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DENOMINATIONS
The Pentecostal Church
The Mar Thoma Church
The Indian Orthodox Church
The Syro-Malabar Catholic Church
The Church of South India
The Knanaya Catholic Church
The Evangelical Church
Originated: Early 20th Century in Kerala
Pioneer Missionary: Pastor Cook
Prominent Leaders: Pastor K.E. Abraham
Headquarters: Hebronpuram, Kumbanad
History: The Church claims its origin to the day of Pentecost and it believes in the gift of tongues through holy ghost after becoming re-born. The church worships and conducts religious services in keeping with Evangelical and Pentecostal practices and tradition of Protestant Christianity. Pentecostal churhes have no bishops or priests and its congregations are placed under pastors. The places of worship are commonly known as “faith homes” and witnessing by members is an important item of the worship. It insists on believer’s [adult] baptism by immersion. Some Pentecostal Churches believe in faith healing and avoids medicine. The Pentecostal churches have connections with similar organizations in the United States, U.K, Sweden and Norway.
Originated: A branch of the pre-16th century undivided Indian Church. It current identity began in 1889, even though it was born much earlier.
Pioneer Missionary: Abraham Malpan [Palakunnathu Abraham Malpan]
Prominent Leaders:
Head of the Church: His Grace The Most Rev. Dr. Philipose Mar Chrysostom Mar Thoma
Headquarters: Thiruvalla, Kerala
History: It has its roots in a reformist movement started by Abraham Malpan in the early part of the 19th century, and traces its origins to St. Thomas the Apostle. Protestant missionaries – supported by the English presence in India – encourage doctrinal, liturgical and ecclesiastical reforms in the Mar Thoma Church. Worldwide, it is the only Eastern rite Church which accepted the Protestant reforms and reformist theology. The Mar Thoma Church is headed by a Metropolitan bishop who lays claim to the Malankara Throne of St. Thomas. The current Metropolitan is His Grace The Most Rev. Dr. Philipose Mar Chrysostom Mar Thoma. He is the 20th Mar Thoma Church Malankara Metropolitan to occupy the Holy Apostolic Throne of St. Thomas after the re-establishment of the episcopacy in the 17th century. The Mar Thoma Church is in full communion with the Anglican church, CSI and CNI.
Originated:
Pioneer Missionary:
Prominent Leaders: Mar Paulose Gregorious, Mar Geevarghese Osthathios, Rev. Fr.V.C. Samuel, and Rev. Dr. K.M. George
Head of the Church: Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan is H.H. Mar Baselios Mar Thoma Didymos I [enthroned on Oct. 31, 2005]
Headquarters: Kottayam, Kerala
History: The Indian Orthodox Church (also known as the Malankara Orthodox Church, Orthodox Church of the East, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, Orthodox Syrian Church of the East), is a prominent member of the Oriental Orthodox Church family.
The Church, though modern in its vision and outlook, keeps the traditional Orthodox faith and liturgy. It accepts the first three Ecumenical Synods. The liturgy now in use is the translation of the liturgy adopted from the Antiochian Church in the 17th century. However, the liturgical rites are uniquely Indian. Today the Church uses liturgy in Malayalam, Hindi, and English.
The Church has a Theological Seminary at Kottayam, Kerala, which was established in AD 1815. Another seminary is situated in Nagpur, Maharashtra. The later was established fairly recently in the later part of the 20th century.
The Church takes an active role in various ecumenical activities at national and international levels. It is a member of the World Council of Churches. The Indian Orthodox Church also participated in the Ecumenical Council of Oriental Orthodox Churches held in Addis Ababa, in AD 1965.
The Indian Orthodox Church is distinct from the Malankara Jaobite Syriac Orthodox Church who is guided by the spiritual leadership of the Patriach of Antioch, presently H.H. Moran Mor Ignatious Zakka Iwas I. Under the Indian Orthodox Constitution, this patriarch is the church's supreme spiritual head
The Syro-Malabar Catholic Church
Originated:
Pioneer Missionary:
Prominent Leaders:
Head of the Church: Cardinal Mar George Alencherry is the Major Archbishop
Headquarters: Ernakulam–Angamaly Diocese, Kerala
History: Founded by St. Thomas the Apostle, this church was known as the St. Thomas Christians. There are two main schools of thoughts about the history of this church until the 16th century. Eastern Church historians argue that this church was in communion with the Catholic Church even before the 16th century. When the Portuguese arrived they had no problem in affirming that communion. However the church did not have strong relations with Rome as it was outside the Roman Empire. But it was strongly in communion with the church in Persian Empire or the (Nestorian) Church of the East. They, deny, however any Nestorian tendencies, themselves.
Most of the Western historians are of the opinion that the controversial Synod of Diamper (1599) formally united the Syro-Malabar Church to the Catholic Church.
In 1962 however the Pre-Diamper Chaldean Rite Liturgy was restored, though with some modifications. Currently the Divine Liturgy of Addai and Mari is celebrated in Malayalam.
Originated: September, 1947
Pioneer Missionary:
Prominent Leaders:
Head of the Church: Moderator - Most Rev. B.P.Sungandhar, Bishop-in-Medak
Headquarters:
History: The Church of South India is a union of protestant Christian churches spread over South India. The inspiration for this Union was born out of ecumenism inspired by the self-pronouncing words of Jesus as found in Gospel of John, 17.21 - That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. The Scriptures are the ultimate standard of faith and practice. The historic creeds are accepted as interpreting the biblical faith, and the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper are recognized as of binding obligation.
The church was formed from the union of Anglican, Methodist, Congregationalist, Presbyterian, and Reformed churches. Discussion of merging South India's main Protestant denominations began at a 1919 conference at Tranquebar (Tarangambadi), and the process was completed shortly after India's Independence. The church is organized into 22 dioceses, each under the supervision of a bishop, including one diocese in Jaffna, Sri Lanka. The Church as a whole is governed by a Synod, which every two years elects a presiding bishop, called a Moderator, who serves as head of the church. The Church has 3.8 million members in 14,000 congregations.
Originated: AD 345
Pioneer Missionary: Knai Thomman
Prominent Leaders:
Head of the Church: H.E. Kuriakose Kunnacherry
Headquarters: Kottayam, Kerala
History: In the year 345 A.D., one Knai Thomman, a rich international merchant, and 72 families from Cana (Middle East), belonging to East Syrian Church (Chaldean), immigrated to Malabar (presently Kerala) and established their colony. In the group there were also priests, deacons and their bishop. Knai Thomman and his people were welcomed by Cheraman Perumal, the Emperor, and were given permission to settle down in Kodungalloor. They built a town in Kodungalloor with a church and 72 houses. The natives called it Mahadevar Pattanam meaning "town of superiors". Later, Cheraman Perumal bestowed them with many princely privileges, and it was recorded on copper plates (Knai Thomman Cheppedu) given to Knai Thomman. Knanaya Christians are the descendants of these Jewish Christian immigrants in Kerala. They were also called Southists (Thekkumbhagar) because they lived on the south side of Kodungalloor. The St. Thomas Christians (native Christians of Kerala) who lived on the north side of Kodungalloor were known as Northists (Vadakkumbhagar). Another tradition is that Knananites settled down on the south side of Periyar river while the native Christians lived on the north side of the river. It is also stated that Knananites were called Southists because they came from the southern kingdom of Judah. Knanaya Christians are seen not only among the Catholics but also among the Orthodox Christians of Kerala, because when a group of Thomas Christians joined Jacobitism, among them there were Knanaya Christians too. They observe many rituals and traditions which are very peculiar to their own community. Even today, the Knananites continue to be an endogamous community. In order to keep the purity of their race and ethnicity, they do not marry any one outside their community. They also keep away from evangelizing and converting others to Christianity. If anybody is converted to Christianity, such a person won't be accepted in the community. Though this sense of "purity" is a distorted one, and is against basic Christian mission, it is acknowledged by Rome by establishing a separate diocese (Kottayam) for the Knanaya Catholics. A Knanaya Catholic can marry a Knanaya Jacobite, but cannot marry another Catholic even one who belongs to the same rite
Originated: January 26, 1961
Pioneer Missionary: Apostle Thomas, Abraham Malpan, Rev. P.I. Mathai, Bishop John Varghese
Prominent Leaders: Bishop K. N. Oommen, Bishop P. John Varughese, Rev. P. I. Mathai (Plavunkal Achen), Rev. P. C. Zachariah, Rev. P. S. Varughese, Rev. C. M. Varghese, A. G. Mathew, Esq., Mr. K. Abraham, K. S. Joseph, Esq., Rev. K. O. John, Rev. A. C. Mathew, Rev. P. T. Thomas, Rev. T. C. George, Mr. K. A. Abraham, etc.
Head of the Church: Most Rev. Dr. T.C. Cherian
Headquarters: Thiruvalla, Kerala
History: The church formed with the aim of re-establishing the spiritual renewal of the Marthoma Church and the evangelization of India. The new reformed Church marched forward with great success... [until] a group of young people who were trained in liberal seminaries began to think that reformation had gone too far. After the death in 1947 of Abraham Marthoma Metropolitan, who was a strong missionary minded and evangelical Bishop, the anti-reformation group gained upper hand in the hierarchy and the reformers were slowly pushed out of the Church. The reformers, under the leadership of K. N. Daniel, a renowned Church historian and Seminary professor, resisted the efforts of the anti-reformation group. An organization called Pathiopodesa Samithi (Organization for the Propagation of Sound Doctrines) was formed for the purpose of advancing the cause of reformation. A prolonged struggle ensued between the two sides. In 1961, when the reformers realized that they could not continue in the Marthoma Church, St. Thomas Evangelical Church of India was organized. Over thirty thousand people drawn from all the different Christian denominations, from Roman Catholic to the Pentacostal gathered together at Bishop Abraham Nagar at Thiruvalla, in Kerala. Priests of the Roman Catholic, Jacobite, Church of South India, and the Mar Thoma Churches were present. Twenty presbyters who had been ordained in the Mar Thoma Church joined the new Church and declared acceptance of the faith in the Church and pledged allegiance to the new Church and its constitution. The new Church had to leave everything behind. However, within a year, 150 parishes were established. The Reformists' leaders told the world that they were leaving everything, with no shelter and no roof over their heads and no churches to worship in, but only guided by the faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His teachings and for reviving the essence of His church through evangelism and missionary work. The St. Thomas Evangelical Church of India stands as true Christian fellowship dedicated to preserve the real Mar Thoma Church and its original faith and doctrines. They hold the Bible as the sole basis and authority for all matters of faith and doctrines. They accept the Nicene Creed and the two sacraments as they are in full conformity with the Bible. The church’s bishops do not belong to monarchical hierarchy, but are ministers of Christ. St. Thomas Evangelical Church of India stands for "the testimony of Jesus and him crucified".