St.

Thomas Evangelical Church of India

St. Thomas Evangelical Church of India (STECI)
St. Thomas Evangelical Church of
is an Oriental Protestant (Reformed Orthodox)
episcopal denomination based in Kerala, India. India

The church originated from a schism in the

Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church in 1961 and
forms a part of the Saint Thomas Syrian Christian
community.

The headquarters of the church is at Tiruvalla,

Kerala.

History
St Thomas Evangelical Church Of India Emblem
Abbreviation STECI
Type Evangelical
Protestant
Classification Syrian
Christian,
Branches & Denominations of Saint Saint Thomas
Thomas Christians Syrian
Christians
The St. Thomas Evangelical Church is one of several Scripture Holy Bible
groups of Saint Thomas Christians who trace their
origins to St. Thomas the Apostle who, according to Polity Episcopal
their tradition, came to India in AD 52.[1] Governance Democratic
Presiding Bishop Most Rev Dr
Until 1961, the Church's history was deeply
connected to the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Thomas
Church. Abraham
Prathinidhi sabha Adhyakshan Rt Rev Dr
In the 1800s, South Indian Christians were in contact Abraham
with British missionaries during the time of British
Chacko
colonialism. The missionaries facilitated the
translation of the Bible into Malayalam in 1811; this Language Malayalam,
was the first vernacular Bible in Kerala. Further English, Hindi,
changes introduced by the influence of missionaries Odia, Tamil,
led to a schism within the Thomas Christians.[2] Kannada,
Marathi,
By the 1830s, some clergy in the St Thomas Church
Gujrati,
were looking at reform, particularly in the area of
Telugu,
rituals. This movement led to the St Thomas Church
establishing the Mar Thoma Evangelistic Association Liturgy West Syriac
(MTEA) in 1888.[3] Rite
(Reformed)
In the 1950s, reforms within the Malankara Mar
Thoma Syrian Church led to some members creating Headquarters Manjadi,
the Mar Thoma Pathiopadesa Samathy (St Thomas Thiruvalla
Organisation for Sound Doctrine) in 1952. In 1960, Kerala, India
four presbyters (P John Varghese, P I Mathal, CM Territory Universal
Vaghese and KO John) were suspended. This led to
the establishment of the St. Thomas Evangelical Possessions India, United
Church of India (STECI), on January 26, 1961, with States,
20 ministers and 25,000 lay Christians.[4] Canada,
Europe, Great
STECI established the Jubilee Memorial Bible Britain-London
College in Chennai in August 1987.[5] The college & Belfast,
trains students from almost 20 different Middle East,
denominations and has links to the Biblical Graduate
Singapore
School of Theology in Singapore and Columbia
International University in the US. Origin 26 January
1961
Thaimala,
Beliefs Thiruvalla
Independence 1961
Mission statement Recognition Independent
Episcopal
STECI was formed with a three-pronged mission;
Church, 1961
Safeguarding sound doctrine Separated from Malankara
Living a holy life Mar Thoma
Obeying the Great Commission to Syrian Church
evangelise India [6] (1961)
Congregations 350+

Basic teachings Members 100000+

Ministers Bishops- 6,
STECI believes in; the Trinity, the Second Coming, Clergy- 150+
Sola Scriptura of 66 books of the Bible, salvation by
Missionaries 400+
faith (not works), safeguarding sound doctrine,
evangelism and sharing the news about Jesus, royal Publications suvisesha
priesthood and prayers to Jesus for the living.[7] prakasini
Official website http://steci.org/
(http://steci.or
Sacraments
g/)
STECI members incorporate two sacraments into Slogan FOR THE
their lives; these are baptism and the Lord’s WORD OF
Supper.[8] GOD AND
FOR THE
Diocese TESTIMONY
OF JESUS
In 2023, the Church has seven dioceses. Four of CHRIST (REV.
these are in Kerala; the others are "Bahya Kerala" 1:9)
‘’Gulf and Singapore’’ and ‘’North America and
Europe’’.[9] The dioceses cover 240 parishes.[10]

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
Clergy in 1961
Bishop from 2019)
Bishop Rt Rev Dr Abraham Chacko (Prathinidhi sabha
Adhyakshan from 2019)

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

See also
P. T. Chandapilla

External links
Official website (https://steci.org)

References
1. Curtin, D. P.; James, M.R. (June 2018). The Acts of St. Thomas in India (https://www.google.
com/books/edition/The_Acts_of_St_Thomas_in_India/8yvTEAAAQBAJ?hl=en).
ISBN 9781087965710.
2. STECI Fellowship website (https://wwwstecifellowship.com/about-1)
3. Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church website (https://www.marthoma.in/organisations/mar-t
homa-evangelistic-association/)
4. STECI Fekllowship website (https://wwwstecifellowship.com/about-1)
5. Jubilee Memorial Bible College official website (https://www.jmbc.ac.in/about-jmbc-2/)
6. Indian Christians United website (https://www.indianchristiansunited.org/church/india/kerala/
st-thomas-evangelical-church-of-india)
 7. SCETI Atlanta website (https://www.steciatlanta.org/about-us/)
8. STECI Atlanta website (https://www.steciatlanta.org/about-us/)
9. Official website, Retrieved 2023-05-29 (https://www.steci.org)
10. STECI Kuwait website, Retrieved 2023-05-29 (https://www.stecikuwait.org/aboutus.asp)

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