A. C. Solomon Raj

Studies and ministerial formation

Telangana For early schooling and pre-university studies, Solomon Raj enrolled at the educational institutions established by the Christian missions, the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society and studied at Bellampalli, Nizamabad and Secunderabad and took a basic degree from a State-run institution in Nizamabad. Solomon Raj first schooled at the CSI-Wesley Boys School on Colonel Prenderghast Road in Secunderabad with a couple of Anglican churches United Theological College, a Protestant Regional Theologiate, in Bangalore where he pursued propadeutic studies during 1988–1992 during the Principalship –2001 During the ensuing annual convocation of the Senate of Serampore College (University) held in 2002, Solomon Raj was awarded the postgraduate degree, again during the Registrarship of the New Testament Scholar, The Rev. D. S. Satyaranjan, IPC.

Ecclesiastical ministry The CSI-Medak Cathedral where the Cathedra of the Bishop is located. On completing spiritual studies in Karnataka, Solomon Raj was ordained as a Deacon on 6.10.1992 at the CSI-Holy Trinity Church, under the guidance and mentorship of the Systematic theologian, The Most Reverend G. Dyvasirvadam. Bishop T. S. Kanaka Prasad, CSI had to relinquish to have been consecrated as Bishop at the St. George's Cathedral, Chennai and the third bishop – in Medak after H. D. L. Abraham, CSI to have been consecrated as Bishop at a Cathedral other than the Cathedral in Medak. After the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh State in 2014 into Telangana and the residuary Andhra Pradesh, Solomon Raj is the second bishop to have been consecrated in the new Telangana State with the first bishop being The Right Reverend K. Reuben Mark, CSI of the adjoining Diocese of Karimnagar also in the new Telangana State who was consecrated on 4 May 2015 well after the formation of Telangana State.

Ex-officio endeavours

Near-Ecumenical

Solomon Raj has been a member of the Board of Governors representing the Diocese of Medak in the near-ecumenical Andhra Christian Theological College, Secunderabad comprising a few Protestant Societies that include the Methodists, the Lutherans, the Baptists and the Church of South India (Anglicans, Congregationalists, Wesleyans), since the present period of the Old Testament Scholars The Rev. T. Matthews Emmanuel, CBCNC and The Rev. Ch. Vasantha Rao, CSI. In early 2016 in the presence of the Old Testament Scholar John Sadananda, CSI during the period of the Old Testament Scholars, The Rev. Victor Premasagar, where Solomon Raj as vice-chairperson and now Bishop continues to represent the Diocese of Medak in the federation consisting of the Catholic Church (Latin and Syro-Malabar rites), Indian Orthodox Church, Protestant Church, the Charismatic Church and, the small and indigenous Churches. At every periodical meeting of the federation held at the St. John's Regional Seminary (Theologiate), Solomon Raj has been active participant working towards Church unity

Scriptural The Bible Society of India Telangana Auxiliary was bifurcated from the Bible Society of India Andhra Pradesh Auxiliary and inaugurated on 2 February 2016 and takes forward the work of the Bible Society of India in translating and distributing the scriptures. The Bible Society of India has also published the complete Bible with the Deuterocanonical books making the scriptures available even to the Catholics. On 5 June 2016,