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WHEN CHURCHES JOIN - 6. General Documents

Local Ecumenism Information Kit
- Developed by the Local Ecumenism Working Group, NSW Ecumenical Council, October 2000
Phone (02) 9299 2215 for more information.

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Appendix 2. Understanding the Member Churches of the NSW Ecumenical Council

2.6 The Mar Thoma Church

The Mar Thoma Church of India is a part of the historic church in India.

Up to the 16th century there is a common history for all the churches in India (see above re the Malankara Indian Orthodox Church).

However, it was contact with the Church of England in the 19th century, especially through the missionary endeavours of the Church Missionary Society, that the influence of the Reformation was brought to this church. So, again, the church was divided, and the present Mar Thoma Syrian Church of Malabar - as it is officially known - represents the reformed section of the ancient church of St Thomas in India.

Despite the several influences from outside in its historic past, the church maintains and preserves its essential character as an Eastern Church with autonomy and ecumenical vision, Eastern liturgy, rituals and cultural traditions. At the same time, this church has a prophetic and progressive outlook with missionary fervour. Thus, the Mar Thoma Church is a curious 'hybrid' resulting from the confluence of eastern cultural traditions and western protestantism. Because this church has so much in common with other churches, the Mar Thoma Church understands itself ecumenically as a 'bridge-church'.

This special feature gives the church much freedom and opportunity to enter into closer relationship with other churches, and therefore the Mar Thoma Church has been actively involved in ecumenical ventures. Full communion relationship has been established between the Mar Thoma Church and the global Anglican Communion, and it is represented in the important conferences and councils of the Anglican Church, including the Lambeth Conference. Negotiations are under way to forge better relationships - and unity - with other churches in India as well.

The Mar Thoma Church has been actively involved in the Ecumenical Movement at the national and world level from the very beginning. It took membership of the WCC at the Amsterdam Assembly in 1948. It is also a member of the National Council of Churches in India, for which it has produced a President and a General Secretary. Many other lay and clergy members of the church are actively involved by serving the movement in various capacities.

Though numerically small, with a total membership less than a million, the Mar Thoma Church has, in recent times, assumed a global character, as its members are spread all over India and other parts of the world, such as Malaysia, Singapore, Middle East, Europe, North America, Africa and Australia.

When the parishes of the Mar Thoma Church were organised in the United States and in Canada, agreements were made between the Metropolitan of the Mar Thoma Church and the Primates of the Anglican Church of Canada and the Episcopal Church of the United States to help provide pastoral care for members of the church in those countries.

During the last several years, such help has been provided in Australia too, as there are Mar Thoma Congregations in Sydney and Melbourne. By an agreement between the Anglican Church and the Mar Thoma Church, the priest sent by the latter functions as a priest of the Anglican Church in Sydney, and at the same times serves as a chaplain to the Mar Thoma members in Sydney, Melbourne and elsewhere.

Here, in November 1996, the Mar Thoma Church became a member of the NSW Ecumenical Council.