View source for Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars

{{Short description|Christian denomination in Andhra Pradesh, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2018}}
{{Infobox Christian denomination
| name                = Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars
| caption_background  =
| image               = 
| imagewidth          = 150px
| alt        = 
| caption             = Official logo
| abbreviation        = CBCNC
| type                = 
| main_classification = [[Evangelicalism]]
| theology            = [[Baptists|Baptist]]
| orientation         =
| scripture           = [[Holy Bible]]
| polity              = [[Congregational]]
| governance          = [[Voluntary association|Association]]
| structure           =
| leader_title        = [[President: Augustine Meshach Masa]]
| fellowships         = 
| associations        = [[National Council of Churches in India]], [[Baptist World Alliance]], [[National Council of Churches in India]]
| area                = [[Andhra Pradesh]]
| headquarters        = [[Kakinada]]
| founder             = [[Talluru Thomas Gabriel|Thomas Gabriel]] and the [[Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec]]
| founded_date        = 1874<ref name="Trophies" />
| founded_place       = [[Kakinada]]
| separated_from      = 
| branched_from       = 
| merger              = 
| absorbed            =
| separations         = 
| merged_into         =
| defunct             =
| nursing_homes       = 
| aid                 = 
| congregations       = 310 
| members             = 240,000
| ministers           = 
| missionaries        =
| elders             = 
| hospitals           =
| primary_schools     = 
| secondary_schools   =
| tertiary            = 
| publications        = 
| website =  {{URL|www.cbcnc.in}}
| footnotes           = 
}}

The '''Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars''' ('''CBCNC''') is a [[Baptist]] [[Christian denomination]] in north coastal [[Andhra Pradesh]]. The churches are part of the [[Telugu Christian]] community of Southern India. Its language is [[Telugu language|Telugu]]. It is affiliated to the [[Baptist World Alliance]] (BWA), the [[National Council of Churches in India]] (NCCI) and the [[World Council of Churches]] (WCC).

==History==
CBCNC was founded in 1874<ref name="Trophies">Mary Stillwell McLaurin, ''Chetti Bhanumurti'' in John Craig, J. R. Stillwell, I. C. Archibald, A. E. Baskerville (Edited), ''Some of the Trophies: Canadian Baptist Foreign Mission Board Jubilee Volume, Telugu Trophies – The Jubilee story of some of the principal Telugu converts in the Canadian Baptist Foreign Mission in India from 1874 to 1924'', American Baptist Publication Society, Toronto. [https://archive.org/stream/MN41713ucmf_9/MN41713ucmf_9_djvu.txt]</ref> by the [[Canadian Baptist Mission]] founded by [[Talluru Thomas Gabriel|Thomas Gabriel]] along with the [[Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec]].<ref>[http://www.baptistene.info/asia.php baptistene.info] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721185505/http://www.baptistene.info/asia.php |date=2011-07-21 }}</ref>   

From 1947 to 1972, the Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars was managed effortlessly in spite of difficulties.  During 1972, crisis brew in the Convention leading to irreparable damage.  M. B. Diwakar researched on the crisis with the title, ''An Investigation into the historical antecedents of the crisis in the CBCNC during 1972 to 1974''.<ref>M. B. Diwakar, ''An Investigation into the historical antecedents of the crisis in the CBCNC during 1972 to 1974'' in ''Thesis Titles'', [[Board of Theological Education of the Senate of Serampore College]], Bangalore, 1991.</ref>  Due to the crisis, the Churches established by the [[Canadian Baptist Mission]] continued to move forward due to the [[congregational]] type of structure.  However, the central leadership is not in place as there are many fractions of the Convention, each claiming to be the rightful successor and the matter continues to be [[subjudice]].<ref>2001 (2) ALD 215, 2001 (2) ALT 190.  [http://indiankanoon.org/doc/1240828/].  2003 (5) ALD 218  [http://indiankanoon.org/doc/1604973/].  1992 (2) ALT 715  [http://indiankanoon.org/doc/804610/].  2007 (1) ALD 385 [http://indiankanoon.org/doc/25705357/].  2002 (6) ALD 503  [http://indiankanoon.org/doc/536587/]</ref>

According to a census published by the association in 2023, it claimed 310 churches and 240,000 members.<ref>Baptist World Alliance, [https://www.baptistworld.org/member-unions/ Members], baptistworld.org, USA, retrieved May 5, 2023</ref>

==Schools==
[[File: Baptist Theological Seminary Building at Jagganaikpur in Kakinada.jpg |280px|thumb|right| [[Baptist Theological Seminary (India)|Baptist Theological Seminary]] in [[Kakinada]].]]
{{Baptist}}
* '''Ministerial'''
** [[Andhra Christian Theological College]], [[Secunderabad]], [[Telangana]] (through Seminary Council),
** [[Baptist Theological Seminary (India)|Baptist Theological Seminary]], [[Kakinada]], [[Andhra Pradesh]],
* '''Ministerial and technical'''
** [[Eva Rose York Bible Training and Technical School for Women]], [[Tuni]], [[Andhra Pradesh]]

== References ==
;Notes
{{reflist}}
;Further reading
* {{cite book
 | author=M. B. Diwakar
 | title=''An Investigation into the historical antecedents of the crisis in the CBCNC during 1972 to 1974.'' Unpublished M. Th. Thesis, United Theological College, Bangalore
 | year=1977
 | volume=
 | issue=
 | url =
}}
* {{cite book
 | author=N. Surya Rao |url=http://www.indianchristianity.com/html/NewsDigest.htm
 | title=''The History of the Theological Training Institute at Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh 1882–1964.'' Unpublished M.Th. thesis, United Theological College, Bangalore
 | year=1984
 | volume=
 | issue=
}}
* {{cite book
 | author=D. J. Jeremiah
 | title=''The Relationship of the Baptist Churches in Andhra Pradesh to the Church Union Movement in South India since 1919''. Reflections on Theology Today: Papers Presented by the ACTC Faculty during the Academic Year 1988–89 on Theology and the Mission and Ministry of the Church, Andhra Christian Theological College, Hyderabad
 | year=1990
 | volume=
 | issue=
 | oclc=46565446
 }}
* {{cite book
 | author=G. Beaulah Pearl Sunanda
 | title=''An Insight into the History of the Canadian Baptist Mission in Andhra Pradesh (1874–1924).'' Unpublished M.Phil.(History) Thesis, Madras Christian College, Madras
 | year=1990
 | volume=
 | issue=
 | url =
}}
* {{cite book
 | author=Martin Senftleben
 | title=''Influences of Hinduism on Christianity in Andhra Pradesh.'' Unpublished Ph.D. thesis, Sri Venkateshwara University, Tirupati
 | year=1992
 | volume=I
 | url=http://www.drmartinus.de/bio/de/thesis1.pdf
 | access-date=4 November 2015
 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081209131403/http://www.drmartinus.de/bio/de/thesis1.pdf
 | archive-date=9 December 2008
 | url-status=dead
 }}
* {{cite book
 | author=Martin Senftleben
 | title=''Influences of Hinduism on Christianity in Andhra Pradesh.'' Unpublished Ph.D. thesis, Sri Venkateshwara University, Tirupati
 | year=1992
 | volume=II
 | url=http://www.drmartinus.de/bio/de/thesis2.pdf
 | access-date=4 November 2015
 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081209131418/http://www.drmartinus.de/bio/de/thesis2.pdf
 | archive-date=9 December 2008
 | url-status=dead
 }}
* {{cite book
 | author=S. I. Nirmal Kumar
 | title=An Evaluation of the theological understanding regarding the nature, function and authority of ordained ministry within selected Churches of the Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars of Andhra Pradesh
 | year=2008
 | url-status=
 }}{{deadlink|date=September 2023}}
* {{cite book
 | author=G. Beulah Pearl Sunanda
 | title=''The missionary enterprise of the Canadian Baptist church in Andhra Pradesh An appraisal.'' Unpublished Ph. D. thesis, Acharya Nagarjuna University, Nagarjuna Nagar
 | year=2012
 | volume=
 | issue=
 | hdl=10603/124140
 }}
* {{cite book
 | author=A. Mahalakshmi
 | title=''The eradication of leprosy in India and andhra pradesh with a special reference to christian missionary organisations.'' Unpublished Ph. D. thesis. Acharya Nagarjuna University, Nagarjuna Nagar.
 | year=2015
 | volume=
 | issue=
 | hdl=10603/188907
 }}

==See also==
*[[Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches]]

{{Churches in India}}

[[Category:Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars| ]]
[[Category:Organisations based in Andhra Pradesh]]
[[Category:Affiliated institutions of the National Council of Churches in India]]
[[Category:1874 establishments in India]]