Papers by Fr. B.M. Thomas
The history of Christian marriage is as complex and myriad as any other history in the world, wit... more The history of Christian marriage is as complex and myriad as any other history in the world, with the meaning of the word " marriage " having altered and morphed as generations of faithful Christians have wondered to define for themselves the nature of a holy life lived out in the midst of pitfalls of their daily life. All Orthodox teachings and texts define marriage as a sacrament or a "mystery" of the Holy Church. At first glance, this definition may appear strange; marriage is practiced by all the Christians and non-Christians alike, by atheists, by generations of human beings who never heard what the word "sacrament" means. Birth, growth, marriage, begetting children, growing old and dying are the laws of nature which God established and blessed; but marriage particularly is singled out by the Church. The very special blessing which it bestows upon the man and the woman who gets married is called a "sacrament,". Our understandings of Christian marriage over the course of the last two millennia have been interfaced by the varied different contexts of the societal and cultural interactions of the act of marriage. Looking into the historical development of marriage over the centuries will help us to better understand our own contemporary understandings of Christian marriage.
George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770-1831) is one of the greatest systematic thinkers in the hist... more George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770-1831) is one of the greatest systematic thinkers in the history of Western philosophy. In addition to epitomizing German idealist philosophy, Hegel boldly claimed that his own system of philosophy represented an historical culmination of all previous philosophical thought. Hegel's overall encyclopaedic system is divided into the Science of Logic, the Philosophy of Nature, and the Philosophy of Spirit. Of most enduring interest are his views on history, society, and the state, which fall within the realm of Objective Spirit. For Hegel reason is more dynamic, because reason expresses itself through its journey in the historical process.
Jacques Derrida was a French philosopher, born in Algeria on July 15, 1930. Derrida is best known... more Jacques Derrida was a French philosopher, born in Algeria on July 15, 1930. Derrida is best known for developing a form of semiotic analysis known as deconstruction,1 which he discussed in numerous texts, and developed in the context of phenomenology. He is one of the major figures associated with post-structuralism and postmodern philosophy.2
During his career Derrida published more than 40 books, together with hundreds of essays and public presentations. He had a significant influence upon the humanities and social sciences, including—in addition to philosophy and literature—law, anthropology, historiography,3 linguistics, sociolinguistics, psychoanalysis, political theory, religious studies, feminism, and gay and lesbian studies. His work still has a major influence in the academe of Continental Europe, South America and all other countries where continental philosophy is predominant, particularly in debates around ontology, epistemology (especially concerning social sciences), ethics, aesthetics, hermeneutics, and the philosophy of language. He also influenced architecture (in the form of deconstructivism), music, art, and art criticism. Particularly in his later writings, Derrida addressed ethical and political themes in his work. Some critics consider Speech and Phenomena (1967) to be his most important work. Others cite of Grammatology, Writing and Difference, and Margins of Philosophy. These writings influenced various activists and political movements. He became a well-known and influential public figure, while his approach to philosophy and the notorious difficulty of his work made him controversial. The present paper tries to study the impact of Derrida‘s deconstruction theory on historiography.
The Council of Chalcedon was considered to be the fourth ecumenical council by the Great Church. ... more The Council of Chalcedon was considered to be the fourth ecumenical council by the Great Church. It was held from October 8 to November 1, AD 451, at Chalcedon. Its most important achievement was to issue the Chalcedonean Definition. The Council's judgements and definitions regarding the divine marked a significant turning point in the Christological debates. This paper is an attempt to understand the Council of Chalcedon and the formation of Non-Chalcedonean churches with a brief historical study about the Coptic Church.
The Faith and Order movement and the Universal Christian Council for Life and Work gave a taste a... more The Faith and Order movement and the Universal Christian Council for Life and Work gave a taste and a feel of an over arching ecumenism drawing nigh. Even before the close of the meeting of these movements in 1937 such a Council was being favoured and resolutions passed. But due to the break of the War in 1939 it took a pause of great preparation and in 1948 the qualifying phase disappeared and the Council took formal shape at Amsterdam.
The Latinisation process among the St. Thomas Christians under the Portuguese Padroado thought to... more The Latinisation process among the St. Thomas Christians under the Portuguese Padroado thought to have its final win in 1599 at the Synod of Diamper. However this victory had a real blow in the year 1653 through a revolt which culminated in a permanent division among the St. Thomas Christians. St.Thomas Christians had a common heritage and historical identity for about 1500 years, until the arrival of the Portuguese. They were one before the coming of the Portuguese, it was at the Coonan cross event we find the division among them in the 1653. The main cause of the Coonan cross event dates back to the Synod of Diamper which included the implementation of latin rites. After the division of St.Thomas Christians at Coonan cross event in 1653 we find its effects even today.
Though small in number, the St. Thomas Christians are one of the oldest Christian communities of ... more Though small in number, the St. Thomas Christians are one of the oldest Christian communities of the world. They are also called the Nasranis. They are so called because they trace their ancestral history towards being directly converted by St. Thomas the apostle when he landed in India in the year AD 52. Hence they are directly the disciples of the apostle Thomas who in turn was a disciple of „Jesus of Nazareth‟. At present there is no way to scientifically prove or disprove this tradition. One thing is certain that ever since the discovery of, the land and sea routes from the Mediterranean via the Persian Gulf to India, there were indeed intense contacts between these areas, from ages unknown. Many Roman coins of the first century AD have being unearthed in southern India. The tradition of Christ‟s Apostle doing missionary work in India is the principal formative element of the identity of a large and flourishing (at present several million-strong) community. And inversely; the living community still flourishing there is the greatest proof of the evangelical acts of Christ‟s disciple St. Thomas in India. Little is known with complete certainty about the first few centuries of the Indian Church, but it is beyond doubt that some kind of relations between St. Thomas Christians of India and church of Persia existed from very early centuries.
The latter half of the 15th century was famous for great voyages and witnessed the beginning of E... more The latter half of the 15th century was famous for great voyages and witnessed the beginning of European colonial expansion. Spain and Portugal were pioneers in sea voyages and colonialization. They discovered many land and sea routes which were milestones in history. The arrival of Vasco da Gama in 1498 brings a new era in the History of the St. Thomas Christians. Up to that period, St. Thomas Christians in India exercised their own tradition and customs under the guidance of the Persian bishops. The period 1498 – 1663 can be fairly considered as the period during which Portuguese influence was at its peak in India and correspondingly in the History of Christianity in India. The Portuguese through their political and religious policies, did affect the life of St. Thomas Christians.
The word History originated from Greek word ἱστορία, historia, meaning "inquiry, knowledge acquir... more The word History originated from Greek word ἱστορία, historia, meaning "inquiry, knowledge acquired by investigation"1. It is the study of the past, particularly how it relates to humans. It is an umbrella term that relates to past events as well as the memory, discovery, collection, organization, presentation, and interpretation of information about these events.2 In a broader sense, “history is a systematic account of the origin and development of the humankind, a record of the unique events and movements in its life, it is an attempt to recapture however imperfectly, that which is, in a sense, lost forever.3 Any leftover of the past, which adds to our knowledge of that past, can be considered as its source. Hence History definitely has some sources.
Historical method is technique developed to present past events in their correct perspective. It ... more Historical method is technique developed to present past events in their correct perspective. It helps us to know how to write history, as the goal of historical writing is to reconstruct the past as nearly as it really happened, for this the material has to be used with great care. It involves diligently collecting of all relevant sources, critically examining the literal and real meaning of the text and penetrating or scrutiny to eliminate all possible errors. A historian also requires reason and imagination, skill and foresight, logic and intuition for presenting materials as he had to investigate things that took place decades or even hundreds or thousands of years ago without any trace of evidence. It is a process of making different parts of sources into integrated whole.
The first half of the twentieth century witnessed a significant growth in the Indian church. The ... more The first half of the twentieth century witnessed a significant growth in the Indian church. The awakening of the cultural consciousness of India had led the educated Indian Christian leaders to search for self-identity among the existing western mission societies. Christianity is till date attempted to be stamped as „a foreign religion‟ and more specifically „Western‟. It was in such a complex time as this there arose a number of indigenous missions in order to provide a contextual theology to the people in India. The rising national consciousness and the struggle for political self-government formed the background for the emergence of the indigenous mission movements. Indigenous movement played a vital role in the growth of the Indian church.
In India Christianity is a minority religion. This status has not undermined its output in the so... more In India Christianity is a minority religion. This status has not undermined its output in the society, it had always been the main instrument in building up the Indian nation through centuries in the field of economy, education, social services, health care etc. The Christian religion enlightened the Indian nation not only in the area of spirituality but in all aspects of the Indian people.
Christians and Hindus have interacted for over 2000 years in the Indian sub-continent. The impact... more Christians and Hindus have interacted for over 2000 years in the Indian sub-continent. The impact of Christianity on Hinduism and vice versa was moreover silent till the beginning of the nineteenth century. The Western Colonial period signifies the beginning of a new era in Hindu-Christian relationships. Robert de Nobili, systematically, made some efforts to interact with Hindu people. He adapted Hindu style and terminology purely as a method of approach and not for any real admiration for the Hindu tradition. There has been a significant relationship between Hinduism and Christianity at the level of religion and philosophy, from the earliest phases and the modern period. Many Hindus in colonial India, such as Swami Vivekananda and Ram Mohan Roy, reflected on Christianity whilst actively developing their own interpretations of Hindu tradition. At the same time, Christians in India learned about Hinduism, and European thought became increasingly influenced by certain Hindu ideas and texts. Thus as traditions of thought, Christianity and Hinduism have shared a history of development through mutual influence. At a religious level, Christian and Hindu communities increasingly realise that the other tradition can provide a positive resource for spiritual practice through prayer, reflection, and festive celebration, while theologians have fruitfully explored and shared insights for more than a century.
Christianity in its early period itself could not be contained in Jerusalem alone, it spread thro... more Christianity in its early period itself could not be contained in Jerusalem alone, it spread throughout the Roman world. Christianity had its origin in the Palestine and had grown to other continents in the first century itself. The Book of Acts of the Apostles recorded one of the earliest accounts of the spread of Christianity to different corners of the Roman Empire and also outside it. The work of the Apostles and the witnesses of martyrs made this rapid growth. The religion had stimulated to Asia in the same phase as it stimulated to the European Continent. The Roman Empire with its good roads, sea routes, trade connections, city ports and learning centres etc played an important role in the spread of Christianity, as it brought people of diverse background, religions and cultures into contact. Also in the flipside, the persecutions too played an important role in spreading Christianity, as many Christians fled to different parts of the world with this newfound faith. After conversion of Emperor Constantine to Christianity, it began to spread into all directions. Christianity became deeply rooted in various parts of the world. One of the important places it reached was "Persia". In the beginning, though certain Sassanid Kings were tolerant towards Christians in Persia, by the time of Saphor II, persecution of Christians started because of religious and political causes. This paper is intended to elucidate the expansion of Christianity
The missionary conferences and the spiritual developments in the 18th and 19th centuries provided... more The missionary conferences and the spiritual developments in the 18th and 19th centuries provided a conductive atmosphere that eventually led to the successful holding of an epochal and landmark World Missionary Conference at Edinburgh, Scotland in 1910. It was an occasion of considerable importance for both the missionary enterprise and the ecumenical movement. It was the culmination of mission leaders‟ united effort to bring missionaries, native leaders, mission societies and boards to a common sense of unity for a universal evangelization. Edinburgh 1910 is often acclaimed as the „first‟ World Missionary Conference. It was, indeed, the first international missionary conference to meet under this title, and it initiated a sequence of World Missionary Conferences through the later twentieth century. One of the most significant contributions of the Edinburgh 1910 missionary conference was the formation of the International Missionary Council (IMC) in 1921. The International Missionary Council (IMC) was one of the most significant Christian groups of its era. It brought together church leaders from around the world, it commissioned the best missiological studies of the time, it facilitated the formation of national councils of churches in newly evangelised countries.
The Edinburgh, World Missionary Conference of 1910 deliberately left out the concern on matters p... more The Edinburgh, World Missionary Conference of 1910 deliberately left out the concern on matters pertaining to the Faith and Order and did not deal with it. Such concern and the need to address matters concerning faith and order within the Christian churches without further evading it led to the genesis of Faith and Order movement. This is a movement that rose with the sole aim of proclaiming the oneness of the Church of Christ and to call the churches to the goal of visible unity in one faith and one Eucharistic fellowship expressed in worship and in common life in Christ in order that the world may believe. It is one of the main instruments that brought about a revolution in Church relationships. It led many churches from all over the world into a theological dialogue related to faith and practice in order to manifest their unity.
After the great persecutions by the Roman government, Christianity emerged as a legitimate religi... more After the great persecutions by the Roman government, Christianity emerged as a legitimate religion enjoying imperial patronage and eventually became the favoured religion of the Empire. This fortune came to the religion after the „Edict of Milan‟ by Emperor Constantine. It was during these later periods (300-600 AD) that the churches emerged in all the spheres of the public and individual life. Christianity was rapidly transformed during this period with the development of Christian worship, life, ministry, patriarchates, councils, cults of Martyrs, hagiographic literature etc both in east and west.
The age in which Christianity spread had an active interest in yearning about a much more satisfy... more The age in which Christianity spread had an active interest in yearning about a much more satisfying religion in the world. The world then was full of religious curiosity. Therefore Christianity met competition from the mystery religions as well as persecution from the state. Even within its own community heresies arose, from which it had to defend itself. It was faced with the task of defining its faith, outliving its competitors, and withstanding persecutions.
Drafts by Fr. B.M. Thomas
The period following the Council of Chalcedon was a moment of Schisms and turmoil in the ancient ... more The period following the Council of Chalcedon was a moment of Schisms and turmoil in the ancient universal church. Although steps were taken for the unity of the Church, but all were in vain. Emperor Justinian with the influence of his wife Theodora, somewhat tried for the union but did not succeed. This paper is an attempt to elucidate the efforts by Emperor Justinian in bringing reconcialation among the Chalcedonian and the non – Chalcedonian.
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Papers by Fr. B.M. Thomas
During his career Derrida published more than 40 books, together with hundreds of essays and public presentations. He had a significant influence upon the humanities and social sciences, including—in addition to philosophy and literature—law, anthropology, historiography,3 linguistics, sociolinguistics, psychoanalysis, political theory, religious studies, feminism, and gay and lesbian studies. His work still has a major influence in the academe of Continental Europe, South America and all other countries where continental philosophy is predominant, particularly in debates around ontology, epistemology (especially concerning social sciences), ethics, aesthetics, hermeneutics, and the philosophy of language. He also influenced architecture (in the form of deconstructivism), music, art, and art criticism. Particularly in his later writings, Derrida addressed ethical and political themes in his work. Some critics consider Speech and Phenomena (1967) to be his most important work. Others cite of Grammatology, Writing and Difference, and Margins of Philosophy. These writings influenced various activists and political movements. He became a well-known and influential public figure, while his approach to philosophy and the notorious difficulty of his work made him controversial. The present paper tries to study the impact of Derrida‘s deconstruction theory on historiography.
Drafts by Fr. B.M. Thomas
During his career Derrida published more than 40 books, together with hundreds of essays and public presentations. He had a significant influence upon the humanities and social sciences, including—in addition to philosophy and literature—law, anthropology, historiography,3 linguistics, sociolinguistics, psychoanalysis, political theory, religious studies, feminism, and gay and lesbian studies. His work still has a major influence in the academe of Continental Europe, South America and all other countries where continental philosophy is predominant, particularly in debates around ontology, epistemology (especially concerning social sciences), ethics, aesthetics, hermeneutics, and the philosophy of language. He also influenced architecture (in the form of deconstructivism), music, art, and art criticism. Particularly in his later writings, Derrida addressed ethical and political themes in his work. Some critics consider Speech and Phenomena (1967) to be his most important work. Others cite of Grammatology, Writing and Difference, and Margins of Philosophy. These writings influenced various activists and political movements. He became a well-known and influential public figure, while his approach to philosophy and the notorious difficulty of his work made him controversial. The present paper tries to study the impact of Derrida‘s deconstruction theory on historiography.