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FOCUS January 2019 Vol. 7 No: 1

The Doctrine of Incarnation: A Liturgical


Appraisal, Revd Dr. Jameson K. Pallikunnil – Page 15

Cover Photo: Theme: Religious Laws,


Practices and Liberation

A Publication of Diaspora FOCUS


Second Christian Reformation, Acharya John
Sachidanand – Page 18

Editorial, Religious Laws, Practices and


Liberation, Revd Dr. Valson Thampu, Trivandrum - Page 3
The Need for a New Vision is Real and Pressing
- Part 2, Revd Dr. Valson Thampu, Trivandrum – Page 19

Religious Laws: Bane or Blessing, Dr. Zac Same Sex Marriage Declared Legal by U. S
Varghese, London – Page 6 Supreme Court – How it May Affect Mar Thoma Church? Lal
Varghese, Esq., Dallas – Page 21

Liberative Praxis of Ministerial Calling, Reflection on New Year Resolutions, Rev. Dr.
Revd Dr. M. J. Joseph, Kottayam – Page 9 Valson Thampu, Trivandrum - Page 24

Tide of Liberal Values and Ebb of Reformation


The Parliament of World's Religions Meets Principles in the Mar Thoma Church: Socio-Religious-Cultural
Again, Dr. Abraham Karickam – Page 11 Backlashes, Revd Dr. R. C. Thomas - Page 28

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Religion is, in this light, meant to be a nursery of freedom.
EDITORIAL Such a provision is needed because of the paradoxical
dynamic of freedom. Freedom, if it is unfettered, is liable
to turn into its opposite. Most theologians addressing the
Religious Laws, Practices and Liberation thorny theme of theodicy, at the centre of which is the
challenge of making sense of evil in a scheme of things
You shall know, Jesus said, a tree by its fruits. One might created by a just, compassionate and all-powerful God,
attempt a tentative and apologetic parody these divine locate its seed in freedom. Evil is bound to arise in the
words and say that a publication can be known by the exercise of freedom. Human beings are free - as the
issues it addresses and the spiritual freedom with which drama in the Garden of Eden illustrates - to abuse
they are addressed. If you are not convinced, consider freedom and embrace death-orientation.
the plight of journalism in India.
Religion is envisaged to be an aid to human freedom;
The Indian media, print and electronic, is obsessed with freedom understood in its positive significance. The mark
marginal issues, mostly treated in an angular fashion. of a free human being is her ability to express her godly
They are required to be so, as it now seems. Journalism, best, which is possible only through a passionate
which was not long ago deemed the sentinel of partnership with God. Mere absence of the bars of prison,
democracy, has become an obliging handmaiden to elite or even constricting circumstances, does not denote
and corporate interests. The media is busy freedom. A barren tree is not a symbol of freedom. Only a
honeymooning with the establishment. The shepherd is - tree that produces good fruit is. Freedom needs to be
if we may borrow a metaphor from Jesus - banqueting authenticated with fruitfulness. Jesus says the vine
with the wolves, demolishing chunks after chunks of branches can be fruitful only if they abide in the vine,
mutton, presumably in the interest of the sheep. No one which is the Son of Man. The freedom to be fully and
consults sheep on this question. So, the show goes on. fruitfully human is contingent on the freedom to abide in
the will of God. So, in theory, religion is the best that has
FOCUS, in contrast, has endeavoured to be alert to the
happened to our species.
shifting seasons in Christendom. Issues central to
pursuing our Christian vocation are addressed, ensuring But religion has two dimensions: the subjective and the
that the reflections reflect the depth of these issues. The objective. Established religion - as Max Weber, the
authors enjoy total freedom to express themselves. sociologist, and Kierkegaard and Berdyaev, among
FOCUS does not push a denominational theology or philosophers, have pointed out - involves the
patronize a particular tradition. The guiding principle is ‘objectification’ of spiritual resources. Objectification -or
fidelity to the way of Jesus Christ as reflected in the material embodiment - is a medium of inevitable
Word. distortion. Yet, a spiritual tradition cannot exist and
survive from generation to generation in mere individual
The over-arching theme of the present issue of FOCUS is
subjectivity. So long as God is understood as “God of
‘religious laws, practices and liberation’. In view of the
Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob”, subjectivity might
theological stature of our eminent contributors it would be
suffice. But a global religion, even if it is based on the
presumptuous of me to attempt anything more than a
Kingdom of God, tends to be institutionalized.
perfunctory introduction of the theme in this editorial. To
introduce a theme is merely to sketch the broad outlines. But institutionalization involves the process of erecting
things of the spirit on material and physical foundations
There is universal consensus that freedom is of the
and superstructures. It establishes a link - as St.
essence of spirituality. Many a theologian of standing in
Augustine would say - between the City of God and the
fact affirms that freedom is even antecedent to creation
city of man. The city of man cannot function without laws,
itself. They use the illustration of creation, which must
customs, traditions, ceremonies and set practices.
have been an exercise in divine freedom. I cite this merely
Membership in the city of man, therefore, demands
to mark the extreme importance of freedom in the biblical
conformity. In fact, the more efficiently the city of man is
view of life and human destiny. Jesus came, besides, to
organized the more rabidly it demands absolute
set the captives free (Lk.4: 18). Even in the Old Testament
conformity and punishes unconformity. In the city of man,
un-freedom is deemed tantamount to death - the death of
it is treason to be radical. The city of man deems it a
the human, as against the death of the body.
priority to condition its members into habitual conformity.
So, freedom is God’s gift to humankind, incorporated into In the City of God, in contrast, radical and responsible
the very DNA of creation. It enjoys the pride of place in unconformity to the city of man may well be a sign of
God’s concern for human beings. Human unfreedom is a humility before God.
contradiction of who God is; for the human condition,
Given the inherent passion that human beings have for
insofar as man is created in the image and likeness of
freedom, conditioning individuals to unfreedom is no
God, mirrors or caricatures the Person of God.
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small undertaking. The best of human ingenuity has to be ‘doctrine of Jesus Christ’. Its practices contravened the
invested into it. Hence the improvisation of laws to which doctrine of Christ. (cf. “My Religion” and “The Kingdom of
the best intellectual resources in a society are devoted. God is Within You”).
The function of law is to safeguard what is
euphemistically called ‘common interests’. In practice, The tension at the heart of established religion is between
this means the interests of the elite. In the religious these two factors - the Law of God and the law of man.
context, the religious elite - the Pharisees, Sadducees The painful predicament of an earnest believer is: who
and their countless counterparts everywhere - become shall I obey? Fortunately, Peter and John have provided a
the God-appointed defenders of God and religion. More hint towards resolving this dilemma.
often than not, they save religion by killing God. That, at
least, is the Gospel story; and it’s no good pretending to “Then they called them in again and commanded them
be ignorant of it. not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But
Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it
is right in God’s sight to listen to you rather than God. For
we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and
heard” (Acts of the Apostles 4:19).

It is a somewhat disturbing fact that the early apostles


established a link between obedience to God and radical
disobedience to the authority of man.

This should in no wise be misunderstood as


indiscriminate legitimization of contumacy. Laws,
customs and traditions have their value. But they have
their value only in their places. When conforming to them
becomes tantamount to neglecting the will of God, they
begin to militate against human welfare. The problem
here is not exactly that the authority of God is slighted,
which is the way it is ordinarily understood. The problem
This signals the supersession of the authority of God by is that it is seriously inimical to human stature and well-
man-made laws and practices. The contradiction at the being. Mere conformity to set rules and practices makes
heart of this scenario, which we fail to see for what it is us, at best, harmless creatures. The spiritual goal is to
because our eyes are blinded by scales of conformity, is make us ‘children of God’. Man-made laws, even divinely
that in order to be pious - the stereotypical good ordained laws as wielded by unregenerate man, could be
Christian- we must forsake our spiritual freedom to ‘seek inimical to this purpose when organized religion begins to
and find’ (Mtt.7: 7) which Jesus said we should do. The function as an end in itself, as Judaism did at the time of
basic spiritual discipline of seeking the will of God and Jesus.
abiding by it is replaced by adhering to canon laws and
denominational prescriptions. The most passionate outcry against the enslaving effect
of religious conformity was issued by Jesus himself. I
So, a tension develops over a period of time between the doubt if there has ever been a sterner and more frontal
spiritual core of a religious tradition and its socially denunciation of the oppressive character of religion than
objectified religious correlative. Obeying God, going by what we find in the 23rd chapter of St. Matthew. What
biblical evidence, has always had a heretical implication Jesus minds most is the enslavement of the people, the
from the perspective of the religious establishment. It is tendency on the part of the animators of religion to use
not an accident that Jesus was tried and judicially them as tools and means.
murdered as a heretic. This is not a matter of a depravity
peculiar to the Jews. Rather, this illustrates a problem at To me, the litmus test of the spiritual authenticity of a
the heart of religion qua religion. This is the quintessential religion is what Jesus applied to himself. “It is good for
‘religious’ problem. you that I go away.” None before him, and none since
him, has ever said this. It is so very unusual that it sounds
If we are to weigh the religious training we have received almost sarcastic! No, it is not. Jesus says it in earnest.
against the discipline of discipleship on the one hand and And it is important that we are clear on this count.
our duties and obligations towards the denominations we
belong to, the picture becomes clearer. This was the Consider a familiar example. Why is a student promoted
problem that tormented Tolstoy most. The Russian from standard 1 to standard 2? It happens because he
Orthodox Church – of which he was in the early years of has outgrown standard 1. So, the redundancy of standard
his spiritual journey an ardent member – was obsessed 1 is the proof of the intellectual growth of the student.
with its tradition, doctrines and practices. It neglected the Religious establishments, on the contrary, make a virtue
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of perpetuating the ‘dependence’ of the faithful on them. Perhaps I should close with the words of Paul – For
This can be done only by obstructing their pilgrimage to freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and
spiritual maturity. Adherence to mere practices and rituals do not submit again to a yoke of slavery (Gal. 5:1).
-especially when divorced from the teachings of Jesus -
serves the cause of perpetuating the status quo at the Revd Dr. Valson Thampu, Trivandrum
cost of anchoring believers in spiritual stagnation. The Member, FOCUS Editorial Board
mark of a godly congregation is that its members grow
continually towards spiritual maturity. The seeming http://www.issuu.com/diasporafocus
‘danger’ in this is that if they so grow, they could outgrow http://www.scribd.com/diasporafocus
their dependence on the particular congregation and
denomination. There is a positive correlation between Disclaimer: Diaspora FOCUS is a non-profit organization
registered in United States, originally formed in late Nineties in
individual spiritual empowerment and the incremental
London for the Diaspora Marthomites. Now it is an independent
redundancy of the church. The mark of a good teacher, a lay-movement of the Diaspora laity of the Syrian Christians; and
competent guru, is that his disciples grow out of their as such Focus is not an official publication of any
dependence on him. The more they do so, the more they denominations. It is an ecumenical journal to focus attention
respect him. more sharply on issues to help churches and other faith
communities to examine their own commitment to loving their
This is not a logic that recommends itself to those driven neighbors and God, justice, and peace. Opinions expressed in
by institutional interests. Jesus’ teaching that those who any article or statements are of the individuals and are not to be
wish to follow him must deny themselves (Mtt.16: 24) deemed as an endorsement of the view expressed therein by
should apply to churches as well. It is when churches and Diaspora FOCUS. Thanks.
denominations lack the spiritual strength of self-denial Web Site: www.facebook.com/groups/mtfocus
E-Mail: mtfocusgroup@gmail.com
that they bring about a tragic conflict between obedience
to God and adherence to religious laws and traditions.
The problem is not primarily with laws; it is with the Merry Christmas & a Blessed
outlook of those who impose these laws on others, New Year
mostly driven by considerations of power and profit, even
if this happens at times habitually and even
unintentionally.

I close with yet another key issue in this context. Should


complying with religious laws and practices be an
external obligation, like paying tithes and subscriptions?
The inherent oppressiveness of law is aggravated
manifold by conjoining it with institutional compulsion.
The only way this can be mitigated is by making
compliance or adherence a free, voluntary and joyful
option. The laws and practices should be such that
believers find it a happy privilege to comply with them.
Well, you could expostulate that this is an impossible
ideal. Of course, it is. But spirituality is a realm of the
ideal. Its demands are daunting. Those who create a
contrary impression for whatever reasons – the
impression that discipleship to Jesus is like a walk in the
park, or a dream-excursion along the broad and easy way Christmas must be an embodiment of the sacrifice and
– are the false prophets that Jesus said we should be obedience to God. Our celebrations should reflect the
beware of. pain and sufferings of others, and then only it would
become real celebration. God is the master carpenter
As a rule, reliance on rules and regulations increases who created the whole world. Are we still searching the
proportionately as the spiritual core becomes Christ in the manger or the crucified Christ on the cross?
neglected and de-activated. A church that sidelines His birth and death should challenge the way we live and
the authority of Jesus becomes tyrannical in its should enable us to transform ourselves, and the life of
imposition of rules and regulations. The spirit in which others around us. The resurrected Christ’s presence in
the so-called discipline is imposed approximates itself our lives should enable us to face the challenges of the
to the diabolic! A healthy corrective to this is the world.
teaching of Jesus, “Man is not made for the Sabbath;
the Sabbath is made for man” (Mk. 2:28). FOCUS Editorial Board wishes our readers and their
families a Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year.
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Religious Laws: Bane or Blessing
Dr. Zac Varghese, London

I recently attended a parish committee meeting minutes Jesus condemned the attitudes of Scribes and Pharisees
after a Holy Communion Service; this was after five years for their lack of congruence, and mindless observances of
of ‘purpose-oriented absence’, which prompted me to sabbatical laws for others to see, without real
ask the question again whether rules and regulations can consideration for the genuine needs of people around
become a hindrance to our spiritual growth. Fellowship them. Their hypocrisy and outer play-acting hid inner lives
with other people of faith is important for our spiritual of ‘greed and self-indulgence’, and ‘wickedness’.
nurturing. This is to encourage each member of the parish
to be an active Disciple of Christ in all their life, not just Religious hypocrites use religion for their own advantage,
while listening to a Sunday sermon or participating in the and Jesus condemned such behaviour in the harshest
Eucharist. Stanley Jones, one the greatest missionary- terms in Matthews’ Gospel (Mt. 23). Their duplicity is
evangelists of the 20th century, said: “Bad theology puts evident in their obsession with external ritual purity, yet,
the people in bondage whereas good theology sets us like some people, their hearts are filled with wrong
free. I wanted to set people free.” Setting people free is desires. Avoiding contamination was vital in first-century
God’s mission. The articles in this issue of the FOCUS are Judaism. However, for Jesus, purity of heart is what
to find liberation from restrictive formulaic prescription of matters. These leaders are so bad that he describes them
one ‘green-bottled panacea’ for all situations of life. There as the walking dead: outwardly righteous, but, really, they
is freedom in Christ for all those who seek it and accept it are spiritually dead. It is so easy for us to become like
under the grace of God. We need to learn to be a these Pharisees and scribes and to appear to do all the
Christian in parish committee meetings and other human right things according to the constitution of the church
encounters as well, instead of attacking and hurting while being twisted and hard-hearted inside. Or we can
people’s feelings and sensitivities. live a double life – all textbook-Christian on a Sunday, but
our outward righteousness hiding our real state. Such
hypocrisy is dangerous and it will prevent others from
understanding what the gospel is all about. In such
situations these people are not helpful, but are a
hindrance and a stumbling block. Real Christianity comes
from hearts given over to living out of love and mercy. We
need to dwell on God’s Word, ask him to expose our
hypocrisy and seek forgiveness. All laws are not bad; they
are there to help us to grow into maturity and to enjoy the
blissful freedom in Christ. St. James, wrote: “ But the man
who look intently into the perfect law that gives freedom,
and continue to do this, not forgetting what he has heard,
but doing it––he will be blessed in what he does” (James
1: 25). We need then to ask God to refresh our hearts by
his Spirit, so that we live a Christ-like life 24/7. In
following Jesus we are offered the chance for deep
Being with other Christians can be helpful, God has change and genuine inner transformation: “the washing of
placed us in a community of believers called the Church, rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5). We
to listen, to advise us, direct us, provide us spiritual food should ask Jesus to transform us and to help us to live a
and provide loving fellowship. There is no solitary life of congruence.
Christian. However, being with so-called ‘Sunday-
Christians’ can be very unsettling, people can be As a foremost physician of souls, Pope Francis has
stubborn and insensitive with fixed ideas and rules of diagnosed a large number of maladies that affect our
conduct. Therefore, parish fellowship can be both a bane spiritual life. At a morning mass homily at Casa Santa
and a blessing. Marta on 22nd December 2014, Pope Francis identified
fifteen conditions that affect the spiritual journey of
The question is how much of our inner spiritual life ministers of the church both the ordained and laity. The
matches with our day to day interaction with others? How Holy Father is an amazing observer of human behaviour
do we take our Sunday life and pious behaviour, to and I do not think that he has left anything out. He is able
outside the walls of the church and into secular living with to do this because of his Kenosis and utter humility. Let
people of other orientations? Are we satisfied in leading a us thank God for this amazing leader of the Church at this
double life, one for Sunday and another for weekdays? critical period.
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1. The disease of thinking that we are immortal, immune and gifts which have been bestowed upon them by God.”
downright indispensable. It becomes clear that Chrysostom holds an incredibly
high view of the priesthood and the spirit of the law, but
2. Maintaining a ‘Martha Complex’ of excessive busyness.
warns against misusing the power bestowed upon them
3. Hard- heartedness of a stony attitude of lacking empathy. by the Holy Spirit. The hands that have the power to bless
us also have power to abuse us and curse us.
4. Excessive planning and functionalism; and obsessive rigidity
and attitude to fine details. Leo Tolstoy, towards the later part of his life, focused and
fashioned his whole endeavours on the teaching of Jesus,
5. Poor coordination due to lack of communion with others.
stripped of what he regarded as the Church’s distortions,
6. Rivalry and vain glory dogmas and rituals. For such radical thinking he was
excommunicated from the Russian Orthodox Church. He
7. ‘Spiritual Alzheimer’s disease. It is a dementia of losing the advised his readers to avoid the distortions of Jesus’
memory of our personal salvation, forgetting our Damascus road teaching by the Church. He said, “It is only necessary to
moments. study the teaching of Jesus in its proper form, as it has
come down to us in the words and deeds which are
8. Sunday-Monday Syndrome of existential schizophrenia; this is
recorded as his own. With the readers of the kind that I
the disease of living a double life.
have addressed, my book will go to show that Christianity
9. Gossips, grumbling and back-biting. is not only a mixture of things sublime and things base;
that it is not only not a superstition, but that, on the
10. Idolizing superiors for the sake of seeking favours and contrary, it is the most convincing presentment of
gaining advantages. Such people are victims of opportunism. metaphysics and morals, the purest and most complete
They serve thinking only of what they can get and not what they doctrine of life, and the highest light which the human
should give. mind has ever reached; a doctrine from which all the
11. Indifference to others. This is where each individual thinks
noblest activities of humanity in politics, science, poetry,
only of him or herself and loses the common human touch. and philosophy instinctively derive themselves.”1

12. Pretences of seriousness and piety; outward insincere Dietrich Bonhoeffer raised the following questions about
expressions. Christianity form Tegel Prison in Germany during the
Second World War: “Did the very language of spiritual
13. Accumulating unnecessary things for the sake of having
plenty around
inwardness, of evangelism, of apologetics, and of
churchly authority that marked Western Christianity from
14. Forming cliques or closed circles. its very beginning still make any sense? Was it the task of
believers to somehow refill the vessels of a failed
15. Power complexes by displaying wealth and intellect. Christendom project that had been thoroughly corrupted
by political evil with lost or forgotten meaning? Or were
It is easy to find how we are located in this extensive list believers now called to bear witness to Christ in a secular
and therefore kneel down to pray so that our actions and age in radically new ways, and not as a ‘religious’ person
attitudes do not became a bane to the community, but a at all? Did ‘religion’ itself need to be left behind as a
blessing. historical stage, a human construct and sociological
phenomenon, that was in no sense synonymous with the
It was in the fourth century when Christianity was presence of the living Christ in the world and in history?
becoming the official religion of Rome while the But if so, what should such a ‘religionless Christianity’
priesthood was becoming infatuated with the new-found even begin to look like?”2 Bonhoeffer challenges us to
power structure that was encapsulating it, John think about the power dynamics of the Church and its
Chrysostom – the Archbishop of Constantinople – spoke institution and the way they are disfiguring the image of
against those who abused the offices of the Church for Christ and his teachings.
power and influence. The recent court cases and arrests
of priests because of their misbehaviour in the sacred Religious laws often clash with the human urge for
‘confessionals’ and such indicate that not so much has liberation, dignity and equality. These laws clash with the
changed in 1700 years. In criticising those who would struggles for the liberation of marginalized groups such as
misuse the priesthood, he defends the sacred office of
the priesthood itself from attack. He says, “For men of
understanding do not say that the sword is to blame 1 Leo Tolstoy, ‘The Gospel in Brief’, University of Nebraska

for murder, nor wine for drunkenness, nor strength for ISBN No. 0-8032-9432-8, page 32.
outrage, nor courage for foolhardiness, but they lay
2 Dietrich Bonhoeffer, ‘Letters and papers from Prison, an
the blame on those who make an improper use of the
Abridged Edition’, SCM Press, London, 1953.
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women and voiceless people who live in the margins of Diadochus of Phtoice*
society. In Luke’s Gospel (Lk. 7: 1-10) we read the story
of a Roman Centurion seeking help from Jesus for his [This meditation, from the ancient of times, is thought to be
appropriate when we consider the theme: ‘Religious laws,
sick slave through his Jewish intermediaries. Here we see
Practices and Liberation’. “. . . Return to the Lord, your God, for
a Roman military commander, a Gentile, crossing
he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in
boundaries of his pagan religion and reaching out to steadfast love, and he relents from sending calamity” (Joel
Jewish elders to approach Jesus Christ to help his 2:13).]
servant. God’s love and compassion has no boundaries.
We see the same pattern in Jesus’ dealing with the Syro- No one can love God if he is full of self-love. Anyone who really
Phoenician woman and the Samaritan woman (Mk.7: 24- loves God mortifies his self-love for the sake of the
30; Jn. 4: 1-42). Jesus was crossing man-made superabundant treasures of grace that come from loving God.
boundaries of religion for the sake of a genuine human Once he has done this, such a man seeks God’s glory, never his
own. The man given over to self-love seeks his own glory, but
need and for establishing God’s kingdom and its values.
the man who loves God has the glory of his Maker at heart.
Jesus broke Sabbath laws to address human needs and Indeed the hallmark of a soul alive to the love of God is the
told them: “What goes into a man’s mouth does not make delight it takes in its own abasement and its constant pursuit of
him ‘unclean’, but what comes out of his mouth, that is God’s glory by obedient to his every command. Fro because his
what makes him ‘unclean’” (Mt. 12: 11). He emphasised great majesty, glory belongs properly to God, but if he hopes to
further that “The Sabbath was made for man and not man be admitted to God’s friendship, it befits man to be humble. If
for the Sabbath . . . So the Son of Man is Lord even of the we love God in this way and rejoice, like St. John the Baptist, in
Sabbath” (Mk. 2: 23-27). Jesus summarised his verdict on the glory of the Lord, then we begin to say unceasingly: He must
this subject by saying: “For I tell you that unless your be exalted, I must be humbled.
righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the
I know someone who is so filled with the love of God – although
teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the he grieves because of his love falls short of his desire to love –
kingdom of God” (Mt.5: 29). Religious laws can be a bane that his soul is entirely taken up with this burning desire for God
or blessings, but our life should be a quest for justice, to be glorified in him, and for his own total effacement. That
relationship, spirituality and truth, which should bring man has not the slightest feeling of importance, even when he
blessings to many. receives praise: the desire for abasement is so strong in him
that the idea of standing on his dignity never crosses his mind.
Mark Scarlata made the following comments about He celebrates the Liturgy as priests are bound to do, but so
religious laws: “Law without Divine presence can calcify unswerving is he in his love for God that the abyss of this love
into rigid legalism and divine presence without law can swallows up all thought of his rank. His spirit of humility makes
him quite oblivious of what could been an occasion of vainglory,
blur into obscure mysticism. To abide with YHWH Israel
and his consequent desire for self-abasement prevents him
must remain obedient to maintain holiness and live from seeing himself as anything, but and unprofitable servant,
according to their covenant responsibility”3. God’s law unfitted for his dignity. We should take such a man as our
flow from his holiness, to be obedient to his model, and fly every honour and distinction for the sake of the
commandments means is to grow into his holiness. The superabundant treasures of grace that comes from loving him
law emanated from God’s grace and holiness to help us who has loved us so much.
his children to walk in holiness. In St. John’s Gospel we
read: “For the law was given through Moses; grace and The man who loves God in the depths of his heart has himself
been loved by God, for the love anyone has for God depends
truth came through Jesus Christ” (Jn. 1: 17).
upon how far his spiritual awareness enables him to perceive
God’s love for him. Once he has perceived it, his desire to live in
Therefore, Jesus, St. Paul, John Chrysostom, Leo
the light of God’s presence is so intense that it seems to
Tolstoy, Bonhoeffer, Pope Francis and many others over penetrate his very bones; he loses all consciousness of himself,
a period of two thousand years spoke against the way and is entirely transformed by the love of God. Such an man in
some ministers of religion and the officials of the Church this life and at the same time not in it, for although he still lives
use religious laws and privileges to seek power and in the in his body, he is constantly being taken out of himself in spirit
process destroy the ‘fragrance of life’ in Christ (II Cor. 2: by the love that carries him towards God. Henceforward he is
16). There is freedom in Christ under the grace of God. united to God by the irresistible desire of a heart on fire with
St. Paul spoke against the peddlers of word of God for love, and for the sake of love for God, he abandons his self-love
profit: “Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of forever. For if we have taken leave of our senses, says the
Apostle, it is for the love of God: if we are in our right mind, it is
God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before
for your sake.
God with sincerity, like men sent from God” (II Cor. 2: 17).
• Taken from “A Word in Season’ edited by Henry
Pearls of Wisdom Series: No.9 Ashworth (1974), The Talbot Press, Dublin.
We must give our love to God alone
3 Mark Scarlata, ‘The Abiding Presence’, SCM Press, London,

20018, page 148.


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Liberative Praxis of Ministerial Calling
Revd Dr. M. J. Joseph, Kottayam

1. Remembering the past: word of God, consider the outcome of their life; and
imitate their faith.” To imitate, to initiate and to
Needless to say that our attitude to anything makes either innovate men and women of wisdom are divine
chaos or cosmos. In this digital age, we are being moved imperatives for us to unravel the history of the past.
by multimedia communication systems imparting
information rather than knowledge. The digital gadgets
like Internet, E-Mail, and WhatsApp, Face book,
Instagram and Robotic technology have tremendously
influenced our thinking patterns and practices.
Emergence of Robot priests and Robot hosts are also a
fact of the era. We are even moving to a paperless
system of education, to digital boards. Yes, each of the
modern technological advancement has its own place to
support and supplement ministerial formation for good or
bad. We need to cultivate the power of discrimination to
accept or reject ‘liberative tools’ in technology. But we
should never live with a throw away culture. St. Paul
makes a plea to Timothy to keep alive the faith, “. . .
which first lived in his grandmother Lois and his mother
Eunice . . .” (2Tim.1: 5- 6). We need to remind ourselves
that the shape and shade of Christian ministry has a past 2. The self- understanding of a minister:
of its own and its carries a label of fruitful tradition. The
Thubadon (The Great Intercession) prayers in the The Shape and Shade of ministerial calling implies the
Eucharistic liturgy remind us of this legacy. being and the becoming of the Church and their
Remembering the past is illuminating the present; mandatory obligations on its ministers for all times.
remembering the present is illuminating the future. Christian ministers have a particular role to act as
The discourse of Jesus in Mark 7: 1-21 is very important channels of grace in each context. They are not being
for the ministers to heed to, particularly verses 8 and 9. considered as cult protectors. The WCC mission
documents often speak of “a pilgrimage towards. . . ”
In our religious thinking of today, we have moved from implying that we need to move towards a goal with all the
the consolidation of religious perspectives to their people on the earth. In each pilgrimage we bring glory to
comprehension. This paradigm shift in mission carries a the One God who is the creator of all. St. Paul’s
liberation motif in mission. Interfaith dialogue has now understanding of his ministerial offices such as co-worker
moved to a stage of interpreting Christ in relation to other (Sunergos-1Cor .3: 9), servant (diakonos-2 Cor. 6: 4),
religions and ideologies. This leads us to speak more of steward (oikonomos-1Cor. 4: 2), apostle (apostolos-
transformative discipleship rather than religious Rom.1: 1), slave (doulos-Rom.1: 1), and servant
conversion. The missiological text in St. Mt. 28:19 is to (huperetes-1Cor. 4: 1) do affirm this. The first 3 titles
be interpreted accordingly. So also are the other mission speak of Paul’s relationship with God and the remaining
charges in Lk. 9 &10 and Mt.10 in the light of the Sermon ones his relationship with Christ. The self- awareness of
on the Mount (Mt. 5-7). As theological educators, being called and sent by God to continue the mission of
ministers, should remind themselves what St. Paul wrote Christ in the world with the power of the Spirit is a
in 1 Cor. 9: 19 - 23 and particularly in Rom.12: 2: “Do liberative process towards the New Humanity in Christ.
conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be “Those who are in the ministry of the Church irrespective
transformed by renewing your mind minds. Then you will of their offices, functions and status should bear in mind
be able to test what God’s will is––his good, pleasing and that they are called to act as agents of change.”
perfect will.”
3. Challenges in Ministerial calling:
The late Dr. Thomas Mar Athanasius Suffragan
Metropolitan used to quote a noble saying: “The The Christian ministers should acquire the ability to
inspiration of humanity is the roll call of its great interpret the signs of the times and to respond to the
men.” In Hebrews 13:7, we are being exhorted: context relevantly. In Christian praxis one should know
“Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the that irrelevance is sin. Someone has rightly said, “When
9 | P a g e F O C U S J a n u a r y 2 0 1 9 V o l . 7 , N o : 1

we focus on problems, we will have more problems. subversive spirituality of Christ should come alive when
When we focus on possibilities, we will have more we move towards the New Jerusalem on earth.
opportunities.” The new perspective of wider
ecumenism is a liberative process in mission and it has Let me state five testing principles for a liberative praxis
to deal with several possibilities of the contemporary in mission:
society. In the mission context of the Church today, the
four pillars of wider ecumenism have to be borne in I) Do we remember that we are called by God as his co-
mind in fulfilling the ministerial task. They are: i) unity of workers, upholding the values of the Kingdom and act as
the Churches; ii) unity and renewal of humankind; iii) unity channels of grace and agents of change?
of faiths; IV) integrity of creation. It is absolutely
ii) Do we carry a preferential option for the marginalized in
necessary to affirm that there is only one world, which is
our ministry?
God’s world, and there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, who
is the redeemer and reconciler of all things. The Holy iii) Do we stand for the saving truths of justification by
Spirit is the Spirit of God, which prepares the world for faith at the cross roads of life?
the challenge of Christ in each generation. There is
always a challenge from above to transcend man-made iv) Do we recognize that ecological responsibility is a
boundaries in each generation for the glory of God. A matter of faith?
movement from the unauthentic stumbling blocks to the
authentic ones is indeed a liberation process of ‘in risking vi) Do we affirm without a ray of doubt that plurality is
Christ for Christ’s sake’. In this, we may have to do away integral to Reality?
with religious practices of yesteryears. The ministerial
task is to respond creatively and rationally so as to For theological educators, ministerial calling is meant to
protest and to protect upholding the prophetic and collaborate with God in reversing the order of bondage as
pastoral sign of the Kingdom of God. Christian response we read in the Magnificat (LK.1: 46 - 55) and in the
should embrace the whole of God’s created order. The Nazareth Manifesto (Lk, 4: 18 - 19). Dr. M. M. Thomas has
ecological ministry of the Church should not be rightly said: “Obedience to unjust powers is disobedience
neglected. We believe that an ecological future is to God.” The “Transcendent satyagraha of Jesus” on
integrally related to the destiny of all across any divide. earth raises umpteen questions before the Church to
Ecological paradigm shift in ministry is a liberative continue the liberative praxis of mission with the power
process and it is an affirmation of Christian faith. The of the Holy Spirit.
encyclical by Pope Francis under the title Laudato Si (I
Conclusion:
Praise) is a timely intervention by the Church in the social
space.
As ministers, Christian calling is to translate the rich
heritage inherited from the past into living traditions of
4. The authentic imperatives for mission:
today and for the posterity. To what extent we should
The enlargement of vision is a ministerial calling; it is a carry the religious practices of an earlier era are a big
divine mandate for all of us in the pluralistic world. In Is. question to be answered. The different orders of ministry
54: 2 we read: “Enlarge the place of your tent . . . uphold the spiritual truth that the ministerial calling is
lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes . . . (cf.1 meant to serve the whole world upholding the glory of
Chron.4:10). They are indeed prophetic and pastoral love and justice. In this respect the Christian ministry
mandates for today for a relevant ministry. I would becomes a pastoral and a prophetic vocation, which
recommend the book, Nithya Snehakudaram by the late has several implications towards transformative
Dr. Geevarghese Mar Osthathios Metropolitan (CSS- discipleship in the contemporary society.
2009) for an in-depth understanding and appreciation of
the above concern. We need to ask a few missiological
questions to maintain the honour and the dignity of Editor’s Note: Revd. Dr. M. J.
Christen ministry. Doing things right is not the Christian Joseph is the former professor &
option, but doing the right thing is. Such an attitude is principal of Mar Thoma Theological
revolutionary and it cuts to the roots of the conspiracy of Seminary, Kottayam & also former
silence. In this respect we need to remember the Director of the Ecumenical Christian
prophetic words of George Orwell: “In an age of universal Centre, Bangalore. He was a
deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” We must member of the Faith and Order
learn how to break the conspiracy of silence. As someone Commission of the World Council
of Churches. Currently he is the
has rightly said: “If you do not stand for something, you
convener of the Ecological
will fall for anything.” In a radical obedience to God, the Commission of Mar Thoma Church.
faithful is expected to fulfill mission in Christ’s way. The

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The Parliament of World's Religions Meets Again!
Dr. Abraham Karickam

On Ist of November 2018, the Parliament of World’s In my dialogical pilgrimage, I have come across all kinds
Religions transpired at Toronto, Canada. Ten thousand of arguments for and against dialogue. Today I am
religious leaders from all parts of the world participated at convinced that dialogue is the only authentic ministry
the weeklong encounters. It was in 1893 that the World towards establishing the Kingdom of God.
Parliament was organized for the first time. Swami
Vivekananda was the centre of attraction there. His Since the 1893 event of the first Parliament of World’s
participation unravelled a fascinating story, which has to Religions at Chicago, five more sessions were held so far
be dealt with separately. (Chicago – 1993, South Africa – 1999, Barcelona – 2004,
Melbourne – 2009 and Salt Lake City – 2015). It was
The occasion for celebration in 1893 was the fourth Swami Vivekananda’s entry in 1893 at Chicago that made
centenary of the arrival of Christopher Columbus to the the Parliament glorious. He was instrumental in opening a
American continent. Four thousand delegates attended at channel between the philosophers of the East and the
that time, mostly from America. It took one hundred years West.
again to convene a similar conference in Chicago again in
1993 and now it occurs at regular intervals. The whole Universe ‘conspired’ in making his journey
possible. Swami was a nomadic sage in
The ‘Promise of Inclusion, the Power of Love’ was the his thirties, searching for his real mission in life. Though
central theme this year. My presentation was on many of his friends advised him to go to the Parliament,
‘Equipping Teachers and Schools for Interfaith he was reluctant, but his deep introspection and
Education’. There were a series of presentations on meditation at the sea rock in Kanyakumari was a turning
different topics by various leaders during the week. point. Here he accepted the divine call to embark upon a
journey to the West. He and his friends begged to raise
How many years we need to fully reverse our idea about money for the tickets. Passing Colombo, Singapore,
God? When the Parliament of World’s Religions met at Japan and Vancouver, at last he
Chicago in 1893, the Canterbury Archbishop refused to reached Chicago in July. To his surprise he learned that
attend, objecting that the very meeting of such a the Parliament would meet only in September.
Parliament implied the equality of all religions. But
Cardinal Gibbons, leader of the American Catholics Not knowing where to go, without any money in hands,
presided over one of the sessions, which was he just wandered. It was Swami himself who later said,
remarkable. “Your good thoughts and actions will be there to
protect you with the wings of thousand angels.” This is
After 125 years today, will anyone decline an opportunity exactly what happened in the ensuing months. That is a
to sit together and pray? It is very interesting to study the miraculous story. In the end, after meeting several
evolution of interfaith encounters. It was the second luminaries, he made it to the Parliament and rest
Vatican Council (1962) that began to address the issue of is history. When Swami said to Professor J .H. Wright of
‘Salvation’ seriously. In 1971 the World Council of Harvard University that he did not have any credentials to
Churches (WCC) founded its department for Interfaith attend the Parliament, Prof. Wright replied like this: “To
Dialogue. Vatican and the WCC organized a series of ask you Swamiji for credentials is like asking the sun
dialogue meetings around the globe and today interfaith to state its right to shine.” That was
dialogue is an integral component in the syllabi of all Vivekananda. Today the Parliament of World of Religions
Seminaries. is itself a wonder; an event without any comparison.

At a later stage the King of Jordan championed the On the first of November, When Americans were
cause interfaith harmony and persuaded the UN to celebrating Halloween Day, When Kerala was celebrating
celebrate Interfaith Harmony Week every year from Kerala Day, and it was my privilege to be in Toronto to
1st to 7th February. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia came participate in the 7th Parliament of World's Religions at
forward to establish the King Abdullah International the Metro Centre there. 125 years ago, Swami
Centre for Interfaith Dialogue (KAICIID) at Vienna in Vivekananda started his journey from the Southern tip of
2012. UAE is holding the first ever world Tolerance India. I, too, started from the Southern tip of India. He
Summit in Dubai in November, 2018. called Kerala mad, living in a lunatic asylum, as people
were fighting in the name of religions, even in those days.

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The same insanity was ruling Kerala when I started, as a
big fight was going on in the name of religious rituals
related to Sabarimala, which actually should be our pillar
of unity, as the temple and Ayaappa are for all. Four
thousand people attended the first Parliament in Chicago.
Ten thousand people were to converge here, in spite of
climate being bit cold with nine degrees. It was cold
outside, but special warmth filled the hearts of those ten
thousand peace lovers who travelled from all directions of
the globe, to proclaim the unity and integrity of creations.

Delegates from 220 Faith Traditions attended from all


corners of the world. The Parliament of the World's
Religions was created "to cultivate harmony among the
world's religions and spiritual communities and foster
their engagement in the world and its guiding institutions,
in order to achieve a just, peaceful and sustainable
world."

The weeklong program began with spiritual opening


ceremonies by the host First Nations at the Olympic Park.
A water ceremony by women walkers and sacred fire by
the indigenous communities attracted all. It culminated in
the gorgeous opening in the main hall, where the First
Nation brothers and sisters greeted all with amazing
traditional drumming, songs and dances.

Leaders from all spiritual traditions addressed the


assembly. Numerous parallel sessions and plenaries were
held in different stages. More interactions took place
outside the meeting spaces, where Faith Communities
encountered their fellow pilgrims from everywhere.

The global interfaith community was born in Chicago 125


years ago with the first Parliament held alongside the
World's Columbian Exhibition. It is here that the beauty of
other religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and
Baha'i became visible to the West. It took another 100
years for the religions to meet again in the same Chicago.
The contribution of this city to world peace is to be
declared from mountaintops. If it were 4,000 people who
gathered in 1893, in 1993 it became 8,000. His Holiness
the Dalai Lama was the chief guest there and the
Assembly deliberated on global ethics.

Six years later in 1999, it was Nelson Mandela's South


Africa that greeted the World's Religions, but participants Environmental issues were addressed by the Melbourne
were only 7,000. Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Parliament in 2009 and President Jimmy Carter and
President Mandela proclaimed about the transformative Sri Sri Ravi Sankar were the leaders. It was here that the
role of religion and spirituality. It was in collaboration with Australian Government came forward with a national
UNESCO that the next Parliament was convened in the apology to the aboriginal groups. 7,000 was the
city of Barcelona in Spain, which discussed ‘Pathways to attendance. War and Violence, Climate Change, Women
Peace’. Iranian Nobel Laureate Dr. Shirin Ebadi and Dr. Issues and Income inequality were discussed at length in
Jane Goodall, author of “Harvest for Hope", were at the Salt Lake City in the United States in 2018 when the
centre. 9,000 peace lovers flocked there. Parliament met for the 6th time. Attendance was over ten
thousand.

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When a few of the fanatics are generating a lot of terror discrimination at all.
and fear around the world, peace lovers are hopeful that
the day is not far when the world admits that peace Here at Toronto, the Sikh Community was serving food
cannot be compromised for any other entity. to all participants of the Parliament of
World’s Religions. There were ten thousand delegates
On 6th November, the world celebrated Diwali, the this year and food was no problem, as there was langar.
Festival of Lights. In Toronto, Canada, we were Every inch of the work is done by volunteers, both men
celebrating the festival of religions at that time. Is there a and women. Service is their mission.
greater joy than seeing 220 Faith Communities coming
together to proclaim to the world that we are one? We In URI we have a Multi Region cooperation Circle named
have to clearly understand that there are not many ‘Voices for a World Free of Nuclear Weapons’, its
Today, anywhere in the world, fighting in the name of Chairman is none other than our founder. Bishop Bill
religions and Faiths. That time is gone with the chilly Swing. This is the only multi region CC in which I am a
winds of old. And, if there are still a few handful of our member. There was a session at the Parliament, where
brothers and sisters creating troubles anywhere in the the Bishop invited like-minded people to join the network
name of Religions, they must know that they are only to strive for the total eradication of all nuclear weapons.
very few, and will realise enmity will be wiped out from
the earth very soon, and that too, is the benevolent wish The session started with the very attractive and
of the Mother Earth. She cannot bear destruction too meaningful nuclear prayer.
long.
The prominent figures featured in the video are:
Diwali reminds us of the home coming of Sri Rama, after
fourteen years of exile in the forest, when people greeted • The Honourable William J. Perry, former Secretary of
him and his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana and all Defence under President Clinton
others, with lights all over the streets in the country.
People were celebrating victory of the good over evil. • The Honourable George P. Shultz, former Secretary of
When a mother became hungry of power, she wanted
State under President Reagan
her son to be on the throne and the real heir to the
throne had to be sent far away into the deep forest. This
is exactly what happens everywhere. When someone • Dr. Sidney Drell, Professor Emeritus at the Stanford
wants to usurp the throne, poor and innocent lot will Linear Accelerator
have to vanish into oblivion. This is also what happened
to the First Nation peoples all over the world, in the past. • Ambassador James E. Goodby, former Strategic
We owe an apology. Nuclear Arms Negotiator with the U.S.S.R.

Here in Toronto, the people of all nations and all religions • Ambassador Thomas Graham, Jr., former Senior U.S.
declare that we have to be one in creating a just world, a Diplomat
peaceful world. All the guns have to be silenced. All the
nuclear weapons have to be eliminated. Children of the • Jonathan Granoff, President of the Global Security
globe are unhappy sleeping with 14,995 nuclear Institute
weapons by their sides, not knowing when these would
fly. Here we have learned to listen to the cry of children, • Monica Willard, United Religions Initiative
and let not that be a cry in the wilderness. Representative to the United Nations

So let us celebrate many more Diwalis with all its warmth • The Right Rev. William E. Swing, former Episcopal
and colours. It reminds us of the beginning of a new era, Bishop of California, and President and Founder of the
when mistakes are corrected and the real right is United Religions Initiative.
established. May the religions of the world live
in peace. May the nations of the globe rejoice.
I would invite all of you to see this video which is
available in the URI website (www. uri.org ). Search for
There is a saying: As long as there is the Sikh the ' Nuclear Prayer' and the full version is only eight
Community, no one will starve. LANGAR is the common minutes. This prayer calls for action. Today we have a
word, which means community kitchen. Wherever there stockpile of around 15,000 nuclear warheads. An
is a Gurudwara, they will be serving food always to approximate number will be the following:
people irrespective of caste, creed, colour or religion.
Everyone has to cover the head and sit on the floor. No Russia- 6850, United States of America- 6550, France –

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300, China- 280, UK – 215, Pakistan- 150, India-130, discussions in different plenaries. If the world doesn't
Israel- 80, North Korea -20. take a u- turn in its attitude, it will be too late to learn
when nature revolts.
Our prayer is for the total elimination and deactivation of
these weapons and it is possible. If our younger 8. It is here that like-minded people learn that they are
generation can feel the passion of these elderly people, it not alone in their passionate pursuits. It is a matter of
will be possible. Please understand that we had a great consolation for all those who sacrifice their lives
stockpile of around 68,000 active weapons in 1985 and for greater callings.
we have come up to this level. If so, that time is not far
when our children learn only from history books and war 9. As I have written earlier, the Sikh Community
museums, about the good old nuclear weapons. Our displays their marvellous hospitality in feeding
thanks to all these great luminaries who are leading the thousands free. Their discipline and sacrificial attitude
way. is without comparison anywhere else. Scripture is not
something to be recited in the comfort zone of
The biggest Festival of Religions has come to a close solitude. When the Book compels us to action,
at Toronto. It will definitely have a positive influence in then it becomes meaningful.
shaping the future of humanity. The highlights can be
summarised as the following: 10. The danger of nuclear weapons was another topic
that caught the attention of all. It is mere madness to
1. Bringing together 10,000 people from all parts of simply sleep with 15,000 warheads that threaten the
the world, which belong to 220 Faith communities, is very existence of creation. Man/Woman have no right
in itself a miracle. Seventh Assembly made it possible. to re-draft the cosmic design. Wiping out humanity
Such a Herculean task was made very simple, which can never be a sane intervention. If we don't discern
shows the organisational skill of the officers and every the right direction, we don't know how the creator will
volunteer who strived for it. intervene.

3. Celebrating diversity and pluralism in all its Infallibility is not human nature. There may be flaws,
authenticity is the primary objective of all such events but why should we worry about flimsy matters, when
and it was at its supreme best here. Hundreds of we have so much to rejoice. So all went home with
varieties of flowers make a beautiful garden. Here was hope, to be as active as ever, may be more active,
God's plenty. with renewed energy. Let me conclude with a few
lines from Tagore's Gitanjali, which I had been
3. Hundreds of sessions went on without any teaching my M.A students for many years, which still
confusion. The planning and homework were reverberates in my soul:
meticulous and the superb facilities of the Metro
Convention Centre made a big difference in itself. “The song that I came to sing remains unsung to this
day.
4. Suppose twentyfive students are in one class. Same I have spent my days in stringing and in unstringing
teacher, same lesson, but when the students write my instrument.
answers for the same question, we get twentyfive The time has not come true, the words have not been
different answers. When 220 communities of Faith rightly set; only there is the agony of wishing in my
come together, we get 220 versions of God, even if it heart.
is a negation of God. Every student can claim his/ her
answer as the best, no problem, but the reality will be The blossom has not opened; only the wind is sighing
different. Here no one claimed any superiority. Every by. . . "
one rejoiced in differences. If the world understands
this truth, it will go a long way in establishing the Let there be strong winds. Let there be no delay in the
Kingdom of God upon this planet. blossoming of a new spring, a spring that transforms
all hearts and minds.
5. All sessions and plenaries were unique in their Dr. Abraham is involved in interfaith activities for
respective locale. The passion with which people past 20 years, he serves as URI-India's South Zone
attend every event is something to be admired. Coordinator and President of Interfaith Students
Movements in South India. He is the author of 15
6. Youth, women, indigenous communities and books. His recent books include: Concept of
differently-abled people were all given opportunities at Salvation in the Upanishads; the Bible and the
various levels, which is admirable. Qur'an; and Intertextuality of the Holy Books.
7. Attitude to Mother Earth was at the centre of all

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The Doctrine of Incarnation: A Liturgical Appraisal
Revd Dr. Jameson K. Pallikunnil

The Church is a community of faithful, which is entrusted John is the first place that exposes the incarnation and its
with the responsibility to share the good news of Christ role within the Missio Dei. St. John 1:1-18 unfolds the
through its very life. This community is nourished and mysterious nature of the pre-existence of Christ in
strengthened by the table of the Word and table of the creation. As John 1:14a says, “The Word became flesh
Body of Christ. Christian Faith is proclaimed in society and lived among us.” The Father had sent Jesus into the
through lifestyle. It is an expression of self. The search for world. God's act of becoming incarnate in Christ is
this identity is manifested in the relationship between God unique. It calls the Church to follow Jesus Christ. St. Paul
and human beings within the setting of liturgy. Holy reveals the kenotic nature of Jesus Christ, for the purpose
Qurbana is the proclamation and celebration of the of highlighting the notion of imitating the action of
salvific act of Christ in which incarnation is an becoming incarnate. (Phil. 2: 5-7)
indispensable part of this plan. Faithful people realize it
through participating in the Liturgy. A celebrated faith is Incarnational Emphasis in the Eucharistic Liturgy –
proclaimed and proclamation aims at gathering people for The Anaphora of St. James.
celebration. This article mainly highlights incarnational The incarnation of Christ is a prominent theme in the
aspects embedded in the Eucharistic liturgy of the Mar liturgy of the Mar Thoma Church. The Church affirms her
Thoma Church. faith in the incarnation of Christ through the celebration of
the Eucharist. Throughout the liturgy, especially in the
promeion, the Church commemorates the incarnational
nature of Jesus Christ and appeals for his grace and
mercy.5 For instance, in the preparatory service, the
promeion deals with the theme of the incarnation of Jesus
Christ. This promeion reflects the very nature of God such
as “a saving, redeeming, and life-giving God.”6 He is the
One who budded forth from the virgin womb (his
incarnation), who quickens the dead by his voice, is
worthy of praise, honour, and adoration at all times.7

The placing of bread on the paten symbolises that the


faithful themselves offer to God. When the priest mixes
the wine with the water in the chalice, the Church affirms
her faith in the divinity and the humanity of Jesus Christ.
The incarnation of Jesus as fully divine and fully human is
emphasised and recalled. The two natures of Christ are
The Doctrine of Incarnation
symbolically presented in the mixing of the cup. Each
The doctrine of incarnation is central to the faith of the
event in the life of Christ, including incarnation, is salvific
Christian community. This precise theological term refers
and pointing towards the redemption wrought by Christ.8
to a divine being taking on humanity. In the incarnation,
In this second part of the preparatory service, there is
God acts in and through the flesh and blood of Jesus
another sedra prayer,9 which enumerates the redeeming
Christ. The incarnation of Christ encapsulates the Father
work of Jesus Christ. Here, Christ is addressed as the
sending the Son, Jesus, to live among us - Immanuel. It is
creator and designer of the whole creation.
a radical, self-expression of divine love towards humanity.
The incarnation is part of God’s unique redemptive plan
Considering the Ante - Communion Service or Public
of salvation at work in Christ.4 The triune God came into
Celebration of the Holy Qurbana, that commences with a
the world in the person of Jesus Christ and comes into
liturgical hymn. This liturgical hymn expounds the
the very lives of the Church through His Spirit. The
holiness of God and it highlights the need for the purity of
incarnation of Christ is the embodiment of God in person.
hearts and minds of the faithful to offer a holy sacrifice.
It was necessary for the second person of the Trinity -
After drawing back the veil (curtain) of the madbaha, the
Jesus Christ - to assume human flesh to communicate
the message of salvation through his salvific act. Through
the incarnation, the truth of God entered into the lives and 5 Titus II, Qurbana Thaksa, 120-134.
thoughts of people. In the New Testament, the Gospel of 6 Titus II, Qurbana Thaksa, 9.
7 Kuttiyil, Eucharist (Qurbana), 65.
4 Christopher Wright, The Mission of God (Nottingham: Inter- 8 Kuttiyil, Eucharist (Qurbana), 60.
9
Varsity, 2006), 385. Titus II, Qurbana Thaksa, 9.
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celebrant pleads for the blessings of Jesus Christ. The Incarnation means being one with humanity. The Words
drawing of the curtain symbolises the full revelation of of Institution in the liturgy are a classic example of Jesus
God through Jesus Christ. In this prayer, the Church being one with humanity. After this, the consecration of
recalls the memory of St. Mary (mother of Jesus) and the bread is followed. The Words of Institution with the
John the Baptist, and their role in the salvation history of prayer “when the sinless One of His own will, choose to
Jesus. It was Mary’s response to God, which has caused suffer death for us sinners, He took bread in His holy
the incarnation of Christ. John the Baptist was the hands…” This denotes the ultimate identification of Christ
forerunner of Jesus, who prepared the way for the with humanity through His death. By its very nature death
ministry of Jesus and baptised him before his public denotes an inherent weakness in creation. Through dying
ministry. Both of these figures were the nearest witnesses on the cross, Jesus Christ identified with the weak nature
of the incarnation of Christ. In this short prayer, the of the world and humanity and revealed his complete
incarnation of Jesus Christ is recalled. The Church human nature. He incarnated into the most trivial
remembers the birth and baptism of Jesus and experience of humanity - death. The prayer of
beseeches Christ to have mercy on them. Through this “anamnesis” is a culmination point of the incarnation of
prayer, at the very beginning of the public celebration of Jesus. “O Lord, we remember your death, burial,
Holy Qurbana, the salvific event of Christ is brought to the resurrection and your ascension into heaven.”13 The
attention of the believers. The responsary (Manitho) after incarnation is not just identification. In incarnation there is
eqbo, attributed to Mar Severus of Antioch (465-538 CE), transcendence in humanity’s life situation. In epiclesis,
is rich in theological content. In this response, the person humanity is united with the very nature of Jesus Christ.
of Christ and his entire dispensation are chronologically The invocation of the Holy Spirit to sanctify the bread and
presented, i.e. the nature of Jesus, the purpose of his wine indicates this transcendence. Through the
incarnation, and the entire salvific act of Christ. The sanctification of bread and wine, which is an offering of
incarnation of Jesus, his crucifixion and death, unfold the faithful, the community of the faithful is sanctified and
before the believers. This is considered as the is identified with Jesus Christ. Here the humanity is lifted
proclamation and the affirmation of the faith of the up to the divinity of Christ. This process of theosis is the
Church in the Christ-event. divinization of humanity. Humanity does not become
God. Instead, the humanity is no more the sinful
In the anaphora, after the prayer of the Kiss of Peace humanity, but the one that is identified with the divine
and before the first blessing, there is a liturgical act called humanity of Christ. This divine humanity is part of the
“Sosappa Aghosham”- elevation of the veil - from the Trinity. There is a downward movement and an upward
mysteries in which the celebrant removes the veil placed movement in incarnation. The God who stooped down
over the paten and chalice. This act is an explicit example and became human did not end up there. The prayers
of the symbolic representation of the incarnation of before distributing the holy elements accompanying the
Christ.10 Sosappa is used to cover the bread and wine - act of ascending and descending from the steps of the
the holy body and blood of Jesus Christ. It is the divine thronos signify the theosis experience of the People of
mystery. This divine mystery is hidden, and unveiling the God. The downward moment signifies the Christ’s
sacred mysteries symbolize that the hidden things are incarnation and ascending the step denotes the
now being revealed. Incarnation is the revelation of divine divinization of humanity through Christ.
mystery. Hence, St. John says “no one has ever seen
God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has The incarnation is not an effort of the self, but it is
made him known” (Jn.1:18). The covering of the possible only by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is not our
mysteries symbolizes the time before the incarnation of own incarnation, but the Holy Spirit who makes Christ
the Word, who was concealed and hidden from humanity present in us and beyond us. In the concluding
and uncovering the mysteries indicates the time after his thanksgiving prayer, the celebrant reminds all that the
incarnation, in which he was revealed and known to faithful enter into a communion with the Holy Spirit. Living
humankind.11 The first rooshma in the Holy Qurbana in the presence of Christ means embracing the Holy Spirit
indicates another aspect of the incarnation. The attributes that Jesus promised the Father would send (Jn.14:16). It
of God such as love, grace and communion are is to understand that God is with every disciple until the
remembered and the gifts and abiding presence of the end of the age (Mt.28:20). The incarnated Christ now
Triune God is being wished to the faithful. These virtues dwells in the lives of believers.
are personal feelings. By attributing these qualities to the
Trinity, the rooshma demonstrates the incarnation in an Incarnation and Mission
effective way to the congregation.12 Incarnation is the very heart and nature of the Christian
mission. The mission of the Church is to incarnate in
every human situation. God identifies himself with
10 Titus II, Qurbana Thaksa, 23.
11 Varghese, Bar Salibi, 98.
12 13 Titus II, Qurbana Thaksa, 25.
Varghese, “Missional Vision in the Liturgy of St. James,” 21.
16 | P a g e F O C U S J a n u a r y 2 0 1 9 V o l . 7 , N o : 1

humanity in its fullness, thus making humanity a part of 6. Varghese, Eapen. “Missional Vision in the Liturgy of St.
divine Godhead. Therefore, the incarnation invites the James.” In St. James Liturgy: A Liturgical Study, edited by
congregation into a mission, that is, to present Jesus into Shaiju P. John. Thiruvalla: Christava Sahitya Samithi, 2013.
every trivial human situation and to transform it. This is a 7. Wright, Christopher. The Mission of God. Nottingham: Inter-
Varsity, 2006.
challenge of the mission in the liturgy. The mission of the
Church is to reflect the uniqueness of Jesus’ redemptive
Rev. Dr. Jameson K. Pallikunnil, is an
life through its self-emptying witness and life. ordained minister of Mar Thoma Syrian
Incarnational model of mission means that just as God Church, who holds two post graduate
became fully human in the person of Jesus Christ, the degrees in Sociology and Liturgical
followers of Christ become fully at home in their own Theology and was bestowed with Ph.D.
particular space and time. It calls for an intimate, from St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth,
incarnational identification with people in a particular Ireland. Achen is the author of the books
culture where the Church communicates the Gospel. The “The Eucharistic Liturgy: A Liturgical
Church is often defined as the extension of Christ’s Foundation for Mission in the Malankara
Mar Thoma Syrian Church” published in
incarnation. The Church is equipped with the Holy Spirit
2017 and also “Mission and Liturgy: Contest, Convergence and
to represent Christ to the world. The faithful embody the Congruence with Special Reference to the Malankara Mar
Gospel which means that they have Christ living in them, Thoma Syrian Church.”
and therefore. Their lives express incarnational mission.

Conclusion
The focus of the Eucharist liturgy is the incarnational
nature of Christ and his salvific act for the redemption of
whole creation. Since the Church employs the
incarnational model in its mission activities, their renders
Church considerably more relevant in the transformation
of society. Hence, an emphasis on the incarnational
pattern of mission has to be reiterated in the Church. The
mission theology of the Mar Thoma Church is firmly
grounded on the concept of mission as ecclesial
proclamation of the economy of salvation in the present
context. The Mar Thoma Church adopted an incarnation
FOCUS
The Editorial Board of the FOCUS has decided to introduce a
pattern in mission, in which the goal of mission is neither new initiative of ‘Ask FOCUS' to enable its readers and well-
proselytism nor widening the boundaries of the Church; wishers to interact with issues-specificity with FOCUS about the
rather, the mission is witnessing to the reign of God by biblical and theological themes addressed in this journal. We
identifying with the marginalized and providing request your active participation in this new interactive feature
opportunities for them to grow as human beings. The focused especially, though not exclusively, on the youth.
incarnation of God through Jesus Christ invites the
Church “to become living members of Christ’s earthly You could begin with sending us your thoughts and queries
community and to begin a life of service to others.”14 The about the themes and insights offered through the FOCUS
issues. It would help if you would be brief and limit your queries
Church’s mission, therefore, is to witness the message of
to, ideally, about 50 to 100 words. We are, however, somewhat
“incarnation-identification” of God with the people and flexible about the word-limit. Even so, brevity is the envisaged
world realities. golden rule. You may send your thoughts by e-mail to Rev.
Valson Thampu (you could address him as Valson) at his e-mail
Bibliography address vthampu@gmail.com The editorial board reserves the
1. Anastasios, Archbishop. Mission in Christ’s Way. Geneva: freedom to edit the submissions and also to reject any which is
World Council of Churches, 2010. contrary to the editorial policies and mission of FOCUS. You
2. Bar Salibi, Dionysius. Commentary on Eucharist. Baby may access all the previous issues of FOCUS online magazine
Varghese, trans. Kottayam: St. Ephrem Ecumenical Research by visiting any of the two web sites below and reading the
Institute, 1998. thematic articles in each issue.
3. Bevans, Stephen B, and Roger P. Schroeder. Prophetic
Dialogue: Reflections on Christian Mission Today. New York, We guarantee that your privacy will be protected and that
Maryknoll: Orbis, 2011. your name will be published only with your prior permission;
4. Bosch, David J. Transforming Missions: Paradigm Shifts in otherwise, your views/statement will be published under the
Theology of Missions. New York: Orbis, 1992. caption: A Reader’s View. We hope that our readers and well-
5. Kuttiyil, George Mathew. Eucharist (Qurbana): The Celebration wishers would make use of this new initiative and take part
of the Economy of Salvation (Madabranutha) Kottayam: Oriental actively in the mission and purpose of FOCUS.
Institute of Religious Studies, 1999.
www.issuu.com/diasporafocus
14
Bosch, Transforming Missions, 10-11. www.scribd.com/diasporafocus Editorial Board

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Second Christian Reformation
Acharya John Sachidanand

‘Christianity’ is a world religion that professes faith in a God the Roman Catholic Church. Money, power and pleasure are
of infinite love, mercy, compassion and forgiveness as controlling the Church leaders in the modern world. There are
revealed to humankind by Lord Jesus Christ. Faith in this also many conflicts, even violent conflicts, among the various
one true God and a living and loving relationship with Lord Christian Churches based on these temporal issues.
Jesus Christ who is the ‘Son of this living God’ (Mt 16: 16)
constitute the source of eternal life (Jn. 17: 3). 3. A return to Christ

Lord Jesus Christ, the Divine Master, invited his disciples to The Second Reformation Movement will have to be based on
have faith in the one true God who is the ‘Heavenly Parent’ Christ and his cross. It has to begin from India with the Indian
of all humankind and in himself who is ‘sent’ by this God (Jn. Church. India is the only country in human history to win its
14: 1). He is the light of the world (Jn. 8: 12) and ‘the way, political freedom following the path of the cross. ‘Satyagraha’ of
the truth and the life’ in humanity’s quest for God (Jn. 14: 6) Mahatma Gandhi was nothing but a practical application of the
and for the meaning and purpose of life in this world and cross of Christ in a socio-political struggle.
thereafter.
‘Return to Christ’ will have to be the source and motto of the
Christianity as a world religion and the many denominational Second Reformation Movement. This will also lead to unity and
Christian Churches in the world constituting the cooperation among the various denominational Churches in the
‘Christendom’ today are only the various expressions of this world. Christian faith will regain its pristine glory enriched by the
Christian faith bound with space and time, and with different spiritual treasures of India. It will acquire an ‘Indian face’.
languages, cultures and traditions of humankind.
The European Reformation Movement intellectualized and
rationalized the Christian faith. But the Indian Reformation
1. First Christian Reformation Movement will have to spiritualize and vitalize the Christian faith
with the power and wisdom of God in Christ and his cross. This
The first Christian Reformation was initiated by Martin Luther in will be India’s contribution to the Christian faith.
16 century when the Church was steeped in immorality, greed
th

for money, abuse of power, priestly domination, superstitions 4. Kerala – ‘Dharmakshetra & Kurukshetra’ of Second
and exploitation of the laity. Martin Luther challenged the Christian Reformation
Church on many of its teachings drawing his strength from the
‘Word of God’. ‘Return to Bible’ was the slogan and source of
this first Christian Reformation. ‘Protestantism’ and ‘Protestant Kerala, the cradle of Christianity in India, is a living example of
Churches’ have their origin in this Reformation Movement the spiritual apathy and moral decay that have afflicted the
initiated by Martin Luther that is also referred to as ‘European Christian Churches in the modern world. This small yet most
Reformation Movement’. Christianity was intellectualized and literate and politically conscious state in India houses the
rationalized through this first Reformation Movement. headquarters of many denominational Churches in India. Hence,
the Second Christian Reformation Movement will have to begin
Western civilization and industrial development have been with the Christian Churches in Kerala.
greatly influenced and molded by this first Christian
Reformation. With the growth of European colonialism, both Among the various Christian Churches in this cradle of
Catholicism and Protestantism also spread to all other parts of Christianity, the Syro-Malabar Church appears to be in a greater
the world. As a result, Christianity today has become need for the Second Reformation. Will the Disciples of Christ in
‘Christendom’ consisting of many denominational Churches Kerala have the courage and creative dynamism of the Holy
spread all over the world. The Roman Catholic Church Spirit to bring about such a Second Christian Reformation? The
continues to remain the oldest and largest of these Lord has sent out 72 disciples to prepare the grounds for him
denominational Churches within the Christendom. (Lk 10: 1). Can there be a ‘Spiritual Task Force’ of 72 disciples
of Lord Jesus Christ in India who can take up this divine mission
of the millennium?
2. Second Christian Reformation
Acharya John Sachidanand (Swami
The time appears to be ripe for another Reformation Movement. Sachidananda Bharathi) is a former
This ‘Second Reformation Movement’ has to involve all Indian Air Force Squadron Leader turned
denominational Churches of the Christendom. Of course, it has disciple of Lord Jesus Christ after an
to begin with and from the Catholic Church. encounter with death in an air accident
and the subsequent encounters with the
Most of the Christian Churches in the world today seem to have living Spirit of Christ. He became a
lost their spiritual vitality and moral strength. The Roman promoter of peace and reconciliation in
Catholic Church appears to be very much burdened with sexual the multi-religious context of India.
immorality and financial scandals. Consumerism and
materialism have crept into almost all Churches, more so into

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THE NEED FOR A NEW VISION IS REAL AND PRESSING -Part 2
Revd Dr. Valson Thampu, Trivandrum

[Part-1 of this article was published in the 2018, October, So, go and tell anyone who is a responsible church officer
issue of the FOCUS: (2018, Vol. 6 No: 4, p 26, 27).] that the church must deny itself, and abjure income
through corrupt methods, embrace simplicity of life, or
In the interest of clarity, let’s consider a few instances. If set an example in practice that will impact the world; they
you are a ‘born again’ Christian, you greet others with will not laugh you out of court. They will only smirk and
“Praise the Lord!” and say a thousand ‘sthothrams’ and ensure that you are blacklisted. This is not hearsay, by
‘halleluiahs’ in the course of a prayer. You are also found the way!
in rarified fellowships. There was a time when “Praise the
Lord” meant something more than a speech formula and I have taken a stand on sexual abuses in the church and
‘sthothrams’ expressed spiritual bliss. Now they amount the abuse of confession by priests. But I am, I must
to tongue-exercises. They have become ends in confess, rather double-minded about it. I cannot blame
themselves; just as cassocks and girdles, stoles and the priests and bishops in a simplistic and one-sided
chasubles and cathedrals have. All these no longer point fashion. My considered opinion - personal conviction, if
to anything beyond themselves. you like- is that given the existing scheme of things -the
complete ascendancy of the material over the
Now on to even more serious matters . . . metaphysical, the physical over the spiritual - these things
are bound to happen. Smartness lies in ensuring that you
When the natural is divorced from the supernatural - or, are not ‘caught out’.
the body is delinked from the spirit - the body becomes
mere flesh. (Paul calls its carnal flesh.) The human person I was an enigma -hope you won’t think that I am blowing
becomes vulnerable to the invasive power of carnality. St. my own trumpet- in the National Commission. The
Paul, while listing the ‘fruit of the Spirit’ includes self- Chairman -a retired high court judge - told me, “You are
control as an essential aspect. Self-control is alien to the unfit to be a member of a Commission.” He was
body, understood as mere flesh. In such a condition, the bamboozled. Wanted to know how I managed to get
very idea of self-control looks foolish; as indeed it does to myself appointed. What I invested in it. His perplexity was
the inheritors of the Freudian tradition - not well of a piece with what I have described in preceding
understood anyway - with its sole emphasis (as it is made paragraphs. There is something called ‘the way of the
out to be) on ‘impulse-release’. Human psyche is like a world’. While in Rome, do as the Romans do. That is
pressure cooker. Sexual energy, which alone drives the called tact. Have some tact; else they will do you in. I was
world (!), builds up within. If it is not given timely release - made to pay dearly in the National Commission.
like the release of the steam - the human pressure cooker
bursts! I was made to pay even more dearly by the Church of
North India when I was the principal of St. Stephen’s. I
have described my experiences in my memoir titled On a
Stormy Course, which can be ordered on Amazon. In I
refer to this not to promote my book, but to avoid having
to repeat a tale already told in detail with utmost candor.
The point is that when I was sought to be eliminated from
the office and the bishop in Delhi entered into unthinkable
conspiracies with the most corrupt elements within and
This is a classic instance of the logic of the body outside of St. Stephen’s College, it did not surprise me
dominating the whole of life. Or, this is body-thinking at one bit. I expected it. Not that it was easy for me to
its best. We need to reckon the reality that, no matter endure what I had to. But the fact that I knew it was
what the church preaches, this is the understanding that inevitable from the outset helped me to endure the ordeal.
prevails at the popular level today. It was not so even half
a century ago. Today priests too are at the popular level. Let’s return to the new vision needed for our times. But,
There is nothing, absolutely nothing, save the vestments, before that, a few more words by way of specific
that distinguishes them from others. It is downright explanation.
dishonest to pretend to the contrary. Jesus’ idea of living
by the power of the Spirit -not a shirt on his back, not a Our age is in love with the ‘new’. But I doubt if the
penny to his name - seems, as Tolstoy once said, a understanding we have of the ‘new’ is really very helpful
‘pleasant bit of nonsense’ to the bold citizens of the or appropriate. The ‘new’ is almost a fashion with us. The
present age. ‘new’ as a fashion is no more than a craving of the flesh.

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There is, however, a ‘new’, which is spiritual. That is Mass is open only to Catholics is an unspiritual idea,
implied in the idea of repentance. structured on the special rights of Roman citizens. Even
the idea that communion with the Risen Christ is
Jesus began his public ministry preaching repentance. legitimate only to confirmed members of a
Repentance is a home-coming to God. God is the Eternal denominational church is a milder variant of the same. We
New. When God says, “Behold, I shall make all things are so used to it and hence have grown to think of it as
new” (Rev. 21:5), He has a specific and spiritual idea of the norm. But it caricatures Jesus who said, “Come to me
the new. If God is the unchanging Essence of Life – the all who labour and are heavy laden…” He did not
same yesterday, today and forever – then the ‘new’ which prescribe eligibility conditions other than a person’s need
is spiritually valid cannot be understood as the shifting to find his or her rest in him.
fashions that wax and wane in the world. God alone is
perennially new. All other seeming manifestations of the So, the new vision that we need today, especially given
‘new’ become old and irrelevant. the brutal ascendancy of the material over the Spirit as
signaled in materialism and consumerism, is the
Once again, we have to return to the spiritual-physical restoration of the lordship of Jesus. Jesus is the way. But
combine. The idea and craving of the flesh for the ‘new’ is it is not a denominational way. The way is the way ‘to be’,
bound to be contrary to the spiritual idea of the ‘new’. It is because he is also the truth and the life, both of which
quite sufficient, for example, to unfurl the new in church involve a specific relationship between the body and the
life today, to build a new church or to renovate the old spirit, the physical and the metaphysical.
one, or to improvise a new liturgy. This makes perfect
sense within its context and it is not difficult to get a Jesus embodied his new vision as the Kingdom of
whole congregation excited about it. But the fact that God. What did this signify?
there is another ‘new’, which cannot be achieved by
money power, gets overlooked. We are now so used to it. The Jews had equated the godly with the racial, typical of
a worldly and physical way of seeing spiritual vocations.
They sought to imprison God within a geographical
enclave. The God of Creation became an exclusive
Jewish God. The necessary and exclusive association of
the Creator with a sliver of land is a dangerous and
dishonest thing. Even today we suffer from its demonic
consequences.

Jesus understood the perversion, which degraded


Judaism into a death-dealing force. So, he de-linked the
spiritual from geographical confinement. The Kingdom of
God has no territories. What is universal cannot be
parochially local. It will have a local presence, but it is the
presence of the universal in the local. Spirituality, within
the existing scheme of things, is only a fleeting and partial
reflection of the divine within the natural. So, it has to be
approached with utmost care, circumspection, vigilance
A new vision will not be born simply by wishing it. Not
and humility.
even by praying for it in a magical sort of way. We have to
prepare ourselves for the new vision. This calls for radical The hallmark of the Kingdom of God is the ascendancy of
repentance. We must be willing to shift from the old the Spirit. That is the significance of Jesus’ baptism.
foundations to which we are habituated and addicted. Again, true to form, we have turned it into an initiation
The foremost stumbling block to the new vision is our ceremony, ticketing a baby for denominational
reluctance to take leave of the old. We have been membership! Baptism is nothing if not the restoration of
conditioned to NOT look beyond it. We have been the God-ordained relationship between matter and spirit.
persuaded to believe that it is impious and heretical to do
so. This is the seed of the new vision. So long as the flesh
remains in charge, as is the case now, a new vision may
The tragedy is that this cripples a whole people. Flesh be talked about. Ghosts of the old will be reintroduced in
cannot grasp the things of the Spirit. Spiritual ideas will new attire. But even as the new vision is being prayed for,
suffer inevitable distortion, as a result, when they are we will do all we can to prevent its birth. It is like St.
taken over and re-made by carnal hands. The Eucharist, Augustine writing in The City of God, that people will
which symbolizes the mystery of the new life, becomes a preach peace and prepare for war at the same time. That
mere church prerogative and an authentication of is the way of the world.
denominational affiliation. So, the Catholic idea that the
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Same Sex Marriage Declared Legal by U. S. Supreme
Court – How it May Affect Mar Thoma Church?
Lal Varghese, Esq., Dallas

Fourteen States in United States of America by law still they seek to teach the principles that are so fulfilling and
continued to ban same-sex marriage even after U. S so central to their lives and faiths," he continues, "and to
Supreme Court ruled against it on June 26, 2013 by a 5-4 their own deep aspirations to continue the family
majority, resulting in the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). structure they have long revered." Chief Justice John
Therefore, State laws banning same sex marriage are no Roberts is less confident. In his dissent, he argues that
longer legal in America; the US Supreme Court ruled today’s decision "creates serious questions about
again by 5-4 on June 26, 2015 in Obergefell v. Hodges. religious liberty."
Essentially, the majority Justices believe the First
Amendment gives religious groups and people "proper "Many good and decent people oppose same-sex
protection" to "continue to advocate" their beliefs on marriage as a tenet of faith, and their freedom to exercise
traditional marriage. But the dissenters are more religion is—unlike the right imagined by the majority—
skeptical, and concerned that "people of faith can take no actually spelled out in the Constitution," he writes.
comfort" in the ruling. "Many who deem same-sex "Respect for sincere religious conviction has led voters
marriage to be wrong reach that conclusion based on and legislators in every State that has adopted same-sex
decent and honorable religious or philosophical marriage democratically to include accommodations for
premises," acknowledges Justice Anthony Kennedy, dissenting religious practice."
writing for the majority; he continues, "and neither they
nor their beliefs are disparaged here." What is First Amendment to U. S Constitution?
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment
He explains that while that "sincere, personal opposition" of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or
cannot be "enacted law and public policy" without abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the
harming gay couples and violating the Fourteenth right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition
Amendment, he favors a continued "open and searching the government for a redress of grievances.” The First
debate" between those who favor and oppose same-sex Amendment guarantees freedoms concerning religious
marriage. "It must be emphasized that religions, and expression, assembly, and the right to petition. It forbids
those who adhere to religious doctrines, may continue to Congress from both promoting one religion over others
advocate with utmost, sincere conviction that, by divine and also restricting an individual’s religious practices. It
precepts, same-sex marriage should not be condoned," guarantees freedom of expression by prohibiting
writes Kennedy in a paragraph that will likely become the Congress from restricting the press or the rights of
focus of scrutiny by church-state experts in the days to individuals to speak freely. It also guarantees the right of
come. citizens to assemble peaceably and to petition their
government.

In their dissent opinion to the U. S Supreme Court’s


decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, Justices Samuel Alito,
John Roberts, Antonio Scalia, and Clarence Thomas
expressed their concerns about religious Americans’ right
to oppose to same sex marriage. Standing outside
Supreme Court following the Obergefell decision, Russell
Moore, the head of the Southern Baptist Convention’s
Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, said, “We need
to be the people who know how to articulate a Christian
vision of sexuality that will be increasingly counter-
cultural from this point on.”

Justices Alito, Roberts, Scalia, and Thomas point out, this


decision will almost certainly kick off a series of legal
challenges related to religious liberty. The justices focus
on three issues in particular, some of which have already
"The First Amendment ensures that religious created legal and political tussles: gay adoption; the tax-
organizations and persons are given proper protection as exempt status of religious organizations that wish to

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discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation; and the help him.” Therefore a man will leave his father and mother
obligation of private churches and individuals to and will cleave unto his wife and they shall be one flesh. In
recognize and perform same-sex marriages. In his own the light of the words of the Scripture, our Sabha
dissent, Justice Samuel Alito argues that the ruling will Constitution clearly says: “Marriage is inherent in the
make it "impossible" for further religious exemptions to purpose of creation, and it is a very sacred life-long
be created. In his own dissent, Justice Clarence Thomas relationship between a man and a woman.
argues, "The majority’s decision threatens the religious
Our constitution Clause 371 details the conditions that need
liberty our Nation has long sought to protect." "It appears
to be satisfied in order to enter into Christian marriage
all but inevitable that [civil marriage and religious
relationship acceptable by the church. The same clause
marriage] will come into conflict, particularly as provides that if a man and woman happen to maintain a
individuals and churches are confronted with demands to relationship of husband and wife, though without a legal
participate in and endorse civil marriages between same- marriage, such persons will not be considered as satisfying
sex couples," Thomas writes. the qualifying conditions, prescribed by the church. This is
important since in some States in the U. S. A including Texas
Roberts specifically calls out is the tax status of religious recognize people living together as husband and wife under
organizations that wish to discriminate on the basis of the common law principles. This trend is being followed in
sexual orientation. This was a question that came up India also under the label ‘living together’, which is not at all
during oral arguments for Obergefell: Alito raised a 1983 recognized by the church. Similarly, civil marriage entered
case involving the evangelical Christian Bob Jones into between a man and woman is not recognized by the
University, which had refused to allow interracial dating Church as Christian marriage. The parties who entered into
on its campus. The Court ruled that the school could not civil marriage are not allowed to be members of the church
be tax exempt if it maintained its ban; the University unless they apply for regularizing their marriage under
accepted the consequences, not changing its policy until Clause 381.
2000. Based on the above precedent decision of the U. S.
Supreme Court, if the court ruled in favor of gay marriage, As far as Mar Thoma Church is concerned there is no need
“would the same apply to a University or college if it for any alarm at present due to the U. S Supreme Court
decision legalizing same sex marriages in all 50 States in the
opposed same-sex marriage?” Alito had asked Solicitor
U. S. A. Our priests can very well refuse to solemnize same
General, Donald Verrilli, who was arguing on behalf of the
sex marriage requests made by our members or others both
government in favor of gay marriage. “It is going to be an
under the Sabha Constitution and also under the First
issue,” Verrilli answered. The question, now, is what will Amendment to the U. S Constitution which protects and
happen to the many religious organizations that don’t guarantees freedom of religion and also forbids Congress
support homosexuality, let alone gay marriage. from restricting an individual’s religious practices. Also, our
sanctuaries will not be forced to accommodate to anyone to
If a church refuses to perform same sex marriage, is it going perform same sex marriages. All other fears expressed by
to lose the tax exemption status it enjoyed all these years? members both in private forum and public forum and also by
Priests have to seek guidance from its leaders whether to letters and e-mails to church leaders do not have any basis
perform or not to perform a same sex marriage. Mar Thoma at all.
Church along with all other Christian denominations in the
world except a few churches recognizes that marriage is a The Mar Thoma Church believes and teaches that Christian
sacrament instituted by God by uniting Adam and Eve. marriage is designed and instituted by God, through the Holy
Scripture, for life-long relationship between man and wife.
Justice Thomas wrote in his dissent opinion, “It appears all Mar Thoma Church believes and teaches that marriage is not
but inevitable that the two will come into conflict, particularly simply a contract between the couple, but it is a divine
as individuals and churches are confronted with demands to relationship between the couple and God. That is the reason
participate in and endorse civil marriages between same-sex why Mar Thoma Church does not favor divorces except on
couples.” Everyone agrees that the First Amendment to the specific grounds stated in the Preamble on page 108. But at
U.S. Constitution protects clergy from being required to the end of the Preamble, it states, “In the light of the
officiate at marriages for same-sex couples and churches changed circumstances, the church considers it desirable
from being forced to allow gay and lesbian couples to marry that its responsibilities in matrimonial matters be performed
in their sanctuaries. Mar Thoma church and other Churches in consonance with the laws in force in various countries.
are still do not need to perform same sex marriage for its Here you may see a contrast between church’s positions to
members or others in its sanctuaries, even though U. S. be more specific - that church does not recognize civil
Supreme Court ruled that same sex marriage is legal. marriage less same sex marriage even though it is the law in
force especially in the U. S. A., by the recent U. S Supreme
Mar Thoma Church’s constitution is very clear in this regard
Court decision approving same sex marriage. But on the
– Sabha Constitution Clause 368 quoting Gen. 1:27; 2:18, 24
other hand church recognizes the divorce granted by courts
– which says: “God created man in His own image; He
in various countries under the laws in force. Church also
created them male and female. Lord God said it is not good
allows such divorced persons to re-marry under its faith and
that the man should be alone. I will make suitable mate to

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doctrine with the recommendation of the Legal Affairs
Committee. One Solitary Life
Anglican Church in England and Episcopal Church in the
United States have recognized the same sex marriage and
they have even same sex people as priests and even
Bishops. Under Clause 370 of Sabha Constitution, Mar
Thoma Church recognizes only those who subscribe to the
faith and doctrine, consistent with its faith and doctrine and
have not taken a stand against the same as Christians. This
clause authorizes the Episcopal Synod to declare specified
churches and groups as subscribing to right Christian
doctrine. It is high time for the Episcopal Synod of Mar
Thoma Church to declare under Clause 370 that Mar Thoma
Church does not recognize those churches, which approves
same sex marriage and also appoints gays and lesbians as
priests and Bishops, subscribing to right Christian doctrine.

Its faith, practices and constitution banns its clergy from


performing same-sex marriages and forbids churches from
hosting such ceremonies. Many of the mainline churches in He was born in an obscure village,
the United States came out with their opposition to the ruling the child of a peasant woman.
by saying that our commitment to the biblical truth does not He grew up in another obscure village,
depend upon judicial affirmation by the Supreme Court of where he worked in a carpenter shop
this or any other nation.” The U. S Supreme Court ruling until He was thirty. Then, for three years
does not interfere with or touch church teachings or practice He was an itinerant preacher.
or force the church to perform same sex marriage. Clergy of
any tradition including the clergy of the Mar Thoma Church He never had a family or owned a home.
still have the legal right to decline to perform a same sex He never set foot inside a big city.
marriage. “The First Amendment ensures that religions, He never traveled two hundred miles
those who adhere to religious doctrines and others have from the place He was born.
protection as they seek to teach the principles that are so He never wrote a book, or held an office.
fulfilling and so central to their lives and faiths,” the dissent
He did none of the things
opinion noted.
that usually accompany greatness.
Hence, there is absolutely no need for any fear or concern
for our church or its people that our priests will be asked to While He was still a young man,
perform same sex marriages or our sanctuaries need to be the tide of popular opinion turned against Him.
opened to perform same sex marriages by others. Both the His friends deserted Him. Hew as turned over to
U. S Constitution First Amendment and our Sabha His enemies, and went through the mockery
Constitution protect our priests and our parishes from of a trial. He was nailed to a cross between two
demands to perform same sex marriages or from providing thieves. While He was dying, His executioners
our sanctuaries to perform such marriages. The Mar Thoma gambled for the only piece of property He had -
Church does not even need to publicly declare its position His coat. When He was dead, He was taken down
like other mainline churches in the United States or and laid in a borrowed grave.
elsewhere, since our Sabha Constitution clearly defines that
marriage is between a man and a woman. Our Sabha Twenty centuries have come and gone,
Constitution under Declaration Clause on page 1 declares and today He is the central figure for much
that the Bible consisting of 66 books is the basis of our
of the human race. All the armies that ever
doctrine and faith. Clause 368 of our Sabha Constitution
marched, and all the navies that ever sailed,
provides that marriage is between man and women and not
and all the parliaments that ever sat, and all the
otherwise and the purpose is to have children born during
the marital relationships and the couples should bring up kings that ever reigned, put together, have not
their children in dependence and discipline of God. affected the life of man upon this earth
as powerfully as this man.
Lal Varghese, Esq., is practicing in U. S
Immigration law for 30 years in Dallas. He is the May the life, the love,
legal counsel and member of the Legal Affairs and the presence of Jesus
Committee of the Diocese of North America & bless your home through out the New Year.
Europe of the Mar Thoma Church. He is also one
of the co-editors of the book ‘Expanses of Grace.
(Author anonymous)
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REFLECTIONS ON NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS
Revd Dr. Valson Thampu, Trivandrum

As a rule, it is about what we experience routinely - that is to say There is yet another issue in this regard that merits our
most frequently - that we think the least. One such category is attention. And that pertains to the spiritual dynamic of making
New Year resolutions. I doubt if there is anyone, among the resolutions.
readers of FOCUS, who hasn’t made such resolutions. And I am
pretty sure there isn’t any, among the hundred thousand How exactly are these resolutions - that are, as we have seen,
readers of FOCUS, who has clearly succeeded in holding fast to not really ‘resolutions’ but wishes - made? In what personal
the resolutions thus made. This frailty applies to the present state do we make them? Are we, at the time of making these
author as well. So, I write on this subject with a touch of seeming resolutions, really in a state fit to make ‘resolutions?
personal intimacy and urgency. Or, who can make, and hold on to, resolutions.

Why do we make such resolutions? Why do we fail to redeem Let us recall the words of Jesus. He who endures to the end,
them so predictably? Jesus said, will be saved. What did he possibly mean by this?

I wonder if the readers would agree with me if I say that the The infantile attitude to life is dominated by ‘immediacy’. This is
motive for making New Year resolutions is tinged with anxiety. something too well known to warrant explanation or argument.
Of course, anxiety of a conscious kind does not explain, in full, The craving for instant gratification - the inability to wait or to
why we make these resolutions. But anxiety certainly permeates abide- is a sign of immaturity. In philosophical and spiritual
the air in which they are made. Why is it important that we thought, immediacy is deemed a sign of weakness and
recognize this? instability. Those who insist on the immediate gratification of
their desires are (a) ruled by the pleasure-seeking disposition
Anxiety points of an intuition, or an apprehension, in us that we and are deficient in self-mastery and (b) they are bound to be
may not be wholly up to the challenges that time - now weak-willed. This makes them unfit to make and redeem
perceived as New Year - would throw at us. Future is a domain resolutions. They are merely expressing wishes when they think
of the unknown. The unknown breeds anxiety in us for the they are making resolutions.
reason that what is not known is not amenable to our control.
What is beyond our control activates anxiety. Immediacy, as the Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard
pointed out, are of two kinds - un-refined and refined
The problem with anxiety is that it brings about besieged state immediacies. All physical cravings -alcohol, casual sex, various
of mind. We are not fully ourselves in a state of anxiety. In such forms of addictions, magical wish-fulfilment, etc., - belong to
a state, we are dominated and directed by wish, not will. As a the unrefined category. Planning, say, a pleasure trip, with
rule, wish pertains to what is external to our control. Will relates minute attention paid to details so as to maximize the enjoyment
to what is internal to us. We ‘wish’ that the crop this year prove to be extracted from it, is an example of refined immediacy.
plentiful, that we may be spared the painful twists and turns of
life, and so on. As against this, we ‘will’ to put our house in Willing, which is akin to resolving, pertains to changing oneself;
order, to manage our time more purposefully, to give priority to whereas ‘wishing’ pertains to circumstances and people around
certain otherwise neglected aspect of our responsibilities, and us changing to our advantage. Changing oneself is perhaps the
so on. most difficult undertaking for human beings. It really stands in
no prospect of succeeding unless the self is aided in this
Normally, ‘taking a resolution’ belongs to the domain of will. To process. Since ‘will’ is almost wholly internal to a human being,
resolve is to choose to act in a definite sort of way. Seen in this no other person or system - including the church- can help the
light, New Year resolutions are a strange category. They pertain individual in this respect directly. God alone can.
to the future, taken in a magical or mystical sort of context. We
are used to thinking of the New Year as a gift from God. Now, a A ‘resolution,’ in its spiritual sense, is understood best as an
‘gift’ is wholly outside our reach of control. It originates beyond experience or adventure in which the individual encounters God
us and comes on the wings of arbitrariness. Arbitrariness, in the in a state of openness to changing oneself. Anything less than
sense that gifts are not earned but received. The focus is wholly this is a social encounter, not a spiritual one. The hallmark of the
on the will of the giver, not on the merit of the receiver, who is in spiritual is transformation. And that has a necessary reference to
a state of anxiety till the gift is delivered. human will. In a state of fallenness, we are paralyzed in our will.
Sin leads to a state of slavery because it cripples our will,
If this is logically valid, then it turns out that New Year creating an inward state of unfreedom. In a state of will -
resolutions - as we are in the habit of making them - are not paralysis, one can only ‘wish’, not ‘will’.
exactly ‘resolutions’, but mere wishes. Our will is not in control
in respect of these resolutions, though the issues or topics Recall, for an illustration, the predicament of the man - the
about which these resolutions are made may, well exist within invalid- who waited for 38 years at the Bethesda pool for
the jurisdiction of our will. Accurately put, the substance of healing. He did not understand his state aright. The key problem
these resolutions is what we wish for ourselves, not what we will with him, as it is indeed with most of us, is that his will is
for ourselves. This is as good as saying that there is an element paralyzed, which he does not understand as such, which is also
of self-deception, albeit unwitting, in making New Year typical. The way our will is, has a lot to do also with how we
resolutions. understand. (You cannot teach a reluctant learner.) The

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paralysis of will crates illusions of personal impotence, which The result is that they expect everything about them to change.
urges and forces a person to look for ‘external’ aids and props. Especially, each wishes that the other change completely and
The outlook of the invalid beside Bethesda is a classic conveniently to suit one’s tastes, expectations and
illustration of this. He explains his plight entirely with reference convenience. And when they discover that it does not happen
to external circumstances, “I have no one to help me in the nick that way - which is soon enough- friction begins. Pledges are
of time”. Jesus knows this to be superfluous. He heals this man forgotten as quickly as they are made.
in his will. So, he doesn’t have to be carried. He is able now to
carry the bed on which he used to be carried. All magical notions about taking New Year resolutions and
wedding vows must be discarded. No ceremony or liturgy can
Our New Year resolutions fail - they are so very predictable in substitute for the personal changes that individuals need to
this respect - because God is not in our resolution-making undergo. The redemption - the healing - that Jesus offers is the
process. We make such resolutions only because it is the ‘done healing of personal will. It is also understood as liberation or
thing’. It is customary to make such resolutions. It is a good setting the captives free. Freedom is the power to change
thing any way, and it can do no harm. They, why not? oneself so as to bring out newer and better potentialities from
within oneself. Spiritual liberation is, in biblical thought,
The quality of our being - who we are - depends to a substantial synonymous with transformation.
extent on the choices and resolutions we make. There are two
contrary models of decision-making. First, based on our good So, it is not that we are programmed to fail in keeping our New
or bad intentions and trusting on our personal strength. Second, Year resolutions. It is that we are in no state to make
making resolutions in partnership with God. Seeking and ‘resolutions’. We think we are resolving; whereas we are merely
discerning the will of God in and through the resolutions we wishing. And God is nowhere in the process. Consequently,
make. Such resolutions are, therefore, not wholly personal nothing new is born. So, it is the same old situation, the same
exercises. Spiritually decision-making happens in the presence old stuff. The year may be new; but we are the same old wine.
and under the authority of God. Should it surprise us that our New Year resolutions crumble like
piecrusts?
God alone endures. As the writer of Hebrews says, “Jesus is the
same yesterday, today and forever.” God is, in the words of
Eliot, the ‘fixed point of the turning world’. He is the foundation
on which a wise man, as per Jesus’ parable, builds the mansion
of his life and personality.

It is necessary that today we must reflect not only on the New


Year resolutions we make and break. It is even more imperative
that we reflect on the wedding vows that we take. Why do they
keep so poorly? Why are divorces exploding in our midst?

Unfortunately, the church takes too much for granted. It is


assumed by all concerned that just because a wedding takes
place in a church, as per the liturgy and traditions of a particular
denomination, the married life that ensues the wedding will be
Christian. Far from it, as empirical data continue to urge us to
recognize.

Let us consider, for a brief while, the pledges the bride and the
groom take. Are they really resolutions? The hallmark of a
resolution is, as we have seen, that God is a party to it. The
wedding liturgy assumes this to be the case. But do the couple
really believe and experience this? The proof that God is indeed
a party to a resolution or vow is that it causes something new to
come into existence. This is the essence of the biblical idea of
husband-wife relationship; the two becoming, in the words of
Genesis, “one-flesh”. As a result of the wedding vows, taken in
the presence and udder the authority of God, a new reality has
to come into being. That can happen only if indeed God is a
party to the pledges the couple take. Nothing short of this
merits to be called ‘vows’ or ‘resolutions’ or ‘commitments’.

A resolution, if indeed it is one, effects changes in the individual


who takes it, as we have seen already. This must have a refence
to his or her will. What excludes the state of the will is a mere
wish. In a situation in which God is an un-participating and
hypothetical presence, the individuals concerned will not have
the strength to undergo the change they need to experience.

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Tolstoy’s ‘The Gospel in Brief’
Dr. Zac Varghese, London

History is nothing but stories and life is unimaginable concentrated on the essential teaching of Jesus, as he
without stories. The Bible is full of stories about God and understood it. Tolstoy believed ‘the official Church
his interaction with human beings through the ages. It is a doctrines interfered with one’s ability to live a relatively
love story, a story of God’s unconditional love for the peaceful life on a daily basis without significant suffering.’
world and its beings that he created. The New Testament He strongly believed that the teachings of Jesus, when
describes stories about Jesus and his short life, in this stripped of the distortions, dogma and rituals would be
world, 2,000 years ago. good for mankind. Thomas Jefferson who wrote the
‘Declaration of American Independence’ also wrote a
It is good to remember how the stories about Jesus and shorter version of the Bible with only the essential
his teaching have been transmitted to us. Initially, it was teachings of Jesus in 1816. Therefore, it was not only
oral transmission of people who had a direct personal, Tolstoy, but others also felt that the Gospel contains non-
physical and spiritual, interaction with Jesus. Then it was essentials with miracle stories and such. It is this belief,
transmitted under varying circumstances to meet a which made Tolstoy to publish this amazing book on the
particular purpose of a person or persons who true teachings of Jesus. Tolstoy truly believed that a
transmitted these stories. License and freedom have sense of life becomes clear through the teachings of
been taken in expressing Jesus’ saying during this Jesus. He found that ‘Lord’s Prayer is nothing less than
transmission under the guise, as Tolstoy puts it: “To the whole teaching of Jesus and organized the book into
maintain a particular dogma is a divine revelation, 12 chapters using a phrase of Lords’ Prayer as its title.
inspired by the Holy Spirit, is in the highest degree of
presumption and folly. The highest presumption, because Tolstoy makes the following confessions in the
there is nothing more arrogant than for a man to say, introduction to his book:
‘What I tell you, God himself says through my mouth.’ . . .
But in this way reason all the Churches; . . .” It is with this 1. “I consider Christianity is neither a pure
realization and with total humility that we should read the revelation nor a phase of history, but I consider it
end verses in Revelation: “I warn everyone who betrays as the only doctrine which gives meaning to life.
the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds
anything to them, God will add to him the plagues 2. “The source of Christian teaching is the
described in this book. And if anyone takes words away Gospels, and there I found explanations of the
from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him spirit which animates the life of all who really live.
his share of the tree of life and in the holy city, which are But along with the flow of that, life-giving water I
described in this book” (Rev. 22: 18,19). perceived much mire and slime unrightfully
mingled there with; and this had prevented me, so
The four Gospel writers took stories about Jesus and far, from seeing the real, pure water. I found that,
presented in four different ways and addressed different along with the lofty Christian teaching, are bound
constituents. Matthew had Jewish community in his mind up the teachings of Hebraism and the Church,
and Luke had Gentiles in his periscope, but John gave both of which are repugnant and foreign to the
emphasis to the spiritual aspects of Jesus’ story and former. I thus felt myself in the position of a man
Jesus’s intimate relationship with God, His Father. to whom is given a sack of refuse, who after long
Church Fathers, Church hierarchies, theologians and host struggle and wearisome labour discovers among
of others took these basic stories used in many different the refuse a number of infinitely precious pearls.”
ways to suit their purposes. However, we all need a story
to live by in order to make sense of the temporality of life 3. “I knew not light, I thought there was no sure
in this world and think of a world beyond. Devoid of an truth in life; but when I perceived that only light
authentic story, our life turns out to be random collections enables men to live, I sought to find the sources
of unrelated events. of the light. And I found them in the Gospels,
despite the false commentaries of the Churches.
Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910), one of the world’s greatest And when I reached this source of light I was
storytellers devoted later part of his life for writing on dazzled with its splendour, and I found there will
religious and social themes. These writings challenged be full answers to my questions as to purport of
the practices of the Russian Orthodox Church, he wrote the lives of myself and others . . .”
‘The Gospel in Brief’ during this period of his life. He gives
his reasons for writing about Jesus without the thrills and I strongly recommend this book and it has been a good
frills of Jesus’ birth narratives and miracle stories. Tolstoy companion to me in the evening of my life.

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Yes, Chacko Sar had an amazing capacity to establish
(An Obituary Tribute) friendship with people across any divide and to keep it
alive. He believed in what Fr. Murray Rogers, the British
Prof. Dr. A. M. Chacko: An Ideal Guru pilgrim, wrote, “If friends are my assets, I am the richest
Par Excellence man on earth.” In the above article, he also wrote: “The
trust of spirituality in education must lead to a firm social
Revd Dr. M. J. Joseph, Kottayam commitment on the part of the educated . . . A vision
beyond one’s border rooted in love and justice will alone
Kuriannor Athinilkunnathil Dr. A. create a human face for social transformation. This is the
M. Chacko (84), former challenge before teacher and the taught.” Chacko Sar
professor of Chemistry and always had upheld the wisdom saying: “If you love what
Principal, U. C. College, Alwaye you are doing, you will be successful.” This is a noble
(1981-1986) has been called to advice from Chacko Sar for the future generation of
his eternal abode on December teachers and students.
6, 2018 at Ahmedabad
(Gujarat). Dr. Chacko has been In two of the Birth Centenary Volumes, edited by me,
under the care of his son, Mr. Chacko Sar wrote very thought provoking articles holding
Prasad, at Ahemdabad. He was the mirror of education in his hands. When he took
buried there on Dec. 8, 2018 beside his beloved wife, charge of the responsibility of the Principal of U. C.
late Sodari. He was survived by a son and a daughter. His College, Dr. Thomas Mar Athanasius Suffragan
death is a silent grief and a pleasant memory. “The Metropolitan of the Mar Thoma Church wrote to him:
memory of the righteous is a blessing” (Prov.10: 7). Life “You are not called to success or failure, but to be
levels all men, but death reveals the eminent”(Bernard faithful” (See the article, Dhanyamaya Christheeya
Shaw). Sashayahinte Vakthavu” (2004, pages-316-318). He tried
his best to carry the torch of U.C College tradition by his
Prof. Chacko held several responsible positions in the gentleman-like qualities He used to remember and imitate
society. He has been the Director of ALEI study Center, the noble qualities of the founders of UC College
Alwaye and the Chairman of the Governing board of the particularly late Sri K. C. Chacko. He was truly a
Higher Secondary School and the Public School of gentleman among the teaching fraternity. A gentleman is
Christhava Mahilayalam, Alwaye. He was also the one who breaks a bar of chocolate in his hand into four
manager of the UC College for a term (2008-2012). He pieces giving them to three others first and then takes the
was a distinguished layman of the Mar Thoma Church. one left. He used to uphold the noble values of education,
His love for the Church leaders and mission concerns are as said wisely by Jiddu Krishnamurti: “In one lies the
quite evident in his book under the title Adara Smaranakal whole world . . . nobody on earth can give you either the
(Published by the CSS, 2013) key or the door to open, except yourself.” True to his
genius, Chacko Sar adds, “the divine factor” to it for the
A.M. Chacko Sar has been a role model for all teachers. A celebration of life before death.
guru is one who dispels darkness from the minds of his
students. Yes, he had a passion to remain faithful to his In an article under the title, “Down my memory Lane”, he
professional calling till the end. He believed what Albert wrote about the Founder Director of ECC, Revd Dr. M. A.
Einstein wrote: “Education is what remains after one has Thomas, “. . . I thank God for this man of God who
forgotten what one has learned in school”. As an ideal fought for something that money cannot buy. M. A.
teacher and principal of repute, he always had kept a high Thomas Achen’s vision about ECC could make ECC an
sense of spiritual values in education. True to his calling, exemplary ecumenical institution “(The Quest and
he had a high regard for his students, as he believed what Legacy, 2013, pages197-198). Someone has rightly said,
the Jewish Rabbi, Hillel pertinently, said, “My students “Life is the most difficult exam. Many fail trying to copy
are my glory”. Whenever he met me, he always enquired others, not realizing that everyone has a different question
about our daughter, Sarah, who was his student for M.Sc. paper”. The legacy of Chacko Sar will certainly create
in Chemistry at U. C. College. I have kept a long period of ripples in the vast sea of life for generations to come.
friendship with Chacko Sar for over 3 decades. In an
article under the title, “The Spirituality of education” Let me conclude my obituary note by a quote from
written in my Festschrift volume, Dr. Chacko wrote: “My Heb.12:10, found on the cover page of the biography of
wife Sodari and I are extremely indebted to him (MJJ) for the late Prof. Titus Varghese, a well-known Guru
his enriching friendship and fellowship . . . The (Published by V. T. Titus, 1990): “Our earthly fathers
Ecumenical Christian Center has been transformed under trained us for a few years. Doing the best for us that
Joseph Achen’s stewardship into a well-planned garden they knew how, but God’s correction is always right
city beaming message of eco-spirituality” (See Upon the and for our best good; that we may share his
Wings of Wider Ecumenism”, ECC/ISPCK-2006, p.201). holiness”
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Tide of Liberal Values and Ebb of Reformation Principles in the
Mar Thoma Church: Socio-Religious-Cultural Backlashes
Revd Dr. R.C. Thomas

Ecclesia semper reformonda (“The church is always reforming”) in Europe and pepper in the Western European houses as the
is not only a European dictum but also a perennial and best preservative to keep the dried meat for the severe winter.
perpetual thrust of the Malankara Syrian Mar Thoma Church in At that time Mussori (near the present Paravoor/ Kodungallor)
Kerala. This tendency may be qualified as Hoodosh etho was the only Kerala seaport accessible to the West Europeans
(reforming the church) with which our ecclesial calendar begins. to anchor and to land. The sea routers had to depend on the
This article is only a peep into the magnitude of the Reformation eastern-bound wind formed in the Lisbon area to voyage to the
activities with particular reference to the liberal values set by east. Cochin as landing space for the travelers from Europe is a
European enlightenment. It tries to unveil the socio-psychic, later development. The greedy Portuguese merchants in search
socio- cultural and economic facades of that great mansion of super quality pepper reached here under the leadership of
called the Malankara Reformation. By “liberal values” we mean Vasco de Gama and tried to collect pepper from Samoodiri of
the principle of rationality from the European Enlightenment Calicut who in turn demanded a fair deal. As the deal shattered,
event mooted through the Church Missionary Society the impertinent and impudent Portuguese left him and sought
missionaries to calibrate and decipher the truth; “Reformation new pastures in the Cochin kingdom. They made the Kochi king
Principles” implies the ideals of the Mar Thoma Church during to dance according to their tune through cash and kinds. Later,
the Reformation period hundred and eighty years ago. In this the King patronaged the Synod of Diamper in 1599 and the rest
article, ‘Reformation’ refers to how the Malankara reformation of the things are beyond the purview of this article. The famous
imbued the present Mar Thoma Church. The language of this oath of the Coonnen Cross January 03, 1653 was a challenge to
article may sound less ‘spiritual’ and inclining more to a secular the ecclesiastical hegemony of Rome and bombarding
tone. The whole thrust anchors on the fact of Reformation commercial interest of the Portuguese. On a defensive note the
process that had been triggered by many non-doctrinal factors Nazarenes of Travancore had to claim the St. Thomas tradition
in the nineteenth century. in contrast to the St. Peter on the onslaught of the Portuguese
commercial interest. After the Coonnen Cross oath the Syrian
Travancore as Cauldron of Transformations Christians declared that they were no longer the followers of St.
Peter.
When one spiritualizes the Malankara Reformation to its core,
one is tended to circumvent the non-doctrinal factors behind the History rolled on. The Malankara Christians had to depend on
change. So a bird’s eye of the same may be jotted as follows. the higher echelons of the Orthodox Church in Syria for their
ecclesiastical validity. Unfortunately they also owed allegiance
St. Thomas Tradition as “False Memory “and “Second Memory” to St. Peter by highlighting him and sidetracking St. Thomas in
liturgical prayers. When the Malankara Reformation took place
The statement that the St. Thomas tradition exists as a “False the reformed party revived the St Thomas tradition and
Memory” may cause misunderstanding and irritation in the
i

determined their ecclesiastical destiny in relation to St. Thomas


minds of those who deem the ideal of ‘St. Thomas’ very high. It as ‘False Memory’. The word “Mar Thoma” simply means St.
does not imply that the St. Thomas tradition is bluff, farce or Thomas (Mar Thoma) one of the Apostles of our Lord Jesus
false. This author, definitely, shares the long tradition of ‘Mar Christ. The reformed party was the first community in the world
Thoma’ cherished by that community to which he belongs. The to claim the name of St. Thomas the Apostle as their own name.
point of emphasis lies somewhere else. Here the discussion For that matter, they were the first church to define ecclesial
hinges on a pivotal conviction that whenever the Malankara identity in the name of an apostle whatsoever. Thus, all the
Christians faced an identity crisis, they turned to ‘St. Thomas’, Syrian communities in Kerala had been forced to revive the
their bastion and citadel to seek their protection and survival. “false memory” of St. Thomas in the midst of an identity crisis.
‘False memory’ is a mental experience that is mistakenly taken Till then, no church had the audacity to grab and garb the name
to be a veridical representation of an event from one's personal “Mar Thoma” as their own. It was only very recently the two
past. In this endeavor, one does not search into veracity of the
2

warring factions of the Orthodox churches in Kerala added “Mar


details but it is cherished to be the trump card to win the game. Thoma” to the title of their Catholicos. This magical name had,
Only the cumulative meanings are considered here than the no doubt, increased the cultural capital of the Mar Thoma group
minute details. by flying ahead of all other communities to capitalize the name
“St. Thomas” to their own advantage. Or, in the words of
What was the reason for developing the St. Thomas tradition, Dominik LaCapra one may say that the Marthomites played to
which was rather feeble till the fifteenth century? Passing the gallery by applying “Second Memory” in relation to the
remarks about St. Thomas were confined to certain travelogues tradition of St. Thomas. the reasons for this change are
3

or some typical Christian songs. The long cherished highly searched into in the following paragraphs.
prized St. Thomas tradition assumed a new dimension in the
fifteenth century (1498) to combat the Portuguese commercial “False Memory or “Second memory” need not be necessarily
interests. St. Thomas tradition is intertwined with the Pepper understood as a disowning theory with defamatory tone. In
politics of the Portuguese. By the end of the Middle Ages, the
2

fact, it is an assertive theory making use of a social psychology


European hunt was confined to a few essential things—gold and theory.
silver to strengthen the economy of the emerging nation-states

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Rationalization through English education Revival of the Literacy Faculty

The Mar Thoma Community increased their cultural capital The Malankara Reformation changed the medium of liturgical
through systematic application of certain liberal principles. This language from Syriac to Malayalam, which was a revolutionary
was not mean, deliberate, planning ahead for cultural capital. step. What is language? It is more than letters and words. It
Not at all. Their rising to the occasion led to it. Any community plays a great role in shaping the individual and a community.
with its thick crust of traditions and practices needs an outside Language is a powerful tool to shape the individual by reviving
force to drill it. This principle is applicable to the Malankara the frontal lobe, the part of the brain that controls important
church of the eighteenth and nineteenth century, as its cognitive skills in humans, such as emotional expression,
leadership was rotten and the pew was less enlightened. The problem solving, memory, language, judgment, and sexual
inertia of the Malankara church during the nineteenth century behaviors. It is, in essence, the “control panel” of our
was diffused by the dynamics of the CMS missionaries. These personality.
English missionaries who arrived in Travancore were the
products of nineteenth century Oxford, Cambridge University Let us see the Malankara Reformation as a resuscitation of the
liberal education. They were intensively influenced by the ideals human language faculty as the traditional way of primary school
and ideas of William Wilberforce. Many of these missionaries education was replaced by the English education pattern.
who arrived as viceroys, educationalists and missionaries were Language is arbitrary, non-instinctive at the same time
related to the Clapham Sect. Their enlightenment rationality
4
conventional. Let us take the example of a table. In Malayalam
maintained that whatever is alien to human rationality and we call it “Mesah’. As a member of a family from my very
whatever cannot be proved should be rejected. Many of the childhood onwards I hear the word ‘Mesah’ for table. If I
practices in the Malankara church had become practices confuse, Mesah (Table) as Kasera (Chair), I will be corrected by
seemly without any rationality and the intense missionary mind elders to call it ‘Mesah”. It means that language is arbitrary that I
rejected them. They could not visualize any mystery aspect in cannot say Kasera (Chair) for Mesah. According to each
worship and the liturgical life. Tradition was caricatured as occasion one has to use the correct word at that right time. One
something abominable. To this author, it seems that if the cannot use language as one likes. I may inherit many features
missionaries were little more prudent in extricating TRADITION such as colour of the skin, eyes etc., from my parents. But I
from traditions and if the Malankara leadership had ever have not inherited language faculty and proficiency en bloc as
remained less morons the schism in the Malankara church could such from them. I can attain proficiency in language only
have been avoided. through my daily right discourse in a given community. My use
of words and ideas should happen in relation to a given
The Protestant Ethics community. Moreover, language is systematic. It means that
one has to follow certain grammatical rules when one speaks.
The Protestant ethics of the Clapham saints was excellent and For example, if I say ‘a’ is this table’ does not convey anything.
whether their theological understanding was congenial to the This cacophony turns meaningful when I say ‘This is a table’. It
Eastern theological spirit is dubious and a fact to be accepted is logical as it follows certain grammatical rules. As a child, I
with a pinch of salt. Brevity curtails a detailed discussion on the practiced it before learning any formal grammatical rule. Later, I
topic. To cut it short, let us say the Marthomites imbibed and may become a language expert on the basis of the foundation, I
inherited the enlightenment rationality alien to them. have already shaped in my mind. Language makes a
psychological link between fact and expression. Language is the
What is the Protestant ethics? This concept derives out of the
5
medium that ignites the human mind. The words one listens to
ideas of the famous German sociologist, Max Weber (1864- can open new possibilities. This is what had happened in the
1920). Studying various Calvinistic sects in the US and Europe,
6
Reformation. One who is not convinced of this fact should read
he came to this conclusion which may be paraphrased as The Use of Literacy by Richard Hoggard (1957).
follows. When one confesses his/her sins and accepts Jesus
Christ as Lord, one’s place in heaven is reserved. The one who One of the revolutionary things, which happened during the
is assured of this fact is compelled to do something for the Lord Malankara Reformation was the change of medium of worship
and tries to please that Lord. How is it possible? If I were a from Syriac to Malayalam, the mother tongue. Before the
drunkard, I decide to be a teetotaler, if I were irregular in the Reformation in the Malankara church the medium of worship
church services now I become an active member in my parish. was Syriac. The Peshitta, the Bible in Syriac language, was
That is, a crucial decision turns my hitherto ethics upside down. accessible only to the Malpans (seminary teachers). The Bible
My thrift spending has vanished and it is no more. My vocation was available in Malayalam for the first time by 1811. A wide
is to be a witness for the Lord. An orderliness alien to my vista of spiritual revival was opened for the church through the
personality pervades me. For example, I have never begun my availability of the Malayalam Bible: formation of popular hymns,
day with prayer and reading the Bible. Now according to new the Bible expositions etc. Though everybody could not read, the
discipline my daily life begins with the reading of the Bible and availability of the Bible opened a wide avenue for thinking not
family prayer. Father and mother sit together and sing popular only for the clergy but also for the lay people. Prayers in Syriac
Christian hymns, which always remind us of our sins and language were understood only by the priests. Many in the
salvation through Jesus Christ. Singing together has a magical worshipping community including the clergy, repeated the
power of cementing the members together. A family of discord liturgy like parrots without understanding the nuance of the
and discontent now sings hymns in unison. An inexplicable language. It meant that no communication took place between
serenity used to pervade the reformed homes even in the midst what one heard in the church and the reality around. The
of scarcity, poverty and economic backwardness. This function of language was minimized or nullified before the
protestant ethics pervades the Mar Thoma psyche. Reformation. Daily life and worship seemed to be disassociated.
Language enlarged the literacy efficiency of the community and

29 | P a g e F O C U S J a n u a r y 2 0 1 9 V o l . 7 , N o : 1

thereby their spiritual growth was assured. It was during this seem to be well acknowledged. The Mar Thoma church remains
time many popular hymns were written in Malayalam and sung as Mar Thoma church today only because of what our
by the reformed community. Those who could read assembled ammachis and valiyammachis (mothers and grandmothers) have
as small groups in the neighborhood on every Sunday before done. Their evangelistic fervor and unquestioned and untinged
the church worship. They began with singing these newly fidelity to the community motivated them for evolving some
formulated Malayalam hymns. One cannot but underline the innovative methods. Their pioneering micro-finance methods
formation of hymns and the availability of the Malayalam Bible. and financial alternatives in the families through small
Their content was out and out biblical. In these groups called enterprises loudly declared the truth that small is not only
Vayana kuttaangal (Fellowships) the biblical portions were read beautiful but creative also. It is not quantity that matters but the
and those who could afford the Bible brought it with them and unflinching loyalty and commitment to the cause. Money raised
one enlightened person read Psalms, Old Testament lessons through selling of eggs, raising of chicks and chilly, sale of milk
and the New Testament portions. One biblical passage was and milk products, coconuts etc., may sound silly today. Much
interpreted to edify people. Later, these Vayanakuttangal before Harland David
developed into prayer groups. These gatherings cemented the Sandershttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonel_Sanders
social relationship and mutual bonds. Many were illiterate but a
few could read and write. Whether literate or illiterate, their
- cite_note-1 (the KFC man) our mothers could face the
situation. This is not mere playing to the gallery of Mar Thoma
minds could be ignited through reading.
women but re-reading of their history. ‘pidiyari’ (separation of
Person-in-Community Consciousness little rice (75grams) before every meal and collected in a
separate pot pidiyarikaalm to be given to the church at the end
One of the leading contributions of Reformation is the definition of every month) ‘Kettuthengu’, ‘Swemethadanam’ etc. are the
of “Person”/ in relation to ‘the community’. Before the unique Mar Thoma innovations, which may be classified and
Reformation the role of the individual was not defined in relation claimed under the Intellectual Property Rights.
to community. Individual was only a spoke in the rotating giant
wheel called society. It was taken for granted that all baptized Frugality was another trait practiced at home. It was practiced
members are members of the church. But in the Reformation not only in material resources but also in words and body
his/her role was redefined in relation to the community and this languages. Expressions were minimized.
question was raised. “What is your relation with Jesus Christ?”
Consequences of Reformation
It was another way of defining one’s role in community.
Vocation of a believer was defined. For example, the
Of the various after effects of the Reformation only two factors
Reformation told me that as a father I have a responsibility
are highlighted here.
towards my children; as a husband to my wife; as a neighbor to
my brothers and sisters; as a shepherd to my flock. All the
(i) Nexus of Mission-Migration- Wealth
present organizations in the present Mar Thoma church
proclaimed this truth. They were established before 1935: The Mar Thoma people were the first among the Syrian
Suvisesha Sanghom (1889); Sunday Samajam (1905); Sevika Christians to migrate. Why? The socio-economic factors may be
Sanghom (1918); Voluntary Evangelistic Association (1924); pointed out by an economist that they had no landed property
Yuvajana Sahkyam (1934). All these organizations were attempts and as a means of survival they had to go out. This author is not
to define person––on the basis of age, gender––in relation to the competent to elucidate it. But as a student of theology he has
faith community and they emphasized the personal relationship some convictions. His contention is from the premise of
with Jesus Christ. The members of each organization were mission. As a Mar Thoma person one used to hear that you
challenged to serve God and to lead others to the foot of the should go to Sihora, Tibet, Nepal to be a witness for Christ.
cross. “Lighted to lighten”, “Bring every child to Jesus”, Every “going out” concept was drilled into the Mar Thoma psyche
Marthomites is an evangelist” etc. are the typical evergreen Mar from the pulpit in the churches, Maramon Convention and
Thoma slogans and catch words defining the person in relation other occasions.
to the community.
One got educated and the job market in the former Travancore
Role of Women government did not prefer Christians to be employed in jobs to
receive ‘the kasu of Padmanabhan’. The only way was to go out
The Malankara Reformation reminds about the fact that a of Kerala.
society with a topsy-turvy nature can be brought to normalcy
through the role of women. There is every chance the feminists The first migration took place to Singapore and Malaysia. It is
may spring upon this author and they may come at loggerheads said that one K. C. George from Ayroor migrated to Singapore in
with this writer in reiterating that this is another way of 1915. Later, during 1960 many migrated to Kaduna area in
domesticating women, not at all. This writer is not sure whether Nigeria, Ethiopia as schoolteachers. Many reached Mumbai,
his interpretation can be a ubiquitous principle but it is very true and steel cities such as Rourkela, Bhilai, Durgapur, Bhopal.
with this community in Kerala. The Mar Thoma church, reformed During the World War II many men joined the British army. After
community, had lost every church building and related property 1960, many young women were trained as medical nurses and
through the Royal Court verdict (1889) and the connivance of they reached many northern cities, Mumbai and other Indian
the other fraction. All the financial backings were drained off. cities. After 1970, the changed US Foreign Policy facilitated the
The rest of the society took this reformed group for a ride and arrival of women to the USA as nurses. Simultaneously, the Gulf
no social capital could be claimed. In this crumbling the women area also became accessible to nurses and skilled laborers. To
camp, especially the housewives of the reformed community cut it short, this migration increased the financial capital of the
played a crucial role through micro financing. Their role does not Marthomites and thereby their social and cultural capital. This

30 | P a g e F O C U S J a n u a r y 2 0 1 9 V o l . 7 , N o : 1

Notes:
author in his book, Mar Thoma Prayanam: Saraswathivandavum
1
7 This is only a tip of the study in the area of psychology mooted by
Lakshikadashavum has elucidated the relation among education, Bartlett, Carmichael, Hogan and Walter and applied to the historical
migration and financial capital. studies. Sir Frederic Charles Bartlett FRS (1886 – 1969) was a
British psychologist and the first professor of experimental psychology
at the University of Cambridge. See his Psychology and Primitive
(ii) Gathering of Cultural Capital: Culture (1923), Remembering (1932), "War of the Ghosts". Terry C.
Daniel, “Nature of the Effect of Verbal Labels on Recognition Memory
During the Reformation times the tempo of the Mar Thoma For Form 1, University of New Mexico Journal of Experimental
Church remained at a low ebb. It meant that their social and Psychology” 1972, Vol. 96, No. 1, 152-157. Henry L. Roediger III,(
cultural capital was only minimum. Its members played a low Department of Psychology Rice University), and Kathleen B. McDermott
(Department of Psychology Rice University, “Creating False
profile in the social life. The best example is leaving the church
Memories Remembering Words Not Presented in Lists”, Journal of
buildings and related properties even though some of the court Experimental Psychology, Learning, Memory and Cognition, July 1995,
verdicts were in favor of them. They did not continue the Vol.21, No.4, 803-814; The best example of “False memory” is the
litigations since the bargaining power was kept to the minimum. story of the apple that fell on the head of Sir Isaac Newton who
What will be their attitude if a similar event happens today? Will triggered the Law of Gravity. The parrot like repetition of this incident is
they say to the other party: “You take the property; We don’t go characteristic even of a scientific community. This is a fact is being
for any litigation”. Dubious!! readopted without examining its veracity. One is not interested in the
fact of which weather condition, time of falling, ripe or not ripe apple etc.
It is a fact that till 1975 the sister churches in Kerala took the The puffed up, embellished sagas about the origin of each family in the
Kudaumbayogams in Kerala is another classic example of the False
Mar Thoma church for a ride. Today no body calls them by the
Memory syndrome.
nickname “Maru Thoma”. Our Orthodox school classmates in 2 From: International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral
Puthencavu high school during 1960s used to tell us the same Sciences, 2001, section on “False Memories”, (Amsterdam, 5254-5239.
to us. They meant “Move away” with a pun on the phrase ‘Mar 3 A.R. Disney, Twilight of the Pepper Empire: Portuguese Trade in
Thoma’. The climate has changed now and the presence of the Southwest India in the Early Seventeenth Century, (Massachusetts:
Mar Thoma Metropolitan can be seen in all public functions Harvard University Press), 1978; Jesse Hysell, “The Politics of Pepper:
ranging from the inauguration of a petty shop to that of a gold Deciphering a Venetian-Mamluk Gift Exchange” in Perspectives on
souk. In the marriage market, the Mar Thoma candidates remain History is the newsmagazine of the American Historical
Association. Dtd. Jul 6, 2016
on a higher demand. Today, the accumulation of wealth has
3 Richard Hoggart wrote his The Uses of Literacy: aspects of Working
attached a new tag of cultural capital for them. As wealth Class (London: Penguin, 1957,) when Britain was undergoing huge
increases social acceptance also records a hike. social change, In the midst of the cataclysmic changes he asked the
following questions. When a society becomes more affluent, does it
Conclusion: lose other values? Are the skills that education and literacy gave millions
wasted on consuming pop culture? Do the media coerce us into a world
The Reformation period was a qualitative time in the history of of the superficial and the material - or can they be a force for good?
the Malankara Mar Thoma church. Unprecedent factors Hoggart gives a fascinating insight into the close-knit values of Northern
redefined the role and task of the church. The psychological England's vanishing working-class communities, and weaves this
together with his views on the arrival of a new, homogenous 'mass' US-
back up was provided by a few enlightenment insights. It was
influenced culture. His headline-grabbing bestseller opened up a whole
the light of the gospel that ignited the mind of people to face the new path in cultural study. It remains an essential commentary on class,
challenges of life. Their openness to the Western liberal values poverty and the media. He has observed the resistance of subjugated
opened a wide vista of possibilities. Their borrowing did not lead and marginalized groups and their socio-economic practices. He
to another servility and they began to practice ‘the 3-s proposes that in order to combat any hegemonic cultures one needs
principles’ of Self-supporting, self-determining and self- new social value systems and new language.
management. Still, the Reformation principles have to 4 The Clapham Saints were a group of Church of England social
reverberate and replete in its sinuses. Now they seem to play to reformers based in Clapham, London, at the beginning of the 19th
century (active 1780s–1840s). The historian Stephen Michael Tomkins
the galleries of the Reformation period and valorize the
defined them as "a network of friends and families in England,
achievements of their ancestors. As new challenges strangle with William Wilberforce as its center of gravity, who were powerfully
them a mere nostalgia of a glorious past will not fetch bound together by their shared moral and spiritual values, by their
something anew. They have to prove their mettle not by religious mission and social activism, by their love for each other, and by
repeating the past but facing new situations in the diaspora marriage". see the Clapham Movement in Ann M. Burton, "British
milieu to create some de novo factors. Evangelicals, Economic Warfare and the Abolition of the Atlantic Slave
Trade, 1794–1810." Anglican and Episcopal History 65#2 (1996): 197–
WISH THE READERS A HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND BLESSED 225, in JSTOR; Gathro, John "William Wilberforce and His Circle of
NEW YEAR!! Friends", CS Lewis Institute. Retrieved on December 17, 2018; Boyd
Hilton, A Mad, Bad, Dangerous People? England 1783–1846 (2006),
175; David Spring, "The Clapham Sect: Some Social and Political
Revd. R. C. Thomas is an ordained a Aspects." Victorian Studies 5#1 (1961): 35–48.
priest in the Mar Thoma Church and 5 Hoggard, Richard, The Use of Literacy, (London: Penguin), 1957.
formerly director of Dr. Thomas Mar 6 Domink LaCapra, History and Memory after Auschwitz, (Ithaca and
Athanasius Orientation & Research London: Cornell University Press, 1998)
Centre, Manganam & Professor of 7 Rajan C Thomas, Mar Thoma Prayanam: Saraswathi vandanavum Lakshi kadashavum,
Theology at the Mar Thoma Theological (Teerthadaka Publications: Tiruvalla), 2005.
Seminary, Kottayam and author of
several books.

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