St. Ephrem’s Theological College
St. Ephrem’s Theological College is a centre of theological formation, inaugurated on 3rd July 1992, the Feast of St. Thomas, the Apostle in the eparchy of Satna. This centre is intended to impart priestly formation to those who wish to serve primarily in the Syro-Malabar mission eparchies and the Religious Congregations in North India. This theological college has been started as a diocesan institution but with the active support and co-operation of several Bishops and Religious Congregations.
St. Ephrem's Theological College was affiliated to Paurastya Vidyapitham (Pontifical Oriental Institute of Religious Studies) at Vadavathoor, Kottayam by a decree of the Congregation for the Catholic Education (No. 192/2004/7) on 9th June, 2005, the feast of St. Ephrem. St. Ephrem's Theological College was officially declared and elevated to the status of the Synodal Mission Seminary on 29th March, 2014 by His Beatitude Mar George Cardinal Alencherry, the Major Archbishop of the Syro Malabar Church.
1. Requirements for Admission to ETC
• Bachelor degree or its equivalent.
• Successful completion of the course of Philosophy.
• Certificates and mark lists of previous studies.
• Recommendation / request from the respective Eparch or Major Superior.
• Report from the institution where the student studied last.
• A minimum of six months experience in the pastoral field (Regency).
• Request for admission should reach the Rector latest by 25th February.
• Application for admission duly filled in along with other certificates and 3 passport size photos
• Applications should reach the Rector before 20th March
2. Courses and Class Attendance
All students are expected to participate in the courses offered by the seminary. A student whenunable to attend a lecture/ lectures on a particular day or days may get exemption from the Dean ofStudies directly or, in special cases, through the leader of the class and the concerned professor shall be informed of it.If a student does not attend 40% of a course, he shall write a paper set by the concerned professor.40% of the marks will be awarded to the paper and the student shall appear for examination of 60% marks on that part of the syllabus set by the professor.If a student does not attend 50% of the classes in a semester he shall repeat the semester.
3. Rules regarding the examinations
• The mode of examination for the subjects of one credit [15 hours] may be written or oral. It maybe conducted immediately after the course.
• The mode of examinations for all subjects with two or more credits will be written and will beconducted at the end of the semester.
• The Dean of Studies may grant exceptions to the above norms on the mode of examinations by the visiting professors.
• A student shall get permission from the Dean of Studies for postponing or anticipating an examination.
• The duration of the written examination, for subjects having two or more credits, will be two hours.
• The duration of the oral examination for subjects of one credit will be 7-10 minutes; and for subjects of two or more credits the duration will be 10-15 minutes.
• Assignments may be given to the students for the courses other than language courses. Not more than 30% of the marks shall be allotted to such assignments.
• The examination shall include all the portions covered in the course.
• The students, who have not passed in the first chance or failed to appear for an examination, can attempt a second chance. In case, a student fails also in the second chance, he shall abide by the decision of the seminary council.
• Failure in three or more subjects in the re-examination will necessitate repetition of the semester or year.
• The rank holders of each year will be decided on the percentage of marks obtained in the first chance. The marks of the absentees will be considered zero for this purpose.
4. Grade
Pass 40 - 49
Second Class 50 - 59
First Class 60 - 69
High first Class 70 - 79
Distinction 80 - 100
5. Comprehensive Examinations
There will be comprehensive examinations, both viva voce and written, at the end of the B.Th.
• A student may be admitted to the comprehensive examinations only if he has successfully fulfilled all other academic requirements.
• There will be four panels for the comprehensive viva voce examination:
i) Sacred Scripture ii) Systematic Theology iii) Liturgy and Spirituality iv) Moral Theology and Ecclesiastical Discipline. Each panel, consisting of two examiners, is allotted 20 minutes to examine a student. Theological studies at St Ephrem's Theological College will be considered complete and a student will be academically eligible to be promoted to priesthood only if he passes the comprehensive oral examination in all the four panels.
• The comprehensive written examination will be for three hours and it will be based on certain selected theses. A student who fails in this written examination or does not acquire a minimum of 60% of marks for the total aggregate of the whole theology courses is deemed disqualified for the B.Th degree, but, however, he is eligible for the Diploma certificate in theology from St. Ephrem's Theological College.
6. Seminar
• The first year theology students should learn research methodology and write a paper of 15-20 pages on any theological topic strictly following the scientific methodology.
• The second year theology students may write a paper of 20-30 pages on any subject related to the liturgy, spirituality, theology, history, ecclesiastical discipline and the mission of the Church of St. Thomas.
• The students shall pay attention to both methodology and content while writing the paper.
• One professor may guide a maximum of three seminars.
• All the students shall write a paper on the Village Exposure Programme with a critical evaluation and it shall be submitted to the Dean of Studies within two weeks of their return to the seminary.
• The paper will be treated on par with one credit course.
7. B.Th. Dissertation
• For obtaining the B.Th. degree the students have to write a well-researched paper of 40-60 typed pages on a theological subject. The students may select the topic for the dissertation at the end of the second year theology and submit the dissertation in the second semester of the third year theology. They shall submit two copies of the paper to the office of the Dean on or before the prescribed date.
• One professor may guide a maximum of three dissertations.
8. Extension Lectures and Orientation Talks
Extension lectures and orientation talks on any current issue related to theology, liturgy, Church history and spirituality may be arranged occasionally.
9. Seminars and Symposiums
During every academic year 'One Day Seminars' and Symposiums are organized by the theological Institute of St. Ephrem's Theological College on biblical and theological themes. They are conducted mainly to enable the students to keep up with the latest theologicaldevelopments, and to respond meaningfully to the contemporary theological issues. Experts on different subjects are invited to present papers and moderate the seminars. Students are to present a good number of the papers under the supervision of the professors of St. Ephrem's Theological College.
10. BTh PROGRAMME: COURSES
I. Sacred Scripture (SS)
SS 01 Introduction to the Sacred Scripture (30 hours)
SS 02 Biblical Hermeneutics (15 hours)
SS 03 Pentateuch (45 hours)
SS 04 Historical Books (45 hours)
SS 05 Major Prophets (30 hours)
SS 06 Minor Prophets (30 hours)
SS 07 Psalms (30 hours)
SS 08 Wisdom Literature (30 hours)
SS 09 OT Apocalypse (15 hours)
SS 10 Gospel according to St. Mark (30 hours)
SS 11 Gospel according to St. Matthew (30 hours)
SS 12 Gospel according to St. Luke (30 hours)
SS 13 Gospel according to St. John (45 hours)
SS 14 Acts of the Apostles (15 hours)
SS 15 Proto-Pauline Epistles (45 hours)
SS 16 Deutero-Pauline Epistles (15 hours)
SS 17 Catholic Epistles (15 hours)
SS 18 Letter to the Hebrews (15 hours)
SS 19 Book of Revelation (15 hours)
II. Liturgy and Spirituality (LS)
LS 01 Theology of Liturgy (30 hours)
LS 02 Theology of Sacraments (15 hours)
LS 03 Sacraments of Initiation (30 hours)
LS 05 Holy Qurbana (30 hours)
LS 06 Theology of the Eucharist (30 hours)
LS 07 Anointing of the Sick (15 hours)
LS 08 Sacred Orders (30 hours)
LS 09 Liturgy of the Hours (15 hours)
LS 10 Liturgical Year (15 hours)
LS 11 Syro-Malankara Liturgy (15 hours)
LS 12 Roman Liturgy (15 hours)
III. Systematic Theology (ST)
ST 01 Introduction to Theology and Methodology (30 hours)
ST 02 Revelation and Faith (30 hours)
ST 03 Patrology (30 hours)
ST 04 Syriac Patrology (30 hours)
ST 05 Theological Anthropology (30 hours)
ST 06 Christology (30 hours)
ST 07 Soteriology (15 hours)
ST 08 Triune God (30 hours)
ST 0 Pneumatology (30 hours)
ST 10 Ecclesiology (30 hours)
ST 11 Oriental Churches (15 hours)
ST 12 Mariology (15 hours)
ST 13 Missiology (30 hours)
ST 14 Eschatology (30 hours)
ST 15 Ecumenism and Dialogue (15 hours)
ST 16 Theology of Religions (30 hours)
IV. Church History (CH)
CH 01 General Church History Part I (30 hours)
CH 02 General Church History Part II (30 hours)
CH 03 Indian Church History: Part I (30 hours)
CH 04 Indian Church History: Part II (30 hours)
V. Canon Law (CL)
CL 01 Introduction to Canon Law (15 hours)
CL 02 Ecclesiastical Magisterium, Persons and Temporal Goods of the Church (15 hours)
CL 03 Laws on Clerics (15 hours)
CL 04 Church and Churches sui iuris (15 hours)
CL 05 Laws on Consecrated life and Societies of Apostolic life (15 hours)
CL 06 Laws on Marriage (30 hours)
CL 07 Laws on Sacraments Sacramentals and Ecumenism (15 hours)
VI. Moral Theology (MT)
MT 01 General Moral Principles (30 hours)
MT 02 Prime Commandments (15 hours)
MT 03 Social Ethics (30 hours)
MT 04 Social Doctrines of the Church (15 hours)
MT 05 Sexual Ethics (30 hours)
MT 06 Catholic Bioethics (30 hours)
MT 07 Sacrament of Reconciliation (30 hours)
MT 08 Sacrament of Marriage and Family (30 hours)
MT 09 Environmental Ethics (15 Hours)
VII. Pastoral Theology (PT)
PT 01 Catechetics (30 hours)
PT 02 Homiletics (30 hours)
PT 03 Pastoral Theology (30 hours)
PT 04 Pastoral Psychology (15 hours)
PT 05 Pastoral Aspects of Holy Qurbana (15 hours)
PT 06 Pastoral Aspects of Sacraments (15 hours)
PT 07 Pastoral Counselling (15 hours)
PT 08 Parish Administration (15 hours)
PT 09 Youth Ministry (15 hours)
PT 10 Evangelization and Social Work (15 hours)
PT 11 Inter-religious Dialogue (15 hours)
PT 12 Media and Evangelization (15 hours)
PT 13 Pastoral Communication (15 hours)
PT 14 Civil Law (15 hours)
PT 15 Accountancy (15 hours)
VIII. Languages
LC 01 Biblical Hebrew (30 hours)
LC 02 New Testament Greek (30 hours)
LC 03 Christian Aramaic (30 hours)
LC 04 Hindi (75 hours)
IX. Optional Courses
ST 18 Feminist Theology (15 hours)
ST 19 Theology of Liberation (15 hours)
ST 20 Theology and Modern Science (15 hours)
ST 21 Theology of Mar Ephrem (15 hours)
ST 22 Spirituality of Thomas Christians (15 hours)
LC 05 Advanced Christian Aramaic (30 hours)
LC 06 Latin (30 hours)
LC 07 German (30 hours)
LC 08 French (30 hours)
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