1. What is the Church?
In
very simple words, the Church is a community of men and women who are
committed to a life of discipleship to Jesus Christ.
1.
Religion being a personal matter and, should as such, be conceived
subjectively, why should the Church be a subject of concern for the Christian?
The
goal of the Christian faith is not merely to lead individual persons to an
experience of salvation and leave the rest of mankind and the world outside
its concern. As we have noted, man/woman is not a pure individual person, but
a social being. Born into a society, he/she grows into the human fullness
through social interactions. Therefore, the salvation of the individual person
calls for the salvation of the society as well. The Church as a community has
the duty to work as much for the transformation of the individual as for that
of the society. In fact ideally speaking, the Church of the transformed
society, as the Christian is the transformed individual. Therefore the Church
is a fundamental point in the Christian faith.
2.
Does this mean that the individual person is not important and can therefore
be ignored or dismissed?
No,
not at all. The individual person is indeed primary. It is in fact through the
individual that noble ideas and ideals come to be expressed and memorable
examples are shown forth. What is implied here, on the other hand, is that the
transformation of the individual person is not enough. It should go with it
the transformation of the society as well. Form this point of view man needs
the society to be transformed, which the Church is intended to be. St. Peter
calls his readers in the Church to realize this meaning in their lives. “come
as living stones, he says, “and let yourself be used in building the spiritual
temple …..” (See 1 Peter 2:5).
3.
Is
this statement true of the Church in the world?
We
have to acknowledge the paradox involved in the statement above. As a
community in the world the Church is subject to most of the defects ascribable
to other communities. Yet the Church has a faith centred in Jesus Christ and
the means of grace sealed in the Holy Spirit. As a result of these facts, the
Church may be to include a dimension of experience which other communities
cannot give.
2.
What is faith?
The
biblical definition of faith is seen in Heb. 11:1. “Now faith is the assurance
of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Two meanings of the
world ‘faith’ should be noted. In the first place, faith is an attitude of
trusting in somebody. In the present instance it refers to our trusting in
God. Jesus Christ gives the illustration of a child in relation to its mother
(See Mathew 18:3; 19:14; Mark 10:15; and Luke 13:17). The child trusts its
mother without the least reservation. In the same way, he says, we should have
unquestioning faith in God. Secondly, faith is a normal statement like the
Creed, in which the nature of our faith is recorded.
The
sense of the word ‘faith’ in the first meaning noted above being personal and
subjective, how can we speak of a faith of the Church?
The
Church is a community of believing people. Their belief in God corresponds to
the sense in which the Creed affirms his reality. The faith of the individual
persons comprising the community and the statement of belief as it is recorded
in the Creed, are both included in the expression ‘faith of the Church’.
1. What the need for faith?
Human nature is such that it does spontaneously seek refuge and protection
from a source or sources believed to be capable of offering it. Born at a
particular time, the human person lives in this world for a period of time and
then passes from hence by death. During this transitory life man is not really
the master of his existence, and he longs for assistance from God who, he
believes, can give it all the time. Also, when he departs from this life he
hopes to be with God who alone is beyond all earthly limitations. Thus faith
gives man a foundation in life, whether in this world or in the world to come.
2. Why should the Church have faith?
The
Church is a community which offers the ground for a life of faith to people,
both as individual persons and in their community living. This enables them to
live courageously holding to ideals on the one hand, and be witnesses in the
world for faith on the other.
3.
How
is the Church’s affirmation concerning God related to other emphases in its
faith?
It
is by affirming the reality of God that the Church views the world and life as
a whole in its light. Therefore, faith in God is not merely the mental assent
that God is there, but is the basis of a life that touches all aspects of our
existence. Thus the faith of the Church regarding matters other than God is
expected to be directly consistent with faith in God. The faith of the Church
is a totality, in which God occupies the central place.
4. What is the value of the Church’s faith?
The
value is to offer man a way of life which enables him to live without fear,
but in hope and brotherly love.
3. Are we saved by faith or by faith and works? Doesn't James contradict Paul?
James 2 does ‘seem’ to contradict what Paul teaches. Both James and Paul (in
Romans 4) start with Abraham, yet seem to arrive at completely different
conclusions about how we are made right. Paul says we are justified by faith
alone and James seems to say we are justified by faith and works (2:21,
24)!
However, the contradiction is really only a verbal one (logic calls this a
"verbal fallacy"). James and Paul are both using the same words: faith and
justification, but with different meanings.
·
"Faith" in James means "mental assent; an intellectual belief in the existence
of God." You can see this in verses 14, 17, 19. The faith that James talks
about is a faith that even the demons can have! James was the leader of the
Messianic church in
Jerusalem and so he uses terms in the same way the non-Messianic Jews in
Jerusalem do. The Pharisees and rabbis in Jerusalem spoke of the assertion of
monotheism and the mere intellectual assent to orthodox teaching as "having
faith." Does this kind of faith save people? NO! And Paul would have agreed.
Intellectual faith does NOT save anyone.
The
kind of "faith", Paul talks about is "absolute trust; total dependence on God;
being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised" (Romans
4:5, 18, 21). This is more than just intellectual faith! The difference
between James' "faith" and Paul's use of the word is the difference between
believing a parachute could
save you if you jumped out of
a plane (James) and actually
jumping out of a plane and pulling
the ripcord (Paul).
·
"Justified" is the other word that is being used differently. Paul is talking
about being justified in God's sight (Romans 5:1). James is talking about
being justified before men (James
2:18).
"Don't tell me that you have faith, show me!" James says.
James gives the example of Abraham's offering of Isaac (Genesis 22). He says
this action by Abraham was proof before
men of Abraham's righteousness: "Was not Abraham
considered righteous for what he
did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?" (James 2:21). But James is
quick to add that Abraham was made righteous
before God some 30 years prior to
this event: "Abraham believed God and his faith was credited to him as
righteousness" (James 2:23; Genesis 15:6).
There is no contradiction between Paul and James when you realize that the one
is talking about justification before God and one is talking about
justification before men.
4.
What is the religious basis of the Trinitarian doctrine?
We
begin our prayers and public worship in the name of the Father, the Son and
the Holy Spirit, and ascribe glory to the same during the service on a number
of occasions. This shows that we call on God as the eternal Father and with
him the eternal Son and the eternal Spirit, in other words as the Holy
Trinity.
1. How do we confess God as the Holy Trinity?
We
confess that God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Since God is one, do we mean by these words only that the one God has three
names?
No,
we mean that the one God is eternally Father, who has with him eternally the
Son and the Holy Spirit. In other words, the Father is the eternally perfect
God, who has with him the Son who is eternally born of him, and the Holy
Spirit who comes forth eternally from him. Each of them is indeed perfect God,
and the reality by which he is God, namely Godhead, is the same. Therefore,
God is one, and the same is also three.
2. If they are three persons, are they not also three Gods?
The
question is legitimate if we follow our usual logic. For us three persons are
three separate human individuals. But, as we have already shown, we do not
speak of God by using that logic. To illustrate the point further, God is the
ground of all existence and existents, not one of the existents that
constitutes the universe. For this reason, in talking of God, our language and
logic should be different. Accordingly, we affirm that God, the ground of all
existence, is one, and that the same God is also three. He is at once Father,
Son and Holy Spirit.
3.
What other implications can we draw from the affirmation that God is
triune?
We
have shown that the three eternal persons have the same Godhead. To this
should be added that they have the same authority, the same will, the same
operation, and the same nature. The divine authority of the Father, for
instance, is the same for the Son and the Holy Spirit. In willing and acting
also they express the same energy.
5. What is the
Orthodox Church?
The
dictionary meaning of ‘Orthodox’ is ‘Conservative’, ‘strict
in observances’, unwilling to change etc. This was not the original
meaning when the word was actually coined by the Church in the 4th
century. The word Orthodox is the combination of two Greek words. “Ortho”
and “Doxa” mean ‘Right Glory’ or correct worship. Orthos doxadzein
was a Greek expression for rightly glorifying through the right doxologia, “Glory
to be the father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit”. The Arian
heretics had changed this doxology to suit their heresy – i.e., Only Father is
God, and that the Son and the Holy Spirit are merely creatures. The Arians
thus changed the Doxology in to “Glory be to the Father through the Son by
the Holy Spirit.” This was not ascribing straight Glory to the Trinity.
Orthodox is a term used to describe the original Church during the Ecumenical
Synods to distinguish the Church from heretical sects like Arianism and
Montanism.
The pillar
and foundation of the Orthodox Church (The Oriental & Eastern Orthodox
families) is the Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God incarnate as a human being as
testified by the Apostolic witness and teaching. The Orthodox Church deny any
authority for one national Church over other national Church. The Orthodox
Churches are unanimous in rejecting the claims of the Pope of Rome to have
authority over anything other than the Western Church.
6. What is so
special about the Orthodox Church?
Today the
Orthodox Church -- fully aware that man is a union of body and soul -- uses
all the beauty of creation to move her faithful children to prayer and
worship: icons (holy pictures), beautiful singing, sweet-smelling incense, and
majestic services.
Yet if the
visible beauty of the Church is dazzling, her unseen beauty and glory are even
more compelling, for the Orthodox Church is the Bride of Christ, and within
her shelter we can begin to struggle for our salvation.
Orthodox Worship
The Greek
word Orthodoxia means "correct praise" or "correct teaching" and in
Orthodox worship the praise and teaching are closely interwoven. If you
attentively follow the prayers and services of the Church, you can learn from
them all her teachings and rich spiritual experience.
The
services trace their beginnings back to the Old Testament rites of the
Hebrews. They are a treasury of Scripture readings, prayers, hymns, and canons
composed by the Saints and pious Christians throughout the ages.
Easter --
is the Feast of Feasts, the high-point of the Orthodox year. During Easter,
the Church shines with the glory of Christ's resurrection. Clouds of fragrant
incense accompany prayers heavenward; choirs and bells sing out the triumphant
news; the faithful greet one another with the holy kiss of peace amid the
greeting, "Christ is risen!" The altar doors are left open all week to show
that the Gates of Paradise are opened by Christ for us sinners to enter in for
eternal life and joy in heaven.
Sacred Tradition
Just as
the Grace of the Holy Spirit which descended on the Apostles at Pentecost
flows in a living stream down through today's bishops and priests, so Sacred
Tradition carries the spiritual life of the Church in an unbroken stream from
the time of the Apostles down to Orthodox believers today. Sacred Tradition
includes the unwritten acts and teachings of Christ and the Apostles which the
Church preserves unchanged for us all. (John 21:25; 2 Thess. 2:15; 2Thess.
3:6) The power of Sacred Tradition is the power of the Holy Spirit as it
influences Orthodox Christians in all ages. Through Sacred Tradition we are in
communion with the spiritual life of all preceding generations back to the
Apostles.
Orthodox beliefs and Sacraments
We
worship God in Trinity, glorifying equally the
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Son
of God, begotten before all ages, and that He is of one essence with the
Father. We believe that Christ incarnate is truly man, like us in all respects
except sin. We worship the Holy Spirit as Lord and Life-giver who proceeds
from the Father.
We
honor and venerate the saints and ask their
intercession before God. Of the saints, Mary, the Mother of God, holds a
special place “….more honorable than the Cherubim and beyond compare more
glorious than the Seraphim."
Baptism
and Chrismation are the two sacraments essential
to enter into the saving shelter of the Church. Baptism by triple immersion
washes away our sins and restores the image of Adam. With Chrismation, we
receive the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, becoming partakers of the fullness of
Christ.
Sacrament of Holy Confession & the Holy Eucharist
, we partake of the true Body and Blood of Christ in the
form of bread and wine for the remission of sins, the healing of body and
soul, and for life eternal. Confession is the fourth essential sacrament for
the life of all Christians. In confession, Christ gives us, through our father
confessor, the forgiveness of the sins we commit after Baptism if we truly
repent of them.
Ordination, Marriage, and Holy Unction complete
the central Mysteries of Orthodoxy By the laying-on of hands, a bishop
transmits Divine Grace to the person being ordained, linking him through the
continuing flow of Grace that descended on the Apostles at Pentecost -to the
uninterrupted succession of Orthodox clergy. Divine Grace sanctifies the union
of two people in matrimony (Orthodox parish priests are usually married;
bishops now come from the Church's monastic tradition.) The sacrament of Holy
Unction heals infirmities of body and soul.
Church Symbols
Virtually
everything you see in an Orthodox Church symbolizes and calls to mind some
aspect of our meeting with eternal Divinity.
An Open
Church. There are no pews or chairs in most
Orthodox Churches. We stand during worship services out of reverence and
humility before God. The absence of rigid pews gives us freedom to move about
the Church and feel at home. We are free to venerate icons and light candles,
as well as to bow and do the prostrations necessary at times during worship.
Candles. Candles burn on the altar, signify the
light of truth given by the Lord, illuminating the world with spiritual
radiance. Candles also symbolize our soul's burning love of God and the
spiritual joy and triumph of the Church. Burning is sacrifice. It burns and
becomes less and less. The principle of self-emptying is seen in candles.
The
Sanctuary. Raised above the nave (body of the
Church), the sanctuary is where the Church's consecrated clergy perform divine
services. The altar in the center of the sanctuary is known as the Holy Throne
because the Lord God Himself is present on it.
Icons.
As a matter of fact the use of icons in our churches is very rare. Icons are
an in separable part of Orthodox Spiritual life. Holy pictures draw you into
the spiritual life of the Church like silent, ever-preaching sermons. Called
icons, from the Greek word for image, the holy pictures of Christ, the saints,
and martyrs have deep significance in Orthodox life.
Because
the Son of God took on human flesh and became incarnate as the God-man Jesus
Christ, it became possible to portray the glory of God incarnate. "Blessed are
the eyes which see what you see!" (Luke10:23). The icons' style may seem
austere and strange at first; they do not depict the natural beauty of the
material world, but the spiritual beauty of the Kingdom of Heaven. Icons are
venerated, but not worshipped, by Orthodox Christians. Free from the
subjective, sentimental, and fleshy quality of Western religious art, the true
icon is part of the Church's Sacred Tradition. A true icon, painted through
the power of the Holy Spirit, is in communion with the spiritual life of the
Church back to its earliest days.
Because of
the unity of Sacred Tradition, icons -- like Orthodoxy itself -- exist as
unchanging and ageless windows into the spiritual world. As you gaze into an
icon, the calm eye of eternal truth falls upon you. And you begin to realize
the true beauty and order of all things visible and invisible.
7. How did different Churches
originate ?
The Church
was established by Jesus Christ as mentioned in St. Mathew 16:18.
Here the
Church is the divine institution established on the faith confessed by St.
Peter.
Believers
were added on.
Later, we
find St. Paul speaking against the other teachings which were contrary to the
teachings of the Apostles.
Gal. 1:8.
“But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel that
is different from the one we preached to you, may he be condemned to hell.”
The
Orthodox Churches accepted whatever was taught by the apostles without any
change.
From the
beginning of Christianity, every church in a particular place was independent.
The first
three ecumenical synods codified the faith and practices of the Church
refuting the teachings of the heretics.
There was
a controversy at the council of Chalcedon held on A.D. 451 regarding how the
divine nature and human nature of Jesus Christ were united. Among the Churches
which accepted the decisions of the Chalcedon council were the Roman Catholic
Church and the Eastern orthodox Churches such as the Greek Church and the
Churches of the Byzantine tradition.
The
Churches which did not agree with the decisions of the Council of Chalcedon
are known as the Oriental orthodox Churches. They are:
i)
The Antiochian or Syrian Orthodox Church
ii)
The Armenian Orthodox Church
iii)
The Coptic or Egyptian Orthodox Church
iv)
The Ethiopian Orthodox Church
v)
The Malankara Orthodox Church
Eventually, with the expansion of the Roman empire, the Roman Catholic Church
claimed authority over other Churches which they did not agree. In the 11th
century (A.D. 1054) as a result of disagreement about the authority of the
Roman Bishop, the Church split in to two parts: Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman
Catholicism. The Roman Catholic Church added certain new doctrines and
practices in the Church.
With the
‘Reformation’ of the 16th century, the Protestants questioned the
practices of the Roman Catholic Church forming new Churches in different
countries known as the Protestant Churches.
A number
of sectarian groups have evolved recently (Pentecostals, etc) without
apostolic succession and apostolic faith as a result of individual
interpretations of the Bible.
8. What are the main differences
between the Churches
The
Malankara Orthodox Church is in communion with other Oriental Orthodox
Churches namely, the Syrian Orthodox Church, The Coptic Orthodox Church, the
Armenian Orthodox Church and Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
Also we
have close relationship with the Eastern orthodox Churches of the Byzantine
Tradition, such as the Greek, Russian, Rumenian Churches. Theologians have
come to a consensus regarding the Christological controversies between these
Churches. So, now we can say that the faith of the Oriental and Eastern
Orthodox Churches is the same.
The
Orthodox Church and the Protestant Churches differ mainly on the concept of
the ‘Church’. To the Protestants and sectarian groups the Church is the
fellowship of the living people only, but to the Orthodox Church, the Church
is the communion of believers, both the living and the departed ones. In these
days of ecumenism, we have better relationship with the Roman Catholic Church.
But the areas of disagreement continue.
9. Differences between the
Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches
a.
Regarding the place of St. Peter
According
to the faith of the Catholic Church St. Peter is the foundation stone of the
Church. Therefore Peter has got authority over the whole Church.
In view of
the Orthodox Churches, this position and authority are not given to one
apostle only. The call to be the foundation of the Church is for all apostles.
(Ephesians 2:20). The Orthodox Churches teach the following things regarding
the foundation rock (Matt 16:18) and carrying the keys of the kingdom of
heaven (Matt 16:19)
- The
Foundation Stone
1.
Christ is the real rock. “ the Rock was Christ” (1 Cor 10:4)
2.
Peter declared the faith of the apostles. Therefore rock is their
faith. The Church is built on that.
3.
Peter is a believer who got faith. Therefore the Church is built of the
rock, the believer.
- The
Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven
The Key of the kingdom of heaven represent the authority
to bind and loose (to forgive sins) (Matt 16:19) Jesus gave authority to bind
and loose to all disciples equally (Matt 18:18; John 20:23)
b. Regarding the position of the Bishop of Rome
The Catholic Church teaches that the Bishop of Rome is the
ambassador of Christ, the head of the whole visible church of Peter, and is
the symbol of unity of the Church. Not only that it teaches that Pope has the
supreme authority and he is infallibile.
The Orthodox Churches teach that all priests are
ambassadors of Christ. Not only that Peter does not have any special right
over the Church. Because, all apostles are equal as far as priestly rights are
concerned. The believe that there is no need of a visible head for the whole
church except Christ, and synods are the symbol of unity of the visible
Church. The teach that the argument of the Catholic Church on the supreme
authority of Peter and the infallibility of Pope are not in line with
Christian principles.
c. Divine-human natures in Jesus Christ
The Catholic Church, according to the decision of the
Chalcedon Council, gives emphais to the separate divine-human natures in Jesus
Christ. The Oriental Orthodox Churches, not accepting the decision of the
Chalcedon Council, give emphasis to the unity of divine-human natures in Jesus
Christ.
d. Number of Universal Synods
The Roman Catholic Church recognizes 21 Universal Synods.
The Oriental Orthodox Churches recognize only the first three synods (Nices,
Constantinople and Ephesus)
e. Addition of Filioque clause.
When the Catholic Church has added the words “from son
also” in the Nicene creed regarding the proceeding of the Holy Spirit (Filioque),
the Orthodox Churches do not accept this correction.
f. Immaculate conception of St. Mary.
The Catholic Church teaches the sinless birth of Virgin
Mary. The Orthodox Churches do not accept this teaching.
g. Trans-Substantiation theory.
The Catholic Church teaches as a dogma the
Trans-Substantiation theory of the Holy Qurbana (According to them when the
bread and wine change in to the Body and blood of Jesus Christ, the matter
also changes). The Orthodox Churches do not believe in giving a scientific
explanation as to how bread and wine are changed into body and blood of Jesus
Christ, in the Holy Qurbana because the actions in the mystery of God cannot
be explained scientifically.
10. What are the main differences
between Orthodox and Protestant Churches?
- When
the protestant churches teach that the Bible with 66 books is the only basis
of faith and practices, the Orthodox Churches teach that the Bible is part
of tradition.
- Most of
the protestant groups oppose child baptism. Orthodox Churches practice it
from ancient days.
- The
reformed groups do not accept the teaching regarding the Holy Qurbana that
it is a sacrifice and become holy body and blood, and they do not accept
prayer for the departed, intercession of the saints, confession before
priest etc. The Orthodox Churches accept these.
- As far
as the administration is concerned, the Orthodox Churches give supremacy to
the Episcopal Synod, whereas reformed Churches do not give any importance to
it.
- When
Virgin Mary is called “the Mother of God” by the Orthodox Churches,
Protestant Churches avoid calling her this name.
- When
Protestants consider the Church as a fellowship of the living believers, the
Orthodox Churches teach that the Church includes all who have joined with
Jesus Christ (living and departed).
11. Why
our Church is called Malankara Orthodox Church? Why some people call us
Jacobites?
‘Malankara’ is the place where St. Thomas the Apostle of Christ built his
first Church after coming to India in 52 A.D. according to the tradition of
the Church. From this name the ancient church in India was known as the
Malankara Church.
The term
Orthodox is the combination of two Greek words, “Orthos” and “doxa” which
means “right glory”. Our Church is Orthodox because it teaches the right
faith, the pure and true faith.
Jacob
Bardeaus (who died in 578 A.D) worked a lot to strengthen the Eastern Church
in the Non-Chalcedonian faith.
Then the
Roman Catholic Church nick-named the Eastern Church as the Jacobite Church to
show that our ancient Church was a new Church stared by Jacob Bardeaus. It is
from this back-ground that some people called us Jacobites.
12.
What is the Indian (Malankara) Orthodox Church?
The
Indian (Malankara) Orthodox Church is that section of the historic St. Thomas’
Church which seeks to maintain an Eastern character of Christianity within the
Indian context.
1.
What is the fundamental character of Eastern Christianity which our Church
tries to conserve?
Eastern Christianity claims to have continued the tradition of the Church form
its beginning in its genuine form, with in the life-setting of the East
Mediterranean world. We have inherited it through our contacts with Churches
of West Asia, whether of Persia or of Syria.
2. How does this character affect our Church in its everyday life?
It
may be noted that Eastern Christianity does not seek to promote the idea of an
administrative unity for the world Church. It does, however, maintain the
unity of the communities in faith and life within different cultural and
geographical areas. Administratively, Churches of the East are on the whole
autocephalous and in many cases autonomous as well.
3. What do the words ‘autocephalous’ and ‘autonomous’ mean?
An
autocephalous Church is a self-governing body under the leadership of its
ecclesiastical head, say Patriarch or Catholicos, or even Archbishop or
Metropolitan. Both words are derived from Greek roots. Etymologically, whereas
‘atocephalous’ means having its own head, ‘autonomous’ means having its own
laws or individuality and selfhood. An autonomous Church is therefore both
self governing and independent in life, worship and even traditions.
During the early centuries the Church spread in the Mediterranean and the West
Asian world. In each of these regions the communities evolved its forms of
worship and practices in life within the cultural and social setting of the
concerned regions. This was in fact necessary because of the need for relevant
communication. In this way there emerged differing traditions in Egypt, Syria,
Rome, Persia, Greece, Armenia, Ethiopia, and so on. The Churches in these
areas thus evolved into autonomous Christian communities.
4. Were all autonomous Churches autocephalous and vice versa?
No.
The autonomous Churches were not in every case autocephalous. The Church of
Ethiopia was autonomous from very early in its history, for it had its own
forms of worship and church practices, but it became autocephalous by having
its own Patriarch only in the last century. On the other hand, there are the
Churches of Russia, Rumania, Bulgaria, Greece, and so on. They are
autocephalous, as each of them has its own ecclesiastical head. But they are
not autonomous, because they do on the whole adopt the Byzantine forms of
worship and other practices.
5. What is the status of our Indian (Malankara) Orthodox Church? Is it
autonomous or autocephalous or both?
With the tradition of an apostolic foundation, our Church should be autonomous
and autocephalous. But in our history we happened to pass through vicissitudes
of various kinds, which led it to be dependent on Churches abroad. As it is,
(With the establishment of Catholicate in 1912) our Church is autocephalous
under the leadership of His Holiness our Catholicos, it is not yet fully
autonomous, as we still follow the Antioachene Syrian forms of worship and
Church practices almost invariably.
6. Should we endeavour to change them, and if so, why?
This is a large topic, which cannot be answered here adequately. We need say
only that this worship and practices of the Syrian Church were all produced
before the 13th century against the background of a cultural and
social setting which was very different from that of ours today. In any case,
we have to translate the forms from Syriac into our language in order that
they may be used in Churches. If we put a little more effort than we exert in
producing translations, we shall be able to procure our own forms of worship
more relevant and useful to the Indian context.
7. Does this not mean that we do not have to be ‘Syrian’ in order to be
‘Orthodox’?
Yes, precisely. What ever traditions and forms of worship which we have
received from the Antiochene Syrian or other Churches should be examined by us
on the basis of fundamental theological principles, our culture and living
conditions, and adapt them to serve our need effectively.
13.
How is it that the teaching concerning Jesus Christ led to di
