Challenging Misconceptions: Addressing the Issues of Syrianization in the Mar Thoma Church

There is a lot of confusion being created by those promoting Syrianization, and these issues are not being addressed by the leadership of the church. Since the leadership remains passive, we, as responsible laity and clergy, must act with urgency and commitment.

The primary task is to challenge the validity of many assumptions used to promote Syrianization:

Assumption 1:
The primary challenge of the church is to protect the Eastern identity of the Mar Thoma Church, as it is understood by some. However, the true challenge of the church is to witness to the gospel. The division between the East and West occurred only in the 11th century, and our task is not to perpetuate that split but to promote unity, thereby strengthening our witness. Both Eastern and Western spiritualities have their strengths and weaknesses in equipping the church for this mission. There seems to be a blind commitment to anything Eastern without considering its relevance to the church’s witness today.

Assumption 2:
Following Antiochian traditions is essential to maintaining our Eastern identity. However, Eastern churches uphold the principle of regional autonomy. Therefore, the Church of St. Thomas should pursue autonomy from Antiochian tradition in order to strengthen its Eastern identity. We should continue practicing elements of Antiochian tradition only if they contribute to our witness in the contemporary world.

Assumption 3:
Antiochian tradition is the authentic tradition of the Church of St. Thomas. In reality, the Antiochian tradition was introduced here only in the 17th century, as part of an effort to subdue this Apostolic Church, which stands on par as a sister church to all others. This claim of authenticity is therefore false.

-Rev. AK