M. Mani Chacko

M. Mani Chacko (born 1955[1]) is the present General Secretary of the Bible Society of India who was installed on 13 September 2011 at the CSI-St. Mark's Cathedral, Bangalore by the Bible Society of India Trust Association led by its President Navamani Elia Peter in the presence of a host of clergy, G. Dyvasirvadam, John S. Sadananda, G. D. V. Prasad, Robert R. Cunville, Joseph Mar Thoma, Ignatius Paul Pinto and others.[3]

Modayil Mani Chacko
Born1955[1]
Kerala
EducationB. D. (Serampore),[2] M. Th. (Serampore),[2] Ph. D. (London)[3]
Alma materUnited Theological College, Bangalore[2] and King's College London
Parent(s)Thankamma and M. C. Mani
ChurchChurch of South India
(Diocese of Madhya Kerala)
Ordained1987[3]
Writings1983, The theological understanding of the land in Deuteronomy.[4]
2002, Liberation And Service Of God[5]
Congregations served
Kolkata, Chennai and London[3]
Offices held
Pastor, Church of South India (1979-1990)
Professor, Gurukul Lutheran Theological College, Chennai (1990-2006)
Director, Ecumenical Christian Centre, Bangalore (2006-2011)
TitleThe Reverend Doctor

Studies

Mani Chacko had his initial ministerial formation from 1975 to 1979[2] at the United Theological College, Bangalore, affiliated to the nation's first[6] University, the Senate of Serampore College (University), under the Principalship of Joshua Russell Chandran where he studied a graduate course, Bachelor of Divinity. After a brief pastoral ministry, Chacko returned to the Seminary and registered for a postgraduate course, Master of Theology which he studied from 1981-1983[2] specialising in Old Testament under Theodore N. Swanson and E. C. John working out a dissertation entitled The theological understanding of the land in Deuteronomy.[4] Both the graduate and post-graduate degrees were awarded by the University in successive convocations during the Registrarship of D. S. Satyaranjan. Chacko underwent research studies in Old Testament at the King's College London and returned to India in 1990. While at the London University, Chacko studied under the Old Testament Scholar, Ronald E. Clements and later published his thesis in book form in 2002 with the title, Liberation And Service Of God.[5]

Ecclesiastical career

Chennai

From 1990 onwards, Chacko began to teach Old Testament at the Gurukul Lutheran Theological College, Chennai. At one point of time, Victor Premasagar also began teaching at the Seminary as Professor Emeritus thereby increasing the research potential of the Seminary. In 2001,[7] Chacko was appointed as Principal of the Seminary, a post which he held until 2006 when he moved over to the Ecumenical Christian Centre, Bangalore to take up its Directorship.

Bangalore

Following the change of helm at the Ecumenical Christian Centre, Bangalore in 2006, Chacko succeeded M. J. Joseph and served up to 2011 as its Director and then moved out to the Bible Society of India when its General Secretary, B. K. Pramanik stepped down after his extended superannuation came to an end resulting in the appointment of Mani Chacko as the General Secretary.

Other offices
Preceded by
Mr. B. K. PramanikLaity
1985-2011		 General Secretary,
Bible Society of India,
Bangalore
2011-		 Succeeded by
Incumbent
Educational offices
Preceded by
The Rev. M. J. Joseph, MMTSC
1997[8]-2006		 Director,
Ecumenical Christian Centre,
Bangalore
2006-2011		 Succeeded by
The Rev. Cherian Thomas, MMTSC
2011-2016
Academic offices
Preceded by
The Rev. D. W. Jesudoss, TELC
1992-2001		 Principal,
Gurukul Lutheran Theological College,
Chennai
2001-2006[7]		 Succeeded by
The Rev. S. W. Meshack, IELC
2006-2011[9]

References
Notes
  1. Xavier Tete on Mani Chacko in Anand Amaladass, Indian Christian Thinkers, Volume 2, Satya Nilayam Publications, Chennai, 2005, p.301.
  2. K. M. Hiwale (Compiled), Directory of the United Theological College 1910-1997, Bangalore, 1997. Past students of the college diploma course, p.54; Postgraduate course, p.118.
  3. E. Leelavathi Manasseh, Nicholas G. Parmar, Installation Service of the new General Secretary in Sowing Circle, Volume 27, Numbers 3 and 4, July–December 2011, pp.8-11.
  4. M. M. Chacko, The theological understanding of the land in Deuteronomy in Thesis Titles, Board of Theological Education of the Senate of Serampore College, Bangalore, 1991.
  5. M. M. Chacko, Liberation And Service Of God, ISPCK, New Delhi, 2002.
  6. UNESCO Structures of University Education in India, 1952
  7. George Anthony, Bible Society of India elects Rev. Dr. Mani Chacko as new general secretary in Christian Today.
  8. John C. England, Asian Christian Theologies: Asia region, 7th-20th centuries ; South Asia ; Austral Asia, ISPCK, New Delhi, 2002, p.318.
  9. Martin Luther Christian University
Further reading
  • Johnson Thomaskutty (2013). "An Interview with Dr. Mani Chacko, General Secretary of the Bible Society of India". New Testament Scholarship Worldwide. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
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