September 2015 | Pentecost Season Volume XIIl | Issue 9 | Rs.150 Per Annum 2 A Church on the move... t is sixty eight years since we began to experience the the sign of God's presence in time wonder of God's koinonia as we were called to be the and space. The Church is Christ's IChurch of South India. We join together in praising God for own hands, his mouth and his body the gift of the Church and for our leaders who were inspired by through which he communicates his the vision of unity. When the CSI was formed in 1947 it was saving acts to the world. Therefore acclaimed as a miracle of unity. The uniting Churches said the Church as God's sacrament is that their aim was 'not a compromise for the sake of peace, called to bring people into contact but a comprehension for the sake of the truth'. Although the with God's life-giving presence to Churches were able to overcome denominational divisions, discern the salvific will of God. The caste conflicts, divisions based on language and regionalism Church is the sign and instrument of continue to prevail even to this day. salvation present in her and also the anticipation of what is to come. The Constitution of the Church of South India 2003 on page four states: “The Church of South India affirms that the India, in which different religions purpose of the union by which it has been formed is the have been co-existing for centuries carrying out of God's will, as this is expressed in the Lord's in a cordial atmosphere, is now Prayer, 'That they all may be one.....that the world may believe experiencing a situation of religious Editor’s Desk that Thou didst send me'. It believes that by this union the intolerance and communal violence. Church in South India will become a more effective We have been involved in much discussion and reflection on instrument for God's work, and that there will be greater religious freedom, mission and evangelism in the context of peace, closer fellowship and fuller life within the Church, and religious plurality and emerging challenges to the mission of also renewed eagerness and power for the proclamation of the the Church. The challenge before the Church is to take the Gospel of Christ. It hopes that it may be a true leaven of unity question of equipping the people of God to be able to search in the life of India, and that through it there may be a greater for an open community. In the midst of emerging ethnic release of divine power for the fulfilment of God's purpose for identities based on caste, language and region which divide His world”. and keep humanity separated by boundaries and barriers, it is important that the Church as a communion projects a As we reflect on this and reaffirm it, we should bear in mind vision of unity that transcends denominational divisions and that the oneness that belongs to the Church has to be works for the unity of the whole humankind. While we are understood and interpreted as oneness which preserves a involved in mutual acceptance and sharing what should our richness of diversity, with diversity being an essential aspect attitude be towards people of other faiths? We need to enter of true unity. into dialogues, not merely as a matter of discussions, seminars and public meetings, but as a way of life, a spirit, a The Church as ecclesia, as the one who has been called out is mood, an attitude. also commissioned to be kerygmatic. The Church is creatura verbi, creation of the Word, the Logos. Therefore it is by its Christian institutions have played strategic roles in the own nature called to be a herald of the Word. We are the reforming process of people and communities down the Church under the Word. centuries. There has been a massive involvement of Christian institutions in the development of India with some well- The Church is called out to serve, not to be served. The defined objectives such as: involvement more fully in the Church is called to imitate the servant Lord and be the process of social change; reaching out especially to the poor servant of the servant Lord in order to become an agent of and the underprivileged; exceptional commitment to the work social change. The Church is called to be a place of hospitality of liberation, reconciliation, healing, justice and peace; and reconciliation, a place where justice, peace and joy are imparting value-based holistic education to enlighten the proclaimed through service, where people know and conscience of human beings with the message of mutual experience the embrace of grace and the comfort and acceptance and mutual sharing; and partaking and inspiration of God's all encompassing love. participating in nation-building programmes.

The Church is God's design to manifest koinonia, the The Christian gospel, if it is true to its nature, will meet people communion with God, with one another and with all creation. in the point of their elemental needs and struggles. The The Church is an icon of the Trinity. Communion, whose Church of South India, through its schools, colleges, source is the very life of the Holy Trinity, is both the gift by hospitals and other service projects has tried to do this with which the Church lives and, at the same time, the gift that varying degrees of success. The institutions have been trying God calls the Church to offer to a wounded and divided on the basis of their vision, understanding and resources to humanity thirsting for reconciliation and healing. contribute to the common struggle for the remaking of Indian society. The communion ecclesiology emerges from the Biblical images of the people of God, Body of Christ and the temple of In continuum of the incarnation, the Church needs to be the Holy Spirit as a logical consequence. Two Johannine present where people face oppression, discrimination, images of the Church: that of the vine and the flock, though violence, war and famine. The Church needs to become a Christological in nature, give out a very strong notion of place of refuge and comfort where human dignity of the poor, mutual indwelling and interpersonal relationships. The the disabled, the old and the weary is restored and play a image of the vine stresses the total dependence on Christ and significant role in people's movement for freedom and justice. mutual indwelling, while the flock imagery stresses trust and The Church as the servant should continue to exhibit the obedience. The Church, as the body of Christ, acts by the marks of pain, suffering and oppression in order to manifest power of the Holy Spirit to continue His life-giving mission in the life that emanates from the cross. The Church should prophetic and compassionate ministry and so participates in become the place where the power and wisdom of God is God's work of healing a broken world. revealed through the powerless, crucified people.

The Church as the continuum of the incarnation is the May the Church of South India, as she enters her sixty ninth sacrament of God, as the incarnate logos himself is the year, continue to be a Church on the move, as an instrument sacrament of God. As in logos, the Church is also called to for God's work towards greater peace, closer fellowship and make salvific intensions sacramentally visible, radiate and fuller life. manifest God's salvific plan to the whole creation, through Rev. Dr. D. Rathnakara Sadananda identification and representation. Thus the Church becomes General Secretary, CSI Mission of Jesus Christ as 'Reconciliation' of Life Inaugural Address Delivered at CSI Mission Festival 2015, held from 5th to 7th August 2015 at LITE Auditorium. The Most Rev. Dr. G. Dyvasirvadam, Moderator, Church of South India t the very outset I congratulate and Therefore, the Mission felicitate all the Missionaries both who of the Church is not limited Aare present here and all those who within the four walls alone but strive to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ in the to do with holistic welfare and farthest corners of our country. I also commend the well-being of humanity in every Department of mission and Evangelism of Church of community. Mission has South India for the timely vision to celebrate a call power to transform the life and participation in the mission of Jesus Christ. destroying forces operative in Besides the Western Missionaries who came to India the society towards an for the purpose of sharing the gospel, we recall the pioneering Indian saintly harbingers in mission like a u t h e n t i c e x i s t e n c e o f Sadhu Sunder Singh, Abdul Masih and a host of humanity. Mission belongs to Missionaries in different parts of our country. The very essence of the Church. The Church is endowed Church in India cannot ignore the powerful by God's grace and power of mission. Hence, the contribution made by Bishop Vedanayagam Samuel mission and the Church cannot be separated. Azariah, who defined mission as both the commission of Jesus Christ and a historic necessity to continue Church is an agent of God's transformative His work to shine forth the light of life in our land. power. Jesus Christ was empowered by the Holy Spirit “to bring good news to the poor ….. Discovering the Kingdom of God in our midst was the message from the heart of Jesus and to live To proclaim release to the captives and the kingdom values was His preaching. David recovery of the sight to the blind, to let the oppressed Bosch's magnificent Summa Misiologica (1991) go free” (Lk.4:18-19). explicitly is concerned to ground Mission Theologically and to prepare the Church for the new As the agent of God's Kingdom, the Church's' age. Mission, Mitere (to send) was the commission of vocation is to continue this Mission by combating the Jesus Christ to “reconcile” the activity of God “powers and principalities” (Eph.1:21; Col.2:10). Through His Spirit to the people (of God). The Mission always began from the In Christ Jesus, God has made known to us Missionary mandate (Mathew 28:18-20) based on the mystery of His will, according to His good both the commission and authority. The Missionary purpose that He set forth in Christ, as a plan for the mandate is formulated by the imperative fullness of time, to gather up all things in Him, things (matheteusate, 'make disciples'). This action assumes in heaven and things on earth (Eph.1:9-10). the willingness of (eleven) disciples to journey not together but to go to different parts and unknown All this (the blessings of redemption through destinations to administer Baptism and pass on His Christ) is from God, who has reconciled us to Himself teaching. through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation that is, in Christ God was reconciling In the light of the above commission, the the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses Missionary mandate of the risen Christ expressed against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for much more than simply to 'proclaim' (keryssein). It Christ, since God is making His appeal through us; does not mean to proclaim only the message but we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to rather to engage in a very personal relationship in the God. For our sake He made Him to be sin Who knew line of the relationship between earthly Jesus and His no sin, so that in Him we might become the own disciples. This personal bond enhanced unity righteousness of God (2 Cor.5:18-21). and togetherness of the disciples, an authentic community formed around the person of Jesus. This Mission is to recapture the gift of God's life. is not all together a new experience but such Mission includes in the holistic sense of human, in- communities always existed in the history of Israel human, biological and the eternal dimension of life. from ancient times like that of Elijah and Elisha. Mission deals with ethical, moral and Spiritual on one hand, physical and social well-being on the other The transmission of this experience of hand. This is an inclusive vision of mission which 'Disciples' and 'Missionaries' knows no barriers of would challenge all forms of discrimination. race, language, caste, creed and class. This authentic unity became unchangeable model to the The purpose of mission is to liberate the oppressed; Missionaries through the generations. The broken communities are to be reconciled and healed; The integrity of creation has to be restored; Mission and the continuing presence of the The third mark of mission is Diaconia after resurrected Lord: Kerygma, that would seek transformation of the The last words of Jesus or a promise and community with human values. Its service of love guarantee coupled with confidence of his protecting manifested as an act of compassion and its presence for ever. This promise echoes countless compassion is motivated and inspired by life giving Biblical references wherein God journeys with His model of Jesus Christ Himself. It is also the servants in particular with which they have been compassion of Jesus, that is translated and charged, of his active and saving presence. Moses, transmitted as the first fruits of God's desired justice Joshua and Jeremiah (Exodus 3:10-12); (Joshua 1:2- for people. 6); (Jeremiah 1:5-7) etc to whom God gave Mission to convey His message to His people and to strengthen It is in this manner, the building up of the them. It is always God Who prepares these channels people of God is symbolized the justice of the Kingdom in and through His powerful presence added with of God. The mission of the Church besides serving the courage and vision. people, is also to denounce unjust structures and to announce the God's justice into our systems of This is exactly the same power which human life, is the fourth mark of the mission. protected and supported all His messengers and servants through the history of Israel, in their The fifth one is the recognition of God's loneliness. creation and of the integrity of His creation, which is a Sacred Gift of God to the humanity and to all life. The Mission and witnesses in the power of the Spirit: purpose of the mission is to uphold the sacredness of Jesus in His priestly prayer (John 17:18-19) the creation by protecting the beauty, dignity and submits His disciples to the power of God the Father integrity of creation for a constant renewal of life on in order that they may be consecrated. He labels earth. them as witnesses (St.Lk.24:48-49), hence, as Transformative justice from a Biblical witnesses the disciples are committed to give perspective is incarnational. It is beautifully and credibility by their concrete witnessing experience profoundly incarnational. The translation and based on what they have seen and heard in relation to implementation of this mission touches the very Lord Jesus Christ. The Acts of the Apostles' Record, heart, feelings, emotions and wounds of those who innumerable references of the title to the disciples as are victims of injustice. It is not only concretely 'witnesses'. immersed into reality but it is painfully connected to those who suffer injustice. The proclamation of the Personal experience and commitment remain gospel itself is to penetrate into the pain and central to their witness (Acts 1:8,22; 2:32; 3:15; 5:32; suffering, oppression and exploitation. Mission is to 10:39, 41; 13:31;). The Power to fulfill the Mission of announce God's justice through the Word of God and being witnesses came to them as the Gift of the Spirit. to live out the same as an act of identification with the The final command of Jesus was the culmination when he asked his disciples to remain in Jerusalem grass-roots of the (basic) human community. The was also part of the Mission in harmony with plan of mission of God is an act of identification for liberation God (Lk.24:47). The Pentecostal experience becomes of land-less people, of those who live in slavery and panoramic climax (Acts 2:21-41), which opens up the bonded labour, of those beleaguered children and the mystery of Easter to the world. broken lives of the girl-children and of their mothers who look for a next bottle of milk for their little ones. Marks of Mission: A transition to reach out people: As the years God's mission through liberation is also go by we discover the need of inter-dependency and aimed at the victims of terrorism, caste exploitation, inter-connectivity of people. The following five marks the 'thrice-alienated' women, who constantly struggle of mission may be used as the means of for the freedom of life. Mission of God is also an transformation of humanity and building up of the engagement in the life of the victims of HIV Aids and wholistic society. Mission of the Church must be other forms of degeneration. Amos 2:4-8 underlines holistic, focusing on the 'shalom' the well-being of a justice promised in the midst of perversion of human community affecting and embracing all of justice, oppression of the poor and other un-clean human life. The message of Jesus and of the Gospels cultural fetters. The Church thus is not an abstract proclaimed through generations from the primitive institution but is a moving and dynamic journey of mission but to listen and respond to the cry of the life of the Church, must be conveyed to live out the people those who constantly suffer, and to stand by Gospel. The same must be proclaimed, embraced, the oppressed and lonely in every generation. The nurtured and lived out in a community. mission in this regard is to be understood that every The first two marks of the mission: aspect of humanity and life through the creation are To proclaim the good news of the kingdom to be reconciled by the Church and therefore, the Church has to break the ice and to embrace the wide To teach, baptize and to nurture new believers These two marks become channels of communicating range of human sphere for the missional activity to Christian-faith to every generation afresh. The bring glory to God the Creator through Jesus Christ. Christian-faith is not a theory or a concept but life- Thus, the journey continues. sharing experience connecting people of every “God turns toward the very places from which generation keeping the salvific experience afresh. humans tend to turn away” - Dietrich Bonhoeffer. NATION-BUILDING AND INDIAN CHRISTIANS: INSIGHTS FROM THE PAST Rev. Dr. George Oommen, Ordained Minister, Madhya Kerala Diocese, Formerly Professor in History of Christianity, UTC, Bangalore. ations go through several crucial religion, and his active make-or-break moments and opposition towards religious Nprocesses. India has experienced a conversion, he held the need number of these moments: the Independence for a plural framework for movement, the Constitution-making process, and India. Mutual tolerance and the Internal Emergency of the 1970s, to name a few. respect were at the core of this In assessing the role of India's Christian community value system. He saw the in the nation-building process, I feel we have arrived danger of religion being put to at just such a moment, especially in light of the current use for political mobilization. In 1947, as this danger debate that has emerged due to the challenge of grew more stark, he reiterated the matter more majoritarian Hindu nationalist discourse. A historical clearly and declared, “Religion is the personal affair of and critical view of how and why Christians engaged each individual. It must not be mixed up with politics in the nation-building process might offer us or national affairs”. [As quoted in Chandra, p. 27] This theological insights and resources that can help us position was helpful to committed and deeply envision our role in the present context. While this thoughtful Christians who wanted to be part of the piece refrains from making explicit suggestions or Independence struggle and the nation-building directions, it aims to recall the past with the hope that process. it might inspire and challenge us today. Christians Against Communalism Christians, though a very small minority, Christian leaders did not completely played a powerful and creative role in shaping the surrender their politics and theology to the debate around nation, nationhood and nationalism Independence movement. While many were during the Independence movement and beyond. sympathetic to Gandhian politics and his Such was the caliber and impact of Christian leaders overarching personality, they maintained a critical on this movement that they could not but be taken distance. For instance, Bishop V. S. Azariah of seriously, including by Gandhi himself. During that Dornakal, who was very supportive of the nationalist crucial period of the nationalist struggle, Christian movement, maintained a critical approach to leaders, despite the Church's entanglement with the Gandhi's understanding of Christian conversion British Raj, were at the very core of the nation- movements. Bishop Azariah's confrontation with building vision and implementation. Gandhi on the question of Gandhi's opposition to Dalit conversion is well-known. At the same time, Gandhi's Attitudes Towards Christians Azariah proved himself to be a true nationalist. He In 1931, at the height of the anti-colonial testified before the Simon Commission in 1932 and struggle, M. K. Gandhi made a speech defending the opposed the communal electorates that created inclusive character of the movement (a speech he separate reserved electorates for Christians. He delivered without the aid of notes, labeled by some as asserted that, in order to maintain communal 'the greatest one of his long political life'). Gandhi said harmony and the integrity of the nation, it would be the following about Christians, both in general and vital for Christians to merge with the general with special reference to Christian leaders of the electorate. In one of his speeches to the clergy of Independence movement: “From the very Dornakal in 1938, he stated that: commencement the Congress had Mussalmans, Christians, Anglo-Indians -- I might say all the [t]he civic interests of the Indian Christians are not religions, sects, creeds -- represented upon it more or different from those of other communities. We are less fully... I can recall at least one Indian Christian at as much people of India as any others. We ought to the present moment, W. C. Bonnerji, Kalicharen have had the privilege of voting in the General Bannerji, than whom I have not had the privilege of Electorate, and all the members so elected ought knowing a purer Indian, was also thoroughly to be the Guardians of our interests as well as identified with the Congress. I miss, as I have no those of any others; we are one with our non- doubt all of you miss, the presence in our midst of Mr. Christian brethren. K. T. Paul. Although - I do not know, but so far as I [As quoted in Harper P. 305] know - he never officially belonged to the Congress, he was a nationalist to the full.” [Mukherjee, p. 110] However, he questioned the Hindu nationalist view of Christians in Andhra Pradesh. He defended Despite Gandhi's strongly ingrained the patriotism of the Christians and their evangelistic commitment to the Hindu value system, his missionary efforts there with the following assertion: aggressive defence of certain tenets of the Hindu He has forgotten - the critic - the great service Building an Inclusive Constitution to India that Christians are rendering, through The Christian community's involvement in bringing Christ and His faith to bear upon the social the Independence movement affected the perception problems of India. My love to my countrymen and my that India and its prominent politicians had of us. nationalism - they think - ought to be measured by This involvement also shaped the way we ourselves my attitude to Congress and to political problems. looked at our role in independent India, including No, I say my love to my country may be exercised during the immediate aftermath of Independence and through my ex-political work. If I labour to remove the formation of the Constitution and the Republic. illiteracy, dirt, social enslavement and superstition of Christians played a confident and proactive role in the neglected and the unprivileged or underprivileged the formation of the Indian Constitution. It was not a am I to be reckoned a foreigner with foreign historical accident that the vice-chairperson of the sympathies with no love for my country? Should I be Constituent Assembly of India, which formulated the renounced as unpatriotic, simply because I am not Constitution between 1948 and 1950, was none dressed in a particular way or do not eat in a other than an active Christian leader, H. C. particular style or am not a member of a political Mookerjee. party? [As quoted in Harper, p. 305] The writing of the constitution was of utmost He demonstrated how Christian leaders could importance to all communities, but especially to be part of mainstream discussions that shaped the minorities. The secular character of the rights nation. Further, Indian Christians rejected the then- guaranteed in the Constitution of India, with the right popular notion of politics based on communally- to profess, practice and propagate one's religious based proportional representation. By promoting the belief without fear or favour, was also due to the basic religious and human rights of all religious constant intervention of the Christian community communities in the emerging Indian nation, they and the profound theological leadership of the were affirming the unique secular fabric that it would Church in India. The right to propagate was adopt. especially incorporated to affirm the fundamental missionary character of all religions, including that of Secularism as an Opportunity Christians. This was done despite opposition from Thanks to such great secularists like Nehru, various groups and individuals, including from who 'was perhaps the first Indian to see intolerant religious fundamentalists of the time. communalism as the Indian form of fascism', Indian Christians saw the decisive need for the Indian state After the Partition, a resolution withdrawing to maintain an equi-distance from all religions, while the political privileges of minorities proposed by H. C. at the same time being positively-inclined to the Mookerjee was approved. Thus, by mid-1949 humanness of all faith persuasions. Their words and Christian minorities voluntarily withdrew their leadership are to be recalled, especially as the present political claims and abandoned the demand for political leadership attempts to deliberately ignore communally-based representation in the legislature. this ethos, which was foundational to the nation state of India. Nehru stated unequivocally: “We call our Pursuing a Proactive Mission State a secular one... It does not obliviously mean a Christian theological leaders of independent society where religion itself is discouraged...It means India were not simply content with a guarantee of free play for all religions, subject only to their not minority protection and a passive co-habitation with interfering with each other or with the basic the majority. They took a prophetic position, conceptions of our State.” encouraging responsible citizenship in a secular [As quoted in Chandra p. 48] state. They recognized that the absence of religious conflict alone would not help in the making of the The great statesmen of the time worked hard nation. They began to engage groups of varied to blunt any agenda of religious majoritarianism that political ideologies and religious faiths in a pursuit of crept into the definitions of the nationhood. For inclusivism and common action, especially in instance, S. Radhakrishnan a prominent Hindu promoting movements for justice and inter-religious philosopher and one of the Presidents of India said: dialogue. The Christian Institute for Study of Religion “We hold that no religion should be given preferential and Society (CISRS), for instance, provided strong status of unique distinction.... No group of citizens leadership to the Christian community in the period shall arrogate to itself rights and privileges that it immediately following independence. M. M. Thomas denies to others.” [As quoted in Chandra p. 48] and P. D. Devanandan, the directors of CISRS, Looking back, we should be deeply appreciative of the articulated the potential for a 'ministry of principled positions that these leaders took, reconciliation' as the new nation was emerging: especially as we are quickly losing courageous public “Reconciliation, however, should not remain mere intellectuals who might sustain India's secular passive co-existence of the Hindu majority and other fabric. religious minority, of high and low castes, and of the various cultures and traditions. It should lead to more spontaneous and fruitful co-operation, thus Given this context, why is it that demonstrating a pattern of living and working contemporary theological, ecclesial and social together for the common good and realisation of activist Christian movements in India appear to be human values.” [P.D.Devanandan & M.M.Thomas, p. 50] paralyzed in their response to the forces that undermine India's rich secular and religiously plural Losing Our Moral Compass traditions? Why have they largely failed to initiate a However, by the 1970s Christians seemed to healthy theological discussion about nation and slip into a complacent mode regarding their role in nationalism in India's challenging socio-political nation-building and envisioning a future with sense context, where globalization, Hindutva and other of freedom and prophetic forthrightness. With few religious fundamentalisms have overtaken secular threats to secularism, we became an inward-looking intellectual movements? Church. Our moral compass itself seemed to be slipping away into convenient oblivion. During the Nation-building is a continuous process. This Internal Emergency regime of Prime Minister Indira context gives Indian Christians an opportunity for Gandhi, Christians continued to disregard the issue. critical introspection into its theological leadership With passive silence at times, and at other times by (or lack thereof), the unprecedented impact of meek and uncritical submission to powers that be, Westernized conservatism, and the nepotism and the Church fumbled. Instead of questioning the corruption within our churches. It also raises abuses of civil and human rights, we succumbed to questions about Christianity's identity in a post- the pressures of the state. Mrs. Daisy Gopalaratnam, colonial Indian society, especially in the light of the then General Secretary of the CSI, was one among Hindutva accusations of the essential videsi the prominent ecclesial leaders who went to Mrs. (“foreign”) character of Indian Christianity. Due to the Gandhi to express their unflinching support for the overt and covert influence of a globalized conservative regime. Christianity, we risk becoming de-contextualized from our own nation's realities and the continuous Today's Crucial Moment nature of the nation-building process. So we need a The totality of the Indian nation is constituted re-imagining of our role in a post-colonial and by the plurality of its regions, religions, cultures, globalized context, and by exploring our history, we identities, and ideologies. However, the recent might recapture the prophetic vision that guided our militant religio-cultural majoritarianism being Church and its leaders in the past. promoted is a major shift in the nation-building environment and related discussions.The uniformity of Hindu self-identity and a universal sense of References: religious self-sufficiency with an anti-missionary Chandra, B. India After Independence, 1999 bend seems to have paralyzed all of the mainline Devanandan, P. D. and Thomas, M. M., (eds.) India's Christian Churches and their theologies. On the Quest for Democracy, 1955 other hand, propagators and ideologues of the Harper, B. Susan, In the Shadow of the Mahatma; Hindutva movement are trying to create a perception Bishop V. S. Azariah and the Travails of Christianity in about Hindu religious sentiments as more tolerant British India, 2000 and less evangelistically aggressive along with an Mukherjee,R.(ed.)Great Speeches of Modern India, image that, on the contrary, Christians are pursuing 2007 coercive religious conversions.

Best Wishes to the Most Rev. Dr. G. Dyvasirvadam The 27th Biennial meeting of Christian being elected as the Chairperson of the Henry Institute for the Study of Religion and Society (CISRS) Martyn Institute (HMI), International Centre for met on 11th and 12th August 2015 at New Delhi. The Research, Interfaith Relations and Reconciliation, Council re-elected Most Rev. Dr. G. Dyvasirvadam, which is an ecumenical Christian organisation, Moderator of Church of South India as its President for dedicated to the objective study and teaching of the term 2015 2017. The Church of South India religions, the promotion of interfaith relations and congratulates him and wishes him God's blessings reconciliation. HMI, located in Hyderabad has as he continues to shoulder this important established a long record of teaching and research, responsibility. with an ever-widening circle of research scholars from both within the country and abroad who use The Church of South India congratulates the the Institute's facilities for Master's, Doctoral and Moderator of CSI, Most. Rev. Dr. G. Dyvasirvadam on Post-Doctoral research. WOMEN AS PARTNERS IN RE-IMAGING THE CHURCH

Rev. Mrs. Ramani Ramyakrupa, President, Women's Fellowship, CSI he Church without the language of does not speak uniformity but is women is incomplete. Church as the realistic through cooperation. Thus, Tbody of Christ is interdependent of men the women also become part of and women and their participation in the mission of ecclesiastical body belonging to the Kingdom of God. Consciously or unconsciously “Christ community.” the role of the women in building up of the people of God has been ignored. Though a 200 years' missionary The Church and Mary the mother of work has given considerable participation in the life of God: the Church, the authentic solidarity with women has The Eastern (early) Church not been achieved. The true community of men and emphasized the image of Theotokos women in the Church remain an utopian hope and it is (Council of Ephesus), which is a far reality. However, there has been a meaningful Christological dogma promulgated against Nestorius, and powerful beginning to understand the dynamic because without denying divinity of the second Person involvement of women from the origin of the New of the Trinity, He refused to believe God could dwell in a Testament period. woman's womb. The Church considering the affirmation of the unity of the divine hypostasis, saw The subject of women in the life and teaching of that, if Mary were to receive Nestorius' preferred title Jesus has a special attention and recognition. The Christotokos, mother of Jesus (of the history); this gospel according to Luke has recorded more events of would divide the personality of the Lord. The purpose women participation and perceptions, be it the birth of referring to an ancient council is not to recapture the narratives of Jesus or the events of healing or dichotomy between the image of the divinity of Mary as references in parables etc. the mother of God and the image of Mary as Mother of human Jesus but to study the history of Christianity Jesus believed in women sufficiently to reveal that how long it took for the women to participate Himself to them. They in turn came to the conclusions quickly with men in the life of the Church and her from His actions “I now believe that YOU are the mission. Messiah, the son of God, who was to come into the world” (John 11:26-27) said Martha. “Come and see a The religio-cultural and socio-economic man, who told me everything I ever did; I wonder if he is background of any region in the world has suppressed the Christ” said Samaritan woman (John 4:29). The the role of women not more than a Sunday School Samaritan woman, who had a 'Theological' discussion teacher in the holistic mission of Church. Mary pre- with Jesus at Jacob's well, had received this startling eminently humble and gentle stands under the veil of revelation “I am He, I, Who Am speaking to you now”. silence. She stands in the midst of the disciples It is from the above context, the Gospels record Jesus' gathered with the women to await the promise of the relationship and recognition to women as human Spirit. That is why in the Byzantine liturgy we beings, to be respected and to be trusted. He accepted commemorate her in first place after the epiclesis. It is their accompaniment, service and hospitality. He through the Eucharist that she continues, with the rendered them service, teaching, healing, waking-up other Saints, to receive the gifts of the Spirit. The their dead, saving them from exploitation and Christ whom she gave to the world has blessed her in victimization. At occasions, He Himself undertook the His pleroma (fullness) before the consummation of the feministic emotions to weep and to have compassion ages. In the economy of salvation, Jesus makes the and other emotional instincts. A compassionate and believers to own Mary as our Mother, a depth of caring one, who anticipated peoples' needs, Jesus was Spiritual companionship that springs from His being a mother par excellence. It is in this manner, the an icon of the Lord. There is no duality here but only presence of women can be discovered from the Galilee the mystery of union of God and humanity, God born to Golgotha and the Tomb. as man through the self-humbling of the kenosis (emptying); humanity born as God by deification. The lives of women and their actions in the Mary stands back, and shows us the Saviour, Jesus gospels remain as paradigms of faith and faithfulness. Who is revealed by a woman and in turn who has The most striking of such living witnesses was that of attained theosis. The two thousand years' pilgrim the resurrection by Mary the Magdalene, who became Church takes up the image of Mary without much ado of the first proclaimer of the Gospel of resurrection. In remains silent but demonstrates the power of God in a the 'new creation' in the Lord's Body, the true inter- vibrant manner. The womanhood of the Church and personal relations are restored. This is why in the in the Church, remained silent as a non-participant in Church “there is neither Greek nor Jew, Slave nor the mission of the Church. Free, neither Male nor Female. You are one in Jesus Christ (Col.3:11). While retaining the individual Women and re-imaging of the Church: identity the men and women in God's mission become The Church has played the role of catalyst “one, neither masculine nor feminine, but the unique towards transformation of women towards fuller gender of the 'God man', Christ. The intention is humanity. There are several historical, social, ethical moral than the physical existence, something, which and psychological issues involved in this process of transformation. Restoring and re-imaging the Church has encouraged almost 50% of her members portrayal of womanhood to their fuller humanity either lay or ordained women. In the Gospel, power should become the central agenda of the Church of the was understood as Diaconia or service in character, 21st century. The Church in ancient, educational but not as power to subdue or authority. Cultural institutions no doubt initiated literacy and awareness transformation is something that our Lord Jesus for healing. However, like other religions, Christianity attempted to effect in the society of His times the so- is no exception which maintained the dubious called guardians of traditions like Pharisees and other distinction to give a negative image of women towards Jewish leaders created conflict leading to the their social degradation. Jesus, the Messiah, in his Crucifixion. The critical principles of culture and earthly abode underlined the fundamental message of tradition of Jesus enunciated was: 'the Sabbath is for dignity of all the daughters and sons of God through man and not man for the Sabbath'. This is a his acts of liberation and healing. Unfortunately, the humanistic principle which needs to find an Church has not continued the commitment towards application in the issue of woman's oppression and recognizing women and men as equal partners and equality. The cultural values, traditions and practices participants in the mission of God. Though ordination ought to undergo a radical transformation in the Asian to women has taken place three decades ago and it has context in particular to the Indian situation. Culture not been encouraged further. Unfortunately, even is neither superstition nor ignorance; Culture is though there have been glimpses of emancipation, neither silence nor static. Culture is a cultivation of there has been a degradation of dignity: a structural the principles of human behavior undergirding the suppression and discouragement. human civilization always for the building up of a better tomorrow. Rather culture is the dynamic Women as guardians of tradition: continuation of history that would relate, connect and The women in Christianity like any other recreate human values and would build a just society. religion have been used as the catalysts and guardians of Christian faith in the Church to transmit the historic It is in the light of the above definitions, the practices. While poverty and powerlessness become Church must not only encourage women but also to the obstacles from the development of women create vistas for the world of women towards a fuller leadership, caste and traditional deterioration add to it humanity and a dynamic participation to discover the to cause perennial hurdle for the human dignity. The image and purpose of God's creation. structural vulnerability and violation of human rights Women and political awareness: through the violence inflicted upon the women Political intervention is something from crucial distorted the 'image of God'. The just gender policy will for the radical transformation of the status of women in be one in which equality and difference will not be the Church. 'Politics' is not a negative word and which viewed as polarities, but as converging in the same comes from the root-word 'police' which means simply direction. When we affirm the gender equality and at a 'city' in other words, our historic awareness. Hence, the same time realize that it is equality in difference we politics is our participation in the historic reach a proper perspective to deal with women's surroundings in a particular time and place. It is issues. Identity in difference is something that is very through political participation the women confront the close to the Christian understanding of the mystery of persistent inequality of power-relations which results God in which there is with difference of persons but in marginalization of women. The 73rd and 74th perfect identity, and no heirarchising. Men-women amendment of the Constitution of India, women have relationship is not to be couched in a hierarchical been provided 33% reservation from even village frame work. It could be understood through the Panchayat level. From the radical revision of the Christian belief in the mystery of the Divine in which Constitution of Church of South India, CSI has given the polarity of identity and difference is solved. The 25% to the women participation in all spheres of three persons of the Trinity are equal but it is equality administration which needs a retrospective in difference. In the context of gender difference also envisioning to catch up with the national stream for one should understand that uniqueness to each the women's participation. gender is sustained but not to be looked on the basis of discrimination. Our unbiased reading about women Education as empowerment: in the Gospel and more particular in the ministry of Education is always a means of liberation and Jesus reveal that women along with other disciples through education, the silence of women is broken that followed, benefitted and ultimately became vibrant infuses with new power and courage to express. witnesses for Jesus. The Churches' response to the Thanks to the missionary leadership for the initiation emancipation of women should therefore begin by of the Schools and Colleges for the empowerment of challenging the distortions and variations of the women. In spite of a 150 years long phase, besides scriptural visions of the human. educating hundreds of thousands of girl-children, the literary women are still less than 10% in our country, Women and counter-culture: India. The skepticism and superstition cause the Given an opportunity the women as ordained discouragement to the girl-children within the sphere ministers and as lay-leaders have initiated a new in the life of the Church, particularly on the rural cultural image to the Church. It is acknowledged after background, also cause a slow development of the a great hesitation, the Church in the modern era has women. The attraction of the daily wages in the fields given way to the women leadership through drop-outs from the various reasons girl-children going constitutional provision in similar lines to the secular out of village becomes the stigma, and early marriages state. However, the sentimental apprehension also of the girls make the Church weak in terms of the sails along with the radical changes. The German women's participation. Education, thus, becomes a iii)Shared Responsibility: means of awareness like health care, human rights, In the context and purpose of creation, God elimination of violence and the like. The Church from called both men and women to share responsibilities all levels must bring such measures and reforms by but according to their particular gifts in various revising the constitution for a radical re-building of a spheres of life and therefore, as in the case of Baptism, healthy and pleasant community of hope where every they stand on the common ground, they are expected girl-child will grow with a smile on her face and every to share creatively, even to decision-making with mother will have a sigh of satisfaction and fulfillment. common responsibilities towards building up of life of The Church must encourage to raise the “tithe of the the Church at large. Such fuller participation allows tithe” towards re-creating resources for a happy child. space for their contribution in all areas of effecting Only then an authentic 'Christ-community' be realized women life in terms of religious, cultural, ecological, wherein the men and women with their children will economic and political spheres. With this hope all the experience the 'new heaven' and 'new earth' as the women in the Church, participate in the celebration of kingdom of God. By the Pauline encouragement to the the gift of holy Mother from whom the Church always holistic community, “one in Christ”, we understand receives inspiration. three basic values towards authentic partnership of Hence, we sing with heartfelt offering to God - men and women in the Church. The Angels - a Hymn i)Equality of God's design: The Heavens - a Star In the light of Galatians 3:28 men and women are confirmed as of equal worth before God, which is The Magai - Gifts the basis for all relationship among them. Equality, in The Shepherds - their wonder a profound sense, can exist only when both men and The Earth - a cave women recognize and accept the basic truth of equal partnership in the one family of God. The desert - a manger And we offer Thee - a virgin Mother ii)Mutuality in Partnership: This also follows from Galatians 3:28, which Hail Jesus along with the lady of the Church! implies recognition and acceptance of the other, Sources: whether male or female in their differences and similarities, as well as in their relationship. Mutuality 1) The Ecumenical Review, Vol.60 ½ January/ will come about when both, respectful of one another April 2008 allow themselves to be led by the Holy Spirit as equal 2) The Ecumenical Review, Vol.64.4, December 2013. partners in working for the coming of God's reign in the 3) Wilfred, Felix, Asian Dreams and Christian Hope, world. ISPCK, Delhi 2003. ADMISSION TO M.TH. & D.TH. COURSES THE FEDERATED FACULTY FOR RESEARCH IN RELIGION AND CULTURE (FFRRC) An Ecumenical Post-graduate and Research Centre

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Application forms may be obtained on payment of Rs.400/- for M.Th. and Rs.500/- for D.Th. 5 Courses by M.O.,/Demand Draft, from Registrar, FFRRC, Mar Thoma Theological Seminary, P.B.No.287, Kottayam 686 001, Kerala. The last date of receiving application will be 30 November 2015. Candidates must submit their Senate Transcript along with the application form.

Rev. Dr. V. S. Varghese Registrar, FFRRC 11! CSI Life September 2015 JESUS THE RABBI AND HIS TEACHINGS: PRESENT DAY CHURCH EMERGING AS A SPACE FOR TRANSFORMATION AND LIBERATION Rev. Manda Prashanth Babu, Presbyter, Medak Diocese ndia celebrates September 5th as Teachers' stories of great teachers so that day every year. Educational institutions the loopholes of the education Iacross the country take time to celebrate system could become revitalized. this event to pay respect for the life and contributions of the teachers. Teaching is a noble profession in the Teachings of Jesus and its world. Teachers are sculptors who work along with impact on the followers students in building their future. Teaching is a Education cannot be process of developing or bringing up children with limited to academic matters values and knowledge. It is an overall development of alone but all the human a person morally, spiritually and intellectually. It experiences in life educates like helps in a person to grow in critical thinking. It is also religious and social ceremonies, work, relationships, making or equipping persons with technical skills accidents all the human experiences teaches. Most of and knowledge to gain their livelihood and to get jobs. the religious teachings are aimed towards securing Education is moulding and shaping the children as its doctrinal values and interests. Teachings of desirable citizens for the future of the society and to several gurus were later formed as ideologies by their mould their character into a desirable shape. They disciples. These ideologies later turn into rigid share a greater role in the nation building process. fundamental dogmas and losses its vital element of Task of the teacher is primary in building a healthy reform. Sebastian Kappen says that Jesus as guru and democratic society in any nation. never wished his teachings to turn as an ideology. He is a great teacher who was always challenging and Education from its inception understood as inspiring his disciples to form a new humanity. service. In the present day scenario it is understood as a fast selling commodity. Education is seen as a The title teacher is used forty five times in the ladder and launch pad to find lucrative jobs and bible for Jesus. Jesus was a radical teacher who positions in the present day world. Many are in the openly condemned the corrupt and anti-people quest to choose course that guarantees jobs forces of his time. He asked his disciples not to immediately. From knowledge and philosophy the associate with these groups. He engaged in preaching present education system is going towards market the kingdom of God. He is an itinerant preacher and oriented courses and education. At the same time teacher engaged in a rigorous training of disciples for there is lot of research coming from various quarters preparing people for kingdom of God. His towards the betterment of human lives. The methodology of teaching is different from that of the technological advancement of this age also classroom model. His teachings took place in the witnessing increase of crime at all levels of human open fields, country side, beside the lake and in life. The increase of white collar offenses expresses synagogues. The pedagogy of this training includes how the society has become short of values. Ethics wandering in forest and fields, learning parables from and values are fast dying in a globalized and creation. His training went against the norms of corporate world. Value based education is the need religious and political leaders. This also included of the hour for the society to progress. touching lepers and healing them, having conversation with the marginalized Samaritans and Great educationalist Paulo Friere says enjoying their hospitality, meeting the suffering and “education is liberation”. Education makes one marginalized and enriching the faith from their aware of the condition of their lives. It is a tool that experiences. This also had violating code of Sabbath by allowing his disciples to pick and rub and to eat empowers one to fight against all forms of wheat heads on the day of Sabbath in order to oppression. It is the insights of the education that understand it in a better way. He appreciated the gave impetus for the great leaders to stand and fight faith of a bleeding woman to come out. It also has a for their rights. In this journey of knowing and regularly associating with the so called sinners tax becoming a person, it is the role of teacher to be collectors and women of society. Jesus mission commendable. Traditionally a teacher is one who focused on these nobodies and outcast and strived guides and motivates. Great leaders are inspired by for their dignity and life in fullness. Jesus liberated their teachers. In Hindu mythology teacher is revered the religious and socially polluted group. Some of as God, 'Guru devobhava'. Learning experience is them became companions in the mission of Jesus. It greatly revolutionized one can learn being at home is also very dangerous to his disciples to be with a through books and internet. The role of teacher is political teacher who spontaneously responds to the more or less reduced to the level of instructor rather evils of society. They are always under threat and than guide. It is the time to recollect and revision the their lives are at risk. He never wished to set up a cult or sect. He did and suffering communities. People's theologies are not envision of building an institution or setting up an the theologies that are from the below and making its organization which propagates his agenda and sources from the experience of the broken and manifesto after him. He made his disciples to be like suffering communities. The task of contextual him who are always at the forefront in reaching those theology is to find the face of God in stranger and who are broken and needs healing. They are like him neighbor in order to build a new humanity in Christ. who responds to the cries of people. They are called as people who turned the world upside down. It is his People's Theologies and its influence on the great teachings that inspired and influenced the church ordinary countrymen to become the apostles of In the history blacks, women, dalits and Christ. In his companion they are made like him. His adivasi were alienated and considered as religiously teachings influenced over the ages of all the and ceremonially unclean. There were doctrines used generations. Peasants and labor revolution in the by the powerful to subjugate the blacks and women Latin American countries, feminist awakening and from being equal in gender and race. Most of the great leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Martin religions in the world have one or other kind of Luther King all has their roots from the teachings of sanctions to support discrimination and subjugation Jesus. against the weaker ones in the community. Dalits in India are called as impure, unclean inferior and Jesus' teachings gave impulse to his followers polluting. Tribals are considered as cruel and over the ages to challenge the rooted injustice and uncivilized. For several centuries the experience of systematic violence. Abolishing slavery, violence these communities and their pain and suffering is not against women and caste and racial discrimination heard. and untouchability are some serious problems before the devoted disciples. The love and teachings of Jesus It is the people's theology which took the gave courage to these pious disciples to face the evils context seriously to interpret the scriptures in the of the society. Loving neighbor is very easy for many if light of their suffering. People's theologies have drawn the neighbor is kith and kin. But Jesus's radical meaningful insights from Jesus radical and liberal teaching of finding the neighbor in other. This teachings. In the parable Samaritans are not teaching gave impetus to various people's theologies considered as part of Israelite tradition and religion to emerge. though they believe in the same God Yahweh. Jews won't associate with Samaritans but Jesus asked the How the other becomes my neighbor? scribe to love the Samaritan. Like the Good The conversation between Jesus and a lawyer Samaritan story even contextual and people asking, who is my neighbor? This question raised the theologies are challenging and radical in nature. It consciousness of who could be the neighbor in the has laid greater emphasis to see the image of God in interlocutor. It made him and many later on to dalits, tribals, women and blacks. One has to See the introspect who is the neighbor and the other? Jesus image of God in the neighbors who are considered as narrated the Good Samaritan story and asked the the other. local law expert among this three who could be the neighbor to the man? The interlocutor replied 'one Church emerging as a Space in bringing who has mercy on him'? Accepting the Samaritan as transformation in the lives of people neighbor for a Jewish person is a very radical thing. Martin Luther King Jr. says that “Church Company of One who is historically, culturally should not lose its prophetic zeal; it has to guide and branded as inferior and ceremonially polluted cannot critic the state. If not it will remain as a social club”. be accepted so easily in any society. Danker says The role of Church is to educate, critic and should though Samaritan is an outsider but Jesus made him endeavour towards transformation in the society. an insider and equal with the Levite and the priest”. Transformation among its members and in the Jesus' way of teaching to a law expert through a society is the crucial need of the hour. mundane affair opened his eyes to locate his neighbor Transformation is not a small change or reform. in the face of a Samaritan. The scribe is an expert in Transformation is the radical change that decides the law and an advocate in the courts. Jesus narrated a new direction and new pathway in the life of a faith criminal story to this lawyer in order to elucidate who community. Geevarghese says that the is his neighbor? Seeing the image of God in the face of transformation is not an ordinary change but it is the Samaritan is a challenge to the priests, Levites, very shifting of the foundations. The teachings of the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus teachings aimed to church need to be in consistent with the content of break barriers and built bridges and to fill the gulf of gospel and context of the society. Gospel is to confront separateness, alienation and marginalization. the sinful, evil and discriminatory ways in the society and to move towards the transformation. Jesus Jesus' love towards the marginalized and the announced the Reign of God during his earthly suffering communities also expressed explicitly in his ministry through deeds and action. Jesus demanded teachings as well. In the same way the contextual transformation through his teachings. It is the major theologies emerged from the experiences of the poor reason for the hostility against Jesus teachings aspect as part of their mission. Providing the food is during his time and even now. not the only aspect of mission, but making the newly converts skilful and to make them live by their own. Preaching and teaching are two important Missionaries want to set free the newly converts from aspects of mission. Preaching and teaching educates the yoke of slavery (bonded labour) due to traditional the people brings repentance in them and makes and caste based occupations. One of such examples them better human beings. Most of the reforms which is that the Basel mission in Mangalore gave training Church envisions should be communicated to the newly converts in tiles making. adequately through this mode of ministry. This is also an area where we could challenge the existing The teaching and the preaching ministry of contemporary social evils and strengthen the Jesus began in this world to create a new humanity congregations in faith. Hunter P. Mabry says that from the existing by transforming them. Jesus's even during the sermons that are delivered from the vision and mission is to redeem the creation from the pulpit it is usually on the matters like personal sin, clutches sin and human greed. Jesus New humanity salvation, offerings, economy, corruption, piety. The emerges through radical transformation of where elite and the traditional believers in the Church humans are free from all form of discrimination and discourage preaching on the matters like caste violence. It is the ardent duty of the followers of Christ related issues, women ordination, dowry, abortion. to take message of Jesus forward to envision a new Sunday school and youth ministries are also earth where and peace and justice prevails. teaching ministries within the Church. We prepare them to be good citizens and leaders for church. In the recent past Church is very bold in 'Train up a child in the way he should go, even when dealing with the contemporary issues of the country he is old he will not depart from it'. (Pro 22:6 NAS) like writing letters to Church of England asking to Jesus emphasized these two areas in his ministry on disinvest in Vedanta. Standing up with the victims of this earth. He used it also to prepare the disciples for Kudankulam nuclear power plant, voicing out for their ministry and mission in the coming days. freedom and dignity for the sexually minorities. Dietrich Bonheoffer rightly said it is not participating The churches which came to India and other in a religious act that makes one Christian but parts of the world has realized that without fighting participating in the suffering of God. Comfortable the social ills and without challenging the dominant and secure Christian life hampers one to follow the societal and political structures and preaching the teachings of Jesus. Let the teachings of Jesus gospel to these people will not show any effect. disturb, bring confusion, tears and angry to the Dealing with slavery in Africa by David Livingstone, stagnant and settled religious minds to become with caste system and sati in India by William Carey faithful disciples and risk their status quo in creating and also other missionaries have taken liberating a New Humanity in Christ. Rev. Dr. Hermann Gundert Chair in University of Tubingen

The University of Tübingen in Germany a Malayalam grammar book, Malayalabhaasha announced the inception of “Gundert Chair” in its Vyakaranam (1859), a Malayalam-English Indology department. The chair will receive guest dictionary (1872), several other publications and lecturers from the faculty of Thunchath magazines in Malayalam. He was the one who Ezhuthachan Malayalam University, Kerala for introduced the punctuation marks, full stop (.) Tübingen University's Asia-Orient- Institute. The Chair is funded by the "University Grants Comma (,) semi colon (;) colon (:) and question mark Commission" of India, to teach Malayalam ( ? ) i n t o M a l a y a l a m regularly from October 2015. The University l a n g u a g e . H e a l s o Library housed numerous old Malayalam translated the Bible into documents and scriptures collected by Hermann Malayalam language. Gundert from Thalassery and other places in Gundert's contribution to Malabar. the fields of history, geography and astronomy Rev. Dr. Hermann Gundert (1814 - 1893) are notable. Although was the first missionary from Basel Mission who Gundert came to Kerala as worked in Northern part of Kerala with his base at a missionary, he is also Nettur,Thalassery from 1838 to 1859. He planted remembered today for his several Churches and today these Churches are a literary contributions. The famous German part of CSI Malabar Diocese. He was also a scholar novelist and Nobel laureate Hermann Hesse was and linguist and contributed enormously to the his grandson. language and culture of Kerala. Gundert compiled MODERN TRENDS IN EDUCATION; ROLE OF TEACHERS IN EDUCATION AND SOCIETY Prof. Esther Prasanakumar, Principal, Bishop Cotton Women's Christian College, Bangalore. ducation concerns the whole nation. In today's education pattern today is the cost social conditions, education has become the of Education... Elargest enterprise in any country and takes the first place among the duties of the state. Also, In the modern world, the role of education is the most expensive of all national education is not so much to convey activities and it must yield abundant and qualified information to the students, but to products. awaken their interest about what is going on around them, and to As people who are concerned about the future, about increase their appreciation of and how we are going to equip our students into this wider capacity for continuous learning. world, a world which is known for its cut throat In productive education today, competition, a world which is going through there is no room for teachers who remain in their transition, what is going to be the role of all Christian chairs and students who are merely listeners. Educational Institutions? Modern education requires mutual exchanges of communication and views between teachers and There was a time in History of India where Food, learners and participation in joint activities. Apostle Shelter and clothing formed the basic need of any Paul tells this to the church of Colossians and also person however with the development in the reminds us to 'let the word of Christ be in you.' industrial age Communication, Globalization and Accepting, forgiving, tolerance, being compassionate, other important factors got added upto the list of being good to people doing good have these things in basic needs and now education has become the basic your minds. Yes we have a set pattern of syllabus no need of any person who wants to live in this country. doubts about that we have a classroom situation Currently one of the important industries worldwide that's fine, but going beyond as Christian institutions especially in India is the Education Industry is the impact that we make in the minds and the personality of thousands of Students who come It is through this Education there is going to be a under the portals of every Christian institution. transition of tradition and culture, engaging in politics and economy depends on the education If we care for our new generation to display background. Education enhances the thought dynamism, joy and enthusiasm we must have pattern of people holding the veins of the country. So dynamic teachers who play an important role who will all of our Educational Institution's should be able to be respected and valued in society. Teachers should strive towards that particular goal. With a number of be respected as distinguished experts who will Educational options existing before the students, at develop the intelligence of new generations, train present new trends seem to emerge in the field of their personalities and take pains to ensure that Education thus have entirely changed the traditional young students acquire both knowledge and skills. In system of education in our country. There are many developed countries teachers enjoy a high status in career opportunities and alternatives which are society and the material rewards that go with it. available for all our children here. Previously they were regarded as not very important but now they Today more than ever, schools and teachers face high have become very important and sought after career expectations. Policy makers and society at large options for students. Among these are the Radio expect teachers to be role models, experts in a wide Management, Radio Jockey, program anchoring, range of areas and major agents of the profound news anchoring, news reporting, fashion designing, structural and curricular transformation taking event management, content writing, Hospital place in the field of education. Teachers are management, Medical Transcription and so on. considered to be the most important agents in the implementation of the innovations introduced in the Ample number of courses are available for the education system. younger generation to choose from and going beyond that regular educational patterns the regular courses For the modern teacher both traditional teaching in India, we also have the online education which has skills and new teaching skills are equally important. become available to many of our students. We also It is essential that teachers are committed to their have distance education and it is available to all our work and to the education of young people. A good students and our education system has been going teacher not only needs the right temperament but through' various type of transitions now it is pocket also formal academic framing and has to be well mobile or postal correspondence programs or prepared for the profession. interactive CDROM programs or Tele courses or Broad cast courses via television and Radio and there First of all Jesus stands before us as the Master are many more which are available for us But one of Teacher. We understand, the master of the object the major conflicting trends that can be noticed in the lesson, he taught his disciples very objective lessons through which they were able to see the example of classrooms where collaboration and group learning the mustard seed, he was talking about the are encouraged. Teachers today have become mountains, he was talking about the fig tree, he facilitators rather than knowledge dispensers. The changed water into wine. So the 21st Century characteristics of modern education are continuous youngsters foresee society with all sorts of political comprehensive evaluation; cross curricular compulsion with all sorts of suffixations happening in connections; linking curriculum with life; emphasis the curriculum of our Countries Educational pattern. on skill building, life skills and values; emphasis on What is it that we as Christians are trying to do in understanding of concepts; Activity based learning; order to bring about the Gospel values into the Digitization in teaching, learning assessment; Christian Institutions. interdisciplinary learning etc. Jesus as GURU was also a Master Communicator. He Thus teachers today are expected to be not only asked for a boat, to go across so that it would be a knowledgeable and innovative but also highly higher place and he would be able to communicate. disciplined, strongly motivated and dedicated The Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew 5:6&7, Jesus keeping Jesus as our role model. They should focus proves to be a marvelous teacher who was able to on pedagogical knowhow, creativity and co-operation bring about surprises. He was also trying to tell rather than on information recall and performance in certain things to his disciples that which was tests. Teachers have to become familiar with distance surprising and they also testified saying that Jesus education and new technologies. was not like the Pharisees, He taught them according to the power of God entrusted to Him, the teaching “Teachers must be lifelong learners”. They must have with authority and power. Christian teachers need to the flexibility and openness to deal with other redefine true Christian values to our growing children teachers, parents and the community at large. with conviction, concern and love. Teaching is no longer seen as an individual competence but an ability to function as part of a Jesus was a Master Inspiration. Jesus understood learning organisation. that important lessons had to come of our life not out of the book. He was a person who was able to inspire It was told of a professor after retirement, one day he not memorize a topic and reiterated that we learn received a letter when he was really old. He retired through experiences that spring out of own life style from service but while he was in service he was a which every student has to experience genius professor. The letter came from one named James an average student who struggled to pass the Systematic planning of a course in advance is very professor's classes but had finally made it. Many important. In an increasingly diverse and years after having graduated James had gained an multicultural society it is necessary for teachers to important leadership role in his company but felt treat all their students equally without showing uneasy at times. James wrote a seperate short favouritism. Teachers should not impose their world question to his professor whom he had considered as view on their students; they should openly discuss the wisest person he had ever met even though he topics and let the students decide for themselves. One knew he could have done a better job taking the of the best ways to teach and transfer ideas is through advantage of his former teacher's lessons. He wrote stories. The best teachers have used story telling “Master I would like to ask you if I could come back to techniques in their classes for centuries. Having relearn that which I have missed in the school so that discussions and collaborating in class are essential to I can redeem your wise advice and teaching.” The old encourage students and to implement new teaching professor trembling hands held the letter up in the air techniques. Modern teachers are truly good listeners took off his glasses to stare at the sky for a moment and not merely talkers. Jesus used parables signs holding the red pen he always used to mark James' and wonders to drive home morals, ethics, and godly paper. The red pen was never used to mark James' values. Jesus was a great educationist ,he used paper down but to use notes of comments and literary forms in his teaching methods which still are reflection questions on the margins. The old professor the set guidelines in any teaching exercise .He wrote wrote back, “Dear James it is my pleasure to having on the ground he used metaphors and similies you back so that I can continue to learn from you.” ,paradox and irony. Learning is a continuous process. We need to learn The modern teacher should be willing to innovate and many good things and shift our attitude towards try new things like educational apps, ICT tools and learning. I would like to say that Jesus is a Model and electronic devices; modern teachers should be in he can be the teacher and we are his students. At any constant search of new ICT solutions to implement in point of our time we can go back to our master and their classrooms. Teachers should also explore say after all he is the one who designed us, he is the possibilities outside the class like social networks one who gives us all the knowledge and wisdom and the internet. The positive use of internet must be because we have come into his presence. inculcated in our students using roadmaps to keep them from straying away into forbidden areas.This is I wish all the teaching fraternity a very blessed and a matter of grave concern and every Christian teacher meaningful Teachers' Day . May your efforts increase has an added responsibility now more than before to for the progressive growth of the world at large. shepherd our children in right track lest they fall a prey to the bad effects of technology. “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”-Proverbs 22:6 Modern classrooms are not teacher centric but student centric. They are technology driven Inaugural and Worship

17 CSI Life September 2015 Keynote Address

Regional Sessions

18 CSI Life September 2015 Synod Departmental Sharings

Missionaries Cultural Events

Mission Consultation

Support Funds & Medical Camp

19 CSI Life September 2015 Bishop V. S. Azariah Memorial Lecture

Communion Worship & Closing Ceremony

20 CSI Life September 2015 CSI Department of Pastoral Concerns A Report on The Institute of Pastoral Management (IPM), Batch-3 The Institute of Pastoral Management (IPM) Sessions on Legislation focussed mainly on various the flagship program of the Church of south India is laws related to religion, minorities; personal laws and organised by the Department of Pastoral Concerns in property laws. UMOJA concept has encouraged the order to equip the Pastors with necessary scientific participants to be more community oriented than tools to be more relevant and effective in their being confined to the church. The importance of ministries. IPM for batch-3 was conducted from I n fo rmation Technologies and their merits and 17-21 August, 2015 at CSI Centre, Chennai. 64 demerits were discussed and presented in the IPM. participants from 22 Dioceses have attended the The final session on CSI Constitution covered the program very enthusiastically. Administration, various issues related to membership, elections, management and Constitution being the main focus councils, discipline and the amendments. of the IPM, Human Resource Management was dealt by Mr. Sony Oommen Thomas; Finance Management Every day, morning worship was conducted by the Chartered Accountant Mr. M. Kandasami; by one of the regional groups while the Bible studies Legislation by Adv. Ch. Shyam Rao; Personality were conducted from the Management perspective by Development by Mr. S. J. Anbu; Information Rev. Dr. D.R. Sadananda, the General Secretary, CSI Technology by Mr. J. Vetriselvan; UMOJA by Rev. and Rev. Dr. Dexter Maben, New Testament Professor Asir Ebenezer and; the CSI Constitution by Most. Rev. at UTC, Bangalore. While Dr. Sadananda brought in Dr. G. Dyvasirvadam, Moderator, CSI. The sessions 'The Social Justice' and 'Grievance Redressal', were informative and interactive. The participants Dr. Dexter threw light on 'Change Management' in were engaged in group activities and group their Bible Studies. discussions, besides lectures and presentations by the resource personnel. The participants have expressed that the IPM enabled them to set the right agenda for their pastoral In Human Resource Management the ministry in order to equip the local congregations in participants have learnt the importance of HRM as a mission. Also, it provided necessary resources to the systematic strategy to ensure the efficiency through participants to deal with issues that might emerge in human talents in order to achieve the goal of the their contexts. Hence IPM is deemed relevant and organization. Whereas in the Personality unique program by the Church of South India as part Development sessions they have learnt the of the capacity building of the congregations. Rev. importance of Motivation, Goal Setting and Time Cecil, the Director of Pastoral Concerns expressed his Management for an effective pastoral ministry. In thanks to this vision of the leaders. Finance Management they have learnt various laws Rev. Kurukuntla James Cecil Victor pertaining to Finance Management and the Director, Department of Pastoral Concerns importance of stewardship and accountancy. Photos found on front inner cover Basel Mission in India-A Mobile Photo Exhibition 2015 marks the bicentenary of the Basel Mission between the years 1840 to 1940, covering Mission, which is one of the pioneering mission our land, letter, religion and culture. The photos of societies that worked in South India and the Exhibition reflect the lives, worldviews, and contributed enormously for the life and faith of the spirituality of people of 19th and early part of the people of this part of the world. Apart from religious 20th century. These photos were obtained from the activities, they contributed to the fields of Basel Mission Archives, Basel, Switzerland. They literature, journalism, health, education, trade, were care carefully collected and systematically industries, and many other areas of human life. To categorized by Rev. Dr. D.R. Sadananda, the commemorate this historical event, the Church of General Secretary of CSI. Rev Dr. Royce Manoj South India organized a Mobile Photo Exhibition, Victor, the CSI-EMS Liaison Officer, Rev. J. which was inaugurated on 5th August 2015 Solomon Paul, the Director, Youth Department opened for public audience by the Moderator of CSI and Mr. Joshua Rajkumar of the communication the Most Rev. Dr. G. Dyvasirvadam during the department materialized the Exhibition in an Mission Festival of the CSI at LITE Auditorium, attractive manner. The Exhibition attracted the Kilpauk in Chennai. attention of several people. The Exhibition will be travelling to various Dioceses in the coming The exhibition showcased about 700 rare months. Rev. Dr. Royce Manoj, photographs taken by the missionaries from Basel Liaison Officer, CSI EMS Department of Mission & Evangelism Building Christ Communities Reflection on CSI Mission Festival 2015 The Department of Mission & Evangelism of the CSI Synod Inaugural session and blessed the occasion. The organized a CSI Mission Festival from 5th to 7th August 2015 presbyters belongs to Madras Diocese also participated in at LITE Auditorium, Chennai. Missionaries, missionary this inaugural session as special visitors and experienced pastors, mission field in-charge persons and leaders of the the liveliness of the mission fields. Mr. P.J. Selva Kumar, Diocesan mission boards from all the dioceses participated Treasurer in Madras Diocese extended vote of thanks. The in the three-day mission festival. The theme of the festival closing prayer and blessings were given by the Moderator. was 'Building Christ Communities'. The coming together of The forenoon sessions were compeered by Mrs. Emily 1300 CSI missionaries was a first in the history of the CSI Titus, Principal, St. Ebbas Matriculation Higher and the mission festival constituted a significant event for Secondary School, Madras Diocese. learning and sharing. Inauguration of Exhibitions: To commemorate the Welcome to the Moderator: The missionaries who mission festival two exhibitions were organized with participated in the festival were filled with joy to experience different perspectives. The Department of Mission and a warm atmosphere in the LITE campus. On the morning Evangelism organized an exhibition to exhibit the diocesan of the first day the missionaries from different dioceses mission activities. The CSI-EMS Desk organized a Basel gathered together at the entrance of the LITE campus to Mission Mobile Exhibition to commemorate the Basel welcome the Moderator, Officers of the Synod and other Mission Bi-centenary year celebrations. The Moderator Bishops with garlands. The Madras diocesan team played inaugurated both the exhibitions in the presence of Dappu to express their love and respect to the Moderator. Officers of the CSI Synod and Bishops participated in the After receiving the Moderator, Officers of the Synod and event. The Basel Mission Mobile exhibition reminded the Bishops at the entrance, they were taken into the meeting present day missionaries of their hard work, dedication hall in procession as Nadaswaram was played. and achievements in different fields. The CSI Mission exhibition showcased the liveliness of the mission fields. Inaugural session: The inaugural session began at 10.00 a.m. on 5th August 2015. The Chairman, Committee on Singing & Worship: Rev. Indira Paul, Presbyter in Madras Mission & Evangelism, CSI Synod, Rt. Rev. A. Dharmaraj Diocese led the singing sessions. The Choir sang songs in Rasalam presided over the session. Rev. G. Paul Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and English Dayanandan, Vice President, Madras Diocese offered the languages. All the language groups were able to sing songs opening prayer. Rev. Dr. D. Samuel Jacob, Secretary, in their own languages. In addition to that the diocesan Madras Diocese extended the welcome address. Rev. S. missionaries also sang special songs as groups and Christopher Vijayan, Director, Mission & Evangelism, CSI individuals in between sessions. The first day's worship Synod explained the concept of Mission Festival 2015 and was led by Rev. John Ernest Davidson and Rev. Henry thanked all the missionaries for their participation. Jeba Richard of Madras Diocese. The second day's worship was led by Rev. Paul Francis and Rev. Indira Paul of The Moderator inaugurated the Mission festival by lighting Madras diocese and reflection was given by Rt. Rev. Dr. G. the Kuthuvilakku and planting the sapling. The Mission Devakadasham, Bishop in Kanyakumari Diocese. Bible field in-charges from all dioceses brought soil and water study session was conducted by the Rt. Rev. Thomas K. from their respective mission fields to plant the sapling as Oommen, Deputy Moderator CSI. In the singing and a mark of oneness. The Moderator, Church of South India, worship sessions, missionaries were also given the Most Rev. Dr. G. Dyvasirvadam delivered an Inaugural opportunity to lead the worship and offer prayers in their address on the theme after appreciating the missionaries respective languages. for their achievements in Church planting, education and health care and solidarity with the poor and oppressed in Regional Sessions: On the first two days missionaries the remote areas. He also acknowledged the contribution were divided into five groups to meet as regional groups for of earlier missionaries who came to India from different learning different aspects in mission and evangelism. Five parts of the world with the evangelistic spirit to share the regional sessions were held in their respective languages good news. The Deputy Moderator, Rt. Rev. Thomas K. for better understanding. Regional sessions were Oommen, Rt. Rev. Dr. A. Rajavelu, Moderator's conducted in different places within the LITE campus. In Commissary in Madras Diocese and Adv. C. Robert Bruce, the regional sessions the missionaries had time to discuss Hon. Treasurer CSI Synod brought greetings and the following subjects like Rethinking Traditional Patterns encouraged the missionaries. Rev. Dr. Royce Manoj, and Introducing New Approaches in Mission & Liaison Officer, EMS-CSI explained about the Basel Evangelism; Imitating Christ among Neighbourhood Mission Bi-centenary Celebrations in India and the Communities; Different Types of Diaconia in the Changing concept of Basel Mission Bi-centenary Mobile Exhibition. World and Networking and Team Building in Missional The Rev. Dr. Rathnakara Sadananda, General Secretary Engagements. CSI delivered the keynote address on the theme 'Building Christ Communities'. Tamil sessions were taken by Rev. Paul Francis, Madras Diocese, Rev. Asir Ebenezer, CSI Synod, Rev. Dr. Packiam The Bishops in Tirunelveli, East Kerala, Karimnagar, T. Samuel, Director, HMI, Rt. Rev. Timothy Ravinder, Coimbatore, Rayalaseema, Karnataka Central, Nandyal Bishop in Coimbatore Diocese and Rev. D.C. Premraj, and Karnataka Southern Dioceses participated in the Madras Diocese. Malayalam sessions were led by Rev. T.I. James, Malabar mission engagements. This consultation was organized on Diocese, Dr. Susan Thomas, Madhya Kerala Diocese, Rev. the theme 'Another Shift in Mission: Missional Dr. Royce Manoj, CSI Synod, Rt. Rev. Dr. K. G. Daniel, Congregation'. The General Secretary, CSI Synod, Rev. Dr. Bishop in East Kerala Diocese and Rev. K.S. Scaria, East Rathnakara Sadananda welcomed the Bishops and Kerala Diocese. Mission leaders for the consultation. The Officers of the Telugu sessions were taken by Rev. K James Cecil Victor, CSI Synod, Bishops from the Dioceses, Directors of the CSI Synod, Rt. Rev. Dr. B.D. Prasada Rao Bishop in CSI Synod, Directors of the Diocesan Mission Boards and Rayalaseema Diocese, Rt. Rev. Dr. Pusphalalitha, Bishop Resource persons attended this Consultation. This was in Nandyal Diocese and Rev. Dr. Ramani Dyvasirvadam, held in the Board Room of the LITE auditorium at 11.00 President, CSI Women's Fellowship. am. The Rt. Rev. Dr. Reuben Mark, Bishop in Karimnagar Kannada sessions were taken by Rev. J. Solomon Paul, Diocese presented a paper on 'Another Shift in Mission: CSI Synod, Rev. Hemalatha John, Karnataka Central Missional Congregation'. Rev. Dr. Packiam T. Samuel, Diocese, Rt. Rev. Ravikumar Niranjan, Bishop in Director, Henry Martin Institute and Dr. Susan Thomas, Karnataka Northern Diocese, Rt. Rev. Mohan Manoraj, President, Women's Fellowship, Madhya Kerala Diocese Karnataka Southern Diocese and Rev. Sebastian were the respondents to the presentations. Rt. Rev. Dr. A. Jathanna, Karnataka Southern Diocese. Rajavelu, Bishop in Vellore Diocese presided over the Hindi sessions were taken by Rev. Dr. Prinstone Ben, meeting and Rt. Rev. A. Dharmaraj Rasalam, Bishop in South Kerala Diocese, Rev. Raju Jacob, Madhya Kerala South Kerala Diocese extended the vote of thanks. This Diocese, Rev. W. Thomas, Madras Diocese and Rev. S. K. consultation proposed to develop a network among Jena Registrar, India Graduate School of Missiology. different diocesan mission stations and to introduce new concepts and methodologies based on emerging Sharing of CSI Synod Departmental Activities: We Theological and Missional trends. organized practical session on the first day evening to introduce different programs and new avenues initiated by Bishop V.S. Azariah Memorial Lecture: This is one of the the CSI Synod. The Directors of the Synod departments unique programs organized in the CSI St. George's participated in the panel sharing. This session was led by Cathedral as a public meeting to commemorate the CSI Rev. Paul Francis, Bishop's Chaplain, Madras Diocese. Mission festival. This program started at 5.30 pm on 6th The Directors - Rev. Dr. Royce Manoj, Rev. K. James Cecil August 2015. Along with our missionaries around 2,500 Victor, Rev. Asir Ebenezer, Rev. J. Solomon Paul, Dr. people participated in this Public meeting to listen to the Mathew Koshy, Ms. Cynthia Shoba Rani and Rev. S. Bishop V. S. Azariah Memorial lecture. The Moderator and Christopher Vijayan participated in this panel sharing and other Guests were received at the Church entrance with shared their departmental activities and brought the Band by the Madras Diocese. The program started greetings from their respective departments. with prayer by Rev. Paul Dayanandan, Vice president. Rev. Dr. D. Samuel Jacob, Secretary Madras Diocese Talent Night: The missionaries are blessed with many welcomed the guests on behalf of the Diocese and Rev. skills and talents and have the capacity to perform folk Immanuel Devakadatcham, Presbyter, St. George's and classic dances. They are using these cultural oriented Cathedral welcomed the Moderator and other Guests on events as a tool for sharing the good news in the rural and behalf of the Cathedral Church and presented mementos. urban areas. On the first day the missionaries were given opportunity to exhibit their talents and explain the reality The Moderator, Church of South India, the Most Rev. Dr. of the mission fields through these traditional Dalit and G. Dyvasirvadam, delivered the Bishop V. S. Azariah folk arts. Most of the diocesan teams performed cultural Memorial Lecture and acknowledged the life and work of programs in the evening session. the pioneer Bishop for indigenous mission and for the formation of the Church of South India. The Officers of the Practical Sessions on Communication & Health: We CSI Synod and Chairman, CSI Mission & Evangelism organized two practical sessions on the second day on brought greetings. The Moderator distributed the support Communication and Health care. Rev. Augustine, Former fund from the CSI Missionaries Emergency Relief Fund to Director in Mission & Evangelism, CSI Synod presided one of the deserving missionaries. Rev. S. Christopher over this session. Mr. Ashvin Dhyriam, CEO of Good News Vijayan, Director Mission & Evangelism, CSI Synod Channel took a session on Power of Communication. Dr. expressed the vote of thanks. This Public meeting was K. Jerene Jayanth, Medical Director, Madras Diocese took organized by the Madras Diocese and hosted by St. a session on 'Way of Preventing Diseases'. Rev. S. J. George's Cathedral. Mrs. Lenora James, Correspondent Thyagaraju, Former Director, Mission & Evangelism, CSI Matriculation Schools in Madras Diocese was the master Synod responded to Mr. Ashvin Dhyriam and Dr. Jean of ceremony for this program. Mathew Abraham, Madhya Kerala Diocese responded to Dr. K. Jerene Jayanth. The first session helped the Cultural program by Dioceses: In addition to the lecture, missionaries to understand the need of using present day the diocesan groups representing mission stations were media sector in the evangelistic activities. The second invited to showcase their historical Missional and Cultural session helped the missionaries to understand ways of roots through traditional Dalit and Folk arts. Karnataka preventing diseases and to help others with first aid North, Dornakal, Madras, Kanyakumari and Vellore medical system during the critical times. Diocesan teams performed cultural programs which were amazing and meaningful. Mission Consultation: Mission consultation paved a way for the coming together of Bishops and Diocesan mission Medical Camp: Health care is the major challenge in the leaders to discuss about the present day reality and to mission fields. Most of the missionaries do not have proper introduce new models and approaches in the Church's access for health care in their mission centres. To meet Youth Department Youth against Addiction and Abuse Campaigns in Karnataka Southern Diocese. The Youth Department of the CSI Synod effects addiction can bring upon a family and associated with the Karnataka Southern Diocese community at large. On both the days, The Bishop of inaugurated and organised Youth against Addiction KSD Rt. Rev. Mohan Manoraj, accompanied and and Abuse Campaign Units in 6 educational inaugurated the YaAA Units in the colleges. The institutions belonging to the Diocese. This felt need to Youth Director of the Synod, Rev. Solomon Paul. J introduce this campaign among the high school and introduced the campaigns and set up follow up college students from the leaders of the Diocese actions plans with all the YaAA Units. steered this campaign for 2 days in and around the Dakshina Kannada area of the Diocese. The Youngsters in their teens asked important institutions were as follows: questions as to how and why Addictive substances in general are produced if it harms and cripples the Christian High School, Udupi, entire society. They raised their voices against the Christian PU College, Udupi, abuse methods and opined that a drug free society is Unity High School, Uchila, possible only if every youngster in conscientized to Kittel PU College, Gorigudda, the maximum. The students also pledged to stay Kittel High School, Gorigudda, away from the menace of addiction and also to spread CSI High School, Karnad the message of this campaign to the fullest possible. Mr. Reni D'souza and Dr. Sowjanya, a The Youth Department of the CSI Synod greatly Psychiatrist were the resource persons for this acknowledges the support and co-operation rendered program. They along with the officers of the diocese by the Bishop of KSD Rt. Rev.Mohan Manoraj, visited the institutions and spoke about the menace Rev.Daniel Kaundinya, Christian Education of addiction and the prominence of having a healthy Committee Convenor, Rev. Sudhir Robinson, Youth lifestyle. Mr. Reni D'souza, a child activist connected Director of KSD and the Heads of the Institutions of the rights of children in educating themselves to KSD for all the arrangements and logistics. abstain from addiction and abuse. Dr. Sowjanya, Rev. Solomon Paul J. Director, Youth Department,CSI Synod. spoke to the youngsters about the consequences and CSI Department of Pastoral Concerns PETER CATER 2014 AWARDS FUNCTION The Peter Cater Scripture Knowledge Exam Madras Diocese. Rt. Rev. Dr. B. D. Prasada Rao, the is conducted for the Lower Grade (Class IX) and Chairperson, Christian Education Department has Higher Grade (Class XI) students in our CSI greeted the gathering and shared the concept of the institutions and Churches, in honor of an English Peter Cater Exam. After which, the Moderator Most lay leader Peter Cater, a Barrister at Madras High Rev. Dr. G. Dyvasirvadam, The Deputy Moderator Rt. Court during 1830s. Children from 9 Dioceses Rev. Thomas K. Oommen and the General Secretary, have participated in the exam on February 8th, Rev. Dr. D. R. Sadananda gave away the awards to the 2014. About 3000 children wrote the exam in 52 winners. It was a momentous occasion for the Corley centres. Awards function to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd School when C. Bhavani of that school won the over all Prize winners in each category was organized by highest marks with 95% in Lower Grade. the Christian Education Department, CSI Synod, at CSI Corley Higher Secondary School, The Pastoral Concerns Department expresses Tambaram. Awards were given away to the 24 sincere gratitude to Dr. Raju, the Head Master of Corley prize winners from 4 regions i.e., Tamil Nadu, Higher Secondary School for hosting the programme. Kerala, Karnataka and Telugu region, in a grand The award winners were overwhelmed with joy for the PRIZE DAY celebrations of Corley Higher memorable event organized by the Christian Education Secondary School, Tambaram that was flanked by Department with the support of the Corley Higher the officers of the Synod and the Officers of the Secondary School. Rev. Kurukuntla James Cecil Victor Director, Department of Pastoral Concerns CSI - SEVA CSI-SEVA: Focus 9 / 99 - Dialogue of Faiths The second dialogue of faiths relating to rights ? Vedas portray the noble characters of an ideal of the girl child was held on August 18, 2015 at Henry woman. Martyn Institute, Hyderabad. This is part of preparing the Handbook on Child Rights which will ? Women's identity is lost because of the include reference from scriptures of various faiths Patriarchy. relating to rights of the girl child. ? In India, caste and patriarchy play a Dr. Mamatha Raghuveer (Religion, Child dominant role in determining the status of Rights and Laws), Prof. Shaheda (Islam) Mrs. Sunitha women. Jogarao (Hinduism) Sister Anjali (Brahmakumaris) and Rev. Dr. Prasuna Nilevela (Christianity) ? The girl child in general and the Dalit girl child constituted the panel for dialogue. Dr. Ishrat Aziz, in particular suffer a broken identity. Diplomat and Islamic scholar initiated the dialogue. ? There is an urgent need to recover that broken The following are the highlights of the second identity. dialogue: ? All human beings, men and women alike, are ? Faith based organizations are the best tools to created in the image of God. foster dialogue, to access the inaccessible, to influence the thinking of people in order to ? As per the Bible, Life and Power (shakti) are promote the child protection policies among powerful images of God in which women are the people. created. ? Equality is the essence of Quran and women's ? Woman needs to understand her own-self position is highly venerable in Islam. and have faith in her abilities to achieve. This dialogue was facilitated by Ms. Sribala, ? One should not kill a girl child for the fear of Academic Co-ordinator of Henry Martyn Institute on poverty and women have no responsibilities behalf of CSI -SEVA's Focus 9 / 99 program and the but only rights according to Holy Quran. Henry Martyn Institute. Rev. Asir Ebenezer, Director, ? Vedas treated women in a highly venerable CSI-SEVA explained the context of the dialogue position like Grama Devatha (Goddess of within the CSI campaign for the Girl Child - Assuring village), Saraswathi (Source of Wisdom) etc. her Future. Mr. K. Prem Madhukar, ? Brahma Suktha says “Girls should train Co-ordinator, Projects, CSI-SEVA themselves in education before they enter in (With inputs from Rev. Dileep Kumar) marriage”. Photos found on front inner cover

The Church of South India congratulates the Synod Staff Mr. Prathap, who got married recently. Disclaimer

ANY VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THE CSI LIFE BELONG TO THEIR RESPECTIVE AUTHORS AND ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF THE CSI LIFE. THE AUTHORS WILL BE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR VIEWS AND IDEAS Mrs. P. Ramya - Mr. Prathap Best Wishes to Rev. Dr. D. Rathnakara Sadananda The Annual General Council of the triennium. The Church of South India United Theological College, Bangalore met on congratulates him and wishes him God's 7th and 8th August 2015. Rev. Dr. Daniel blessings as he begins to shoulder this Rathnakara Sadananda, General secretary, CSI important responsibility. was unanimously elected President for the next CSI - SEVA Synod level workshop on CSI Child Protection Policy This phase of CSI Girl Child Campaign - Affirmation, Identify Circle of Care and specify Assuring her Future is sought to be localized in strategies for implementations. policies and protocols of the church. Moving in this direction CSI is working on a Child protection Policy. The Most Rev. G. Dyvasirvadam, Moderator, CSI formally inaugurated the workshop and delivered A synod level workshop to prepare a Draft the keynote address. In his address, he shared his Child Protection Policy was organized jointly by CSI- personal and spiritual experiences with regard to Girl SEVA and CSI Pastoral Concerns held between 12th Child empowerment. He recalled that CSI was the and 14th August, 2015 at CSI Centre, Chennai. first to launch the Girl Child Campaign way back in Forty six delegates from sixteen dioceses - persons in 2000. The Rev Dr. Sadananda, General Secretary, charge of Christian Education (Sunday school), CSI in his address, emphasized the importance of Social Economic Concerns, School Education and such a policy to guide us in our future interventions. Hostel Ministry from each diocese participated in this A team from World Vision India headed by Dr. consultation. Christopher Bhaskaran, Associate Director (Church Relations) facilitated the workshop. At the end of three days, participants prepared a draft outline of CSI Child Protection Rev. Asir Ebenezer, Director, CSI-SEVA and Policy. A working group was put in place with Rev. Cecil James Victor, Director, Pastoral Concerns representatives from all the regions and representing co-ordinated the event. Mr. Daniel Solomon Raja, various stakeholders who will draft the policy with Program Co-ordinator, CSI Girl Child Campaign input from children and young girls and boys. The made the necessary arrangements. draft policy will contain the legal frame work of child Daniel Solomon Raja, protection, relevant Biblical and Theological Program Co-ordinator, CSI Girl Child Campaign Photos found on back inner cover CSI Diocese of Madurai-Ramnad Black Day Demanding Scheduled Caste status for The Christians of Dalit origin Department of Social & Dalit Concerns of Diocese of Madurai Ramnad and the Commission for the Development of Christians of SC/ST Origin of Arch Diocese of Madurai jointly observed 10th August 2015 as Black Day and organized hunger fasts wearing the black badges in the main place of Bye Pass Road, Kalavasal, Madurai from 9.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. Then we submitted the memoranda to the Madurai District Collector and sent 1000 post cards to the President of India to include Dalit Christians in Scheduled Caste list and repeal the infamous Presidential order 1950 August 10th Paragraph.

address about including Dalit Christians in Scheduled Caste list.

Our Diocesan Officers, Pastors, Roman Catholic Fathers, Brothers, Sisters and the congregation members participated in the hunger fast and expressed their views and showed their solidarity in this protest. Our Diocesan Lay Secretary Advocate. Mr. Fernandas Rathina Raja, the Director of Social & Dalit Concerns Department of our Diocese Rev. Jeyasingh also expressed their views. Rev. D. Jeyasingh Prince Prabhakaran Rt. Rev. Dr. M. Joseph, Bishop, CSI Diocese of Director Madurai-Ramnad and the emeritus Arch Diocese of Mr. M. Augustine Ponraj Madurai Bishop The Most Rev. Dr. Peter Fernandoo Projects Co-ordinaator attended the hunger fast and delivered their key note Department of Social & Dalit Concerns, Diocese of East Kerala

C.S.I East Kerala Diocesan Sunday School camp- 2015 at H.R.D. T.C, Melukavumattom The C.S.I East kerala Diocesan Sunday school Sri. Lal Kalakar (Trivandrum) presented a magic camp was held at H.R.D.T.C. Melukavumattom on Programme based on Gospel. On 15th August 13,14,&15 August 2015. The main theme of the camp morning Independence Day worship was organized was Family & Children. The camp was inaugurated by in which The Rt. Rev .Dr. K.G. Daniel hoisted the H.G.Kuriakose Mar Eusebius (Metropolitan, National flag and delivered the independence day kothamangalam zone) while The Rt.Rev.Dr.K.G.Daniel, message. The camp ended on 15th august around Bishop,C.S.I.East kerala Diocese presided over. Rev. K. 1:15 pm with a dedication ceremony and business James Cecil Victor, Director of the Department of meeting. More than 1000 delegates from all over the Pastoral Concerns, Synod, Rev. Markose C. P. diocese attended the camp and during the dedication (vadakkanchery), Rev. Binson Thomas(Bangalore),and ceremony a number of them dedicated themselves to Sri. Joby K.C. (Excel ministries) were the main resource the ministry of God. We thank different committees, persons. Diocesan officers such as Rev. V.S. Francis those who arranged facilities for accommodation, (Treasurer), Rev. Justin Moni (Clergy secretary),Sri. sponsors, donors, Sri. Anil. P.S.( Children's board T. L.Samkutty (Lay Secretary), and Dr. Josemon secretary, associate secretaries, volunteers, C.S.I. George(Registrar), felicitated the camp. New songs Bakerdale Youth movement members especially Rev were written and taught by Rev. Sunneesh P. K. James Cecil Victor for his participation and divakaran,Rev. Jaisingh Norbert, Rev. Ben Albert, leadership. Mrs. Mejinin snija Ben,and kumari Albi Mol P.S. During the first day evening Melukavu Christ Cathedral Church Sunday school members kumari. Rev. Dn. Loveson George Sneha. S, and brother Master Sanjal S., made their General Secretary, Sunday School magical debut. On 14th August evening, CSI Diocese of Coimbatore Ordination Service in CSI Coimbatore Diocese We praise God that it was a joyful and resource people for this pre-ordination retreat were spiritual experience for the people of CSI Coimbatore Rt.Rev.Timothy Ravinder, Bishop in Coimbatore, Diocese to witness and celebrate the ordination of 25 Rev.K.C. Richard Durai, Vice President, Rev. S. Ministers of God called by HIM to serve in HIS Prince Calvin, Hon.Secretary, Mr. S. David Church. In obedience to God, Rt.Rev.Timothy Mangaladass, Mrs. Anny Hemalatha, Bishop Amma Ravinder conducted the Ordination Service during President, DWF, Rev.Paul Selwyn Prabhudass, his second year of his episcopal ministry. Celebration Presbyter, Rev. Joshua Karamchandar Presbyter of Ordination and the Holy Eucharist was held at CSI Emeritus, Rev.S.C. Jayakumar Presbyter, CSI All Christ Church, Kovaipudur, Coimbatore on Soul's Church, Coimbatore. Rev. John Moses Wednesday the 19.08.2015 at 11 am. Samuel, Bishop's Chaplain and topics like Tradition and Liturgy, General Administration and More than 3000 people including 102 Clergy C o n s t i t u t i o n , C h u r c h M u s i c , f i n a n c i a l from eight districts of the Diocese, people from other administration and management, Effective CSI Dioceses of Tamilnadu region also attended. 15 Communication were dealt in the retreat. Presbyters and 10 Deacons were ordained and among them 3 were women. The sermon by the Bishop, The newly ordained Presbyters and Deacons striking the coin referring Bishop VS.Azariah, Bishop have been posted in different churches in 5 areas of Lesslie Newbigin and 'R' Role Model, Relationship, the diocese. The Days are not far away that our Renunciation was inspired and provoked good Diocese is going to stretch out its wings elating up the thought in everyone who was gathered and advice to streamer of the Cross of Calvary to serve the poor and the newly ordain Presbyters and Deacon based on the the needy with fresh energy and enthusiasm derived scripture John Chapter 10. on this festive day.

The Pre-ordination Retreat was organized at Rev. S. Prince Calvin, CSI Centre for Communication, Coimbatore. The Hon. Secretary of Coimbatore CSI Diocese of Karimnagar YOUTH against ADDICTION and ABUSE: KARIMNAGAR DIOCESAN YOUTH FESTIVAL The Karimnagar Diocese in association with made a commitment to never defile himself from the the CSI Synod Youth Department organised a food habits that the new culture offered. He urged the Diocesan Youth Festival from 7th to 8th August 2015 youths to withstand the peer pressure and the at CSI Centenary Wesley Church, Karimnagar. The temptations this world offers in captivating the theme for this Diocesan Youth Festival was youths into the vicious circle of addiction and abuse. 'Transformation- Youth against Addiction and He gave a gist of the different kinds of addictions Abuse.' Around 400 young people from various prevailing in society today and also shared how it has congregations from the Diocese of Karimnagar were ruined the lives of many youngsters. present to participate in this youth festival. A massive rally was organised on the same The festival started with greetings from Rev. K day to create awareness in the town of Karimnagar. Priscilla Parimala Reuben, Ordained minister and Around 400 youths marched the traffic driven roads the Spouse of Rt. Rev. Dr. Reuben Mark, the Bishop of Karimnagar, holding placards and shouting of Karimnagar Diocese. She encouraged the young slogans against addiction and abuse. The rally went people to become agents of transformation in into the diocesan office campus to celebrate this bringing peace and re-conciliation in church and occasion. There the Diocesan Treasurer Mr. Ch. society. Key note address was shared by Rev. M. Ramaswamy brought greetings and the youths made Prashanth Babu, Ordained Minister from Medak an appeal to the diocesan leaders to create an Diocese who shared about the life of Daniel and his addiction and abuse free church and society. As the faithfulness to his calling. festival came to a close, prizes were given to the winners of the competition and the youths pledged Activities like camp fire, and competitions like their commitment to stand for the Youth against Elocution, Skit and Quiz were conducted on these Addiction and Abuse Campaign. days on the theme; Youth against Addiction and Abuse. The young people participated in these The Youth Department of the Synod thanks competitions and very creatively presented their the Bishop of Karimnagar Diocese, Rt. Rev. Reuben views and opinions about the menace of addiction Mark, the Officers of the Diocese, the program co- and abuse in the society. Mr. Brainard, along with his ordinator Rev. S. John, the Youth Director of the music and choir team led the singing and inspired the Diocese Rev. D. Rebecca and the congregations of CSI youths during the entire youth festival. Centenary Wesley Church and Wesley Cathedral for their initiative in organising this youth festival. Rev. Solomon Paul, Director, Synod Youth Rev. Solomon Paul J. Department led sessions on the theme. He spoke Director, Youth Department,CSI Synod & about the life of Daniel in the Old Testament who, Rev. S John though was placed in a foreign culture and context, Programme Coordinator, Karimnagar Diocese. Photos found on back cover

PETER CATER SCRIPTURE KNOWLEDGE EXAM-2016

Portions for Lower Grade ( Class IX) and Higher Grade (Class XI) students of CSI Congregations and CSI Institutions.

Lower Grade : OT - Genesis NT - Book of Acts Psalm - 18 (30 Memory verses)

Higher Grade: OT - 1Samuel NT - Matthew Psalm - 22 (30 Memory Verses)

Registration: Participants need to register with the Christian Education Director of the Diocese or the Peter Cater Exam Coordinator of the Institution by October 20, 2015. Registration Fees: Rs. 25/- The Director Christian Education Department, Synod CSI Diocese of Thoothukudi Nazareth

A Family Counselling Programme for Tamil Region from 24th to 26th July 2015 at Satya Resort, Thoothukudi Glory to God Almighty. The Department of understood God's calling and it made us to assure Women's Fellowship of TND organized a Family our calling. Then Dr. Mrs. Janet, Professor, Counselling Programme for Tamil Region from 24th to Institute of Social Sciences gave a elaborate talk 26th July 2015 at Satya Resort, Thoothukudi. 25 about Pre-Marital and Post-Marital Counselling. It Reverends with their wives from various dioceses of was followed by Dr. Mrs. Susila Packianathan talk Tamil Region participated in this Counselling about 'Understanding the elders in the family'. Programme. After lunch we visited the Harbour and a ship On 24th July at 10.00 a.m. the programme was from South Korea. It was a thrilling one to all the inaugurated with prayer by Rev.S.Jesudason, participants. Then we visited the Seafarers Bishop's Commissary Robert Caldwell Council Ministry.Rev. Johnson, Director Seafarers explained Chairman and inaugural address was delivered by about the ministry among the seamen. Then Mr. our Moderator's Commissary Rev D. Jesusagayam. Thompson a leading Advocate and Notary Public of Welcome speech was given by Mrs. Anbu Hepzibah Thoothukudi and his wife Mrs. Dr. Nalini Thompson Jesudason, the secretary of TND W.F. gave the Legal Advice to the participants.

The first session began with the keynote On 26th Sunday we had the Holy Communion address of Mrs. Ramani Dyvasirvadam, the Service at C.S.I. church, Maravanmadam. One Moderator Amma, the President of C.S.I. Synod W.F. Presbyter from each diocese conducted the service. She highlighted the main theme and the various After breakfast, we gathered at Satya Resort meeting aspects which can be followed by Reverends and their hall. Then Miss. Synthia ShobaRani,General wives with useful illustrations. Secretary, C.S.I. Synod W.F. delivered a speech on ' Need of Counselling for depressed women'. It was After lunch we had the meeting at St. Paul's followed by Rev. Mrs. Eben Jason, Vice President, Church, Harbour Nagar. Rev. Mrs. Eben Jason, the C.S.I. Synod W.F. Her talk about 'Pastoral Vice President of C.S.I. Synod W.F., Mrs. Ruby Counselling Stress Management & Biblical Lourduraj, Vice President of TND W.F. and Mrs. Jeya Understanding' was an effective solution for the day Jeyasingh, Joint Secretary of TND W.F. led the today problem and was so useful. Also it was an eye- singing sessions. Mrs.Leela Manohari Joseph, opener for all the participants. Madurai Ramnad Diocese Bishop Amma and also the Regional President delivered the qualities which During the time of evaluation, one from each Reverends family can follow and pointed out four diocese came forward and shared their points. Gifts families from the Bible. At 7o'clock we had were distributed to all the participants. Candle light counselling related activities which was conducted service was conducted by Office Bearers TND. Mrs. by Rev. Mrs. Kirubaikumari Aruldoss, Regional Victoria Gnanasingh, the treasurer of TND W.F. secretary of Tamil Region. Attractive Cultural extended vote of thanks. The participants enjoyed pragrammes were performed by the participants. the warm stay,hospitality and the programme.Rev. Lourdhuraj Jeyasingh, Vice Chairman, TND On Saturday we had the meetings at St. concluded the programme with Prayer and Patrick's Prayer Tower. After singing Mrs. Shirly Benediction. Sagayam, Moderator's Commissary Amma Mrs.Anbu Hepzibah Jesudason, conducted the meditation and delivered the message Secretary, TND WF about Eli (I Sam. 3:9) the God fearing man who Edutainment PuzzlesDiocese o&f CoimbatoreQuizzicals Congratulations Crossword Puzzles # 163 - Total Points: 21

By Mr. S. John Barathi

Mr. G. Paulraj, Tirunelveli -21 Mr.D. Hillel Johnson, Vellore -20 Dr.Mrs.Evangeline Jones, Salem -21 Mr. Raji Ramachandran -20 Rev. Kiruba Robinson, Kayalpatnam -20 Rev.A. Olimpa -20 Rev. B. Dayanandam, Vijayawada A.P. -20 Mrs. R. Thenammal -20 Mrs. Anbu Hepzibah Jesudason,Thoothukudi -20 Mrs. Grace Srinivasan -20 Ms. H.Beulah Himabindu, Giddalur -20 Mr. Nicolas Ratnakar -20 Mrs. Mercy Victoria Kattekola, Karimnagar -20 Mr. M. Rathna Prabhu -20 Mrs.Evangeline Lionel,Tirunelveli -20 C.K. Selvarani Thangadurai -20 Dr. Samuel Rajendram, Dornakal -20 Dr. Saramma Davis, Ellupuram -19

Crossword Puzzle # 163 Exodus 35-40(GNB) You can send answers by Email 1 Answers Across : No 163 C O M M A N D E D 4 2 6 1 Commanded 40: 29 or A G P R E S E N C E elsewhere N R E I 3 L I F T E D 2 presence 36: 8 or Answers Down : No 163 elsewhere 1 Can 40: 15 or R u s h 5 8 C A R N E L I A N S 3 lifted 40: 36 elsewhere i n y o u r 9 13 5 carnelians 35: 9 2 perfume 37: 29 I F G B U D A K 7 stone 39: 35 4 grain 40: 29 7 a n s w e r s N U S T O N E L I 9 bud 37: 21 6 rings 39: 20 or 10 11 10 hammered 37: 23 or elsewhere b e f o r e H A M M E R E D M L 8 skilful 35: 32 Elsewhere t h 12 17 12 sacred 35: 19 9 border 37: 27 2 0 S C E A R D X A O F 14 14 ephod 35:27 11 made 38: 19 or E P H D O E T N N U 16 woven 38: 18 Elsewhere Se p t . ’ 16 18 18 rim 38: 4 13 almond 37: 20 W O V E N R I M D L 2 0 1 5 15 next 39: 19 Crossword Puzzle # 164 Leviticus 1 - 5 (GNB) 17 Dan 38: 23 Clues Across: No 164 1 3 1 ..dip his ______(6+2+2) 2 9 2 ..and ____as soon (6) 4 any fat or ______(3+5) 4 6 _____meal (6) 6 11 8 Pardoned ? (8) 10 shall be ____out (7) 12 5 7 12 Body parts ? (6) 8 13 Oil ? (5) jumbled 15 ..parts of the ______(6) jumbled 10 14 16 Current or Existing ? (7) Clues Down: No 164 13 1 …cattle as a ______(10) 15 3 ______organs (8) 5 tearing the ____(5) 16 7 baked in an ____(4) 9 …ashes are ______(6+3) 10 ..he has ____(4) 11 will take a ____(7) 14 Shelter ? Jumbled Art ‘n’Culture Department of Communication Church Music - Keyboard Lesson 93 By Mr. S. John Barathi A genuine melody is born out of pure realm of its own ethnic enormity. Here is an example inspiration from a genuine text which has been of such “a melodic entity”, which is sure a folk raga. written, as a result of inspiration from factual Sa Ri Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni (Flattened during ascending spiritual experience. Here the composer has no but natural in the descent) with the largest interval of control over harmony or its progressions, nor cares 3rd, and all other moves of the melody is adjacent, whether it is in a Major or minor, but the melody which as explained earlier; is one of the features of springs out spontaneously from the deep roots of Folk music. one's culture, and becomes another entity in the

You can learn this by trying it in a slow tempo probably 6/8 March style, and sure you will enjoy the free flow of melody, which is light and rustic. You can feel the significant difference from last month's song.

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Scholarships: Limited scholarships are available for needy candidates after the successful completion of their first year for B.D./M.Th. studies. Two scholarships are reserved every year for women, and four for candidates coming from North India, in order to encourage theological education in North India. Kindly address all enquiries to: THE REGISTRAR, THE UNITED THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE, 63 MILLERS'S ROAD, POST BOX 4613, BENSON TOWN BANGALORE 560 046, India FAX: +91-80-23330015 TEL:(080)-2333 3438, 23330502 EMAIL: [email protected]/[email protected] Website: www.utc,edu.in/Blog:www.utcbangalore.blogspot.in 35 Date of Publication: 28th of Every month CSI Life Monthly English News Magazine Posted at Egmore RMS1/Pathrika Channel Registered with Registrar of Newspaper of India No. TNENG/2001/7245 Postal Registration No: TN/CH/(C)/267/15-17 Licence to Post: WPP No: TN/PMG(CCR)WPP-452/2015-2017

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