Union Biblical Seminary

Bibvewadi, Pune

Paper Presentation Date: 07th February 2019

Subject: The Church and its Ministry in the Indian Context
Topic: Ecumenical Agencies and Process in India
Presenter: Rev. Jomy Mathews Thomas
Respondent: Mr. Joel Zoramthansanga
Facilitator: Rev. Dr. George Varughese

CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION
2. WHAT IS ECUMENISM/ ECUMENICAL
3. ORIGIN OF ECUMENICAL MOVEMENT
3.1. THE SEED OF ECUMENISM
3.2. WORLD MISSIONARY CONFERENCE IN EDINBURGH AT 1910
3.3. THE WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES, 1948
4. THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH IN ECUMENISM
5. ORIGIN OF ECUMENICAL MOVEMENT IN INDIA
6. DIFFERENT ECUMENICAL MOVEMENT AND IT’S FUNCTIONS IN INDIA
6.1. NATIONAL CHRISTIAN COUNCIL OF INDIA (NCCI)
6.2. CHURCH UNION MOVEMENT IN NORTH EAST INDIA
6.2.1. NORTH EAST INDIAN CHRISTIAN COUNCIL (NEICC)
6.3. THE COMMUNION OF CHURCHES IN INDIA (CCI) (CSI, CNI AND MTSC)
6.3.1. AIMS AND OBJECTS OF THE COMMUNION
7. RELEVANT OF ECUMENICAL MOVEMENTS IN INDIA
8. CONCLUSION

BIBLIOGRAPHY

ARTICLE IN BOOKS

DICTIONARY

ENCYCLOPAEDIA

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 Ecumenical Agencies and Process in India
1. INTRODUCTION

Ecumenical movements have been developed in the later period of history of Christianity.
It is emerged as requirement for the Christian witnessing and fulfilment of Christian mission.
The rise of ecumenical movement has created massive impact in the society. It also has
fashioned brotherly feelings and cooperation among the church members. Understanding
ecumenical agencies and process in the society helps a person to broaden his/her understanding
about vision and mission of the church.

2. WHAT IS ECUMENISM/ ECUMENICAL

According to Oxford Dictionary, the meaning of ecumenism is “the principle or aim of

uniting different branches of the Christian church”1 and the meaning of ecumenical is
“involving or uniting members of different branches of the Christian church” 2. The word
‘ecumenical’ is derived from the Greek word ‘oikoumene’ which means ‘whole inhabited
world’. This Greek word is rooted from ‘oikos’ which means ‘house’ or ‘dwelling’.3 “The
ecumenical movement signifies a common search of all the churches existing today for the
rediscovery of their visible unity and communion.”4

In the broader sense, Ecumenism points toward the concern for and pursuit of the whole
humankind, and the unity of the churches is considered as the ‘sign and sacrament’ of the unity
of all peoples in the world. Originally, the word was used for whole world. But later, it is
assumed for ecclesiastical usage. In the early days, ecumenism was considered as a call to
return to the original church and each ecclesial tradition used to claim that they are the original
church. A radical change has happened in the understanding of ecumenism regarding in the
relationship between the churches after the formation of the world council of churches (1948)
and the second Vatican council (1962-1965). Now, the diversity of the churches is accepted as
part of the catholicity of the churches.5 The Vatican Council’s degree has given some
guidelines for having unity among Christians.

a) Purge caricature of other churches that make mutual relation difficult.

b) Having dialogue between knowledgeable experts from different churches.
c) Increase the co-operation more closely in the area where Christian conscience demands
for the common good.
d) Assemble together for common prayer.
e) All churches should be subjected to self-examination, renewal and reform.6

1
A S Hornby, Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, edited by Sally wehmeier (Toronto: Oxford
university Press, 2005), 486.
2
A S Hornby, Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary.. 486
3
The Oxford encyclopaedia of South Asian Christianity edited by Roger E. hedlund, Vol. 1(NEW
delhi: Oxford university Press ,2012), 242.
4
The Oxford Encyclopaedia of South Asian Christianity… 241.
5
The Oxford Encyclopaedia of South Asian Christianity… 241,242.
6
Paulos Mar Gregorios, “Some Basic Principles of Ecumenism” in On Ecumenism, edited by Jacob
Kurian (Kottayam:ISPCK,2006), 19.

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 3. ORIGIN OF ECUMENICAL MOVEMENT

Several heretical teachings had been raised in the post-Constantinian period like Arianism,
Macedonianism, Apollinarianism, Monophysitism, and Eutychianism.7 Arianism was the
teaching of Arius who taught that “the son was created, of a different substance from the father
and subordinate alike”.8 He denied divinity of Christ and emphasised on Jesus human nature.
Emperor Constantine convened the first Ecumenical Council at Nicaea in 325 in order to resist
this heretical teaching and condemned Arianism. Macedonius, the Bishop of Constantinople
taught that the Holy spirit did not exist from eternity but was a created being and status of the
Holy spirit was on the level of the angels. The church opposed the teaching called
“Macedonianism” at the Council of Constantinople in 381.9

At that Council, the word “ecumenical” was entered into official ecclesiastical usage when
the council of Constantinople spoke of the Council of Nicaea as an “ecumenical synod”. The
council was assembled under the authority of the emperor (Basil the Great 330-379). Since the
ecumenical council and its decision had possessed general authority over the church, the word
a “ecumenical” played an authoritative role in the whole church.10 However, when the church
faced many forms of heretical teachings that threatened the unity of the church, the state took
initiative to convene the ecumenical councils for restoring the unity.11

The differences in the political organisations, ecclesiastical traditions, and theological

controversies caused unbridgeable gulf between the East and the West. The Western church
claimed its supremacy over the churches in the East and legitimated their claims, but the
Eastern churches never accepted their supremacy at that point of time. The gap became very
deeper that finally led to a complete separation. The crucial standoff between the patriarch of
Constantinople and the pope of Rome took place in 867. As the result, the eastern Council
removed the Pope of Rome from the Episcopal sees of Constantinople. During the sixteenth
and the seventeenth century, reformation movements like Lutheran, the Zwinglian, the
Calvinist, the Anglican were similar in experiences, in visions and in struggles. But they stood
on different grounds with their own interest.12

3.1.THE SEED OF ECUMENISM

In midst of the Protestant reformation, there was an element of ecumenical concern in the
acceptance of the ecumenical creeds as acknowledgement to the continuity of the ancient
tradition. Most protestant official documents accepted the creeds as authentic summaries of

7
O L Snaitang, A History of Ecumenical Movement: An Inroduction (Bangalore:
BTESSC/SATHRI,2004), 21.
8
O L Snaitang, A History of Ecumenical Movement: An Inroduction….. 21.
9
O L Snaitang, A History of Ecumenical Movement: An Inroduction ….21.
10
Ninan Koshey, “The Ecumenical Movement in Asia” in History of Ecumenical Movement Issues,
Challenges and Perspectives, edited by Watimongla Jamir (Kolkata: Sceptre, 2014), 3.
11
O L Snaitang, A History of Ecumenical Movement: An Inroduction….. 22.
12
O L Snaitang, A History of Ecumenical Movement: An Inroduction….. 23-25.

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Scripture teachings.13 Though the ecumenism was not an agenda of the sixteenth century
reformation, churches and missions of Protestant origins like Pietistic Movement, Evangelical
Awakening, Modern Missionary Movement, Indian Christian Associations, Anglo-American
Conferences, Students’ Movements, and inter-denominational organizations sensed the
importance of cross denominational involvement. Pietism produced far-reaching ecumenical
implications even though it was not an ecumenical movement. As the result of their teachings,
they promoted Spiritual Unity among believers from different ecclesiastical background, cross-
denominational relations, and world evangelistic mission. The Young Men’s Christian
Association (YMCA) and the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) which spread
different region of the world promoted interdenominational involvement among young people
in relation with the spiritual growth. The Student Volunteer Movement (SVM) fostered
missionary interests and action among students in different seminaries and universities. The
formation of the British and Foreign Bible Society was remarkable as it steered formation of
the modern Bible society Movement which involved in the translation of the Bible in numerous
languages of the world, production and distribution and sale of the Scripture. The evangelical
Awakening gave emphasis on transformed life of a person, need of the blood of Jesus Christ,
and fighting against social evil. Modern Missionary Movements sent many missionaries into
different parts of the world during 18th and 19th century. The growing rise of
interdenominational collaboration in those centuries subsequently led to steering up the
ecumenical International Missionary Council in the 20th century.14

3.2.WORLD MISSIONARY CONFERENCE IN EDINBURGH AT 1910

This conference was the outcome of mission leaders’ united efforts to bring
missionaries, native leaders, mission societies and boards to a common sense of unity for world
evangelisation.15 It was the result of succession of meetings held consecutively in New York
and London in 1854, in Liverpool in 1860, in London in 1878, again in London again in 1888,
and especially in New York in 1900. The conference summed up and focused much of the
previous century’s movement for uniting Christians in giving the Gospel to the world. 16 John
R. Mott, an American Methodist layman and other statemen had put their strong united efforts
for conducting the conference.17 The conference was composed of the official delegates from
different missionary societies. “The purpose of the earlier missionary gatherings had been
largely to educate, inform, and impress the public, to bring home to Western peoples and
especially to the membership of the churches urgently, the achievements, and the possibilities
of the missionary enterprises.”18 But the Edinburgh conference, without underrating the
importance of these objectives, made possible consultation through which the missionary

13
O L Snaitang, A History of Ecumenical Movement: An Inroduction….. 27.
14
O L Snaitang, A History of Ecumenical Movement: An Inroduction…..41-55.
15
O L Snaitang, A History of Ecumenical Movement: An Inroduction….. 97.
16
Kenneth Scott Latourette, “Ecumenical Bearings of the Missionary Movement and the International
Missionary Council,” A History of the Ecumenical Movement 1517-1968, edited by Ruth Rouse and Stephen C.
Neill (Geneva: World Council of Churches, 1993), 355.
17
Norman Goodall, The Ecumenical Movement: What is it What it do (Madras: Oxford University,
1961), 9.
18
Kenneth Scott Latourette, “Ecumenical Bearings of the Missionary Movement and the International
Missionary Council”, A History of the Ecumenical Movement 1517-1968, .. 357-358.

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agencies could plan together the next steps in giving the Gospel to the world.19 A sense of
global ecclesiastical oneness had been created among churches of protestant traditions,
different nationalities and cultural systems as the result of the conference. Anglo-Catholic
communion which had never shown interest in ecumenical gatherings in the past had actively
participated in the conference. The conference also witnessed non-western participation,
particularly from Asia. There were seventeen of such representatives who attended the
conference officially.20 Rev. V. S. Azariah, later Bishop of Dornakal, from India was one of
the delegates. He was given the opportunity to speak in the conference on “the problem of
cooperation between foreign and native workers”.21

3.3.THE WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES, 1948

Two movements came to existence with the effect of world missionary conference in
Edinburgh 1910, Life and Work Movement and Faith and Order Movement. The life and work
Movement received support from the Patriarchs of Alexandria and Jerusalem and members
from the Orthodox Church. According to their understanding, Churches have immense
responsibility to serve the poor, victims of war and unfortunate in addition to promoting peace
in a broken and divided world. Bishop Charles Brendt of the protestant Episcopal Church in
the United States, participant of Edinburgh Conference, who admired its ecumenical success
was dissatisfied with the Conference because the conference did not take up the problem of
theological differences in different churches. With the support of the Protestant Episcopal
Church in the United States he took leadership to form Faith and Order Movement.22 Though
the Orthodox church responded positively to this movement, Roman Catholic Church did not
show any positive response. First conference of this movement was held at Lausanne,
Switzerland in August 1927. Most of the theological issues like the call to Christian unity, the
message of the church to the world, nature of the church, common confession of faith, ministry,
and sacraments were discussed in that conference. They could discuss and had dialogue on
issues of theological differences.23

Later, Life and Work Movement and Faith and Order Movement had decided to merge
together, that decision ended in the initial formation of the World Council of Churches in 1938.
Even though WCC was formed in 1938, the inauguration that had been extending due to the
disruption of World War II was happened at Amsterdam in August 22, 1948.24 One hundred
and forty-seven Churches in forty-four countries were represented by three hundred and fifty-

19
Kenneth Scott Latourette, “Ecumenical Bearings of the Missionary Movement and the International
Missionary Council”, in A History of the Ecumenical Movement 1517-1968, …., 358.
20
O L Snaitang, “Asian Ecumenism After Edinburgh 1910” in History of Ecumenical Movement
Issues, Challenges, and Perspectives.. 98.
21
O L Snaitang, “A History of Ecumenical Movement: An Inroduction”…..100.
22
O L Snaitang, “Asian Ecumenism After Edinburgh 1910” in History of Ecumenical Movement
Issues, Challenges, and Perspectives 101,102.
23
O L Snaitang, “Asian Ecumenism After Edinburgh 1910” in History of Ecumenical Movement
Issues, Challenges, and Perspectives.. 102,103.
24
O L Snaitang, “Asian Ecumenism After Edinburgh 1910” in History of Ecumenical Movement
Issues, Challenges, and Perspectives”… 103

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one Official delegates. Churches of Asia sent strong delegations to the council.25 Though a
number of Roman Catholics had been invited as observers, they could not accept the invitation
because in June the Holy Office had issued a Monitum and declared that no Roman Catholic
would receive permission to attend.26 The primary basis of the WCC in 1948 was
Christocentric. The Assembly is the highest legislative authority in matters of determining the
WCC policies, directing its affairs and reviewing the implementation in its programmes. The
assembly is formed by the representatives appointed by the member churches who are eligible
for voting and others who are observers, fraternal delegates, advisers etc. This assembly also
elects the six or seven presidents, who form the presidium, and members of the central
committee. The WCC assembly meets once in every seven or eight years. But there is a
constitutional provision for meeting every five years. The organisational structure of the WCC
has been given a provision for it can be adapted, expanded, and modified after the thorough
study and evaluation. The assembly had initially twelve departments that included Faith and
Order, Evangelism, Study, Laity, Youth, Women, Ecumenical Institute, International affairs,
Inter-church aid/refugees, Publications, Library and Finance.27

4. THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH IN ECUMENISM

The Second Vatican Council meeting made an attempt aimed at ecclesiological self-
assessment and ecumenical openness, and it gave remarkable and far-reaching changes in the
Roman Catholic Church. Ecumenism was considered by Vatican II as a central concern of the
Roman Catholic Church. The first concrete step towards ecumenical openness was the
establishment of the Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity by Pope John XXIII. This body
gave the definition of Conciliar Fellowship in the year 1980.28 Conciliar fellowship is a local
reality. The unity of the church in one place is neither a peaceful co-existence nor an
ecumenical collaboration between local churches. The unity is not a confessional reality but a
geographical. It is a wider understanding of the unity of the Church. Conciliar fellowship is
unity in diversity. Diversity is an essential aspect of true unity. Conciliar fellowship maintains
a healthy and creative balance between unity and diversity, affirms and safeguards diversity
without weakening unity, and enhances unity without endangering diversity.29

5. ORIGIN OF ECUMENICAL MOVEMENT IN INDIA

The modern Missionary Movement came to existence in India in the form different
missions from Europe and America. Each propagated its own type of teaching and its own
system of organization and discipline. These gave birth to separate Christian communities like
Anglican, Methodist, Presbyterian etc. They had the habit of consulting together on common

25
Willem Adolf Visser’ T Hooft “The Genesis of The World Council of Churches”in A History of the
Ecumenical Movement 1517-1968, edited by Ruth Rouse and Stephen C. Neill (Geneva: World Council of
Churches, 1993), 719.
26
W A Visser ‘t Hooft, The Genesis and Formation of the World Council of Churches (Geneva: World
Council,1982), 63.
27
O L Onaitang, A History of Ecumenical Movement: An Introduction… 131,132.
28
Isaac Devadoss, “A Historical Survey of Ecumenism in India” in History of Ecumenical Movement
Issues, Challenges and Perspectives, edited by Watimongla Jamir (Kolkata: Sceptre, 2014), 185,186.
29
Isaac Devadoss, “A Historical Survey of Ecumenism in India” in History of Ecumenical Movement
Issues, Challenges and Perspectives …187,188.

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problems. The co-operation became necessary in the area of evangelistic methods, in the area
of running institutions and discipline. Consequently, they developed an unwritten convention
of Comity30. There was more brotherly feeling and co-operation between the denominations in
India than in the West at that time.31 According to Isaac Devadoss, “A study of the history of
the church in India will show that the real impetus for Christian unity came from this land and
not from Western missionaries”32. The protest of the Indian Christians against Western
denominations and missionary paternalism became a reason for church unity discussions in
some of the missionary Conference in India. Christo Samaj in Culcatta, National Christian
Alliance in Western India and the National Church in Madras were the some of the emerged
movements in the context of church unity discussion.33

There was an urge to come together as one Indian Christian community without affecting
the denominational differences and disregarding mission allegiances. The rapid increase in the
numbers, the spread of education, rise in their intellectual level and improvement in their
economic status were the consequence of the gradual growth of self-reliance and self-
governance. The earliest church union were The Bengal Christian Association for the
Promotion of Christian truth and Godliness the Protection of the Rights of Indian Christian
started in 1868 at Calcutta and the Western India Native Christian Alliance started in 1871 at
Bombay. 34

6. DIFFERENT ECUMENICAL MOVEMENT AND IT’S FUNCTIONS IN INDIA

Bengal missionaries from different denominations and societies met in Calcutta for the first
Provincial conference in order to discuss about their common problems in 1855. Same thing
had been repeated in other parts of India, Northwest Provincial Conference held at Banaras in
1857, at the hill resort Ootacamund in South India in 1858, at Lahore, Punjab in 1862. The
National General Missionary Conference was arranged at Allahabad in 1872, the venture was
repeated in 1882 and 1892. These regional and national conferences were the foundations on
which the National Missionary Council and its local branches were built.35

Anglican, Lutheran, Congregationalist, Baptist and Methodist missionaries in South

India formed a South India Missionaries Association in 1897. The purpose was to provide
means of consultations and of united action in the interest of mission work. Consequently, The
United Mission Tuberculosis Hospital at Arogyavaram and the Christian Medical College,
Vellore were established. Within that period, the fourth All India Missionary Conference was

30
Comity is a principle, in which each Mission was recognized as occupying certain territories and it
was agreed that other Mission should abstain from entering and working in those territories.
31
Isaac Devadoss, “A Historical Survey of Ecumenism in India” in History of Ecumenical Movement
Issues, Challenges and Perspectives …, 177.
32
Isaac Devadoss, “A Historical Survey of Ecumenism in India” in History of Ecumenical Movement
Issues, Challenges and Perspectives … 177.
33
Isaac Devadoss, “A Historical Survey of Ecumenism in India” in History of Ecumenical Movement
Issues, Challenges and Perspectives … 177.
34
Isaac Devadoss, “A Historical Survey of Ecumenism in India” in History of Ecumenical Movement
Issues, Challenges and Perspectives… 177,178.
35
Isaac Devadoss, “A Historical Survey of Ecumenism in India” in History of Ecumenical Movement
Issues, Challenges and Perspectives … 178.

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happened at Madras in 1902. The participants were officially sent by the missions. This
conference is considered as the first official ecumenical meeting in India. And they appointed
a Board of Arbitration for the whole of India.36

The National Missionary Society was formed in 1905. It was a united effort by drawing
together Indian Christians from different denominations. The United Theological College,
Bangalore was established in the same way in 1910. John R. Mott visited India in 1912 on
behalf of the Edinburgh Conference with the purpose of setting up local bodies. This visit had
strengthened and widened the co-operation between missions. The first National Missionary
Council was held in the YWCA building at Calcutta on 4th February 1914. Its name was
changed to National Christian Council in 1923. Consequently, regional councils have been
formed in State or language areas affiliated to the National Christian Council (NCC). The full
membership of the NCC is restricted to Indian Churches and the regional councils in1956. NCC
became the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) in 1979.37

6.1.NATIONAL CHRISTIAN COUNCIL OF INDIA (NCCI)

National Christian Council of India, the apex body, has thirty member churches, seventeen
regional Christian councils, eighteen All India Organisations, seven related organizations and
two autonomous bodies. It represents about fourteen million people in India. It is an
ecumenical expression of protestant and orthodox churches as well as ecumenical
organisations, reginal councils and agencies in India. When it had been constituted in 1923, the
council was named as the National Christian Council of India, Burma, and Ceylon. Later, the
Councils of Burma and Sri Lanka were separated and the council became known as the
National Council of Churches in India in 1979. It is an Inter-confessional autonomous Council
and constantly initiating, promoting and coordinating various forms of ministries of witness
and service in the wider community and society. It serves as a common platform for thought
and action and brings together the churches and other Christian organisation for mutual
consultation, assistance and action in all matters related to the life and witness of the Churches
in India. The NCCI is committed to the Gospel values of Justice, Unity and Peace. The supreme
body meets every four years. The Executive committee meets annually to oversee the work of
the council and also appoints the working committee which meets twice in a year for guiding
and monitoring its activities.38

36
Isaac Devadoss, “A Historical Survey of Ecumenism in India” in History of Ecumenical Movement
Issues, Challenges and Perspectives… 178.
37
Isaac Devadoss, “A Historical Survey of Ecumenism in India” in History of Ecumenical Movement
Issues, Challenges and Perspectives … 179.
38
http://ncci1914.com/ accessed on 03/02/2019.

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 6.1.1. STRATEGIC PLAN OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES IN
INDIA 2014–2020
a. Vision

“NCCI envisions just and inclusive communities which enable the full realization of the
human potential individually and collectively, and live together in harmony, justice and
peace.”39

b. Mission

NCCI facilitates and strengthens ecumenical bonds of unity among the churches, as a
visible expression of being members of the one body of Christ. Through this kind of
togetherness, it is committed to serve all creation by giving expression to the various
implications of the gospel. Through such unity and service, NCCI is called to bear witness in
the Indian society and the world. The mission of NCCI is to participate through collaborative
programs with the churches at local, national and international levels, people’s movements,
grassroots communities, community-based organizations, faith communities, and
governments. Affirming solidarity with the social, economic and political initiatives of the
communities such as Dalit, tribal, women, children, youth, migrants, persons with disabilities,
different sexual orientations, religious and linguistic minorities, and PLWHA (People Living
With HIV/AIDS) who have been historically disadvantaged and excluded, NCCI will facilitate
and accompany the churches through joint action simultaneously reforming church and
society.40

c. Core Values

The core values of NCCI are Equality, dignity, justice, love, peace, inclusion, transparency
and accountability.41

d. Strategic Objectives42

1: Unity: Be a common platform for wider Christian communities.

2: Witness: Facilitate expressions of wider ecumenism.

3: Service: Promote just and inclusive communities with good governance.

4: Practice: Actualizing a just and inclusive church for all

39
http://ncci1914.com/ accessed on 03/02/2019.
40
http://ncci1914.com/ accessed on 03/02/2019.
41
http://ncci1914.com/ accessed on 03/02/2019.
42
http://ncci1914.com/ accessed on 03/02/2019.

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 6.2.CHURCH UNION MOVEMENT IN NORTH EAST INDIA

Initially, Protestant Christian Missions from Northeast India was part of the Bengal
Christian Council (BCC). Members from that region found it difficult to be part of the BCC
due to geographical distance and cultural difference. Consequently, one by one all withdrew
from the BCC. The Welsh missionaries took initiative for convening a meeting of various
Protestant bodies at Shillong in 1936 for the promotion of an ecumenical fellowship in
Northeast India because of the keen interest of the Northeast churches. Six mission societies
and two Churches positively responded to the meeting. In this meeting they discussed matters
like the joint production of Christian literature, exchange of representative at the church
assemblies, a union theological college for higher learning, dealing with the government
legislative council and responding to public questions.43

The Assam Christian Council (ACC) was formed in 1937. ACC received a good response from
most of the missions and Churches of Protestant traditions. They initiated the establishment of
Union Christian College at Khwan (Barapani), evangelism, literature work, relief work,
women’s fellowship, youth fellowship, church union meetings and other activities. They
started to talk about the Church union in the meeting which was held in 1942. ACC became
known as North East India Christian Council (NEICC) in 1962.44

6.2.1. NORTH EAST INDIAN CHRISTIAN COUNCIL (NEICC)

In the meeting of NEICC which was held at Kalimpong in 1963 took concrete decisions on the
Church union. It directed the already organized Church Union Committee to bring a union
proposal to the Conference on Faith and Order. The first Faith and Order Conference which
was held at Union Christian College, Khwan in1964 took decision on the formation of a United
Church in Northeast India and rejected the proposal for joining with the North India Union
plan. The Church Union Committee organised the first Union Conference at Shillong in 1965.
The same Conference encouraged all the affiliated churches for organizing local church union
committee.45 The Second Union Conference which was held at Shillong in 1969 was more
promising. It appointed a drafting committee to prepare the plan of union including the draft
constitution of the Church of North East India (CNEI). The committee decided to send the
revised draft of the documents to all affiliated bodies for comments. When the Council met
together in 1970 to take stock of the revised draft on the basis of union, majority of all affiliated
churches voted in favour of the union. The Council of Baptist Church of North East India
(CBCNEI) withdrew its support from the move in August 1971 on the basis of baptism,
episcopacy and centralized organization.46

43
Isaac Devadoss, “A Historical Survey of Ecumenism in India” in History of Ecumenical Movement
Issues, Challenges and Perspectivesr… 184.
44
Isaac Devadoss, “A Historical Survey of Ecumenism in India” in History of Ecumenical Movement
Issues, Challenges and Perspectives … 184.
45
Isaac Devadoss, “A Historical Survey of Ecumenism in India” in History of Ecumenical Movement
Issues, Challenges and Perspectives …. 185.
46
Isaac Devadoss, “A Historical Survey of Ecumenism in India” in History of Ecumenical Movement
Issues, Challenges and Perspectives … 185.

10 | P a g e
 6.3.THE COMMUNION OF CHURCHES IN INDIA (CCI) (CSI, CNI AND MTSC)

The twentieth century is considered as the century of ecumenism. Church of South India and
Church of North India were successfully formed in the same century. A joint theological
commission was formed in 1973 to bring together the churches of CSI, CNI, and Malankara
Mar Toma Syrian Church for the common fellowship, co-operation, and Unity.47 The first
meeting of the Joint Theological Commission was held in January 1975 at Madras. The
formation of the joint council of these churches was happened in 1978 at Nagpur. During the
Executive Committees meeting in November 1999 at Charal Kunnu, it was unanimously
recommended that the name 'The Communion of Churches in India' be adopted in place of the
Joint Council.48

Its preamble says “The Joint Council of the CNI, CSI, MTC, has been constituted as the visible
origin for common action by the three churches which recognize themselves as belonging to
the one church of Jesus Christ in India, even while remaining as autonomous churches, each
having its own identity of traditions and organizational structure .”49

The joint council encouraged all the three churches to accept each other as members of the
body of Christ and has helped them to have mutual fellowship. In order to develop the unity,
they published common worship order that included the liturgies of three traditions, took
decision to remember the ecclesiastical heads of each church during worship services and the
celebration of an annual festive of unity, joint mission operation in rural areas, issuing of
messages or concern on national events or political issues, joint conference for Bishops and
pastors and encouragement for active participation of women, and youth. The most important
thing was the proposal to have a common nomenclature as “the Bharat Christian Church”.50

6.3.1. AIMS AND OBJECTS OF THE COMMUNION51

a. To serve as the common organ of the member Churches for working on the way to a
visible manifestation of the Unity of the Churches and of the whole Church of Jesus
Christ in India.
b. To support the Churches to fulfill the Mission of Evangelization of the people of
India and of witnessing to the righteousness of God revealed in the Gospel of Jesus
Christ by striving for a just society.
c. To serve with all people of good will to establish peace with justice and integrity of
creation.
d. To discover possibilities of common action for the fulfillment of the mission of the
Church in India and outside.
e. To ponder the question of Faith, Worship and Order and other relevant issues arising
from their present relationship of full communion and make appropriate
recommendations, so that the churches may grow in mutual understanding, the

47
O L Snaitang, A History of Ecumenical Movement: An Inroduction…..175.
48
http://communionofchurchesinindia.org.in/history.html on 05/02/2019
49
O L Snaitang, A History of Ecumenical Movement: An Inroduction…..175.
50
O L Snaitang, A History of Ecumenical Movement: An Inroduction…..175.
51
http://communionofchurchesinindia.org.in/history.html on 05/02/2019

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 deepening of the experience of oneness in Christ, and in the visible manifestation of
unity.
7. RELEVANT OF ECUMENICAL MOVEMENTS IN INDIA

Indian society is a pluralistic Society. The question of pluralism is important for

understanding the nature of its fellowship and unity. The unity of the church and the unity of
the national community in India are very much interrelated. Sociological factors and different
spiritual experiences are involved in plurality.52 Isaac Devadoss says in his article named “A
Historical Survey of Ecumenism in India” that “The important point is to recognize the
pluralistic character of the unity of our national community and therefore to work for a unity
which will be strong enough to comprehend in Christ different cultural and social and
religious ethos which will enrich the total life of the fellowship of the church.”53

M.M Thomas, an ecumenical theologian and a social thinker was deeply concerned
about Christian mission. He believed that mission must be understood in a broader
perspective. He said that humanization is an integral part of the Christian message of
salvation.54 He believed that “the search of humanisation was embodied in the contemporary
revolutions in which he discovered the mission dimension.”55 He encouraged church to
understand its service and involve in this mission for an increased human dignity and fuller
humanity.56 Ecumenical movement in India should find its mission in humanization. The
issue of justice become more important due to increase of injustice that led to people’s
poverty, racism, discrimination against women, human rights violations and various forms of
oppression. These problems are deeply rooted in the political, social, and economic
structures.57

8. CONCLUSION

To sum up, since there are different Christian denominations and Christian communities exist
in India, ecumenical movement has great role to play for witnessing Christ in the society.
Creating a common ground for fellowship, unity, and witnessing among churches is the main
task for ecumenical movement. It can contribute a lot for the national building through the
Christian perspective.

52
Isaac Devadoss, “A Historical Survey of Ecumenism in India” in History of Ecumenical Movement
Issues, Challenges and Perspectives… 189.
53
Isaac Devadoss, “A Historical Survey of Ecumenism in India” in History of Ecumenical Movement
Issues, Challenges and Perspectives… 189.
54
http://www.bu.edu/missiology/missionary-biography/t-u-v/thomas-madathilparampil-mammen-
1916-1996/ accessed on 04/02/2019.
55
http://www.bu.edu/missiology/missionary-biography/t-u-v/thomas-madathilparampil-mammen-
1916-1996/ accessed on 04/02/2019.
56
http://www.bu.edu/missiology/missionary-biography/t-u-v/thomas-madathilparampil-mammen-
1916-1996/ accessed on 04/02/2019.
57
O L Onaitang, A History of Ecumenical Movement: An Introduction…219.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Goodall, Norman. The Ecumenical Movement: What is it What it do. Madras: Oxford
University, 1961.

Mar Gregorios, Paulos. “Some Basic Principles of Ecumenism” in On Ecumenism, edited by

Jacob Kurian. Kottayam:ISPCK,2006.

Snaitang, O L. A History of Ecumenical Movement: An Inroduction. Bangalore:

BTESSC/SATHRI,2004.

Visser ‘t Hooft, W A The Genesis and Formation of the World Council of Churches. Geneva:
World Council,1982.

ARTICLE IN BOOKS

Adolf Visser’ T Hooft, Willem. “The Genesis of The World Council of Churches”in A
History of the Ecumenical Movement 1517-1968, edited by Ruth Rouse and Stephen C.
Neill. Geneva: World Council of Churches, 1993.

Devadoss, Isaac “A Historical Survey of Ecumenism in India” in History of Ecumenical

Movement Issues, Challenges and Perspectives, edited by Watimongla Jamir. Kolkata:
Sceptre, 2014, 185,186.

Koshey, Ninan. “The Ecumenical Movement in Asia” in History of Ecumenical Movement

Issues, Challenges and Perspectives, edited by Watimongla Jamir. Kolkata: Sceptre,
2014.

Scott Latourette, Kenneth.“Ecumenical Bearings of the Missionary Movement and the

International Missionary Council,” A History of the Ecumenical Movement 1517-1968,
edited by Ruth Rouse and Stephen C. Neill. Geneva: World Council of Churches, 1993.

DICTIONARY

Hornby, A S. Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, edited by Sally wehmeier. Toronto:

Oxford university Press, 2005.

ENCYCLOPAEDIA

The Oxford encyclopaedia of South Asian Christianity edited by Roger E. hedlund, Vol. 1.
NEW delhi: Oxford university Press ,2012.

WEBLIOGRAPHY

http://www.bu.edu/missiology/missionary-biography/t-u-v/thomas-madathilparampil-
mammen-1916-1996/

http://communionofchurchesinindia.org.in/history.html

http://ncci1914.com/

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