History
An Introduction
The Tamilnadu Theological Seminary was started in 1969 in the town of Madurai that is surrounded by villages, rich in folk religion, art, music and culture. The Seminary was founded and managed by the three ecumenical churches, i.e. the Church of South India, the Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church and the Arcot Lutheran Church, for training pastors in order to serve the Church and Society with Christian commitment. The emergence of the Tamilnadu Theological Seminary was realized by the unification of the two already existing seminaries, i.e. The Thirumaraiyur Theological College of the Church of South India and the Tranquebar Gurusala of the Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church. The beginning of the Tamilnadu Theological Seminary was a landmark in the broader Ecumenism that linked theological education with practical secular involvement in solidarity with the suffering humanity.
The Tamilnadu Theological Seminary is affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College (University) for its theological studies and also with the Madurai Kamaraj University for Humanities, Language studies and research. The curriculum is designed in such a way, where the students’ learning is not only restricted to the classroom and library, but extended through exposures and lived-in experiences. TTS’ unique way of doing theology, draws students from all quarters of India and the world.
Committed to Christ and based on the Gospel, TTS has structured its training programmes with a focus on three-fold formation: Personal Formation, Theological Formation and Ministerial Formation. TTS is affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College/University and offers courses such as the Bachelor of Divinity (B. D) in Tamil medium, Master of Theology (M.Th) in English medium (Old Testament, New Testament, History of Christianity, Social Analysis, Christian Theology, Christian Ministry and Communication) and Doctor of Theology in English medium (Social Analysis, History of Christianity and New Testament).
It also offers Bachelor of Christian Studies (BCS) and Diploma in Christian Studies for external students. TTS is also affiliated to the Madurai Kamaraj University and offers Certificate and Diploma in German Language and Certificate and Diploma in Ambedkar Studies. The Seminary on its own offers the Certificate Course on ‘Mission and Ministry’, ‘Certificate of Theology’, certificate and diploma courses on ‘Ministry among Church Women’ and an Ecumenical programme for international students.
Theological Education through involvement has been given practical expression from the early days of TTS. Constant relationship with the surrounding churches, indigenous forms of worship and concrete programmes under Ministry to the Prisoners, Rights of Women and Children, Development of the poor and the downtrodden in the slums, mainly organizing the unorganized, Empowerment of the Dalits, Church Women center, Inter- faith dialogue are examples of this expression. The Social Analysis Centre, Communication Centre and the Dalit Resource Centre are widening our theological insights and paraxis.
Programmes and Institutions like the Unemployed Young People’s Association (UYPA), Inba Illam – the home for the aged and Arulagam – the Home for the destitute women, continue to be supported by TTS although they function as independent institutions. The Rural Theological Institute (RTI), a unit of TTS, is another example of theological education through involvement with the problems of Dalits, poor, women, and the children of the surrounding villages. The Students’ programmes such as Intensive Practical Exposures, Living with people in the city, Internship and living in the Villages are also inbuilt into the academic programme of the Seminary with similar concerns.
Thus TTS tries to witness to the Lord as an ecumenical, indigenous and encountering Theological Seminary.