St. Thomas Evangelical Church
Encyclopedia
St. Thomas Evangelical Church of India (STECI) is an Evangelical
, Episcopal
denomination based in Kerala
, India
. It derives from a schism
in the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church in 1961, and traces its ancestry before then back almost 2,000 years. STECI holds that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant and infallible Word of God. Adherents believe, that all that is necessary for salvation and living in righteousness is given in the Bible. The church is engaged in active Evangelism. The headquarters of this church is at Tiruvalla
, a town in the state of Kerala
which is the part of South India
.
tracing their origins to St. Thomas the Apostle who, according to tradition, came to India in AD 52. While STECI is considered to be an episcopal church, it is the same time deeply influenced by Evangelicalism
. Early leaders include Bishop Dr K N Oommen, Bishop P John Varghese, Rev P C Zacheriah, Rev Dr T C George, Rev P I Mathai (Plavunkal Achen), Rev K O John, Rev C M Varghese, Rev P. T. Chandapilla
i, Rev P.T.Thomas, Mr.N.I Thomas Neduvelil Ranny, Rev K.C Paily had helped the church to focus on the mission.
Up to 1961, the church's history is deeply connected to the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, which evolved from South Indian Christianity's contact with evangelical British missionaries during the British colonial times. The missionaries facilitated the translation of the Bible into Malayalam in 1811. This was the first vernacular Bible in Kerala. Further changes introduced by the missionaries led to a schism within the Thomas Christian and the formation of the Mar Thoma Church.
The consecration of the Bishops – The laying on of hands
After the inauguration service, two ministers of the new Church, viz: Rev. K.N. Oommen, Rev. P. John Varghese, were consecrated as Bishops. The Bishops were consecrated by the laying on of hands by presbyters thus discontinuing apostolic succession
in its traditional understanding.
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
, Episcopal
Eastern
Eastern may refer to:In transportation:*Eastern Air Lines, a defunct American airline*Eastern Airways, an English airline*Eastern Railroad , a defunct railroad*Eastern Avenue, various roads*Eastern Freeway, Melbourne, Australia...
denomination based in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It derives from a schism
Schism (religion)
A schism , from Greek σχίσμα, skhísma , is a division between people, usually belonging to an organization or movement religious denomination. The word is most frequently applied to a break of communion between two sections of Christianity that were previously a single body, or to a division within...
in the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church in 1961, and traces its ancestry before then back almost 2,000 years. STECI holds that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant and infallible Word of God. Adherents believe, that all that is necessary for salvation and living in righteousness is given in the Bible. The church is engaged in active Evangelism. The headquarters of this church is at Tiruvalla
Tiruvalla
Tiruvalla , is a city and a Taluk headquarters located in Pathanamthitta district in the State of Kerala in South India, spread over an area of 27.94 km2...
, a town in the state of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
which is the part of South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
.
History
St. Thomas Evangelical Church is one of several groups of Saint Thomas ChristiansSaint Thomas Christians
The Saint Thomas Christians are an ancient body of Christians from Kerala, India, who trace their origins to the evangelical activity of Thomas the Apostle in the 1st century. They are also known as "Nasranis" because they are followers of "Jesus of Nazareth". The term "Nasrani" is still used by St...
tracing their origins to St. Thomas the Apostle who, according to tradition, came to India in AD 52. While STECI is considered to be an episcopal church, it is the same time deeply influenced by Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
. Early leaders include Bishop Dr K N Oommen, Bishop P John Varghese, Rev P C Zacheriah, Rev Dr T C George, Rev P I Mathai (Plavunkal Achen), Rev K O John, Rev C M Varghese, Rev P. T. Chandapilla
P. T. Chandapilla
The Very Rev. P. T. Chandapilla was the Vicar General of St. Thomas Evangelical Church of India. He ministered to the university students in India and the Church at large through new mission initiatives, including the founding of Jubilee Memorial Bible college at Chennai, India.-Early...
i, Rev P.T.Thomas, Mr.N.I Thomas Neduvelil Ranny, Rev K.C Paily had helped the church to focus on the mission.
Up to 1961, the church's history is deeply connected to the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, which evolved from South Indian Christianity's contact with evangelical British missionaries during the British colonial times. The missionaries facilitated the translation of the Bible into Malayalam in 1811. This was the first vernacular Bible in Kerala. Further changes introduced by the missionaries led to a schism within the Thomas Christian and the formation of the Mar Thoma Church.
Schism
Internal struggles between progressive and traditionalist groups led to a further schism. The St. Thomas Evangelical Church of India was formally inaugurated on January 26, 1961. Over thirty thousand people drawn from all the different Christian denominations gathered together at Bishop Abraham Nagar at Thiruvalla, in Kerala to form the new denomination.The consecration of the Bishops – The laying on of hands
After the inauguration service, two ministers of the new Church, viz: Rev. K.N. Oommen, Rev. P. John Varghese, were consecrated as Bishops. The Bishops were consecrated by the laying on of hands by presbyters thus discontinuing apostolic succession
Apostolic Succession
Apostolic succession is a doctrine, held by some Christian denominations, which asserts that the chosen successors of the Twelve Apostles, from the first century to the present day, have inherited the spiritual, ecclesiastical and sacramental authority, power, and responsibility that were...
in its traditional understanding.
Identity
- The St. Thomas Evangelical Church of India is one of the branches of the Malankara Church (Kerala's Malabar Church) founded in A.D. 52 by Apostle St. Thomas. The Church is Evangelical in faith and Episcopal in administration.
- The Church accepts the Holy Bible which consists of 66 Books of the Old and the New Testaments as the basis for all matters of faith and doctrine.
- The Church accepts the Nicene Creed which is in conformity with the Scriptures.
- The Church celebrates the two dominical sacraments viz: The Holy Communion and the Holy Baptism.
- Ordained ministry is exercised by three distinct Orders: Episcopa (Bishop), Presbyter (Kasseesha), Deacon (Semmash).
- Holy Communion is understood to be a thanksgiving in line with Zwinglian theology.
- The Representative Body of the Church is the supreme governing body, deciding on all the spiritual and temporal matters of the Church. The Presiding Bishop is the administrative head of the Church who is elected from among the bishops of the Church for a term of five years.
Prominent Leaders
The prominent leaders of the new church included Bishop K. N. Oommen, Bishop P. John Varughese, Rev. P. I. Mathai (Plavunkal Achen), Rev. P. C. Zachariah, K. N. Daniel, Rev. P. S. Varughese, Rev. C. M. Varghese, A. G. Mathew, Mr. K. Abraham, K. S. Joseph, Rev. K. O. John, Rev. A. C. Mathew, Rev. P. T. Thomas, Rev. T. C. George, Mr. K. A. Abraham, etc.Bishops
- Bishop Most Rev Dr C V Mathew (Presiding Bishop of the Church)
- Bishop Rt Rev Dr Thomas Abraham
- Bishop Dr T C Cherian
- Bishop Dr M K Koshy
- Bishop Rt Rev A I Alexander