{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2015}} {{Use Indian English|date=October 2015}} {{Infobox Christian leader | type = Bishop | name = V. E. Christopher, AELC | title = Moderator / Bishop | image = | alt = | caption = | church = Christian | archdiocese = | diocese = | see = Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church (AELC) | term = 2005–2009 | predecessor = Ch. Victor Moses | successor = B. Suneel Bhanu<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20090710014811/http://www.asia-lutheran.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=345 New AELC President Elected]}}</ref> <!-- Orders --> | ordination = 1978 | ordinated_by = | consecration = 1 June 2005 | consecrated_by = | rank = <!-- Personal details --> | birth_date = 19 January 1949 | birth_place = Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh | death_date = | death_place = | previous_post = Vice-President of the AELC }}

'''V. E. Christopher''' is President Emeritus of the Protestant Lutheran Church Society, the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church.<ref name="LWF">The Lutheran World Federation, New President for India's Largest Lutheran Church. Internet, accessed 14 September 2008. [http://www.lutheranworld.org/News/LWI/EN/1760.EN.html]</ref> {{Portal|Christianity}}

==Early years== Ernest Christopher was born into a pastoral family in Bhimavaram in Andhra Pradesh to Rev. Vardanapu Krupadas and Smt. Bhagyamma. His father, Rev. V. Krupadas was a pastor of the AELC.<ref name="Prema">''Prema Sakshi'', National Christian Telugu Monthly, August 2006.</ref> He had his schooling in Bhimavaram and collegiate education in Rajahmundry.<ref name="Prema"/> Later, he pursued degree studies in Sri Y. N. College ''(an NAAC-A grade college affiliated to the Andhra University)'', Narsapur in West Godavari District. {{Christianity in India sidebar}}

==Divinity== Like his father, Christopher had an inclination to pursue the ultimate profession of priesthood. His Church society (the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church) readily sponsored him for his priestly studies. The AELC was then headed by Rev. Dr. S. W. Schmitthener.

Armed with a sponsorship letter from his Church society, Christopher enrolled<ref name="Prema"/> for the graduate degree of Bachelor of Theology (B. Th.) offered by the ecumenical Andhra Christian Theological College ''(affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College (University))'', Hyderabad. Later, the Senate of Serampore College (University) under the Registrarship of D. S. Satyaranjan awarded him with a degree.

The then principal of the college was the Cantabrigian Victor Premasagar. With disciplined faculty at ACTC, the young Christopher had a sound priestly formation. He was taught New Testament by Muriel Carder and K. David while Victor Premasagar and G. Babu Rao, taught him Old Testament, the core subjects in any seminary or theological faculty of a university. Christopher was known to be studious and disciplined.

==Ordination and pastorship== After Christopher's ordination, his church president, the India-born Rev. Dr. S. W. Schmitthener posted<ref name="Prema"/> him to East Godavari District to minister in a rural parish. He also served in Lutheran parishes in Rajahmundry and Bhimavaram.

==Higher studies == Christopher later enrolled for the degree of Bachelor of Divinity (B. D.) at his ''alma mater'', the Andhra Christian Theological College, Hyderabad and upgraded himself to earn a B. D. degree.

==Synod of the AELC== Rev. Christopher was twice<ref name="Prema"/> elected as the synod president of the West Godavari Synod, one of the six Synods of the AELC.

==Presidentship== In due course of time, Christopher was elected to the vice-presidency<ref name="Prema"/> of the Church Society. Later on 1 June 2005,<ref name="Prema"/> he was declared elected as the president of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church.

{{s-start}} {{s-rel}} {{Succession box | before=Ch. Victor Moses | title=President, <br />Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church | after=B. Suneel Bhanu | years=2005&ndash;2009 }} {{s-hon}} {{Succession box | before=C. L. Johnson, CBCNC, <br />2005-2007 | title=Chairperson, Board of Governors,<br />Andhra Christian Theological College, Hyderabad | after=P. Surya Prakash, CSI<br />2009-2011 | years=2007-2009 }} {{s-end}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Further reading== * {{cite book | author=Erwin Fahlbusch, Geoffrey William Bromiley (Ed.) | title=The Encyclopedia of Christianity, William B. Eerdmans Publishing, ISBN 0-8028-2415-3, ISBN 978-0-8028-2415-8 | year=1999 | volume=Page 357 | publisher=Wm. B. Eerdmans | url =https://books.google.com/books?id=7ly4DgtT3LkC&dq=andhra+evangelical+lutheran+church&pg=PA357 | isbn=978-90-04-12654-1 }}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Christopher, V. E.}} Category:1949 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century Indian Lutheran clergy Category:21st-century Lutheran bishops Category:20th-century Indian bishops Category:Andhra University alumni Category:Indian Lutheran theologians Category:Senate of Serampore College (University) alumni Category:Indian Christians