FOCUS October 2017

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FOCUS October 2017 Vol. 5 No: 4
Dr. Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan - A

Karmayogi with a Difference, Revd Dr. M. J. Joseph, Kottayam -
Page 12
Cover Photo: Religionless Christianity
(Source Internet)
A Publication of Diaspora FOCUS
Religionless Christianity, Rev. Dr. Valson

Thampu, Trivandrum - Page 14
Editorial, Religionless Christianity, Dr.

Jesudas M. Athyal - Page 3
Let us Speak Less of Religion, and More of

Spirituality, Revd Dr. M. J. Joseph, Kottayam Page 18
Most Rev. Dr. Joseph Mar Thoma -The Best

Yet to Be, Dr. P. J. Alexander, Trivandrum - Page 5
Religionless Christianity What Does It

Mean? Lal Varghese, Esq., Dallas - Page 21
The Most Rev. Dr. Joseph Mar Thoma - The
st st
21 Metropolitan of the 21 Century Dr. P. John Lincoln, s
Lubbock, USA, - Page 8
His Grace Most Rev. Joseph Mar Thoma

Religionless Christianity A Prophetic
Metropolitan, Lal Varghese, Esq., Dallas Page 10
Voice, Dr. Zac Varghese, London Page 27
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What is most significant is the generational pattern in the
EDITORIAL changing religious landscape of the west. According to these
studies, the non-religious people are predominantly young
FOCUS is discussing the topic, Religionless Christianity at adults. Nearly eight-in-ten Millennials with low levels of
a crucial period in the history of the western world and the religious commitment describe themselves as atheists,
churches in the diaspora. Religion, in one form or another, agnostics or nothing in particular.
has been an integral part of human and social life perhaps
from the beginning of civilization itself. Having grown up in a The Pew study noted the shift in the demography of
religious environment from our childhood itself, we tend to American Christianity according to which Americans in
take religion and religiosity almost for granted. The growth of general are becoming less Christian, and nearly a quarter do
secularism, science and technology in the last few centuries not identify with any faith at all; but there were earlier studies
have, however, posed a serious threat to the role of religion too that pointed towards the changes in the religious
as the guiding principle in personal and public life, and the landscape of the country. In 2009 Newsweek published an
people were encouraged to be more rational in their article in which Jon Meacham argued that Christians now
thinking and actions. Such secular trends often led to the make up a declining percentage of the American population
widening popularity of atheism and agnosticism but it also and that this trend would eventually lead to the
prompted reformation and renaissance movements in marginalization of Christianity in the United States. The
traditional religions, in the process challenging them to decline in the Christian population was directly linked to an
distinguish between the core of religion and the corrupting increase in the number of people who are unaffiliated to any
practices that crept into organized religion over the religious institutions. Several Christians the mainstream
centuries. This year (2017) we are celebrating the 500 th
religious group in the United States are drifting away from

anniversary of the Reformation led by Martin Luther in organized religion into either new religious movements or to
Europe, which challenged the corruption in the Roman a secular humanist worldview. Quoting Albert Mohler Jr., a
Catholic Church. Mar Thoma Church itself was born out of leading American evangelical theologian and the President of
such a reformation process in the Malankara Church of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Meacham noted
Kerala. The movements led by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, John A. that the historic foundation of America's religious culture
T. Robinson, Harvey Cox and others in the 20 century th
was cracking. Some churches are seeing a faster decline

represented the protest of a generation that was dissatisfied than others, with the greatest shift happening among the
with the institutional church and yearned for a spirituality that Roman Catholics and mainline Protestants. In particular,
recognized the maturity of human beings (in Bonhoeffers Meacham took note of the decline of Christianity in the
language, mans coming of age). Reform movements were Northeast of the United States, the cradle of the faith in the
not confined to the Christian world alone. M. M. Thomas in New World. With the rise of a secular culture in the Northeast
his monumental study, The Acknowledged Christ of Indian an area where Puritanism, Protestantism, Roman
Renaissance (SCM Press, 1970), focused on the thought of Catholicism and Judaism, have all historically had influence -
Hindu reform leaders like Swami Vivekananda, Mahatma the region has emerged in 2008 as the new stronghold of
Gandhi, S. Radhakrishnan and others and their efforts to the religiously unidentified" (Jon Meacham, The End of
reform Hinduism and respond to the challenge of the Christian America, in Newsweek, 4 April, 2009).
Christian gospel. There were similar reform movements also
in Islam led by Asghar Ali Engineer and others. There were, however, dissenting voices. In a rejoinder to
Meachams article, Soong-Chan Rah countered the thesis
The 21 century, however, brought with it unique challenges.
st
about the decline of Christianity in the United States by

While hostility (or, at least, indifference) towards organized arguing that what is declining in the country is not so much
religion has been a characteristic of the western world for the Christian faith as Europeanized Christianity. In fact,
the last several decades, what has become evident in recent Soong-Chan went on to affirm that American Christianity
years is the sheer number of people who do not want to be may actually be growing, but in unexpected and surprising
identified with any religious group. Compared to Europe, ways. His central argument was that immigrant Christian
America has historically been more tolerant of organized groups are rapidly replacing the space traditionally occupied
religion but that situation too is changing rapidly. According by the Europeanized Christians. To prove his argument,
to a nationwide survey conducted by Pew Research Center Soong-Chan went back to Meachams point about the
in 2016, the share of Americans who do not identify with any decline of Christianity in the Northeast of the United States.
religious group is growing. While such surveys in the 1970s He noted:
and 80s found that fewer than 10% U.S. adults said they
had no religious affiliation, today 23% describe themselves Let's take for example the Northeastern city of Boston in a
as atheists, agnostics or nothing in particular (Gregory A. region of the country that Mohler believes we have "lost." In
Smith & Alan Cooperman, The factors driving the growth of 1970, the city of Boston was home to about 200 churches.
religious nones in the U.S. in Pew Research Center: Thirty years later, there were 412 churches. The net gain in
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/09/14/the- the number of churches was in the growth of the number of
factors-driving-the-growth-of-religious-nones-in-the-u-s/). churches in the ethnic and immigrant communities. While
This phenomenon is true with regard to Canada too. Nearly only a handful of churches in 1970 held services in a
one-quarter of Canadian adults say they have no religion, language other than English, thirty years later, more than half
according to the recent Canadian General Social Survey.

of those churches held services in a language other than following the clarion call of the Truth that Jesus is to the
English. (Soong-Chan Rah (2013) The End of Christianity in world out there. Religionless Christianity is not quite the
America? http://www.patheos.com/resources/additional- same as Godless Christianity, the Christianity of mere
resources/2010/08/end-of-christianity-in-america convenience, of fashion, of arm-chair radicalism, or of anti-
church rebelliousness, as Rev. Thampu put it. Dr. Zac
Stephen Warner, the well-known sociologist of religion, Varghese, on the other hand, argues in his article that
described this phenomenon as the coloring of American Bonhoeffers radical concept reflects his religionless
Christianity and urged the scholars to take note of the fact reinterpretation of Christianity. In this reinterpretation, God is
that a large number of recent immigrants to the United not called upon to solve the problem of pain and suffering,
States, especially from Central and Latin America, Africa and but we as Christians are called to participate with God in
Asia, are Christians. While the immigrants from Central and powerlessness and weakness. The Church, therefore,
Latin America are predominantly Catholic, the Asian requires constant self-examination and renewal in order to
Christian immigrants are mostly Protestant and evangelical. authentically express the spiritual reality they are trying to
This means that the new immigrants represent not the de- represent. Unless renewal plays an essential, constant and
Christianization of American society but the de- ongoing role in the Church, it will over time, drift away from
Europeanization of American Christianity" (R. Stephen its original vision and mission.
Warner, 2004. Coming to America: Immigrants and the
Faith They Bring in The Christian Century (Vol 121, No. 3, As an independent laity initiative of the St. Thomas
https://www.questia.com/magazine/1G1- Christians located in the diaspora, FOCUS has the key role
113232627/coming-to-america-immigrants-and-the-faith- of theologically interpreting to the church the changing
they-bring#/articleDetails). This phenomenon is not typical of religious landscape where traditional patterns are rapidly
the United States alone but is true of most of Europe as well. being replaced by new religious movements and secular
As the population of the traditional Europeanized Christians ideologies. As we observed here, while several sections of
dwindles, they are rapidly being replaced by the immigrant the western world are today shifting culturally to post-
Christians from the South. Christianity and undergoing varying degrees of
secularization, intense and growing religiosity continues to
The discussions of Soong-Chan Rah, Stephen Warner and define the identity of the southern communities including
other scholars hold valuable lessons for us as we reflect on those who have migrated to the west. The first generation
the identity and mission of immigrant Christians, in particular immigrant Christians in the west strive to build up local
St. Thomas Christians of Kerala origin, in the diaspora. In versions of the denominational churches they brought with
their northward migration, the Kerala Christians are called them, but the second and subsequent generations, born and
upon to strike a balance between the social and cultural raised in the west, are more tuned to exploring the wider
realities of their new homes and the values they brought with meaning of spirituality including religionless Christianity. As a
them. The resultant conflicts often gave rise to cultural, whole, the Christians in the diaspora across generations are
social and religious tensions, which become particularly at the cutting edge of the rapid changes in culture, religiosity
pronounced as the immigrant groups took roots in their new and social values. In this sense, traffic across national
homes and second and subsequent generations were born borders is not merely a geographic reality but also a social
and brought up in the diaspora. Prema Kurien, in her recent and spiritual one. Theologically, the church is the community
book, Ethnic Church Meets Megachurch: Indian American of the dispersed the people of God scattered over the face
Christianity in Motion (NYU Press, 2017) argues that the of the earth to witness to the great deeds of God. The whole
immigrants, by their mere presence in their new locations, church shares Christs ministry in the world and the effective
re-articulate the discourse and introduce newer exercise of this ministry must largely be by church members,
perspectives. Within the specific context of the Mar Thoma when they are dispersed in the life of the world.
Church, Kurien examines how migration to the North,
especially during the last few decades, has posed a severe Dr. Jesudas M. Athyal
challenge to the religious and cultural identities of this http://www.issuu.com/diasporafocus
ancient Indian Christian community. That is the account of a http://www.scribd.com/diasporafocus
traditionally pluralist society re-discovering itself in a modern Disclaimer: Diaspora FOCUS is a non-profit organization
pluralist context, in the process raising pertinent questions registered in United States, originally formed in late Nineties in
about the migrants' long-term transnational attachments to London for the Diaspora Marthomites. Now it is an independent
their country of origin, challenging conventional notions of lay-movement of the Diaspora laity of the Syrian Christians; and
assimilation into host countries and relating them to as such Focus is not an official publication of any
questions of religious organizations. denominations. It is an ecumenical journal to focus attention
more sharply on issues to help churches and other faith
Within this larger social and cultural context, several articles communities to examine their own commitment to loving their
neighbors and God, justice, and peace Opinions expressed in
in this issue of FOCUS discuss religionless Christianity in
any article or statements are of the individuals and are not to be
the rapidly changing environment around us. Rev. Valson
deemed as an endorsement of the view expressed therein by
Thampu in his article takes note of the concept of
Diaspora FOCUS. Thanks.
religionless Christianity but warns us that the context today
www.facebook.com/groups/mtfocus
is vastly different from that of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. In our
E-Mail: mtfocusgroup@gmail.com
times we should venture beyond church boundaries only by

The Most Revd Dr. Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan: The Best Is Yet To Be
Dr. P. J. Alexander, I. P. S. (Retired), Trivandrum
Conference. It was a must for most of us, fortunate to
join a College and take the first few tentative steps
towards a career, it was the rare occasion to meet and
interact with the leaders of the Church, both lay and
ordained. Among the participating students came
some of our future members in the Civil Services, in
the Teaching Community, Doctors, Engineers,
Lawyers, other professions, and also our future Clergy.
The contingent from Union Christian College, Alwaye,
was often the largest, with Varkey Achen, the Chaplain
in the lead. Those of us from the Government Colleges
were in ones and twos as we lacked a college-based
community of Mar Thoma students. In the UC College
contingent one year, we were introduced to a tall, well-
built, handsome student, a wee bit reserved, but
actively involved in the Conference schedule.
Someone said that he is a scion of the family of
Malpan Achen and the first four Metropolitans after
Naveekaranam, and perhaps would be an Achen and
The Golden Jubilee of His Grace the Metropolitan, Methrachan in due course. We were all impressed,
Most Revd. Dr. Joseph Mar Thoma entering the really impressed, and of course watched him with a
ministry, as a Kassissa of the Mar Thoma Church, is an sense of awe and respect. That was P. T. Joseph of
occasion to thank the Lord for an exceptional blessing Palakunnath, a senior student of the Union Christian
to the Church, for we have in him an unusual Church College. Those of us, who were inquisitive and
Leader, with unique gifts, talents and abilities. He has concerned for the Church, used to gather information
successfully welded the past, the present and the on his career choice and later were glad to hear that he
future the rich legacy of our past, the many nagging opted for the ministry. That was sixty years ago.
issues and challenges of the day and our soaring
hopes, vision and dreams for the morrow, to take the In fact it was much later, when as an Achen and
Church forward. Looking at Thirumeni at the helm, Travelling Secretary to the Suvisesha Sanghom, that I
with all other Thirumenis with his Kaiveipu, every right had my first direct personal interface with him. I was
thinking Marthomite would pray for his good health then teaching in the University and preparing for my
and long life, to guide the Church during these Civil Services Examination. Achen stayed with us at
turbulent times. The Church needs his leadership and our house at Kampencode and I went with him to visit
cannot do without it. The problem today is not what houses and receive the small contributions from poor
Kottooreth Achen saw in 1893, felt, and went on to Marthomites; they poor were people, but with rich
express through voice choking and tears flowing: commitment to evangelization and ready for sacrifices
Lord, when Moses died you had provided Joshua to for the Church. It was hard work, going about hillocks
lead the people, but now we have no body. . . It is the and bunds of paddy fields all on foot. I think we were
willingness to combine the lessons of the past with the together for about a week and P. T. Joseph Achen had
needs of today and the dreams for tomorrow at all no complaints of the gruelling, punishing schedule. He
levels. The dynamics of Church leadership is collective made a lasting impression on me on his simple,
and continuing; not by fits and starts or long absence, Spartan lifestyle and strong work ethics. It remains so
selective presence or rash display of disruptive after all these years.
tendencies. Among all these His Grace is a stabilising
influence. We are richly benefitted by Thirumenis The next station where we were together was good old
presence at the helm, all these years. My prayer on Calicut, now Kozhikode, and the Head Quarters of the
this occasion is for His blessings on Thirumeni to lead Malabar District where British presence continued
our dear Church for many more years. vigorously till Independence. Even in the early sixties,
the colonial hangover remained in both social-life and
As I look back, the earliest picture that surfaces in my administration. Malabar was in the throes of migration
mind is that of the Annual Mar Thoma Students

from Travancore. Hardy and hardworking people still given to admiring the Whites and their ways. But
carrying tapioca stumps and cuttings of pepper wines the best was solving a vexing problem disturbing the
were buying up land with even dubious titles from the Sunday worship in the Calicut Church, located at the
so called landlords to escape the poverty and misery in very entrance to the City. A group of people, styling
post-war Travancore. We had our presence in Calicut themselves as a Musical Band used to start practicing,
city, thanks to early Planters who developed estates in on Sunday mornings, their old, ill- tuned instruments
Wynad. Nothing beyond Calicut and Calicut was our producing eerie and unusual noises, best suited to
most important Parish with several well-known lay scare wild life away. Several requests by the
leaders and substantial presence of other parishioners to shift the Sunday practice to a slot, a
denominations. The migration to Malabar was little earlier or a little later did not evoke any favorable
continuing and new opportunities were opening up. response. A visit of Thomas Thirumeni was on the
The Catholic Church was in the lead and did cards and everyone was concerned at the cacophony
substantial work among the Chettans, a loose and disrupting the melodious chanting of Thomas
pejorative term for all settlers from Travancore. When a Thirumeni. It was then that they thought of the young
history of the migration from Travancore to Malabar is Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) in charge of
written, the contributions of the Catholic Church the area. On being briefed of the problem, the ASP
deserve to be recorded in golden letters. As one who took over, to the great relief of Joseph Achen.
witnessed the troubles and tragedies to which the first Preliminary studies indicated that the Sunday practice
waves of settlers were victims, I can only say that the sessions were not spurred by any desire to please the
Lord and the Church were with the survivors. The muse of music, but just to embarrass the parishioners,
young Joseph Achen was ready and willing to travel to of whom one was the Landlord and he had requested
interior villages of Malabar and meet our people and them to seek a new premise as he wanted to rebuild
with the support of pioneering Planters and raw the old structure. This was their reply in kind, a dose
bureaucrats like me, give the few, just a handful of of jarring sound, during worship. The young police
Marthomites, a sense of belonging and some self- officer, visited the Band as they held a performance,
confidence. Most of what was done must continue to convinced them that he was deeply impressed, and
remain under wraps because instances are not few requested them to play their music at one of his Police
when raw horns like me interpreted the rules listening Stations where a colleague was retiring. So they
to the still-small-voice and not always to the small came and performed and as time went on, the
prints of Rules and Regulations in Manuals. Be that as appreciative audience asked for favorite tunes, and it
it may, but when on a far away hill, in a very small, was non- stop, no- respite music all the way to late in
grass-thatched shed the Holy Qurbana is celebrated the night. The swelling audience clearly indicated that
by a Thomas Thirumeni, or a Joseph Achen and the the almost swooning listeners would not let the music
suffering Marthomites join the Lords Table with an stop even as day was breaking. Then wisdom too
young IPS officer, who never hesitated to accept them dawned and an assurance was given by the musicians
as fellow believers, well, the Lord cannot but be that there would not be any practice thereafter during
pleased. It was Church building at the rudiments. worship in the Church, and all they wanted was
Roads and bridges were built, even with a little arm- permission to stop the Music Yagna (remember,
twisting and the law looking the other way. Here and cycle yagna, a rage those days) and go home. All the
there small patches of land were acquired for building parishioners welcomed the happy solution and a
Churches. Projects like the Kasargod School for the beaming Joseph Achen did not conceal his relief.
Speech Impaired grew out of such God-inspired Recently, while recalling some similar adventures we
initiatives. Joseph Achen was in the fore in all such thanked God that the Electronic Media had not entered
escapades and clearly hinted that he is an institution- the scene then. Otherwise imagine the Channel
builder. His trail from Trivandrum to Delhi is marked by Sessions and media hype over the music- addiction of
a variety of institutions he built up or encouraged the Police.
others to build. Planning for the future of the Church,
its growth and development are his main concerns and Thirumeni had a long spell as a parish priest, nearly
these flow through his veins. fourteen years and it indeed helped him to learn all the
ropes, those that strangle and those that untie. He was
Our stay in Calicut was not without its flip side. We good at cutting many a Gordian knot to the utter
used to go for small treks and picnics and also to visit disappointment of all those who opt for a shortcut or a
Rubber and Tea Estates of Marthomites and other fast buck, Thirumeni knew the number of bricks, the
friends. I confess to a little shikar on the side, which quantity of mortar and the labor required to build a wall
was encouraged and appreciated by the local gentry or dig a well. Growing up with Titus II, he also had the

inimitable opportunity to learn all that a Prelate of the Let me conclude with an observation about his love
Mar Thoma Church should know, practice, cherish, and respect for the Lay Leaders of the Church. The
and safeguard. He had learned by heart all or most of beautiful memorial, at the most appropriate spot in
the prayers and songs long before he became an Trivandrum for T. M. Varghese, who led the struggle
Achen. On special occasions Thirumeni, could be for responsible government in Travancore, and the
persuaded to use the songs and prayers, which Titus II tallest leader of the State Congress would not have
used while celebrating the Holy Qurbana. A couple of materialized but for Thirumenis interest and initiative.
lines from one of these had found its way to the Court, It was Thirumeni who goaded me to take the
thanks to the late K. N. Daniel who alleged preference leadership and use my influence with our political
to Orthodox practices on the part of the saintly leaders, in and out of office, for the Memorial. And lo
Juhannon Thirumeni. Notwithstanding this unhappy and behold, this Marthomite, who has worked with
association, Thirumeni has always obliged, to the national leaders like Panditji, would love to be an usher
immense satisfaction and profound happiness of at Maramon, and would strengthen Abraham Mar
people like me who are proud of and deeply respect Thoma to defy the all-powerful Diwan of Travancore,
our sacred, very sacrosanct, and unique traditions. stands there in everlasting bronze and granite, a fitting
Thirumeni picked up his Syriac also from the same tribute from a grateful community. It also loudly
source and as everyone knows he can use it as good declares the position our Church took in the freedom
as any other Syrian Christian prelate of our Sister struggle in Travancore.
Churches. There have been occasions when slightly
irritated by the Tyranny of the Commercial Thirumeni never forgets the balance the Church has to
Orchestra, poised to hijack the very marriage maintain between laity and clergy. He forgives,
ceremony, Thirumeni has held forth in Syriac chanting perhaps a bit too soon, errant behavior on the part of
from start to finish, including punctuations, to the utter Achens. The Aymenis are always forgiven though
shock and dismay of all others, including our Achens their conduct, for instance in the Mandalam, would
and total discomfiture of the Orchestra. Enjoying the compel an exemplary disapproval leading to expulsion.
performance every bit, I used to recall Bishop His magnanimity is proverbial, those who benefit from
Fenwicks observations on Palakunnath Malpan it keep it to themselves, keeping their mouths tightly
Achens contributions to preserving Syriac, as is used shut, while those who hoped for more, but could not
by our sister Churches, though it was Malpan Achen get all, nurse petty grouses and loses and go on airing
who started worship in Malayalam, extempore. their grievances, forgetting the beauty of love and
gratitude. Well, Thirumeni does not take either
Thirumeni is blessed with an excellent memory besides seriously to heart. Like, Burke, he believes that a great
being blessed with an equally excellent sense of empire and little minds go ill-together. He is large-
history. He is indeed heir to the legacy of Abraham hearted, magnanimous, and generous to a fault. He
Malpan and that of Metropolitan Mathews Mar gets angry too soon and forgets his anger also too
Athanasius the Great, and his three successors from soon. How I wish, we understood this unique, good,
the Palakunnath family. These rare traits and genes generous, large-hearted and absolutely committed
have contributed to make him unique, singular, and taskmaster who works hard and expects others too, to
outstanding. The way he faced a spell of ill health is a be like him. His hours of work are astoundingly long
shining example of his courage, determination and and elastic.
fortitude. The Lord healed him and he cooperated by
rigorous self-discipline and towering faith nothing We need him for many more years. The Lord knows
short of a miracle. the Church needs him. And I pray for his good health
and long life to guide the Church fast, forward.
I could go on recalling vignettes and incidents in which
Thirumeni is ever and always the hero and the villains Editorial Note: Dr. P. J. Alexander, I. P. S. (retired I. G of
are inevitably and always vanquished. In fact having Police of Kerala) is an eminent lay leader of the Mar
had the privilege to edit two Festschrifts on Thirumeni, Thoma Church. He obtained his doctorate in criminology
The Mar Thoma Church: Tradition and Modernity on and was one of the distinguished police officers of the
the occasion of the Episcopal Silver Jubilee in 2000 Kerala government. His contributions for the growth of
and Heritage and Development in the Mission of the the Mar Thoma Church are many. He has published
Mar Thoma Church on the occasion of his 80th several books including Heritage and Development in the
Birthday in 2011, my stock of materials stand Mission of the Church. He is settled in Trivandrum and
also teaches as an emeritus professor at various law
replenished, sufficient for a fitting Volume for the
schools and also acts as guide for doctoral students.
Navathi, if He so wills.

The Most Rev. Dr. Joseph Mar Thoma - The 21st
Metropolitan of the 21st Century
Dr. P. John Lincoln, Lubbock, USA
What an honor for me when I received an E-mail from my as though they are in a heavenly abode. His theme of life
good old friend Dr. Zac Varghese, London, asking me to is love one another. Dr. Joseph Mar Thoma is a lover of
write an article for the publication of Diaspora FOCUS in God and a lover of mankind. He has a personality and
October honoring our Metropolitan, Dr. Joseph Mar character unshakable to criticism and opposition. He
Thoma. During the Silver Jubilee of his Episcopacy a always believes that necessity is the mother of invention.
similar publication was done, in which I also submitted an He is aware that rules and regulations are very important
article for publication. Today I am privileged to write one as a leader of the church, but when it comes to
more article for his Diamond Jubilee ordination. humanitarian circumstances, then rules and regulations
are secondary. He values life more than anything and
The Mar Thoma Syrian church is his family, which was that is why he is called the shepherd who enlightens the
reformed from the Jacobite Church. Abraham Malpan suffering souls. He has extended a helping hand to all
from Palakunnathu and a few other Malpans jointly who need it, including his critics and those who consider
geared to introduce reformation changes in the church in themselves as his enemies. He is always at close
1843. This was the family chosen by God for this proximity for the tormented families, sick people or those
movement. There were four other Metropolitans from the who have lost their loved ones. His needs and care for
same Palakunnathu family who headed the church until his own health always comes second to others in need.
1943. If they would not have sacrificed their lives for such
a calling and dedicated their lives they would have not He was awarded his first doctorate in 1985 from Virginia
generated a great multitude of population in this Theological Seminary, where I was also one of the
community. Celibacy is not for all but it is only for the invitees, and the second one in 2007 from Serampore
called ones. To my understanding he is the last link of Theological College. He still keeps up good relationships
the Palakunnathu family genealogy to be a Metropolitan. with all his teachers, friends, fellow clergy and Bishops
This Mar Thoma Church is historical, evangelical and of within the Mar Thoma Church and interdenominationally.
course with great heritage, respected by global churches. Some people may feel that he is serious and a difficult
The church was formed on a one-on-one relationship with person to approach, but after knowing him for so long
Gods agape love and continues in that path today. and dealing with him closely I know him to be very
Power and dictatorship are unseen in the church as it is personable, easy to approach and gentle in action. I
democratic in origin. To start with it was a small church consider him to be a good shepherd who can spark
but had a wonderful relationship and efficient leadership. inspiration into any hopeless person. In his life he has
Reformation and translation of the liturgy into native had to undergo many metamorphoses as a common man
language made the worship meaningful for the called upon to be a clergy, Ramban, Episcopa, Suffragan
participants. This introduced people to have a personal Metropolitan and finally as the fifth Metropolitan from the
relationship with God rather than following and Palakunnathu family today after 60 years. He is a good
performing rituals to please God. I have had the privilege soldier as he is always in the forefront undefeated
to see Abraham Mar Thoma, Yuhanon Mar Thoma, and I because he knows God is lifting him up. I consider him to
have had the privilege to work with Dr. Alexander Mar be a modern day Moses.
Thoma, Dr. Philipose Mar Chrysostom Mar Thoma, and
our present Dr. Joseph Mar Thoma and all other His day always starts at 4:00am on his knees talking with
Episcopas before and after him. his Father in heaven face to face for strength and
guidance. Even though his days are long with
I have known Dr. Joseph Mar Thoma for the past 50 humanitarian services, all his office work is completed
years. My cousins, who were his college classmates, before sunrise. He has been chosen out in this
know him more closely, even before he became an generation as a member of the Royal priesthood, called
ordained priest. I have known Thirumeni since 1968 to out of darkness into His marvelous light. He does not
the present, which is 50 years. I have known him from have any enemies because he considers all to be his
the time he served as our vicar of the Madras Mar Thoma friends. He is a good friend to all and his love to all is
Church, a young Achen with a heavy beard and a deep shown in his actions.
and powerful voice and was an eloquent speaker. His
voice was melodious and his chants were appealing for a In this maddening labyrinth of times when we are tossed
soul thrusting worship service. He uses some Syriac by storm and flood, but Dr. Joseph Mar Thoma is
language in the Holy Qurbana service making people feel grounded as his spirit clings to God. St. Chrysostom

once said, Depart from the highway and transplant honor of showing their love and sharing their appreciation
thyself in some enclosed ground for it is hard for a tree, of this great man and leader. My family and I wish him
which stands by the wayside to keep her fruit till it good health and a long life so that he can carry out his
ripens. The statement, to keep her fruit till it ripens is calling to bless this great church with his good will.
another way of saying that it takes a long time to achieve
excellence and maturity. A barren tree will always have A Felicitation on the Diamond Jubilee
many leaves but will never get hurt or pelted because it
has no fruit. When there is plenty of fruit on a wayside of the Ordination of
tree it may get hurt time and time again. I compare Dr. The Most Revd Dr. Joseph Mar
Joseph Mar Thoma to that big tree with plenty of fruit for
all to enjoy.
Thoma Metropolitan
He is like an older brother to me and my family. He
solemnized my marriage in 1970. I had the great privilege
of attending his Episcopal Consecration in Tiruvalla in
1975. Even after becoming an Episcopa our relationship
has never changed. In 1985, I was invited to the
University of Virginia to attend his doctoral convocation.
He has always been available for all my familys needs.
He conducted all three of my childrens marriages and all
my grandchildrens baptisms in spite of his health
limitations. I feel like I have the freedom to discuss and
share all our family matters with him since our families
have known each other for a long time.
Dr. Joseph Mar Thoma is a visionary, organizer and a

great builder. He has given helping hands to build
healthcare institutions, university colleges, postgraduate
institutions and vocational training institutions. He always
has constructive ideas and is a go-getter. No job is too
little for him. The Maramon Convention is always in his
thoughts and there is not a moment that goes by without
him making plans for the next convention. He is very
involved in organizations and has been president of
Kerala Council of Churches, National Council of Churches
and Christian Council of Asia. His involvement with the
World Council of Churches has allowed the Mar Thoma
Church to have an important role in ecumenism. He Sixty amazing years have passed since the Most Revd Dr.
always extends his undivided support to those suffering Joseph Mar Thoma has become a priest of the Mar
and in need after natural calamities like earthquakes, Thoma Church on October 18, 1957. He has been a
tsunamis, floods and hurricanes. bishop for 42 years and a Metropolitan for the last ten
years. The Editorial Board of the FOCUS rejoices in
I have known Dr. Joseph Mar Thoma for the past 50
thanking God for the life and ministry of our Metropolitan
years. He considers our home as his own and visits us
at the Diamond Jubilee of his ordination as a priest. Four
when he can every year. I have also taken care of his
articles in this issue highlight the multifaceted personality
dental needs for a very long time. I have never seen him
of this servant of God who is deeply committed to Gods
have any health problems, but for a few years his health
mission, ministry, and administration of the Church. The
has been a little disturbed, but due to timely care from his
focus of his ministry is to express Gods unconditional
healthcare professionals guided by Gods providence, he
love, care and service to the least and the lost. Thirumeni
is gaining momentum in his health day by day. God has
transforms problems into opportunities to live out the
given him more favor in the midst of his disturbed health
Gospel in everyday realities of life. We pray that God may
to continue to do his duties as the Metropolitan. He still
continue to bless our Metropolitan Thirumeni, use him for
travels inter-continentally attending to his calling in spite
guiding the Church and its growth, and glorifying God.
of his health.
The Editorial Board: Dr. Zac Varghese. London, Dr. Titus
I could fill this entire book by myself with a magnitude of
Mathews, Calgary, Revd Dr. M. J. Joseph, Kottayam, Lal
knowledge, appreciation and love of Dr. Joseph Mar
Varghese, Esq., Dallas, Revd Dr. Valson Thampu,
Thoma, but I will conclude so that others may have the
Trivandrum, Dr. Jesudas Athyal, Chennai

His Grace the Most Rev. Dr. Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan
Lal Varghese, Esq., Dallas
The place Maramon and river Pampa are part and parcel
of Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan since he was born
and brought up on the banks of river Pampa in Maramon.
Metropolitan is a very simple man with lot of humor in his
private speeches. The speakers for the Maramon
convention use to stay during the earlier period at
Palakunnath house before the present retreat center was
built. As an young boy (baby was his pet name) he spent
memorable time famous speakers including Dr.
Sherwood Eddy and Dr. Stanley Jones, which prompted
Thirumeni to the mission and then gradually in to the
ministry of the Church. Beginning Abraham Malpan
through the first four Mar Thoma Metropolitans, the
Palakunnath family played a key role in reforming the
Church especially after the Royal Court verdict in 1889,
during which time the Church lost everything it had, but
Thomas Mar Athanasius led the reformed group of the
Malankara Syrian Church which helped the Church to
grow to its present status. It is quite natural that Joseph
Mar Thoma inherited the rich legacy of Palakunnath
family including the commitment and leadership quality of
the forefathers of the Church. He is a conservative person
Photo taken after enthronement on October 2, 2007 in religious matters but always willing to accept the
challenges of the society. One example is his ability in
His Grace the Most Rev. Dr. Joseph Mar Thoma was born leading and guiding the Church and the society to accept
to Maramon Palakkunnathu Kadone Lukose and Puthoor the transgender community and the mission started
Mariamma on June 27, 1931. Thirumeni was ordained as among them through the Mumbai Diocese.
a Deacon on June 29, 1957 and as Kassessa on October
18, 1957. Subsequently on January 11, 1975, Thirumeni Thirumeni knew very well that the ministry would be
was ordained as Ramban and consecrated as Episcopa difficult and hence he kept himself away from it when
on February 8, 1975. Thirumeni was designated as family members suggested him to join the full ministry of
Suffragan Metropolitan on March 15, 1999 and enthroned the Church. When his uncle Titus II was sick, young
as the 21st Mar Thoma of the Church on October 02, Joseph spent most of his weekend during his high school
2007. days (1940 1944) taking care of the ailing Metropolitan.
Abraham Mar Thoma, who was the Suffragan
Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan hails from the famous Metropolitan during that time, influenced him so much to
Palakkunnath family in Maramon from where the Mar become an ordained minister of the Church. He joined at
Thoma Church had Abraham Malpan, the reformer of the U. C. College, Alwaye in 1948, one of the very few
Malankara Syrian Church in Kerala and the first four Christian colleges during that time, for intermediate and
Bishops of the Mar Thoma Church namely Mathews Mar also completed his bachelors degree in economics as
Athanasius, Thomas Mar Athanasius, Titus I, and Titus II. major and political science subsidiary. After completing
He had his theological education at the United his studies Joseph was thinking about a teaching position
Theological College, Bangalore and Protestant Episcopal at U. C. College, but the Church wanted him to become a
Seminary in Virginia, USA. He also studied in Canterbury priest and he obliged to the invitation letter sent by
and Oxford. He was awarded the honorary degree of Secretary to attend the interview for Vaideeka selection.
Doctor of Divinity by Virginia Seminary. Thirumeni has He was hesitant to accept the Church sponsorship for
been confirmed with honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity theological study, which would have forced him to
from Serampore University, Calcutta. He was the become a priest of Mar Thoma Church. With the
President of the National Council of Churches in India and permission from then Metropolitan Yuhanon Mar Thoma,
Member of Executive Committees of different Joseph joined as an independent student at Union
development agencies like CASA and ECLOF. At present Theological Seminary, Bangalore. After graduating in
he is one of the senior Presidents of CCA and the 1957, Rev. K. P. Philip, then Vicar of Maramon Church
chairman of CASA. helped young Joseph to take the decision to join the

fulltime ministry in Mar Thoma Church. He became an Kattanam, recent development projects for Vellore
ordained minister of the Mar Thoma Church in October Guidance Center are examples of Thirumeni leadership
1957. Thus Joseph Mar Thoma is completing 60 years in and vision about providing quality education and care to
this October 2017 as a priest of the Mar Thoma Church. those who are in need. Starting dialysis at reduced
charges for poor people both at Kattanam and Kumbanad
Initially, he was given charge of parishes around Ranni at his initiative shows his caring nature for the poor
with a salary of about Rs. 55 per month. In 1959, he was people. The Church at the desire of Metropolitan has
appointed as traveling secretary of Mar Thoma initiated the snehakaram Project when Thirumeni
Evangelistic Association which helped him to interact with completed 80 years by providing free cataract surgery for
various mission fields in Kerala and different parts of poor people. Thirumeni was elevated to Suffragan
India. Rev. P. T. Joseph was a perfectionist and very Metropolitan on March 15, 1999 and finally to
diligent in every thing. If any program is not well planned Metropolitan on Oct. 2, 2007. Thirumeni is also
or goes beyond control it is natural that he gets upset completing 10 years as Metropolitan of the Mar Thoma
often, which drew several criticisms in the past and also Church in October 2017, a time during which a lot of false
at present. It is not because he is arrogant, but he wants allegations were leveled against Thirumeni from various
everything to be done perfectly and in an orderly manner. sources.
In 1963 when he was making preparations to take charge
parish in Delhi, the Synod asked him to take charge of the The newly built Poolatheen for Metropolitan led to several
Malabar region where lot of people from central controversies in the Church, but everyone forget the
Travancore began settling during that time. It was a reality that the Poolatheen in which Metropolitan was
challenging experience for Metropolitan especially the staying was built in 1964. His leadership and commitment
majority of the people in that region was Muslims. to the Church is often being criticized. He will do anything
for the priests who need his support. Recently, when one
Later Thirumeni joined Protestant Episcopal Seminary in of our Achen has to transplant his liver, Metropolitan took
Virginia where he specialized in Reformation theology by initiative and send that Achen to Vellore and the liver was
studying in detail the writings of Martin Luther, Cramer successfully transplanted and the Achen recovered
and Bonhoeffer. In 1966 he joined Oxford and obtained completely. As per the Kalpana of Metropolitan enough
his masters degree in Divinity and Sacred Theology. He funds was raised for the treatment of that Achen. I had
returned to Kerala in 1967 and served as parish priest at the privilege to interact with Thirumeni since 1984 while I
Madras, Kundara and Trivandrum until December 1974. was practicing as an Advocate at Pathanamthitta.
He was consecrated as a Ramban on January 11, 1975 at
Trichur and consecrated as a Bishop on February 8, 1975 Even though Thirumeni is subject to several controversies
by choosing the name of St. Irenaeus, a 2nd century recently, theyre none to come in par with his leadership
theologian, who was martyred during Roman persecution. and bravery in making decisions. Thirumeni stands out as
Thirumeni served as Bishop of Kollam Kottarakara a prominent Christian leader, still making his own identity
(1975-1980), Delhi Bombay (1980-1988), Trivandrum and it is glorious moment in his life to complete 60 years
Quilon (1988-1997) and Adoor- Mavelikara (1997- 2007) of ministry in His service. His boldness to face any
His determination to success in everything he does is controversies and extra ordinary courage remain firm on
always related to his quest for excellence and perfection. his stand makes him a different person. This trait of
His determination to get things done at any cost often strong determination and stupendous sturdiness enables
puts himself into difficult situations but he has the ability Metropolitan Thirumeni to move ahead as a successful
to turn around all disadvantages to possibilities. His leader without being fallen as a prey to many false
leadership qualities are excellent which proved during allegations. His words are with a tone of authority, which
Kuwait crisis and he took extra leadership to provide all is not pleasing to many, but he is very good person and a
support for those returned to Kerala. He is an ecumenical friend in need to anyone who approaches him for help.
leader associated with KCC, NCCI, CASA, ECLOFF and He seldom stoops for pressures and never afraid of
several other national and international organizations. criticisms of whatever nature. His courage, probably
received from Abraham Malpan and all four Mar Thomas
Joseph Mar Thoma is builder of the Church, both building from Palakunnath family makes him a leader of his own
the people and building the structures. His approach to kind and nature, which helps him to carry out his
the common view that Church is for building people and responsibilities under any circumstances whether cordial
not for building structures his reply will be Church is for or confronting. I wish and pray that our Lord may
both building people and building the structures and continue to keep Metropolitan Thirumeni under His
without structures a Church cannot build its people and providence to lead and guide Mar Thoma Church in to the
community around. St. Thomas School in Trivandrum, St. unknown future.
Thomas School, Ranchi, St. Thomas School, Singapore,
The College of Science and Technology, Ayoor, higher Source: Heritage and Development in the Mission of the Church,
education facilities at St. Thomas Mission Hospital, Dr. Alexander, P.J. (Ed.), 2011.

Dr. Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan-A Karmayogi with a Difference
Revd Dr. M. J. Joseph, Kottayam
I am indeed grateful for the opportunity to write a brief As we search for a life and its lessons, we need to search
felicitation article on Dr. Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan first or the already written records available with us. On
as the Metropolitan Thirumeni is completing 60 years in the occasion of his Episcopal Silver Jubilee (2000), a
the Ordained Ministry of the Church of which 42 years as Festschrift Volume under the title, The Mar Thoma-
Episcopa (1975-) including 10 years (2007-) as the 21st Tradition and Modernity- was published. I was also a
Metropolitan of the Mar Thoma Church. Therefore, it is member of the editorial board and Dr. P. J. Alexander
quite fitting that the Church should take this opportunity was its convener and editor. There are several articles of
to thank God for all the blessings received through the Reminiscences (13) and Reflections on the Main Theme
Episcopal ministry and leadership of His Grace. (24-articles). In several of the articles of reminiscences,
Thirumeni is qualified as a peoples bishop. In an article
I would like to recall my association with Thirumeni as a under the title, Mission of the Mar Thoma Church in the
clergyman of the Church. My parents hail from Maramon global context, Dr. Zac Varghese wrote: . . . he (Rev. P.
where Thirumeni was born. His Grace always keeps his T .Joseph) is born to be a bishop of the Mar Thoma
ancestral and native relationships in mind and responds Church. . . Here was an Achen who utterly proud of the
to situations with genuine love and affection. My family is rich heritage of the Church and was fully aware of the role
greatly indebted to him as Thirumeni found time to visit that his family played in the preservation and restoration
our home at Valiyakavu, Ranni after the passing away of of the great traditions of St. Thomas Christians of
my father in 1987 by crossing a flooded canal. I am sure Malankara. In an erudite article in the Second Festschrift
others also will have such stories to tell. I remember to volume, Rev. Dr. Mathew Daniel, speaks highly of
have read an article written by Thirumeni in the Thirumenis commitment to the heritage of the Malankara
Newspaper on the spirituality of Onam Celebrations in his Church. Yes, he has the passion to preserve the
native place and talked about the social harmony timeless while adapting to the times (Dr. Zac Varghese).
contributed by the Boat Race at Pamba River and other Search for the timeless is to get involved in the affairs
festivities in the neighborhood of Maramon. I am indeed of the world as a good steward of God. In his association
surprised to know that he still remembers his old friends with CSI-CNI-MTC Joint Council, NCCI, ECLOF, CCA,
and associates in the area and makes a visit to their WCC and other ecumenical bodies as a negotiator,
homes with a message of consolation and care. One Thirumeni has proved his leadership qualities with a
should remember that the Risen Lord did not forget his difference. I am sure his recent leadership in Church
earthly friend, Mary, even in his new status as the Risen union negotiation with the Syrian Orthodox (Jacobite)
Lord by calling her by name, Mary. Dr. Joseph Mar Church will help the Mar Thoma Church to strengthen its
Thoma always finds time to rejoice with those who age-old Malankara identity. Each of the Bishops and
rejoice and weep with those who weep (Rom.12: 15). Metropolitans of the Mar Thoma Church has been
Thirumeni always finds time to lead the funeral service of endowed with a particular charisma. St. Paul reminds us
Achens without fail if found in the Aramana. I have we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to
noticed in him great concern and compassion for the us(Rom.12: 6). The second Festschrift volume (2011)
clergymen of the Church, if found in their ministerial entitled, Heritage and Development in the mission of the
problems. I remember with gratitude to God for the Church, published on Thirumenis 80th birthday contains
presence of the Metropolitan Thirumeni as the chief guest articles of reminiscences and tributes (15) and essays
when I bid farewell to ECC, Bangalore in 2006.Later on relating to heritage and development in the mission of the
His Grace wrote a Foreword to my Golden Jubilee Church (55- articles). I too was a member of the editorial
Felicitation volume, The Golden Beams. When I took over board and Dr. P. J. Alexander was its Chief Editor. In its
the responsibility as the convener of the Ecological preface, Dr. Alexander wrote: . . . The Festschrift is a
Commission of the Church, he has demonstrated great collection of papers written by a galaxy of eminent
concerns for the ecological concerns as the patron of the people, both from the ordained ministry and the laity,
Commission. A student of the Serampore College has from India and abroad. . . During his long tenure as a
written a B. D. Thesis on Thirumenis ecological priest, a Bishop and the Metropolitan, His Grace has
perspectives in the mission of the Church. I also found made a large number of friends, has a number of
time to guide him. There are several noble pastoral traits admirers and those who are quite fond of him who
such as liturgical and missional concerns are his appreciate his zeal and commitment to work, and his
Episcopal ministry for which the Church has reasons to ability to face problems and crises. Needless to say, as
thank God. The footprints a leader leaves on the sands of a Karma yogi, his focus is on possibilities rather than on
time are lessons for the future generations to imitate and problems. Thirumeni has had several opportunities to do
innovate. something for Gods glory. The Institutions he had

established in different parts of India have several stories THE LARVA AND THE BUTTERFLY
to tell. Arise, awake, stop not until your goal is Revd Dr. M. J. Joseph, Kottayam
achieved(Vivekananda) is Thirumenis work ethic. For
him, understanding is deeper than knowledge. There are I am a butterfly.
many people who know us. But there are very few who How could I have been a larva once?
understand us. The three pillars of success such as I dont like to be compared to a larva,
commitment, persistence and courage are quite visible Its below my dignity.
in all the initiatives under taken by Thriumeni as an
Episcopa of the Church. As an ecumenical leader and Look at my pomp and show;
head of the Church, Thirumeni believes in the words of Look at my attire,
wisdom attributed to Buddha: When you move your See the colors on my seamless coat,
focus from competition life becomes a celebration. Never Watch the way I live and command.
try to defeat people, just win their hearts. One should
There are so many at my side!
always keep in mind the words of wisdom uttered by the
Many touch my feet!
sages: Bad people give you experience; worst people I dont go to any one,
give you a lesson and best people give you memories. All are all coming to me.
So also weak people revenge us; strong people forgive us
and intelligent people ignore others misdeeds. The The Larva turned to the butterfly and said,
Metropolitan, being a Karma yogi is being carried away Remember you had a past;
by the life principle of Dr. A. P. J Abdulkalam: If an egg Your past is a continuation of my present.
is broken from outside forces life ends; if broken by inside You had undergone a period of metamorphosis.
force life begins and great things always begin from You were once ugly in the sight of others;
inside. The humanitarian initiatives he had launched in You were confined to your coffin;
the Church particularly Snehakaram, rehabilitation of the You were destined to be a prey of others;
Transgenders, radical concerns for the deaf and the You seem to have forgotten the dark spots in your life.
dumb school & college at Kasaragod, institutions of
medical and humanitarian care testify to this. This is the As the larva and the butterfly were arguing,
legacy that has been handed down to the Church as the There came a crow;
The crow said: hallow butterfly,
Metropolitan of the Church. Let us, therefore, thank God
You were once helpless;
for these bold concerns. O Come, let us sing to the You would have been my prey,
Lord(Ps.95:1). I allowed you to survive;
It was my mercy, nothing but mercy.
There are a few who have misunderstood the
Metropolitan for reasons of their own. This has been Live in gratitude to your begetter;
found in the history of the Church right from its early Live without any arrogance;
period . One may come across several opponents of Live in humility;
Jesus during his earthly ministry and in the gentile Remember the past;
ministry of St. Paul. It has been rightly said, When some Your making is a story in different stages.
is so sweet to you dont expect that person will like you
all the time. Remember, even the sweet chocolate has its Butterfly said to the Crow:
expiry date! If our theology does not lead us to love Forgive me; I had forgotten my past;
My beautiful attire had deluded me;
others, we should question our theology. In his style of
My ability to fly above the lake made me proud,
functioning, Metropolitan Thirumeni is always being Now I know that my beauty is a threat to my life;
guided by the Chanakya philosophy of life: I am The Death trap is at my doorstep.
thankful to those who left me, because they taught me, I
can do it alone. Walk alone; walk alone, if they do not * This poem, describing metamorphosis of an ugly larva to a
follow you (Rabindranath Tagore). The work principle beautiful butterfly, is as a most interesting metaphor for our
held to his chest by Rattan Tata is well known. None can spiritual transformation and liberation. Human beings also
destroy iron, but its own rust can. Likewise none can have the potential for such transformation and liberation
destroy a person, but his own mind set can. . . The true through the grace of God. Transformation is a divinely guided
measure of success lies not so much in what one has process by which a human being becomes a spiritual being and
achieved, but in knowing about to what extend he or she attains freedom in Christ. However, we should be careful that
has touched the lives of others. our spiritual transformation does not lead us to pride.
Mentorship and fellowship with other believers would help us to
May God of Grace continue to bless the Metropolitan continue our pilgrims journey with humility and thanksgiving
Thirumeni with good health and cheer for the glory of His (Editorial reflection)
name.

RELIGIONLESS CHRISTIANITY
Revd Dr. Valson Thampu, Trivandrum
Historical Christianity indwells the dynamic space But God is our Father in heaven! Do fathers expect
between Christ-less church and Churchless Christ. children to beg?
Christ-less church is biblical. Its prototype is the church
at Laodicea, where Jesus is seen knocking, apparently So, here it is. The seed of churchy Christianity as well as
interminably, at the door of the church to be allowed in. her commercialized alter ego, is this begging. The Mall of
This church is too busy worshipping him to abide in Christianity faith healing, miracle-mongering, and, in the
him. Churchless Christ is history, where he is alive; and past, sale of indulgences and every unconscionable
like all things alive, in healthy disregard of the lines of stratagem to put your hands into the pockets of
belief and heresy that man draws on the shifting sands believers- has been erected on this misleading distortion:
of time. Between the two stands the believer, in religiosity as begging and cringing. This discomposed
simmering, low-grade bewilderment that he dares not Bonhoeffer; for begging is a hindrance to human growth.
confess to himself. Why, do you think, Jesus emphasized, Does not your
Father know what you need? Why did he forbid the
It was such a state a very acute state that forced awkward, self-demeaning practice of degrading praying
Dietrich Bonhoeffer to wonder about the essence of his to a delirious whirligig of words, denatured further, in
biblical faith and its correspondence to the church. (The some traditions, with the hysterics and histrionics of
disjunction between the two, by the way, is a serious speaking in tongues? (Jesus says, Do not use your
issue only for those who take their faith-life seriously, as tongue too much when you pray; and, right away, we
Bonhoeffer did. For nominal Christianity, it is an issue begin to speak in tongues!) And why did he teach a
only of academic interest that can wait to be addressed model prayer of such quiet and profound dignity? The
at leisure.) Prisons have been, all through history, Lords Prayer, by itself, suffices, if understood aright, to
crucibles of insights. Spiritually, prisons belong together shut down the shops of many a religious charlatan, who
with deserts, forests and mountaintops, to mans goes round cozening nave people out of the little that
rendezvous with truth. Spiritually aglow in the Tegel they have.
Military Detention Centre in the dying and manic years of
Nazism, he wrote: Religionless Christianity? Sounds very strange, no? But
does it have to? Wasnt that the way it all began. Yet,
What keeps gnawing at me is the question, what is Bonhoeffer got it semantically wrong. He equates the
Christianity, or who is Christ actually for us today? The Way of Jesus with Christianity, like we all do; or are
age when we could tell people that with wordswhether conditioned to do. The followers of Jesus were called
with theological or with pious wordsis past, as is the Christians in Antioch for the first time (Acts. 11:26). This
age of inwardness and of conscience, and that means is a crucial stage in the history of Christianity. It marks
the age of religion altogether. We are approaching a the shift from being identified with Christ to being labeled
completely religionless age; people as they are now in terms of church. Antioch marks the transition from
simply cannot be religious anymore. Even those who Christ to Church.
honestly describe themselves as religious arent really
practicing that at all; they presumably mean something It is analogous to what is recorded in the eleventh
quite different by religious. chapter of Genesis: the Tower of Babel. Babelites, for
whom God had been the point of cohesion, unity and
Letters and Papers from Prison. (Bonhoeffer was identity, attempt to erect an alternative: the Tower of
executed on 8 April 1945.) Pride. This Tower, though destroyed, resurfaces,
millennia later, as the Temple of Jerusalem- the
Note this one thing: the core spiritual experience for sanctified Tower, if you like, of Judaic religious pride
Bonhoeffer, as death breathed down on his shoulders, (appropriately also the setting of the second temptation
was that of asking. Unlike us, he knew asking, or of Christ. Also, dont forget, Jesus ridiculed the
interrogating, was not impious; for didnt Jesus say, Ask importance that the Jews attached to this Temple. There
and it will be given you. But, Malayalees have been would have been, dont you think, a spiritual and
done in by translation. In its Malayalam avatar, ask prophetic purpose in doing so?
becomes beg (or, yaachippeen). Thats what
generations of Malayalee Christians have been doing: An ordained priest, I have experienced, though in a much
begging to God, begging in the name of God and, worse, milder form, the perplexity that tormented Bonhoeffer in
begging to those who claim to be mediators between detention. Allow me to be a bit autobiographical and
them and God. bring Metropolitan Philipose Mar Chrysostom (Valiya

Thirumeni) into this discussion. While in Maramon, One Father, One Son, one Word, one Spirit but not one
halfway though with one of my preaching assignments church. The Body of Christ continues to remain torn
there, Valiya Thirumeni, who has always been kind and apart. Crucifixion continues through competitive, virulent
affectionate to me, asked- denominationalism.
Achen, which church do you belong to? As a preacher of the Word, I have been afflicted by
another concern. Jesus came for all; but Christianity is
I replied, CSI is my mother church, but I am ordained in only for Christians, or only those who become Christians.
CNI Pre-conditions were alien to the Jesus I knew in the
Gospels. Come to me ALL ye, who labour and are
Doesnt that make you, Valiya Thirumeni said, with a heavy laden Has church become a prison for the
mischievous smile, a hypocrite, one who travels in two Word and Way of Jesus? If so, wouldnt Bonhoeffers
boats at the same time? No, Thirumeni, I said, it religion-less Christianity be a liberation for the biblical
doesnt, because both boats are going in the same faith?
direction. That was the moment Chrysostom Thirumeni
was waiting for- That was my fear. Both are headed in There is yet another problem I have had to battle, as one
the same direction. who sought to take the Way of Jesus into the business
and bosom of all people. There is a huge wall separating
It made me think. Did I get it wrong in assuming that all the church from the society at large. Yet, this very
churches are headed in the same direction? Are they? If church is mandated to be the salt of the earth and the
they are, are they moving, in step with Jesus, in the light of the world! Is Jesus or the Gospel to blame for
direction of the Kingdom of God? Are they moving at all? this? Or, has the church built these protective and self-
imprisoning walls?
Now let me connect this to Bonhoeffers anguish. He
wrote, If religion is only the garb in which Christianity is Strangway Orridge, was an Anglo-Indian, Catholic
clothedand this garb has looked very different in student of mine. He was a thorough gentleman, earnest
different ages what is religion-less Christianity. about his faith and an active member of my chapel
congregation. He fell in love with a Hindu fellow student.
Maybe, I should share with the readers one more
They decided to marry. He knocked at the gate of his
experience before I reflect further on this searching
mother church and was rebuffed. I conducted the
question; for it brings us face-to-face with our theme-
wedding, some thirty years ago, on the scenic banks of a
A Catholic convent in Delhi was celebrating its Jubilee. river in Rishikesh. The ceremony was attended largely by
The sisters of the order were kindly disposed towards Hindus, quite substantial in size. For them, and for me, it
me and they insisted that I should preach on the was a Spirit-filled experience. An opportunity to share
occasion. This would be followed by the mass the Christian idea of married life with everyone,
celebrated by Archbishop Alan de Lastic of the Delhi irrespective of their religious labels, is too precious for
Archdiocese. When the time came for the mass, it was me to be wasted for parochial considerations. I used to
prefaced with the announcement that it was open only to have children brought to me by the Hindu parents
Catholics. present at the wedding service in Rishikesh to be
blessed, for months thereafter! There are plenty of
Are churches headed in the same direction? Were the opportunities to share the Word with the un-churched,
sermon and the mass in the same service headed in one provided we are free to look beyond the noses of our
direction? Now consider the following- church-tenanted orthodoxy.
I used to visit fellow believers in the US, as indeed in So, is there a religionless Christianity?
other countries. A situation arose in which I decided to
discontinue the overseas part of my ministry. The I started a ministry in Delhi under the name, Ministry to
context is as follows- Parliamentarians. P. J Kurien, Pala K. M. Mathew, Oscar
Fernandez, Charles Abraham (M. P from Trivandrum at
Several fellow Christians in Staten Island felt that there that time), P. A. Sangma, and others used to help me
should be an Ecumenical Convention in that region. They with this ministry. Giani Zail Singh, who had by then
felt that my track - record of relating to various churches retired as the President of India, was present at one of
qualified me for being associated with it on a regular the Christmas gatherings organized. Impromptu, I asked
basis. In my naivet, I endorsed the idea and promised Giani ji, if he wanted to address the gathering. Here is
my support. This activated a host of hostile reactions what he said, addressing the sixty-odd MPs and
from church hierarchies. I remembered Bonhoeffer in ministers present-
detention. There are times when it makes little difference
if you are in detention or are not.

Do you want to be good Parliamentarians? Read the To me there is only one absolute evil. That is the
Bible. People ask me what I think of Jesus Christ. I tell imprisonment of human beings in stagnation. The biblical
you, he is the Savior of the world. spirituality I know is about limitless growth and godly
fulfillment. Barring a few hardened cases -Judas, the rich
So, is there a Christianity beyond the hedges of our young man etc.- everyone who went to Jesus grew in
churches? Better ask, Is there a Lord of the Church, stature. If Jesus identified fruitfulness as the proof of
who is also the Lord of all humankind? How small is abiding with him (Jn. 15:1-5), surely he knew that there
your Saviour? could be no fruit without growth. To me, Jesus is the
yardstick by which we must judge. We decline from
I now come to the last, and, for me, the most crucial judgment to judgmentalism when we use our yardsticks,
issue under the present theme. no matter from where we derive them.
Jesus touched the depth in me with his invitation to Given the centrality of this issue, in my opinion, to the
continual growth towards perfection. Be you perfect, dynamics of the Kingdom of God, and its pervasiveness
he said, even as your Father in heaven in perfect. (Mt. in Christendom, it makes sense to look at the
5: 48). He was a radical thinker, eons ahead of his times. ungodliness of stagnation more closely. I have often felt
He fixed no limit to human possibilities. If you have faith it curious that I have not had the privilege of hearing a
as large as a mustard seed, he said, you will ask these sermon preached in half a century on the text, Be you
mountains to move and they will. He added, as though perfect (Mt.5: 48). Yet it is at the heart of the Kingdom
this was not enough, those who believe in me will do not manifesto that Jesus sets out in the Sermon on the
only what I do, but greater things that I have done. Mount (Mt. 5-7). It is legitimate to connect Matthew 5. 48
with Matthew 7:7 and read as follows, Seek perfection.
But has anyone seen this fire in church life? Has not this
To me this is the quintessence of spiritual life. Why so?
light of life been replaced by the twilight of mindless
conformity? How come that the church played a There are two contrary visions for life: the static and the
regressive role in history, persecuting pioneers, burning dynamic. The distinction between the two is what Jesus
as heretics those who sought to be true to their allude to, metaphorically, as serving God and Mammon.
conscience and zealously protecting and promoting Mammon is the prince of the status quo. God, the
superstitions of the most ridiculous kind? inexhaustible source of life, is a universe of newer and
newer possibilities. Transformation -what in the language
Of course, we will be right, up to a point, in arguing that
of the Gospel is referred to as being born again-
all that was in the distant past. Our church has as
becomes a basic need because the world is, since the
different and spiritually sterling tradition. (I am happy, if
Fall, rooted in stagnation. But stagnation is the death-
she is. Congratulations. But make sure she is.). And that
principle. When God said to Adam that he would surely
is precisely the issue that Bonhoeffer raised, even as the
die if he ate the forbidden fruit, he meant that Adams
shadow of martyrdom was already creeping upon him.
primal disobedience would chain him to death-as-
The church is historical, isnt she? If so, what is the
stagnation. Murder, by the way, is life as stagnation. Why
historicity of a church that was something a few
do I say this? Murder cannot be, without life. Life is all
centuries ago, and something quite different now? And,
movement and momentum. Murder reduces the
who knows, what she will be a few decades hence?
movement that life is to stagnation, as Cain does to Abel,
What, then, is church? How does our present idea and
or the Jews, to Jesus. Crucifixion is the ultimate symbol
practice of church relate to the Church, the body of
of life-as-stagnation coming face to face with the divine
Christ?
dispensation of life-as-movement.
Even that is not my prime issue, which I must now come
God is dynamic; that is why it is impossible to define
to. Jesus denounced the oppressiveness of Judaism. He
him. I am that I am, or I do what I do, is not a definition.
referred to the millstone that the keepers of religion tied
Nor is it a definition. It is the intimation of the indefinable
around the necks of believers. To me that millstone is
in the language of stagnation. (This is the perennial
stagnation. Stagnation results from unthinking
problem with language, precious though it is as a human
conformity. Our thinking and seeking capacity: who has
facility. To name is to kill. Or, in the pattern that I outline
given it to us? God, or Satan? If God, why is it such a sin
here, to name is to fix and freeze in stagnation.)
to use it? Especially after Jesus said, Seek, and you will
Humanity is changing, transforming and remaking itself
find Is not seeking the same as thinking? And what
continually. Unfortunately, it is always overlooked that
am I to do when, while thinking, I come across an insight
the Ministry of the Spirit is conjugated to this. Why, do
at variance with orthodoxy? Muffle my conscience? Or,
you think, Jesus felt it essential to send the Counsellor,
stand by it as part of my God-given right to have life in all
to lead us into all truth? (Jn. 16: 13). The continual
its fullness?
unfolding of the human species in history can be either
godly or demonic in character. What is demonic,

however, also has to use the provisions of God as its raw the Church of North India within two years of my
material. (Satan could not have tempted Eve unless there ordination. The provocation? I interpreted a text the
was an Eve, an apple, a garden and the power of miracle of Jesus feeding the five thousand- in a way that
speech all of which are Gods creations.) So, the displeased the Moderator, who was present. The details
dynamism that God infused into the seed of creation is are irrelevant; but the fact matters. That day I was thrown
vulnerable to be abused by Satan, but only with human by the hand of God into a larger congregation. I began to
complicity, to contradict divine intentions. (This is also see India as my congregation. That is the heart of my
why need to abide in Jesus). story.
This takes us to the heart of the paradox. Stagnation can RELIGIONLESS CHRISTIANITY? But please be careful!
be crafted only out of dynamism, just as life has to pre- Bonhoeffers stumbling upon this radical concept, in the
exist before death can be, or only life can morph itself heat of personal anguish, is quite different from our using
into death. One implication of what I am saying here is it either as an alibi an escape route from church life, or
that we need to have a hard look at the binary mode of as a fashionable turn of speech. That is dangerous! One
thinking that we have got used to, looking at life and should venture beyond church boundaries only following
realities in terms of aspects that seem to be, but are not, the clarion call of the Truth that Jesus is to the world out
mutually exclusive opposites. Death, to take an extreme there. Church is where Jesus is; not where some
example, is not the negation of life but another form of structures and traditions stay stagnating in their comfort
life; not life as we know it now, but life, as we shall know, zones. There must be and here Bonhoeffer, I am sure,
in the fullness of time. Enmity, to take another example, will agree with me- a rigorous discipline for embracing
seems to us as the irreconcilable you vs. me. The same religionless Christianity; for religionless Christianity is not
becomes, in the Kingdom of God, the godly freedom of quite the same as Godless Christianity, the Christianity of
you-and-me as the children of God. mere convenience, of fashion, of armchair radicalism, or
of anti-church rebelliousness.
The sacred duty entrusted to us by the Creator is to be
custodians of life, as co-workers with him. Jesus came This much is clear; and it brooks no mental wooliness.
as a stirring in the pond of the status quo, which is the Engaging with religionless Christianity should happen
essence of the healing that takes place in the pool of only as a natural, and necessary, consequence of ones
Bethesda. Religion is a pool. But it has two possibilities: sent-ness. Jesus says, Go. Such going involves,
to be either a pool of stagnation -when it becomes, at certainly, a journey that transcends parochial
best, irrelevant to the human predicament, surrounded boundaries. Like the journeys that resulted in Jesus
by a community of need- or a pool of stirring, which encounters with the woman of Samaria, Zacchaeus the
heals. Healing, reduced to its essence, is impactful tax collector, and the demon-possessed in Gadara. The
relevance. (The sickness of life, in most cases, is nagging journey into religionless Christianity should not land us in
redundancy or irrelevance. We are sick, or we lack no-Gods-land, where the lost son in the parable
wholeness, if we are irrelevant to our life-world -a useful reached, after walking out of his home in search of the
coinage by Levi-Strauss- even if we are totally free from far country.
organic disorders. When Jesus mandated his disciples to
preach and heal (Mt. 10: 7-9), he was asking them to Hand on heart, I testify: I have had far greater, more
remain contextually relevant and proactive, failing which luminous spiritual experiences in the world out there than
they become the Sardinian church, that has the in church circuits; though it is the church that nurtured
appearance of being alive, but is dead. me and gave me wings. So, in the end, religionless
Christianity should be like the one that William Carey
The curse of stagnation is endless repetition within a practiced. When urged by his fellow Christians in
limited range; like the good old gramophone stylus England that he could serve Jesus better by staying
playing on records. I wonder how many churches have back and reviving his home parish, he replied: It is for
congregational lives different from the stylus of routine the sake of my home parish that I go.
moving on grooves of orthodoxy. Human needs: what
are they? Whose needs are met? By whom? Also, wont The church, as she exists today, is barely aware of being
someone, please enlighten me on why Sunday services the bride of Jesus. She has lost her first love. She has
have to be so mechanical and boring. Isnt it a crime the name of being alive; but she is dead. She is neither
against the Word to proclaim it with mouths of hot, nor cold; she is lukewarm (Rev. 2-3). This is not what
shallowness, abounding in clichs and stereotypes? I am saying. This is what the Spirit is saying to the
churches in Asia! (Think of it, churches in Asia!) The
The world out there is a different experience! That is worst we can say about church at the present time is not
where I happened to seek all my life. It turned out to be that she is Christ-less, but that she is lifeless. You could
a blessing in disguise that I was, in effect, blacklisted by well ask, what is the difference?

Let us Speak Less of Religion, and More of Spirituality
Revd Dr. M. J. Joseph, Kottayam
But they all understand the same language
Lord, of love.
In the midst of diversities separating us, The rainbow is made of seven colours
In the midst of rivalries disuniting us, But they reflect only one colour.
In the midst of antipathies building barriers The chirping of birds at the daybreak is
among us, different,
In the midst of differences dividing us, But praise has only one language.
You call us, Lord, to unity and love. (W.C.C. The musical notes of an orchestra are
Prayer) different
But its beauty comes out of its plurality.
Grant us the vision of your unity,
Grant us the vision of your gift of New Spirituality, therefore, should be understood as the
Humanity in Christ, connectivity in God's one world through a vision
So that being united to your humanity rooted in the law of love. Christ, being the agent of
We may serve one another in love. creation in Christian theology (Jn. 1: 13), provides
us with a basis for affirming common humanity in
The Seers of the Vedas said about the our search for the new humanity in Christ for all
secret of people on earth. This is the main theological
Human bonding as: "We are the birds of the proposition in the Magnificat (Mary's song). The
same nest". inter-relatedness between human beings and other
living beings on this planet has raised umpteen
We are birds of the same nest questions of spirituality and ethics. The task before
We may wear different skins us is to entertain a vision beyond the barriers of
We may speak in different tongues caste, creed and religion because we live in a
We may believe in different cultures borderless world.
Yet we share the same home-Our earth.
Born on the same planet, Spirituality- a quest for the Ultimate
Covered by the same skies,
Gazing at the same stars, Spirituality is a much talked about subject in the
Breathing the same air, religious and secular circles. Invitation to
We must learn to happily progress together workshops of eco-spirituality, satsang groups,
Or miserably perish together, mediation lessons including yoga organized by the
For man can only live individually, new-age religious gurus, electronic churches
But can only survive collectively. beckoning people for spirit-filled life and miracle
crusades led by Christian leaders are signs of
The Vedic hymn makes it clear that all living beings spirituality in the present day. In all these there are
on this planet are interdependent and independent. truths and errors. But one may notice an intense
They form a web of life in God's household. search for a grasp of the Ultimate and appropriation
Plurality is thus integral to reality. The One Reality is of energy pools for the cleansing of the soul. In a
expressed in the philosophy of the One in Many self-discovery, one strikes a balance between the
and Many in One. Let me state it in a poetic form: inner and the outer world. It contributes much to
the Gita philosophy of karma yoga in order to
The sky above and the earth below mirror maintain a holistic view of life.
the same universe,
But they reflect different images. Christ's way - the way for the disciples
The sea that surrounds the earth is the
abode of diverse life In Jesus time, there were two types of eschatology:
But the taste of the sea water in the same. they are apocalyptic eschatology and the prophetic
The humans in the street speak hundreds of eschatology. Jesus identified himself with prophetic
languages one for the transformation of the world. The

participation of the humans is inevitable for the contemplation, silence, worship, service, pilgrimage
establishment of God's Kingdom on earth. We to holy places and giving gifts of charity are means
should be eyes to the blind and legs to the lame of spiritual formation in one's life and in
(cf. Job. 29: 15). The disciples were sent to turn relationships. The five pillars of Islam also speak of
the world upside down (Acts: 17:6) in the name of spiritual growth in one's life. The Sufi tradition in
Christ. In this connection St. Matt. 28: l9-20 (cf: Islam also gives its stress on personal purification.
Mk.16.15 proclaiming good news to all creation)
is to be understood in a larger perspective of The noble traits of Buddhism well stated in terms of
discipleship. What matters in God's sight is whether wisdom and compassion and their bearing on the
the light shines in darkness so as to bring glory to Four Noble truths speak of spiritual attainment. As
Him. Life through death is the basic criterion of members of the Church what is required today is to
Christian discipleship (Jn. 12: 24). The call is to live seek for a common platform and see whether there
as "channels of grace and agents of change". The is a point of convergence in the affirmation of moral
criteria are to judge whether it brings glory to our and ethical principles without denying the truth of
Father in heaven as taught by Jesus in the God's revelation in Christ. In this way we shall
Sermon on the Mount. (cf. Jn. 15: 8). explore the nature of Christian spirituality and its
implications for a holistic living. It is needless to say
Living by the standards of divine love (agape) that the whole world is moving towards an
existential Catholicity and to a larger view of religion
As truth alone shall make one free (Jn. 8: 32), let us and spirituality, which is termed as a cosmic vision
therefore draw positive vibes from various ways of of humanity and communitarian consciousness.
human quest. Spirituality is the outbreak of truth There is an intense search for the buckle that binds
(Swami Agnivesh). In Christian theology, a life led the celestial and the terrestrial. The period of
"according to the Spirit" (kata pneuma), leads to the consolidation in mission is over, but the kairos of
fulfilment of God's ultimate plan revealed in Christ. comprehension has come. The call is to celebrate
the era of convergence in God's household, the
Living in the realm of new humanity is the divine cosmos. In building up communities rooted in love
expectation for the household of God. The fruit of and justice, there is a genuine urge to move from
the Holy Spirit listed in Gal.5: 22 speak of 3-fold religion to its spirituality. In religion the accent falls
relationship: God, others and self. They mirror the on God, where as in spirituality it falls on God in
face of Jesus in us. It is a divine imperative for us relationship with people. Sri Ravi Shankar calls it,
not to get conformed to the world, but to get "the real essence of religion". The exhortation today
transformed by the renewal of mind" (Rom 12: 3). to people across any religious divide is to talk less
St. Paul writes, Adapt yourselves no longer to the of religion in its form of creed, code and cult, but
pattern of this present world, but let your minds be more of its spirituality. The symbols and practices
remade and your whole nature thus transformed. are like a banana skin and the spiritual values - the
Then you will be able to discern the will of God and quest for truth and the awareness of human dignity
to know what is good, acceptable and perfect." The and human rights - are the banana. It is a pity that
gospel-ethics meets people in their very core of people in every tradition have thrown away the
existence and enables us to fulfill the divine plan banana and are holding on to the skin. Religion is
through the ministry of reconciliation. The basic time bound and spirituality is timeless or eternal. In
question is this: whether the spirituality practiced by Ps.16.11 we read, "Joyous living comes not from
the individuals and groups serve that purpose. things, it comes from right relationship. In inter
religious dialogues it is well stated that if we focus
Spirituality as human bonding on the larger truth of symbols, then most of the
conflict in the world could be resolved. We could
Spirituality has an inter-religious dimension as truth, list the following timeless values, which bind people
goodness, sanctity are not the monopolies of one as members of God's larger family on earth
religion. In his Chicago address, (1893), Swami
Vivekananda makes this point in a powerful way. In - A deep caring for all forms of life
Hinduism spirituality is related to the four stages of - A responsible attitude to the planet earth,
one's spiritual pilgrimage in life. Prayer, mediation,

- Adherence to values such as non-violence, post-resurrection appearance, while addressing
compassion, justice, love-generosity and Mary by name, Jesus asks us to keep the human
sharing, integrity and honesty and touch in all relationships. The risen Christ
contentment. establishes his relationship in diverse ways: i) as
communicating Christ (on the road to Emmaus), ii)
Household Ethics of Jesus - Celebration of as comforting Christ in the midst of disciples, iii) as
relationship confronting Christ, iv) as commissioning Christ. In
all these, we have a glimpse of the Spirituality at its
A new understanding of the table fellowship of best to imitate in each culture whether in India or
Jesus with people sets norms for a new spirituality elsewhere.
in the life of the disciples. Whoever sits at the
table with Jesus must also accept the other In Christian faith Jesus Christ is to be confessed as
guests in Christ's company. No one can have the transforming presence of God. There are
Jesus for oneself alone. He is met with a strange several indicatives and imperatives, which are two
entourage the publicans and sinners, the poor sides of the same coin. Phrases such as serve one
and outcaste, a notorious woman whom Jesus another", washing one another's feet, trusting one
permitted to touch his feet, a woman from whom another", "loving one another", bearing one
seven demons had gone out, a group of people anothers burdens, " co-operating with each other
including women who supported his ministry with "encouraging one another", praying for each
their resources, cowardly and treacherous disciple other, learning from one another including nature
like Judas, and other disciples who fled at a etc. are divine call to live in spirituality. Swami
moment of crisis. None of his disciples loved him Agnivesh has succinctly put the quest as freedom
enough to arrange his funeral. As Marcus Bath puts from religion, not of religion. In this respect,
it, "whoever considers those table companions spirituality is not God fearing, but God abiding
of Jesus too bad, too base, too little and too far and God-loving.
removed from salvation does not know Jesus as
he really is." This poses a challenge before us to In each culture whether Western or Eastern, there
live out such radicalism rooted in the three pillars of are religious and cultural tenets, which create a
Christian spirituality. They are commitment to God, vision for coherence and unity for all. The cultural
compassion for People and passion for justice. slogan of India, Loka samastha sukino bavanthu (let
the whole world be happy and prosperous) the
What Jesus gives humankind is an experience of concept of a vasudhaivakudumbakam (the whole
God as our Father and of all others as brothers and world is one family), the moral principle of
sisters mirroring the values of the Kingdom of God sathyagraha (commitment to truth), and India's
in our midst. For Jesus, the way to heaven is from cultural slogan sathya meva jayathe (truth alone
Earth! The Kingdom values for which Jesus stood triumphs) are indeed statements which carry a new
call us to raise questions of being and becoming. vision of spirituality for the whole world. In seeking
The new humanity in Christ is not Christians gift to a new way of being the Church, we need not have
the world, but it is God's gift to all humankind to speak more of the boundaries that separate
across any religious and cultural divide. The people from people but to discover the common
declaration of the heavenly choir for the peace on bonds that unite them as humans and other living
earth is for all humankind. In sharing God's love beings in God's universe. The imagery of a river
with one another, we are not expected to gaze at flowing may make better sense. A river that flows
each other, but enabling all to look outward assimilates and absorbs everything with a high
together. We need to reaffirm our faith as John puts sense of comprehension. If this is done, "following
it in 1Jn .4: 8, "He, who does not love, does not Jesus, becomes a possibility for all. In such an
know God; for God is love." In doing the will of God attitude, "streams of awareness" emerge from the
as" work of faith and labour of love, we depth of togetherness. New life in Christ makes life
collaborate with God in the realization of God's qualitatively different for all, if the church beckons
eternal plan in Christ (Eph.1.10). others to join the pilgrimage to the Kingdom of
The risen Christ also bids us to make authentic God, which we call, the new heaven and the new
relationship with people in the community. In the earth.

Religionless Christianity What Does It Mean?
Lal Varghese, Esq., Dallas
In order to understand the true meaning of the place Jesus Christ never even visited not even one
concept Religionless Christianity, we need to time. Why the believers in Jerusalem were not called
understand what is meant by religion and what Christians first? It may be because, the religious
does Christianity means. The word religion is legalism of the men that walked closely with Jesus
derived from Latin word "religio" which means what Christ in the flesh, which might have limited their
attaches or retains, moral bond, anxiety of self- capacity to have higher walk with Him filled with the
consciousness, scruple a term used by the Holy Spirit. In spite of all what Jesus and the Holy
Romans, before Jesus Christ, to indicate the Spirit did in their midst and through them, still they
worship of the demons. The word religion after were unable to translate Christ in the minds of the
Romans, initially used for Christianity, gradually people in Jerusalem. In other words, entrenched
extended to all forms of social demonstration in religious legalism made it difficult for the church at
connection with sacred. Religion is the set of beliefs, Jerusalem to manifest Christ among people. This is
feelings, dogmas and practices that define the true with the present Church also, too much
relations between human being and sacred or legalism and administration, which prevents the
divinity. It is the outer manifestation of ones faith faithful believers and leaders of the Church to walk
and belief of something sacred. A given religion is closely with Jesus.
defined by specific elements of a community of
believers: dogmas, sacred books, rites, worship,
sacrament, moral prescription, interdicts, and
organization. The majority of religions have
developed starting from a revelation based on the
exemplary history of a nation, of a prophet or a wise
man who taught an ideal of life.
The term Christianity simply mean followers of

Jesus Christ and the disciples of Jesus Christ got
this name first in Antioch. (Acts 11:25, 26) The term
later developed as a religion based on the preaching
and teachings of Jesus Christ written by Apostles
and contained in New Testament. The question
comes, why then the believers were called
Christians first in Antioch, rather than in Jerusalem
Jesus instructed his followers to fulfill his mission in
even though Jesus Christ ministered severally,
this world and what is expected from them. For I
controversially, and powerfully to multitudes in
was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I
Jerusalem. It was at the Upper Room in Jerusalem
was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I
that the Holy Spirit first descended upon the
was a stranger and you took me in, I was naked and
disciples. The Church started first in Jerusalem, the
you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me,
brother of Jesus James as the first Bishop, with
I was in prison and you visited me. (Mat. 25: 35-35)
great power and display of signs and wonders, and
The fact that Jesus was so completely accessible
grew to hundreds of thousands within a very short
was the cause behind some of the heaviest criticism
period of time there. The Apostles performed mind-
He received from the religious leaders. He surprised
boggling signs and wonders in Jerusalem, all in the
people by receiving children (Luke 18:16) and
name of Jesus Christ.
shocked the religionists of His day by being
available to the marginalized, the outsiders, and the
With all this, naturally anyone would have expected despised (Mark 2:1317). This accessibility earned
that the disciples would have been called Jesus a title He did not rejecta friend of sinners
Christians first in the city of Jerusalem. Instead, it (Matt. 11:19). Jesus practiced a religionless
happened in the non-Jewish city of Antioch a Christianity and not a legalistic Christianity. He did

not establish a religion and never built any embraced and redeemed by the Lord by His death
sanctuary, but practiced what he preached during on the cross.
his ministry in this world.
In his book Ethics Bonhoeffer wrote: In Jesus
In the book Religionless Christianity: Dietrich Christ we have faith in the incarnate, crucified and
Bonhoeffer in Troubled Times, by Jeffrey Pugh, he risen God. In the incarnation we learn of the love of
points out about what exactly did Bonhoeffer meant God for His creation; in the crucifixion we learn of
by Religionless Christianity? The concept of the judgment of God upon all flesh; and in the
Religionless Christianity has been one of the most resurrection we learn of Gods will for a new world.
controversial subjects in Bonhoeffers theology. In There could be no greater error than to tear these
the final two years of his life, Dietrich Bonhoeffer three elements apart; for each of them comprises
wrote several letters from Tegel prison to his friend the whole.2
Eberhard Bethge and in the famous letter of April 30,
1944, in which he spoke of the need for what he The basic faith of Christianity is revolving on these
referred to as a religionless Christianity. three divine things Incarnation, crucifixion and
Bonhoeffer concluded: Even those who honestly resurrection. But most of them forget about the
describe themselves as religious do not in the least mission entrusted to the faithful by Jesus Christ to
act up to it, he wrote, and so they presumably be my witnesses to the end of the world. To be
mean something quite different by religious. witnesses of Jesus Christ, we need to follow Jesus
Christ and do exactly what He did during His
Bonhoeffer says that religionlessness is hopeful ministry in this world by being with the poor, less
since it may lead people to lead a life serving others fortunate, marginalized and prostitutes. He lived
and not by serving God alone. For Bonhoeffer the among them as one of them and no where in the
affirmation of faith is the negation of religion. Bible it is mentioned the house or place where Jesus
Freedom from religion liberates faith to be attentive lived during his three and half years ministry in this
to the call of God; freedom of faith is the freedom world. He moved from village to village and from
received of God. Quoting Barth, Bonhoeffer crowd to crowd healing the sick, raising the dead,
effectively asserts that "... the relationship between preaching the good news to the world. The Church
God and man in which Gods revelation may truly be and its believers need to move from the center to
imparted to me, a man, must be free, not a static the periphery in to the world where we need to
relationship..."1 reflect up on our faith by sharing and caring for the
poor, the less fortunate and marginalized. The
Faith is thus rooted in Gods freedom and it should original cross was not in between two candles, but it
freely flow from the faithful to those around him. If was in between two thieves, it was not in the
our faith does not overflow the four walls of our sanctuary, but among the crowd.
sanctuary and pierces through the stained glass
windows into the streets and neighborhood it is One must completely abandon any attempt to make
static and our religion is God centered and not world something of oneself, whether it be a saint, or a
centered. God embraced the world by sending His converted sinner, or a churchman (a so-called
only son in to the world so that the world may save priestly type!), a righteous man or an unrighteous
through his death on the cross. If God embraced the one, a sick man or a healthy one. By this-
world as it is, then it is the duty and responsibility of worldliness I mean living unreservedly in lifes duties,
the faithful to embrace the world in its full sense problems, successes and failures, experiences and
sharing and caring for the less fortunate and perplexities. In so doing we throw ourselves
marginalized. Our faith should embrace the world completely into the arms of God, taking seriously,
and not the religion. The cause of religious violence not our own sufferings, but those of God in the
is because the faithful in each religion embraced world- watching with Christ in Gethsemane. That, I
their religion and not the world, which was think, is faith; that is metanoia; and that is how one
becomes a man and a Christian. 3 It is quite
1 2 Bonhoeffer, Ethics op. cit., pp. 130 f

Bonhoeffer, Act and Being, trans. by Bernard Noble (New York:
3
Harper & Row, 1961), p. 8 LPP, op, cit., p. 369f (July 1944)

understandable that Bonhoeffer has in mind Marxs secular calling. The church must share in the secular
statement: It is easy to be a saint if one does not problems of ordinary human life, not dominating but
wish to be a man. helping and serving. It must tell men of every calling
what it means to live in Christ, to exist for others.5
Bonhoeffer believed social justice is Gods justice
and a legalistic religion may not be able to do social J.A.T. Robinson summarizes Bonhoeffers thoughts
justice. It just exists as a worshipping community by on this question with these words: The purpose of
partaking in the Holy Communion and not just doing worship is not to retire from the secular into the
what is expected of us by the Lord by doing His department of the religious, let alone to escape from
mission in this world. Only when our faith transforms "this world" into "the other world" but to open
into acts, a person becomes a follower of Jesus oneself to the meeting of the Christ in the common,
Christ a Christian, the name given to the disciples to that which has power to penetrate its
in Antioch in the 1st century. James, a New superficiality and redeem it from its alienation. The
Testament writer, challenged Christ-followers function of worship is to make us more sensitive to
saying, Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God these depths; to focus, sharpen and deepen our
our Father means that we must care for orphans . . response to the world and to other people beyond
. in their troubles (James 1:27). the point of proximate concern (of liking, self-
interest, limited commitment, etc.) to that of ultimate
Thus it was Bonhoeffers conception of faith that concern; to purify and correct our loves in the light
enabled and compelled him to take his stand of Christs love; and in him to find the grace and
against the legalistic religion. He was convinced that power to be the reconciled and reconciling
theology has a message to the world only when it community. Anything that achieves this or assists
proclaims, from the perspective of faith, the maturity towards it is Christian worship. Anything that fails to
of the world and the religionlessness of man. The do this is not Christian worship, be it ever so
world may certainly grow mature, but "the world religious.6
must be understood better that it understands
itself."4 In the book Mission in the Market Place, edited by
Dr. Jesudas M. Athyal and Dr. John J. Thatamanil, it
Only when theology is put into practice by the is written that when Mar Chrysostom was working in
faithful, then only it serves the purpose of God. Men the mission field in Karnataka he tried to relate to the
should be religionless in order to embrace the world people in their life situations. He would accompany
and love the world. Most of the faithful live a life them to the forest when they go for collecting
secluded from others and centers their attention bamboo and would in fact stay with them the whole
taking part in the worshiping part of their religious day. Chrysostom Thirumeni realized that one should
life, which is only a fraction of the life every faithful live ones life in such a way that people will see in
need to have. Late M. M. Thomas used to say that one Christ and the redemption of Christ through
the order of priority should be God-World-Church. ones life. In that book Chrysostom Thirumeni
God loved the world and because of his love for the continues to say that today our main concern is to
world he came to the world. We often think that dismantle existing church buildings and build bigger
charity work is what is expected from the believers, ones, which is our mission today and this trend is all
but charity is not discipleship. God gave himself to over. He criticizes the church by saying that our
the world and discipleship is giving ourselves to the commitment is no longer to evangelism, but it is just
community and ultimately to the God. a program in the midst of several activities.
In the book Bonhoeffer intended to write, the final The phrase "religionless Christianity," which
chapter was to begin: the church is the church only Bonhoeffer uses with much caution, may sound
when it exists for others. To make a start, it should misleading. But, as it was said earlier, Bonhoeffer
give away all its property to those in need. The does not reject the idea of the church. He finds
clergy must live solely on the freewill offerings of value in the church, but at the same time calls for a
their congregations, or possibly engage in some
5 LPP, op. cit., p.382 f ("Outline for a Book)
6 J. A. T. Robinson, Honest to God (Philadelphia: The Westminister
4 Ibid., p. 328 Press, 1963), pp. 87f

radical reform. In other words, the concept of
religionless Christianity is to be taken as a challenge
Book Review - Dr. Zac Varghese, London
to the renewal of the church, a challenge found The Eucharistic Liturgy A Liturgical Foundation for
again and again in Bonhoeffers last writings. In this Mission in the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church by
regard, he has not moved far from the position he Revd Dr. Jameson K. Pallikunnil. Published by Author House,
had taken in Sanctorum Communio. For him, UK, 2017; Pp 300.
ISBN 978-1-5246-7652-0 (e).
religionless Christianity was not just a field of
theological exploration, but the concern of his This book is the end result of
lifelong efforts. He put this concept before the Revd Dr. Jameson K.
church as a challenge that the church enters into the Pallikunnils doctoral study at St.
Patricks College, Pontifical
world with more vigor than she ever has before.7 University, in Ireland. The front
cover page is adorned with the
Chrysostom Thirumeni was quoted again in the photo of a historically important
book Mission in the Market Place: The original chalice, as mentioned by the
cross was not between two candles but between Most Revd Dr. Joseph Mar
Thoma Metropolitan at the
two thieves; not on the high alter, but where people release of the book at the
were gambling. What we see on the cross is evil at centenary birth celebrations of
its worst, but that is where God is at his best. Christ Mar Chrysostom Valiaya
was crucified outside the city, in the midst of Metropolitan. The two quotations
in the back cover of the book
murders and thieves; that is where the reality of the give the gist of this important
cross is experienced. Sacrament is where you seminal work. Joseph Mar
experience the reality of the cross and it should not Thoma Metropolitan Wrote: The writer explicitly places how the
be celebrated in the church alone. The real mission Eucharistic liturgy of the Mar Thoma Church is observed as the
is not in the Church; it is outside. These words foundation for mission in its course of Growth. This study
throws ample light on how the Mar Thoma Church integrated
reflects the words of Bonhoeffer the church is the Liturgy and Mission in its course of development and the writer
church only when it exists for others. systematically illustrates how the Church made a serious effort
to bring missional themes employed in the liturgy into the
To conclude let me quote the words of John A. practical realm. This volume asserts that an emphasis on
Eucharistic-centred ecclesiology guides and motivates the
Phillips, which echo the challenge of Bonhoeffer to Church to enliven a mission-oriented life. Rev. Jameson brings
the Church: "Religionless Christianity is Christianity, together the liturgical, biblical and missiological aspects of St.
which has had the proper meaning of transcendence James liturgy in the historical context of the Mar Thoma
and witness to the Transcendent restored to it. It Church.
does not turn man back upon his life in the world
The second Quotation is from Revd Dr. Philip Tovey who was
and his face towards God, but rather directs him one of the external examiners of the Thesis. He wrote: The
towards God and the world at one and the same relationship between worship and mission is a neglected area of
time. God, the Transcendent, is active in this world. study in general, and in particular the relationship between Holy
Therefore the Christian can and may and must live in Communion (the Qurbana) and mission is even less examined.
In this book, Dr. Jameson studies these two important topics in
this world and, by doing so, bears witness God in a convincing way. Looking at the prayers of the holy Qurbana he
this world.8 shows how mission is rooted in prayer to the Trinity and to the
incarnate Son. In both case, there is an outgoing movement of
Only when the church embraces the mission of mission based on love and in the incarnation process of
Jesus Christ and transforms itself from a redemption. These are central to our understanding of mission
and the book shows how the holy Qurbana holds before our
worshipping community to a missional church, it will eyes a vision of a loving outgoing God, which is our model for
be able to witness the Lord Jesus to others. To Christian mission. This is then applied to the life of the Mar
quote Bonhoeffer again to conclude: the church is Thoma Syrian Church, which is noted for its evangelistic
the church only when it exists for others. outreach and mission to society. This is timely book and brings
together what is kept apart, the study of liturgy and the study of
mission. Dr. Jameson should be commended for this work
which will be a source of inspiration and challenge to many.
7
Religionless Christianity, Bishop Paulose Mar Paulsoe, Christava The timing of the publication of this book is very significant,
Sahitya Samithy (CSS), Tiruvalla-689 101, Kerala, S. India. particularly in the context of the celebration of the 500th
8 John A. Phillips, The Form of Christ in the World, op. cit., p. 189.
anniversary of Martin Luthers reformation in Europe. This
The American edition of this book has the title Christ for Us in the
Reformation was a process of both renewal and division
Theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer (New York: Harper & Row, 1967)

amongst Christians in Europe. Reformation started with
Luthers protest against indulgences and other corrupt practices BOOK Review- Dr. Zac Varghese, London
in the Catholic Church, which he highlighted in the 95 articles of
his Wittenberg declaration. The proclamation of the gospel of On a stormy course: My Years in St. Stephens by Valson
grace, the declaration of the Sola scriptura and Sola Fide, the Thampu, first published in India in 2017 by Hachette India
availability of the Bible to all in their own language and the (Registered name: Hachette Book Publishing India Pvt. Ltd) A
recognition of the calling of lay people to serve God in the
Hachette UK company. ISBN No. . . . www.hachetteindia.com.
world and in the Church were other major contributions of the
Reformation of the 16 Century. th
This is the memoir of a man

Liturgy leading to mission is the heart of Jameson Achens whom the Indian media
study and this book is its result. He concludes in Chapter five: loved to hate. He was
The anaphora of St. James presents a well-established christened controversys
theology of mission. Overall, the liturgy of St. James gives us child. Everything about his
the impression that the mission of the Church flows from the tenure events trivial and
Eucharistic Liturgy. What is liturgy? Liturgy is an inclusive word significant- became media
to describe all prescribed services of the Church. The Holy
fodder and over the 9 years
Communion and the Gods mission leading from the Holy
he was principal of Indias
Communion is the main purpose of the liturgy. Often the Mar
Thoma Church is described as a liturgical Church or as a most coveted institution -St.
missionary Church. This book gives us a balanced emphasis on Stephens College, Delhi
both, and reminds us that it is the Eucharistic liturgy of the an unmatched library of
Church, which is leading and guiding her members to the reportage accumulated,
Mission of God. In Chapter five, it is further stated: celebration unequalled by any event or
of the Eucharist is the centre of Christian worship. Through the tenure in the history of
Eucharist, the Church participates in the very divine life of God. higher education in India,
There is a dynamic interaction between the liturgy and mission.
developed and a great deal
The liturgy orients the worshipping community for mission. This
of still remains archived with the national print media.
is indeed taking us to the root of Orthodox theology of liturgy
after the liturgy. Mission is simply the extension of the Eucharist
in our daily life of taking Gods gifts in love, thanking, breaking Here is an instance of a personal Memoir also becoming
and sharing. The book gives a simple and very meaningful a chronicle of the times. The author quotes Goethe in
explanation of mission as understood theologically, the mission Chapter six to the effect that the usefulness of a
of God sending his own Son, and the mission of Jesus sending biography is to understand human realities in a historical
his disciples to all nations. context. This is true of this book. It is a lucid narration of
the struggles the author undertook in his academic and
This is book is an icon, a window, into the history of the Mar
spiritual journey for providing excellence of education in
Thoma Church, its reformation in the 19 century and its th
dependence on St. James and West Syrian liturgical traditions, India through St. Stephens college.
and the development of missiological traditions and paradigms
of mission of the Mar Thoma Church. This book provides a The tasks of a reviewer is to assess the effectiveness of
deeper understanding of liturgy, faith and practices of the Mar an authors treatment of a theme and to evaluate if he
Thoma Church and gives us an impetus for further reformation challenges the readers assumptions and dispositions,
because we believe that our Church is a reformed and reforming with the significance of the experiences he lays bare. A
church. It provides a renewed enthusiasm for the mission of memoir is a sacrament in which experiences are broken
God in our Church. and distributed to the reader through the litany of the
I do not want to reveal all the hidden mysteries of this book in
printed word. The merit of a memoir is impeccable fidelity
this review, which may spoil the appetite of the reader, this is to facts. As one who followed, to some extent, the events
only an appetizer and a rich menu is waiting for you to enjoy at strung together in this narrative, I am persuaded of its
your leisure. It has nine rich chapters and has a very detailed narratorial veracity. As for the authors felicity with the art
bibliography, which is helpful for further studies. This book is of writing, the reach and depth of his reading, and his
very useful to clarify the meaning of mission and the energising capacity for philosophical reflection that makes even
power of the Eucharistic liturgy in conducting that mission. The routine events unveil surprising depths, the reader does
book is written in a lucid, clear style, and apologetic in the best not have to be specially informed, as thousands of them
sense of the word. There is so much in this book every clergy
have heard him and read his writings over the years.
and lay people of the Mar Thoma Church should have a copy of
this book. We often think that we know all about Eucharistic
liturgy and mission; some may even chant the liturgy from their The author brings forty years of experiential wisdom to
memory; it is this familiarity, which spoils our enquiry and bear of the guided tour he offers through the blind alleys
deeper understanding. I strongly recommend this book; I of higher education in India. The author advisedly puts the
congratulate Jameson Achen for this outstanding work and thematic and spiritual focus of his story on the illness of
thank God for entrusting this mission to him. academia; and, in so doing, transcends what is painfully
personal. He treats his experiences as a mirror held up to

the cracked visage of Indian education and anatomizes, preach the good news to the poor especially in institutions
through first-hand experience, why the pursuit of of prestige, which are coveted and cornered by the rich and
excellence in education is as daunting as it has come to the mighty? Those interested in these questions will find
be. While reading the book, it is difficult to ignore the reading this book a gripping and inspiring experience.
possibility that policy makers of Indian education are a
major sector that the author addresses, albeit indirectly, The book falls into two broad sections: the chronicling of
in this book. events that one would have thought belonged to a thriller.
This is followed by, in the last three chapters, incisive
reflections on the light hidden under the bushel as it were of
Predictably, the spotlight is on teachers; for they are the
the events recounted. Administrators and policy makers in
most crucial link in the educational chain. The core
education will find the concluding chapters especially
strength of our educational heritage, as most readers
significant.
would recall from personal experiences, were teachers,
our gurus, who left lasting impressions on us, not by their An important question may arise in our minds: did the author
scholarship but by their humanness. The authors, in the write this memoir as a ritual of self-exorcism or is he trying to
present narrative, marshals compelling evidence to make get even with his erstwhile detractors? After a careful perusal
all of us worry as to how this asset has got degraded. St. of the book, I think he does neither. If he revisits his old
Stephens becomes, in this context, a case study of how wounds, it is only to share his near-death-experiences so as
even the best of institutions are losing their foundational to shore up the sagging morale of those who struggle to
values and spiritual wholeness. harmonize the pressures and pulls of administration with the
still, small voice of their conscience. The author exposes
How does the author see himself in writing this book? his soul to us in these pages and ends with a request: This
Here are his words: My situation, in writing the present much I expect from you. Next time, when a fellow human
account, is not unlike that of Prufrocks Lazarus, come being is chased in the jungle of your public sphere, to pipe
back from the dead, to tell it all. . . To me this is not only entertainment into your living room, wont you feel a little
the story of a resurrection. The story is a resurrection. The prick of unease, a slight twitch of memory, and refuse to be
past rises up through the word. What is not told dies. entertained; so that a creature committed to the education or
Word is the mirror we hold up to the truth we lived. The health, or sanity, or humanity of your children does not have
to scream. . .
reader cannot help wondering at the grim battle the
author had to fight to rebuild the broken walls to use a
A striking feature of this book, the one I found especially
metaphor from the book of Nehemiah, which the author
enriching, is the authors ability to see the personal and the
foregrounds of a godly institution, the contemporary particular in light of the universal and the general. What
counterpart of the City of God in Nehemiah. It is stands him in good stead in this is his eclectic scholarship
amazing how little human realities have changed in three and his ability to creatively draw from his readings to be able
millennia. I had to, says the author, work like Nehemiah to weave a web of objectivity around what, otherwise, would
and his team, with tools in one hand and swords in the have been narrowly personal.
other.
The work we do, the service we render, is the foremost
The narrative of the book is greatly enhanced by the vast medium of our self-expression, which is a measure of our
and varied experiences of the author who, apart from freedom at work. Freedom is at once what is available to us
being on the faculty of St. Stephens, had served in the in a given context and how we negotiate the context and to
past also as a Member of the National Steering what end. It is here that St. Pauls exhortation to the Romans
Committee on Curriculum Review which crafted the becomes so very relevant, do not conform to the pattern of
National Curriculum Framework, 2005. He was also a the world (Rom. 12: 2). Why shouldnt we conform,
member of the National Commission for Minority because, conformity is the orbit of entrapment and bondage.
Educational Institutions (2004-2007). Additionally, he had As Paul writes to Galatians, it is into freedom that Christ has
written extensively on various aspects and issues called us. Do not slip back under the yoke of slavery (Gal.
5:1). The Son sets us free, as Jesus said, by empowering us
germane to education. So, what the reader is privileged to
to be free and fearless in being faithful to our calling in the
get through this book is, if you like, a ring-side view of
workplace. Many are unsure and anxious as to what extent
the realities that are, otherwise, swept under the carpet.
this is possible in our times. Read this book, if you are. Read
this book, even if you are not. You will be spiritually
As the author states explicitly, his home-coming to
rejuvenated to know how one man, pitted against an array of
education, years after he exited academia and abandoned
formidable forces, managed to stay faithful, trusting in God
himself to the wider world, was to find for himself answers to alone.
two questions: (a) Is it possible and feasible to keep
educational administration wholly corruption-free? (b) How
I sincerely recommend this book. Im sure you will find
valid is the reigning dogma that commitment to social justice
reading it a powerful experience, as I have.
is incompatible with the pursuit of excellence in higher
education? Or, to put it in biblical terms, is it possible to

Religionless Christianity: A Prophetic Voice
Dr. Zac Varghese, London
In television, social, and print media we watch and read expression, and if therefore man becomes radically
about acts of unspeakable violence which are regularly religionlessand I think that that is already more or less
committed in the name of various religions all over the the case (else how is it, for example, that this war, in
word, including Christianity. The perpetrators of these contrast to all previous ones, is not calling forth any
crimes seek motivation and authority for such actions "religious" reaction?)--what does that mean for
from their conveniently and circumstantially-interpreted "Christianity"? It means that the foundation is taken away
sacred scriptures. Those who wreak such atrocities are from the whole of what has up to now been our
not committed to good but to evil. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a "Christianity," and that there remain only a few "last
German Lutheran pastor, experienced the horrors of survivors of the age of chivalry," or a few intellectually
state-sponsored violence against Jews and the final dishonest people that we are to pounce in fervour, pique,
solution, the holocaust. The majority of the traditional or indignation, in order to sell them goods? Are we to fall
Church-going Christians and their churches in Germany upon a few unfortunate people in their hour of need and
were silent because of the demonic control and exercise a sort of religious compulsion on them? If we
dominance of Nazi administration. This prompted don't want to do all that, if our final judgment must be that
Bonhoeffer and some like-minded people to come the Western form of Christianity, too, was only a
together to form the Confessing Church as an preliminary stage to a complete absence of religion, what
underground resistant movement against Hitler. kind of situation emerges for us, for the church? How can
Christ become the Lord of the religionless as well? Are
Bonhoeffer was imprisoned for opposing the Nazi regime there religionless Christians? If religion is only a garment
and was arrested on 5th April 1943 and kept in Berlin- of Christianityand even this garment has looked very
Tegel prison for the next 18 months and was hanged in different at different times- - then what is a religionless
Flossenberg prison on 9th April 1945. One of his brothers Christianity? The questions to be answered would surely
and the husbands of two of his sisters were also be: What do a church, a community, a sermon, a liturgy, a
executed. Bonhoeffer wrote and asked some soul Christian life mean in a religionless world? How do we
searching questions during this time and coined the word speak of God--without religion, i.e., without the temporally
Religionless Christianity as a prophetic answer to those conditioned presuppositions of metaphysics, inwardness,
questions for the benefit of subsequent generations to and so on? How do we speak (or perhaps we cannot now
ponder and pray for. He wrote regularly to his friend even "speak" as we used to) in a "secular" way about
Eberhard Bethge and these were published as Letters God? In what way are we "religionless-secular" Christians,
and Papers from Prison1. Therefore, I thought it would be in what way are we those who are called forth, not
helpful to trace some of his exceptional insights, and regarding ourselves from a religious point of view as
copy a part of what he wrote on this topic and to discuss specially favoured, but rather as belonging wholly to the
the question: what is Religionless Christianity? To world? In that case Christ is no longer an object of
Eberhard Bethge, in April 1944, Bonhoeffer wrote: religion, but something quite different, really the Lord of
the world. But what does that mean? What is the place of
What is bothering me incessantly is the question what worship and prayer in a religionless situation?
Christianity really is, or indeed who Christ really is, for us
today. The time when people could be told everything by . . . The Pauline question of whether [circumcision] is a
means of words, whether theological or pious, is over, condition of justification seems to me in present-day
and so is the time of inwardness and conscience--and terms to be whether religion is a condition of salvation.
that means the time of religion in general. We are moving Freedom from [circumcision] is also freedom from
toward a completely religionless time; people as they are religion. I often ask myself why a "Christian instinct" often
now, simply cannot be religious anymore. Even those who draws me more to the religionless people than to the
honestly describe themselves as "religious" do not in the religious, but which I don't in the least mean with any
least act up to it, and so they presumably mean evangelizing intention, but, I might almost say, "in
something quite different by religion, brotherhood." While I'm often reluctant to mention God
by name to religious people--because that name
Our whole nineteen-hundred-year-old Christian somehow seems to me here not to ring true, and I feel
preaching and theology rest on the religious a priori of myself to be slightly dishonest (it's particularly bad when
mankind. Christianity has always been a formperhaps others start to talk in religious jargon; I then dry up almost
the true formof "religion." But if one day it becomes completely and feel awkward and uncomfortable) to
clear that this a priori does not exist at all, but was a people with no religion I can on occasion mention him by
historically conditioned and transient form of human self- name quite calmly and as a matter of course. The

transcendence of epistemological theory has nothing to fear breeds cruelty. It is understood that humans will be
do with the transcendence of God. God is beyond in the judged for their deeds; those who dont measure up will
midst of our life. The church stands, not at the boundaries be sent to hell. Some Christians believe in a similar
where human powers give out, but in the middle of the judgment day, which corresponds with Jesus Christs
village...How this religionless Christianity looks, what form long-awaited second return, Parousia, to Earth. For
it takes, is something that I'm thinking about a great deal, Hindus, Buddhists, and Sikhs, negative un-godly actions
and I shall be writing to you again about it soon. It may be may cause rebirths and consequences in future lives.
that on us in particular, midway between East and West, However, fear not is a constant message in the Bible;
there will fall a heavy responsibility. someone has counted this message and found it 365
times in different contexts.
Bonhoeffer again wrote in 1944:
Religion begins with a direct experience of the sacred and
[Religious man] must therefore live in the godless world, spiritual and this gets expanded from one founding
without attempting to gloss over or explain its ungodliness person such as Buddha or prophet Muhammed or Guru
in some religious way or other. He must live a "secular" Nanak or another founder of a religious tradition to
life, and thereby share in God's sufferings. He may live a another person or persons such as disciples and their
"secular" life (as one who has been freed from false formulations of structures. Finally, this gets codified to a
religious obligations and inhibitions). To be a Christian rigid system of beliefs and formularies of dos and do
does not mean to be religious in a particular way, to make nots. With the passage of time sacred and secular seem
something of oneself (a sinner, a penitent, or a saint) on to get separated with strictly defined boundaries. The Old
the basis of some method or other, but to be a mannot Testament tells about the tabernacle; in the Temple we
a type of man, but the man that Christ creates in us. It is see the inner sanctum of the holiest of the holy.
not the religious act that makes the Christian, but Therefore, sacred has boundaries, but on the other hand
participation in the sufferings of God in the secular life. in spirituality we see commonality of purpose of doing
Gods will to bring heaven the kingdom of Godon
To begin our reflection on this theme, we need to have an earth and Jesus taught: Thy kingdom come and let thy
understanding of what is meant by religion and will be done on earth as it is heaven.
religionless-ness. A number of people have commented
on the difficulty of defining what religion is. In some In the New Testament we also have the imagery of the
cases, the definition is exclusive, limited to individuals curtain in the Temple being torn from top to bottom. In a
own religious beliefs and traditions and in other cases, way, the sacred boundary is being opened up for more
definitions are inclusive and vague. God has always been intimate interaction for the whole humanity. It is an
with us. Religion is a human construct, possibly under unbroken and continuous interaction of the divinity and
divine inspiration; religion is not God, religion is about humanity. It is another water-becoming-wine-moment
God; it is about laws and stipulation on how to worship through Divine involvement. Jesus never established a
God and to create an ethical relationship with other religion, but he taught mankind to be image bearers of
partners of Gods created world. Religion has taken a God. However, religions engage in keeping these
central place in the lives of virtually all civilizations and compartments separate under fear of punishments. In
cultures. As we think all the way back to the dawn of Leviticus chapter 10 we read about Aarons sons, Nadab
human consciousness, we find religion everywhere we and Abihu, being consumed by the fire for using
turn to. Religious artifacts are the oldest items that unauthorised fire for the censors before the Lord in the
archaeologists have discovered. Most people are born tabernacle. We also read in the 6th Chapter of 1 Samuel
into a religious faith and traditions of their parents and the of God putting seventy men of Beth Shemesh for looking
community in which they grow up. But, after the Second into the Ark of the Covenant, and then in the 6th Chapter
World War and towards the later Part of the 20th century, on 2nd Samuel about the death Uzzah for touching the
we are beginning to see a decline in religious interests Ark. We are in danger of creating separation between
and a growth in secularism, agnosticism and atheism. sacred and profane and sacred and even spirituality,
Something has fundamentally changed. Therefore, it is of religion and spirituality are seen as separate at times. This
interest to look at religion and what it is all about. is a kind of sanitisation process. But Jesus moved with
the crowd, with sinners, lawbreakers and tax collectors.
The universal nature of religious instincts from primordial
time onwards tends to suggest the existence of an innate As times go by, religions get enmeshed with its host
religious instinct, which is modified by cultural, culture, authority is handed down. Tom Wright in his
communal, geographical and political factors. Fear, book, Simply Christian2, tells a story of a king who
punishment and retribution are important aspects of decided to shut down natural water springs and
religions, Bertrand Russell's critique of religious belief is introduced a regulated and sanitised piped water system.
based on his claim that religion is based on fear, and that People were happy for many years. Then without warning

natural springs underneath the concrete slabs started wrote: "the man who has God in his heart and God in his
bubbling and burst open. Muddy and polluted water shot actions, who in his own spiritual figure is a transformer of
into the streets and into houses and whole towns and souls and is able in new ways to infuse the word of God
cities were in chaos. The piped water system failed. into hearts that have softened." Friedrich Schleiermacher,
Some people were happy because they could once again in his Christian understanding of religion, thought of
enjoy the natural spring water as it was meant to be. This religion as an experiential awareness of one's absolute
is analogous to institutionalised religions, which are dependence upon God. He conceived Christ as the
engaged in controlling all aspect of our spiritual life; it is a unique person in whom this consciousness received
kind of piped and regulated spirituality. The hidden spring ultimate expression, the person whose fully immediate
of spirituality is what people are longing for. People who and perfectly open relationship with the Father qualified
are prevented from enjoying the natural spring water of him to be the mediator of the divine.
spirituality will drink anything and purchase bottled up
spirituality from spiritual supermarkets. It is in the light of these understandings about religions
that we should consider the thoughts of Bonhoeffer. His
People often confuse spirituality with religion. People can insights are a priceless legacy for us to consider for
be both religious and spiritual, but it is also possible to be tackling the problems facing us today. Inertia,
religious without being initially spiritual, or to be spiritual indifference, self-interests and media interests are
without being religious. Spiritual experiences occur with destroying us in a major way in developing our Christ-
or without religious practice in a wide variety of ways. centred spirituality. It is once again the time to wake up
One may go to church every Sunday and says prayers and address the need for a religionless Christianity in an
every day in a prescribed way, but this may not make one irreligious world. In order to present Christianity in a world
a spiritual person. William James3 divides religion into that has come of age, Bonhoeffer invites us to strip
institutional and experiential. Spiritual experiences can be Christianity of all nonessential elements. These non-
triggered under many circumstances. Some people feel essential elements give religion a bad name. He invites
an awareness of God in sensory impressions of lights, us to rethink about our churches, our congregations, our
voices or an echo of a voice or in human interactions of sermons, our liturgies, and our Christian lives. He invites
love, joy and bliss. The highest priority of a spiritual us to non-religiously reinterpret the concepts of
person is love, self-less love. An Indian sage wrote: Do repentance, faith, justification, rebirth, and sanctification.
not have the feeling of I, but if you happened to have it, This is not an easy task. Bonhoeffer, like Jesus Christ,
then let that I become a Universal I. A spiritual person understood the importance of costly grace handed to
knows that we are all One, and consciously attempts to him and he paid a very costly price for his discipleship. To
honour this Oneness. A spiritual person has empathy and think and write transparently now, in a post-Christian or a
kindness towards others. Sri Narayana Guru wrote about postmodern period, with a sense of innocence will also
the universality of religion: One caste, one religion and be very costly because we are being asked to talk and
one God for mankind. expose the extra bit of cladding that has been added as
religion or religiosity to simple Christianity based on a
So, one may go to church every Sunday and say ones longing for truth, justice, relationship and spirituality2.
prayers every day, without caring about loving others and The purity of the Christian faith evolved and understood in
the planet. You can practice yoga and meditate every day terms of unconditional love of God, but is polluted with
without being conscious of what is loving and what is not extra bits added for maintaining authority and discipline
loving in your thoughts and actions. You may belong to a over faith communities with a promise of a heaven up
spiritual group and devotedly follow the teachings, yet still there.
be judgmental toward oneself and others in ones daily
life. There are many people who do not practice a Words, such as, religion, spirituality, salvation,
traditional religion, who do not meditate, pray or belong justification, grace, heaven, hell is loaded with all sorts of
to any group, who are spiritual people. These people, additional bits, but is devoid of the unconditional love of
humanists, naturally do care for others. They think about God. God is nothing but love; it is the nameless name of
how they can help. Their thoughts are kind rather than God who said I am who I am and He further assured us
judgmental toward themselves and toward others. When that you are my people and that I am your God. The
you look at them, you see kindness in their eyes and simplest, thinnest, transparent understanding of God is
divine thoughts in their face, emanating a sense of grace. just love. The First Letter of John (Chapter 4), for
Such a person could be considered as a religionless example, puts forth the basic tenet that "Whoever does
spiritual person. They may have secular lifestyle, but not love does not know God, for God is love", and
deeply spiritual in their whole being. These are the kind suggests that fear and love are incompatible with one
people who transform secular into sacred without another: "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts
building boundaries of one kind or the other. According to out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever
Max Scheler, who developed a full version of this view fears has not reached perfection in love." However,

Gods love is traded with paddings with unnecessary as an object of religion, but as a living passionate subject
theological and philosophical jargons. This has created a who is the Lord of every being. He wants us to think first
market for theologians and preachers to decode the and foremost about proclaiming Gods righteousness and
mysteries, in the process creating hierarchies, religious kingdom on earth, saving souls. Bonhoeffers idea of
experts and aristocrats of religions. The Grenfell Tower religionless Christianity not only opens a door for us to
fire in London reminds us of the danger of inflammable reach a post-Christian world, but it can help us
material used for cladding to cover up things for making understand the true relationship between God and
unsafe projections and pretentions. Some of the religious humanity.
laws and practices are very much like this, destroying the
simplicity of faith and creating a world, which is insecure. Bonhoeffer wants us to speak of God not just from the
pulpits, but living the gospel in everyday living. Thus, it is
People prefer to cling without questioning religions living a Eucharistic life of taking Gods gifts, thanking, and
supposedly impregnable barriers rather than to God. breaking and sharing; this is the orthodox view of having
Therefore, is religion itself becoming the reason not to liturgy after the liturgy. This is finding Gods presence in
establish a right relationship with God? Religion creates our everyday interactions. This is what Mar Chrysostom
agents and middlemen between us and the love of God. Metropolitan has been teaching, showing us a difference
Religious claddings, exuberances and pretensions are not between the god of the Church and God of human
necessary for establishing a right relationship with God; interactions. Bonhoeffer wants us to find God not in our
the right relationship with God is spirituality, the inward knowledge gaps but in what we thoroughly understand.
flow of an amazing grace and outward expression of that We are to find God in what we know, not in what we
in developing a loving relationship with our neighbours dont know; God wants to be grasped by us not in
with an I- Thou attitude in a way that Marin Buber once unsolved questions but in those that have been solved.
described. Organised, institutionalised, churches are This is the simple religionless Christianity.
destroying the credibility of the faith communities and
encouraging its members to join the growing ranks of Understanding the nature and practice of Christianity in
people without true religious sense and sensibility. We Nazi Germany is what moved Bonhoeffer. His solution
are back to a Tower of Babel situation of trying to reach reflects his religionless reinterpretation of Christianity. In
out to heavens through our own skills and getting this reinterpretation God is not called upon to solve the
knocked down. It is time to get rid of the pomposity of problem of pain and suffering, but we as Christians are
our religious practices and have a real kenosis moment of called to participate with God in powerlessness and
seeking the grace to build an intimate relationship with weakness. He wrote, God consents to be pushed out of
God and our neighbour to bring the kingdom of God to the world and onto the cross; God is weak and powerless
earth to care for the poor and the needy and administer in the world and in precisely this way, and only so, is at
justice. our side and helps us. Bonhoeffer believed that the
difference between unenlightened persons and Christians
We also need to address another reality, the superficial is that in the former people call upon God to solve their
religiosity of the religions are creating a God-shaped hole problems while in the latter, God calls upon his people to
outside the boundaries of religion, which is indeed a God- participate in their problem. He explains: That is the
less world of atheism with the propaganda that God is opposite of everything a religious person expects from
dead. We are now living in the midst of a religionless God. The human being is called upon to share in Gods
age, which is paradoxically created by religion itself. Even suffering at the hands of a godless world. Thus we must
those who honestly describe themselves as religious really live in that godless world and not try to cover up or
arent really practicing religious edicts, their ethics and transfigure its godlessness somehow with religion.
politics are no longer directly influenced by religious
beliefs. For many Churchgoing Christians, their lives show The Church requires constant self-examination and
no visible difference from others outside the Church. renewal in order to authentically express the spiritual
Therefore, for genuinely simple Christians, it is a reality they are trying to represent. Unless renewal plays
challenge to address this religion-less, God-less world. an essential, constant and ongoing role in the Church, it
will over time, drift away from its original vision and
What is Religionless Christianity? mission. A new group of people is emerging in our
churches that were committed to the church for years,
Bonhoeffer asked, If religion is only the garb in which but now they are dissatisfied with the structure, social
Christianity is clothedand this garb has looked very message, or politics of the institutional church, they have
different in different ageswhat then is religionless decided they are better off without organized religion.
Christianity? In order to be a missional church in a These people are now known as Dones because they
religionless world, Bonhoeffer wants us to ponder how have done with organised religion altogether, but they are
we can talk about God. He wants us to think of Christ not still on their spiritual journey. We are often told that the

Mar Thoma Church is a reformed and reforming Church, The story of how Huddlestons small act made such a big
this ongoing reformation should be an important factor in difference encouraged me to think about the areas of life which
our diasporic spirituality of going away and coming should be affected by our faith. In what ways should faith make
a difference to how we live? Here are some ideas shared by
back. Jesus tried to reform the Jewish religious
Jon Kuhrt on his blog Resistance and Renewal which I found
institution he encountered in the first century where the
helpful, if challenging:
letter of the Law completely eclipsed the spirit of the Law,
he violated the Sabbatical laws for the sake of helping Privately. Authentic faith should be always changing
suffering humanity. His ministry was centred on genuine us in ways that only we know about. Through prayer
human needs. He was totally against the religious we seek Gods grace to shape and influence our inner
establishments. His life resonates with what Isaiah wrote: lives, to allow divine love to repair, restore and re-
I have more than enough burnt offerings . . . learn to do orientate us. Real faith makes a difference when no
right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the one is watching.
cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow Personally. Authentic faith influences our small,
daily decisions about how we behave, like our attitude
(Isaiah 1: 11-17). Jesus teaching did not speak of
when driving and how we treat our families. But it also
religious practices of sacrifice to appease a vengeful God. influences the big choices that we make about our life:
His ministry was beyond the established religion. It seems the house we buy, how we use our money, where we
that the whole thrust of Jesus's life was the dismantling of send our children to school. Faith is expressed in the
religious structures to allow for people to encounter each personal values we live by.
other in more authentic ways. If Christianity were to serve Practically. Authentic faith is expressed in actions
an irreligious, God-less world, we should listen and which make it tangible and visible to others especially
understand the prophetic voice of Bonhoeffer. We should those who are poor and suffering. Beliefs only become
be mindful of the danger of the possibility of religionless faith when they are put into action. This is why the
Bible continually emphasises the inseparability of
Christianity itself getting institutionalised with time and
loving God and loving our neighbours. We are blessed
becoming another religion. by God, in order to be a blessing to others.
Professionally. Authentic faith has to be expressed in
References: the realms in which we spend most of our time and our
energy and for many of us that is in paid
1. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Letters and papers from Prison, edited employment. In reality there is no sacred/secular
by Eberhard Bethge, SCM Press, 1981. divide: the workplace is just as significant a realm as
2. Tom Wright, Christian, SPCK, 2006. church for us to express our faith and hope in the
3. William James, The Varieties of Religious Experiences, living God.
Renaissance Classics, USA, 2012. Publicly. Authentic faith can never accept
being relegated into just a private realm. Faith has
things to say about how society is ordered and how
How should our faith affect the way communities operate. From the start, Christianity was a
public movement, described in the New Testament
we live? as the Ekklesia, which means public assembly. Back
Revd James Mercer** then, the Christian faith was never seen as a private
matter and neither is it today.
A few weeks ago I attended an intriguing course led by Dave Politically. Authentic faith cares about how
Tomlinson*, Vicar of St Lukes, Holloway. The course title was the structures and powers in the world can be shaped
How to be a Bad Christian. Dave is somewhat impatient with to create greater fairness, justice and peace. When we
churchiness. He told stories as to how small actions can make look at the injustices and violence in places such
a big difference. An example he used was how significant it was as Iraq, Syria and Gaza, we cannot pretend that faith
for Desmond Tutu when as a young boy he saw a white priest has nothing to do with politics. If Jesus had not been a
doff his hat in courtesy to his mother who was a domestic political threat to the Jewish and Roman authorities
worker. Growing up under apartheid in South Africa he had then he never would have been crucified.
never seen a white man show such respect to a black person
before and it had a profound impact on him. All this is of course far easier to write than to live out. However,
faith must make a difference to how we live. The Roman
It was only later that Tutu learned the priest he had met as a Catholic contemplative Brennan Manning wrote: The greatest
young boy was the great anti-apartheid campaigner, Trevor cause of atheism is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their
Huddleston. In amongst all the important things lips, then walk out the door and deny him with their
that Huddleston achieved in his life, he would never have lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds
imagined the impact that this simple act of courtesy had. And unbelievable.
yet Tutu cited it as a key moment in his upbringing a moment,
which helped set him on the incredible path he took of helping How to be a Bad Christian: ... And a better human being
bring hope and change to millions of people. Dave Tomlinson, Hodder and Stoughton 2012
** Revd James Mercer is the Vicar of All Saints Harrow Weald, North
What difference should faith make?
London.

FOCUS October 2017

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Dr. Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan - A

Religionless Christianity, Rev. Dr. Valson

Editorial, Religionless Christianity, Dr.

Let us Speak Less of Religion, and More of

Most Rev. Dr. Joseph Mar Thoma -The Best

Religionless Christianity What Does It

Lubbock, USA, - Page 8

His Grace Most Rev. Joseph Mar Thoma

religious group in the United States are drifting away from

was cracking. Some churches are seeing a faster decline

about the decline of Christianity in the United States by

Dr. Joseph Mar Thoma is a visionary, organizer and a

The term Christianity simply mean followers of

1 2 Bonhoeffer, Ethics op. cit., pp. 130 f

This is the memoir of a man

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