St. Thomas Evangelical Church of India

St. Thomas Evangelical Church of India (STECI) is an Oriental Protestant (Reformed Orthodox) episcopal denomination based in Kerala, India. It derives from a schism in the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church in 1961 and forms a part of the Saint Thomas Syrian Christian community. The church is engaged in active witnessing and building up of faith communities, as well as serving people around in need. The headquarters of the church is at Tiruvalla, Kerala.

St. Thomas Evangelical Church of India
St Thomas Evangelical Church Of India Emblem
AbbreviationSTECI
TypeOriental Protestant
ClassificationSyrian Christian, Saint Thomas Syrian Christians
ScriptureHoly Bible
PolityEpiscopal
GovernanceDemocratic
Presiding BishopMost Rev Dr Thomas Abraham
Prathinidhi sabha AdhyakshanRt Rev Dr Abraham Chacko
LanguageMalayalam, English, Hindi, Odia, Tamil, Kannada, Marathi, Gujrati, Telugu,
LiturgyWest Syriac Rite (Reformed)
HeadquartersManjadi, Thiruvalla Kerala, India
TerritoryUniversal
PossessionsIndia, United States, Canada, Europe, Great Britain-London & Belfast, Middle East, Singapore
Origin26 January 1961
Thaimala, Thiruvalla
Independence1961
RecognitionIndependent Episcopal Church, 1961
Separated fromMalankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church (1961)
SeparationsSt. Thomas Evangelical Church of India Fellowship
Congregations350+
Members100000+
MinistersBishops- 6, Clergy- 150+
Missionaries400+
Publicationssuvisesha prakasini
Official websitehttp://steci.org/
SloganFOR THE WORD OF GOD AND FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST (REV. 1:9)
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Christianity in India
Christianity in India
Communities
People
Denominations

Saint Thomas Christian denominations

Syro-Malabar Catholic, Syro-Malankara Catholic, Latin Catholic

Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church

Independent Oriential Orthodox

Malabar Independent Syrian Church

Chaldean Syrian

Mar Thoma Syrian, St. Thomas Evangelical

Protestant denominations
Andhra Evangelical Lutheran, Assemblies Jehovah Shammah, Christian Revival Church, Church of North India, Church of South India, Garo Baptist, Indian Brethren, Indian Pentecostal Church of God, Church of God (Full Gospel), North Bank Baptist Christian, Northern Evangelical Lutheran, Methodist Church, Presbyterian, The Pentecostal Mission, Seventh-day Adventist, United Evangelical Lutheran
Organisations

History
Saint Thomas Christian's - Divisions- History

The St. Thomas Evangelical Church is one of several groups of Saint Thomas Christians claiming origins to St. Thomas the Apostle who, according to their tradition, came to India in AD 52. While STECI is considered to be an episcopal church, it is also deeply influenced by evangelicalism. Until 1961, the church's history was deeply connected to the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, and South Indian Christianity's contact with Evangelical British missionaries during British colonial times. The missionaries facilitated the translation of the Bible into Malayalam in 1811. This was the first vernacular Bible in Kerala. Further changes introduced by the influence of missionaries led to a schism within the Thomas Christians.

Clergy in 1961

Bishops
  • Bishop KN Oommen (Late)
  • Bishop P John Varughese (Late)
  • Bishop Dr. TC Cherian (Retd.)
  • Bishop Dr. MK Koshy (Retd.)
  • Bishop A.I Alexander (Retd.)
  • Bishop Dr CV Mathew (Retd.)
  • Bishop Most Rev Dr Thomas Abraham (Presiding Bishop)
  • Bishop Rt Rev Dr Abraham Chacko (Prathinidhi sabha Adhyakshan)


STECI Boards
  • Board for Evangelistic Work
  • Board for Youth Work
  • Board for Women's Work
  • Board for Sunday School Work
  • Education Board
  • Department of Music & Communications

References
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