. Edwin Jayakumar 2019–2023: D. Daniel Jayaraj 2023–present: A. Christian Samraj
Congregations
TELC Ratchagar Church, Tiruvallur (த.சு.லு.தி இரட்சகர் ஆலயம், திருவள்ளூர்]) TELC Good Shepherd Church, Kumaratchi Pastorate. TELC Immanuel church konerikuppam kanchipuram pastorate TELC Holy Trinity Cathedral, Tiruchirappalli TELC Holy Cross Church, kumbakonam. TELC Adhisayanathar Church, Erayamangalam TELC Adiaikalanathar Church, Chennai TELC Christ Church, Tambaram – 45 TELC Christ Church, Thiruverambur, Tirchy- 13 TELC Christ Church, Thiruvotriyur, Chennai-600019 TELC Arulnathar Church, Kilpauk, Chennai TELC Anbunathar Church, Annanagar, Chennai TELC Holy Redeemer's Church, Madurai TELC Holy Immanuel Church, Mayiladuthurai TELC New Jerusalem Church, Tranquebar (Tharangambadi) TELC New Jerusalem Church, Nadukottai, Thirumangalam, Madurai. TELC Salvation Church, Madurai TELC Good Shepherd Church, Puthur, Trichy TELC Zion Church, Trichy-8. TELC Saviour Church, Eachampatti, Trichy TELC Christ Church, Anaimalai. TELC World Saviour Church-Uluthukkupai, Mailaduthurai TELC Abathu Sagayar Church, Kavalamedu. Manalmedu Pastorate.( த.சு.லு.தி. ஆபத்து சகாயர் ஆலயம் – காவாளமேடு ) TELC Pavanasar Lutheran Church – Bangalore. TELC Ziegenbalg Jubilee Church – Sirkali TELC Pavasar Lutheran Church – Chidambaram TELC St.Paul's Church, Sengaraiyur TELC Arulnathar Church, Tirukattupalli TELC World Saviour Church, Pollachi TELC Bethlehem Church, (TBML College) Porayar TELC Arulnathar Church, Tirukattupalli TELC Saint John Church, Tiruchirappalli TELC Arockianathar Church, Thirupputhur, Sivagangai Dist த.சு.லு.தி கதிராலயம், பாண்டுர் TELC Holy Cross Church, Chengalpattu TELC Holy Comforter Church, Thanjavur TELC Ebineaser Church, Villupuram TELC Arulnathar Church, Kinathukadavu (த.சு.லு.தி. அருள்நாதர் ஆலயம், கிணத்துக்கடவு) TELC Karunainathar Church Kinathukadavu (த.சு.லு.தி. கருணைநாதர் ஆலயம், கிணத்துக்கடவு) TELC Bethel Church, Perambur, Chennai-11 TELC Arulnathar Church, Tirupur-641601 TELC Abishegha Nathar Church, Annamangalam, Perambalur-district. TELC Bethlehem Church Ambattur Chennai 600 053 TELC Jesus Our Redeemer Church, Thirumangalam, Madurai. TELC Calvary Nathar Church, J.Alangulam, Thirumangalam, Madurai. TELC Good Shepherd church, Singanallur, Coimbatore – 641005. TELC St.John's Church, perambalur.# TELC St.Paul's Church, Pattavarthy. Manalmedu Pastorate. TELC Bethlehem Church, Sevvapet, Thiruvallur-602025 TELC Christ King church, Kalpakkam – 603102 TELC Arul Nathar Church, Sadras – 603102 TELC THIRIYEGA NATHAR CHURCH, KOTTAIKARANPATTI, PUDUKKOTTAI (DT)-622515 TELC ZION JUBLEE CHURCH, PUDUKKOTTAI. TELC RATCHANYA NATHAR CHURCH, SAMALAPURAM-641663. TELC JUBILEE CHURCH, PAMBARPURAM, KODAIKANAL-624103. TELC Union Christ Church, NGGO Colony, Coimbatore TELC Christ Church, Coimbatore TELC Arputhanather Church, B P Agraharam. TELC Nalmeipper Church, Kurumanoorkadu. TELC Jesus the world Redeemer Church, Kallikuppam TELC Ebinezar church, Karaikal TELC St.Peter's Jubilee Church, Melakottucherry, Karaikal TELC Bethel Church, V.NALLALAM 605651 TELC MARTIN CHURCH, KAIVANDUR PASTORATE, THIRUVALLUR TELC ARULNATHAR ALAYAM, PATTANAM PUDUR, COIMBATORE - 641016
Colleges and schools TBML College, Porayar TELC Teacher Training Institute (Male), Tranquebar TELC Bishop Johnson Memorial Higher Secondary School, Tranquebar TELC High School, Sengaraiyur TELC Primary School, Nathamangudi, Lalgudi Taluk TELC Bishop Hymen Memorial High School, Tiruchirappalli TELC Primary School, Tiruchirappalli TELC Teacher Training Institute (Female), Usilampatti TELC ELM Hr Sec School, Chennai TELC Lutheran Mission Central Higher Secondary School, Sirkali TELC Kabis Hr Sec School, Pandur TELC Girls Christian Higher Secondary School, Thanjavur TELC Middle School, Thanjavur TELC SR Bergendal Girls HR Secondary School, Kinathukadavu TELC Primary School, Kinathukadavu TELC Middle School, Karunakarapuri, Kinathukadavu TELC Primary School, Alampatti, Thirumangalam, Madurai. TELC Primary School, Kurayoor. TECL Primary School, Tirupur TELC Higher secondary school, Pudukkottai. In pudukkottai itself two schools are operating TELC Middle School, Pudukkottai. TELC TSM Primary School, Sirkali TELC PRIMARY SCHOOL, KOTTAIKARANPATTI, PUDUKKOTTAI (DT). TELC Primary School, Kavalamedu ( Manalmedu ) Mayiladuthurai- DT TELC middle school, Periyakuppam, Thiruvallur
TELC-related seminaries Gurukul Lutheran Theological College and Research Institute, Chennai. Tamil Nadu Theological Seminary (TTS), Madurai. United Theological College (UTC), Bangalore.
References
External links Website of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church in India Johnson Gnanabaranam: "Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church" in: "The Oxford Encyclopaedia of South Asian Christianity".