Why Different Churches?
Just as God is Trintiy (Three-in-One), and as the twelve tribes of Israel were the continuation of Jacob’s twelve sons in the Old Testament, so too Jesus Christ selected,t rained, and anointed twelve apostles with the Holy Spirit, sending them to the ends of the earth, it is part of God’s divine plan that there are multiple churches within the one, undivided Church of Christ. Our father, St. Thomas the Apostle, preached the Gospel in Persia (Partia) and Hendo (undivided India), establishing various Christian communities. St. Peter founded Christian communities in Rome and Antioch, while St. Paul established Christian communities in many places and addressed them through his letters.
Division and Reconciliation
At times, ignorance of history and theology has caused misunderstandings, unrest, and even divisions among Churches. Certain actions by individuals or groups have worsened these divisions over the centuries. However, the Second Vatican Council, particularly through Ecumenical and Liturgical Movements, has ushered in a new era of reconciliation.
Ecumenism: Mission and Challenge
The Church is inherently missionary as well as ecumenical. A true Christian must embrace both missionary and ecumenical roles. Although ecumenical gatherings involving bishops and theologians are widely publicized, there remains a challenge to implement Ecumenism at the grassroots level. Parishes, dioceses, and various organizations must actively organize ecumenical activities, such as joint Christmas celebrations, feasts, and meetings, to build untiy through encounters and relationships. We have to reduce the distance between the churches through frequent meetings and prayer sessions.
Ecumenism in Kerala
Kerala provides favourable conditions for Christian unity due to its shared apostolic foundation and Syriac tradition, preserved for 19 centuries. The Syro-Malabar Church sees immediate scope for unity with churches of the same Syriac tradition, followed by other Christian communities.
In the first century itself, even before Christianity was established in the whole of Europe, it was established here in India and Persia. The disciple of Jesus Christ – son of God – evangelized Hendo (undivided India) and Persia (Partia). After the arrival and influence of Portuguese/ European missionaries, St. Thomas Christians, who grew as a vibrant community in the spirit of the Law of St. Thomas, were started to be overcontrolled by the missionaries for almost 100 years (from the 1550s till 1650s). In conflict with the Portuguese missionaries, firstly, St. Thomas Christian community was divided into two, namely Pazhaya Koor (old patry) and Puthen Koor (new patry) and later on, both parties were divided into many. The old party was under the Portuguese Padroado and Roman Propaganda from the 16th century till the 19th century. The Church witnessed a number of changes in all respects of the oriental nature, Syriac Liturgy, Indian customs, etc.
The new party was antiochianized by the bishops from Antioch, and again, some of them were anglicanized by the English missionaries. Now two churches follow the ancient Chaldean Syriac (East Syriac) Liturgy and five churches in the new party follow the Antiochean rite (West Syriac).
The major divisions among the St. Thomas Christians in Kerala are as follows:
1. Syro-Malabar Catholic Church (Chaldean Syriac tradition)
2. Assyrian (Chaldean) Church of the East in India
3. Malabar Independent Syrian Church (Thozhiyoor)
4. Malankara Jacobite Syrian Church
5. Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church
6. Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church
7. Syro-Malankara Catholic Church.
Almost all Churches have Ecumenical activities and active Ecumenical departments.
We can be proud of the fact that even before the starting of official steps for church unity at the global level in the 19th and 20th centuries, church unity efforts have been very creative in Malankara (Kerala). We can continue those efforts in our generation also. In the northern half of the 18th century, Marthoma VI from the Puthenkoor sect tried to reunite with the Catholic Church and for its consent, Cariatil Mar Joseph Metropolitan and Governor Paremakal Mar Thoma Katanar from the Pazhayakoor sect made a difficult sea journey to Rome and Portugal and got permission. Again, in the northern half of the 19th century, Mar Divannasios V of the Puthenkoor sect and Nidhirikal Mani Katanar of the Pazhayakoor sect formed the Jathyaikya Sangham for the unity and strengthening of the churches and the community. However, these efforts were defeated by the European missionaries because of the lack of spirit of Ecumenism and the intolerance towards other traditions.
Church Unity Octave in January
The Church Unity Octave, observed from January 18–26 every year, fosters ecumenical prayer worldwide. Resources for this week are jointly prepared by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Untiy and the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches. The Catholic Church is the communion of 24 individual Catholic Churches of different Liturgical rites. Despite these divisions, the Holy Father Pope Francis invites all Christians to journey toward full communion.
KCBC (Kerala Catholic Bishop Council) and Syro-Malabar Church have active commissions for Ecumenism. This year, we are planning to celebrate the Church Unity Octave, which fruitfully relates to all Episcopal Churches in Kerala.
Fr. Cyril Thomas Thayyil
