Evangelische Bank eG
IBAN: DE85 5206 0410 0000 0001 24
BIC: GENODEF1EK1
India: Theological Education and Training
India: Theological Education and Training
The Church of South India (CSI) is committed to serving the people of India's southernmost states in a variety of ways. Its mission is not only to proclaim the faith, but also to actively serve society. It meets the challenges of a rapidly changing social and environmental reality through missionary training programmes, climate-conscious education projects and children's initiatives.
CSI supports Dalits and LGBTQ members and promotes religious tolerance. With projects such as climate-resilient communities and schools, it focuses on sustainability and stewardship of creation. Children are at the heart of its work, with a focus on compassion, solidarity and a child-friendly learning environment. In this way, CSI creates hope and perspective for the people in its region.
Mission and Evangelism in Our Modern Era
The Church of South India (CSI) covers the region of the five southernmost states in India: Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The church’s mission is to be of service to people and looks after people, especially those living on the fringes of society . Many members of the church are Dalit, members of indigenous communities and members of the LGBTQ community. Social and religious life in India is undergoing a dramatic change. The department of the CSI Synod, “Mission and Evangelism”, has therefore launched a training programme to help missionaries, catechists and university teachers to meet social challenges. The programme familiarises them with the living conditions of church members and promotes religious tolerance. New missionaries are also trained.
India
30% of India's population lives below the poverty line.
Climate-Resilient Communities and Schools
The Church of South India (CSI) is one of the largest Protestant churches in Asia with nearly four million members. It maintains kindergartens, schools, colleges and hospitals in the five southernmost states in India. For many years, the CSI has used its social influence to make as many people as possible aware of ways to preserve the creation. The previous Green School programme and the ECO Justice Theology course will now be continued in a new project. In preparation for this, the CSI has been organising school training camps, teacher training courses and university conferences on climate protection measures.
Empowering Children and Creating a Good Environment
For the majority of the population, everyday life in South India is very challenging, especially for children. The parents are at work. The children have to cope with full timetables at school. And on top of that, social media overloads them with non-stop information. For some children, this is too much. The Church of South India (CSI) is aware of its responsibility here and is producing handouts and organising workshops and seminars to ensure that children can live in a healthy environment and can simply enjoy being children. At the same time, it is working to overcome its own limitations and make its offers more child-friendly. Church values such as compassion, solidarity, sensitivity to the creation and knowing one’s own creatureliness help children to grow up well despite the fast pace of life and the constant pressure of performance.
Project goals
The Church of South India (CSI) aims to bring hope and support to the people of India's southernmost states. It advocates for marginalised groups such as Dalits, LGBTQ members and tribal people, and promotes religious tolerance and sustainable lifestyles. One focus is on helping children to grow up in a healthy environment. CSI combines faith, education and social responsibility to strengthen communities and create opportunities. It aims to actively address social and environmental challenges.
Project work
CSI achieves its goals through the training of missionaries and the development of new missionaries. Projects such as the Green School Programme promote environmental awareness and sustainability through training and conferences. Workshops and seminars help children reduce stress and grow up in a healthy environment. CSI runs nurseries, schools, colleges and hospitals to promote education and health. These initiatives aim to improve people's quality of life in a sustainable way.
Project partners
The Church of South India (CSI) is today the largest Protestant church in India with almost four million members in 24 dioceses and 15,000 parishes. This makes it one of the largest Protestant churches in Asia. The CSI runs kindergartens, schools, colleges, technical institutions and hospitals. The church is based in the large region covering the five southern states in India: Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The CSI is a united church integrating Reformed, Lutheran, Methodist and Anglican traditions.
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