{ "book_metadata": { "book_name": "History of Christianity in India: Source Materials", "book_author": "M. K. Kuriakose", "publisher": "Indian Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge", "published_on": "2011" }, "chunks": [ { "chunk_index": 1, "chapter_name": "1947. The Church of South India: Basis of Union", "page_numbers": [ 381 ], "image_paths": [ "raw\\pages\\00405-a8eb6e201863d4d092a1.webp" ], "chunk_title": "Basis of Union Introduction", "chunk_data": "184. THE CHURCH OF SOUTH INDIA: BASIS OF UNION\n(1947 A.D.)\nWhen the Constitution of the Church of South India was drawn up it was decided to include, as Appendix I, the 'Basis of Union' which had been drawn up earlier by the negotiating churches. This was done for the historical record and to fulfil the desire of the Constitution that 'full regard shall be paid to the Basis of Union as a permanent record of the intentions and desires of the Churches by the Union of which the Church has been formed'. Portions of the Basis are reproduced here. The Constitution of the Church of South India, 1972 edition, Appendix I, pp. 87-101.", "time": { "start_year": 1947, "start_month": null, "start_date": null, "end_year": 1947, "end_month": null, "end_date": null, "time_display": "1947" }, "meta": { "people": [], "places": [ "South India" ], "event": "The Constitution of the Church of South India included the earlier Basis of Union as an appendix and permanent historical record.", "tags": [ "Church", "Politics", "History" ] } }, { "chunk_index": 2, "chapter_name": "1947. The Church of South India: Basis of Union", "page_numbers": [ 381, 382 ], "image_paths": [ "raw\\pages\\00405-a8eb6e201863d4d092a1.webp", "raw\\pages\\00406-63a3b6ba3afc53b88c0d.webp" ], "chunk_title": "Purpose of the Union", "chunk_data": "THE PURPOSE AND NATURE OF THE UNION\n1. The uniting Churches affirm that the purpose of the union into which they hope to enter is the carrying out of God's will as this is expressed in our Lord's prayer-'That they may all be one... that the world may believe that Thou didst send me'. They believe that by this union the Church in South India will become a more effective instrument for God's work, and that the result of union will be greater peace, closer fellowship, and fuller life within the Church, and also renewed eagerness and power for the proclamation of the Gospel of Christ. It is their hope that the Church thus united may be a true leaven of unity in the life of India, and that through it there may be a greater release of divine power for the fulfilment of God's purpose for His world.", "time": { "start_year": 1947, "start_month": null, "start_date": null, "end_year": 1947, "end_month": null, "end_date": null, "time_display": "1947" }, "meta": { "people": [ "Jesus Christ" ], "places": [ "South India", "India" ], "event": "The uniting Churches state that their union is intended to fulfil God's will, strengthen the Church's work, and promote unity in India.", "tags": [ "Church", "Religion", "Unity" ] } }, { "chunk_index": 3, "chapter_name": "1947. The Church of South India: Basis of Union", "page_numbers": [ 382 ], "image_paths": [ "raw\\pages\\00406-63a3b6ba3afc53b88c0d.webp" ], "chunk_title": "Spiritual Unity in Christ", "chunk_data": "The uniting Churches believe that the unity of His Church for which Christ prayed is a unity in Him and in the Father through the Holy Spirit, and is therefore fundamentally a reality of the spiritual realm. They seek the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. But this unity of the Spirit must find expression in the faith and order of the Church, in its worship, in its organization and in its whole life, so that as the Body of Christ, it may be a fit instrument for carrying out His gracious purposes in the world.", "time": { "start_year": 1947, "start_month": null, "start_date": null, "end_year": 1947, "end_month": null, "end_date": null, "time_display": "1947" }, "meta": { "people": [ "Jesus Christ", "Holy Spirit" ], "places": [], "event": "The uniting Churches define Christian unity as spiritual unity in Christ that must also be expressed in the Church's faith, worship, organization, and life.", "tags": [ "Religion", "Church", "Unity" ] } }, { "chunk_index": 4, "chapter_name": "1947. The Church of South India: Basis of Union", "page_numbers": [ 382 ], "image_paths": [ "raw\\pages\\00406-63a3b6ba3afc53b88c0d.webp" ], "chunk_title": "Ministry and Shared Heritage", "chunk_data": "It is the will of Christ that His Church should be one, and the manifold gifts of His grace were promised to the Church which is His Body. It is also His will that there should be a ministry accepted and fully effective throughout the world-wide Church. In the present divided state of Christendom there is no ministry which in this respect fully corresponds with the purpose of God, and the ministry can recover fullness only by the union of all the parts of the one Body. The uniting Churches recognize, however, that God has bestowed His grace with undistinguishing regard through all their ministers, in His use of them for His work of enlightening the world, converting sinners and perfecting saints. They acknowledge each other's ministries to be real ministries of the Word and Sacraments, and thankfully recognize the spiritual efficacy of sacraments and other ministrations which God has so clearly blessed. They confidently expect that these ministries hitherto separate will, when united, be used for a yet fuller manifestation of God's power and glory. Each Church in separation, has borne special witness to certain elements of the truth; therefore for the perfecting of the whole body the heritage of each is needed. Each, maintaining the continuity of its own life, will be enriched by the gifts and graces of the others.", "time": { "start_year": 1947, "start_month": null, "start_date": null, "end_year": 1947, "end_month": null, "end_date": null, "time_display": "1947" }, "meta": { "people": [ "Jesus Christ" ], "places": [], "event": "The uniting Churches argue that the fullness of Christian ministry and the enrichment of the whole Church require the union of its separated parts.", "tags": [ "Church", "Religion", "Unity" ] } }, { "chunk_index": 5, "chapter_name": "1947. The Church of South India: Basis of Union", "page_numbers": [ 382 ], "image_paths": [ "raw\\pages\\00406-63a3b6ba3afc53b88c0d.webp" ], "chunk_title": "A Comprehensive United Church", "chunk_data": "Wherever union takes place, it comes into being only by the working of the spirit of Christ, Who is both truth and love. In His spirit of love, all the ministers of the uniting Churches will from the inauguration of the union be recognized as equally ministers of the united Church without distinction or difference. The united Church will be formed by a combination of different elements, each bringing its contribution to the whole, and not by the absorption of any one by any other. It will, therefore, also be a comprehensive Church; and its members, firmly holding the fundamentals of the faith and order of the Church Universal, will be allowed wide freedom of action in such differences of practice as are consistent with the general framework of the Church as one organized body.", "time": { "start_year": 1947, "start_month": null, "start_date": null, "end_year": 1947, "end_month": null, "end_date": null, "time_display": "1947" }, "meta": { "people": [ "Jesus Christ" ], "places": [], "event": "The Basis of Union establishes that ministers will be equally recognized and that the united Church will combine traditions without absorbing one into another.", "tags": [ "Church", "Unity", "Religion" ] } }, { "chunk_index": 6, "chapter_name": "1947. The Church of South India: Basis of Union", "page_numbers": [ 383 ], "image_paths": [ "raw\\pages\\00407-ff095b12bf916c830ff6.webp" ], "chunk_title": "Unity in Indian Forms", "chunk_data": "The uniting Churches are agreed that, in every effort to bring together divided members of Christ's body into one organization, the final aim must be the union in the Universal Church of all who acknowledge the name of Christ, and that the test of all local schemes of union is that they should express locally the principle of the great catholic unity of the Body of Christ. They trust, therefore, that the united Church, conserving all that is of spiritual value in its Indian heritage, will express under Indian conditions and in Indian forms the spirit, the thought and the life of the Church Universal.", "time": { "start_year": 1947, "start_month": null, "start_date": null, "end_year": 1947, "end_month": null, "end_date": null, "time_display": "1947" }, "meta": { "people": [ "Jesus Christ" ], "places": [ "India" ], "event": "The uniting Churches present the South Indian union as a local expression of universal Christian unity shaped by India's heritage and conditions.", "tags": [ "Church", "Unity", "India" ] } }, { "chunk_index": 7, "chapter_name": "1947. The Church of South India: Basis of Union", "page_numbers": [ 383 ], "image_paths": [ "raw\\pages\\00407-ff095b12bf916c830ff6.webp" ], "chunk_title": "Widening Christian Fellowship", "chunk_data": "It is the intention and hope of the uniting Churches that all the actions of the united Church will be regulated by the principles that it should maintain fellowship with all those branches of the Church of Christ with which the uniting Churches now severally enjoy such fellowship, and that it should continually seek to widen and strengthen this fellowship and to work towards the goal of the full union in one body of all parts of the Church of Christ.", "time": { "start_year": 1947, "start_month": null, "start_date": null, "end_year": 1947, "end_month": null, "end_date": null, "time_display": "1947" }, "meta": { "people": [ "Jesus Christ" ], "places": [], "event": "The proposed united Church is committed to maintaining, widening, and strengthening fellowship with all branches of Christianity.", "tags": [ "Church", "Unity", "Religion" ] } }, { "chunk_index": 8, "chapter_name": "1947. The Church of South India: Basis of Union", "page_numbers": [ 383 ], "image_paths": [ "raw\\pages\\00407-ff095b12bf916c830ff6.webp" ], "chunk_title": "Prayer for the Union", "chunk_data": "They pray that this scheme of union may under God's providence be a contribution towards the uniting of His Church and the ordering of its life in freedom and truth, and they trust that the united Church in South India will never so use the provisions of the Constitution under which it will begin its life that they will become barriers against the fuller truth and richer life to be attained in a wider fellowship, but that it will always be ready to correct and amend them as God's will becomes more clearly known through the growing together of the several parts of the now divided Church into a common mind and spirit under the guidance of the one Holy Spirit...", "time": { "start_year": 1947, "start_month": null, "start_date": null, "end_year": 1947, "end_month": null, "end_date": null, "time_display": "1947" }, "meta": { "people": [ "Holy Spirit" ], "places": [ "South India" ], "event": "The uniting Churches pray that the union will advance Christian unity in freedom and truth and remain open to correction and fuller fellowship.", "tags": [ "Church", "Religion", "Unity" ] } }, { "chunk_index": 9, "chapter_name": "1947. The Church of South India: Basis of Union", "page_numbers": [ 383, 384 ], "image_paths": [ "raw\\pages\\00407-ff095b12bf916c830ff6.webp", "raw\\pages\\00408-1e808e78e01d2dba592d.webp" ], "chunk_title": "Historic Episcopate Accepted", "chunk_data": "THE EPISCOPATE IN THE UNITED CHURCH\n9. The uniting Churches accept the historic episcopate in a constitutional form as part of their basis of union. They all agree in their desire that the relation of the bishop to his people should be that of chief pastor and father in God; and that he is called to feed the flock of God, taking the oversight thereof as shepherd, not *as lord either in act or title, but as an example to the flock. There are, however, within the uniting Churches differing views and beliefs about episcopacy, which have been frankly recognized throughout the negotiations. For example, some regard episcopacy merely as a form of church government which has persisted in the Church through the centuries and may as such be called historic, and which at the present time is expedient for the Church in South India. Others believe that episcopacy is of divine appointment, and that episcopal ordination is an essential guarantee of the sacraments of the Church.", "time": { "start_year": 1947, "start_month": null, "start_date": null, "end_year": 1947, "end_month": null, "end_date": null, "time_display": "1947" }, "meta": { "people": [], "places": [ "South India" ], "event": "The uniting Churches accept a constitutional form of historic episcopacy while acknowledging differing theological views about bishops and episcopal ordination.", "tags": [ "Church", "Religion", "Leadership" ] } }, { "chunk_index": 10, "chapter_name": "1947. The Church of South India: Basis of Union", "page_numbers": [ 384 ], "image_paths": [ "raw\\pages\\00408-1e808e78e01d2dba592d.webp" ], "chunk_title": "Episcopacy Without Imposed Interpretation", "chunk_data": "Some, again, hold various views intermediate between these two. The acceptance of episcopacy by the uniting Churches, in which there are such differing views and beliefs concerning it and concerning orders of the ministry, is not to be taken as committing the united Church to the acceptance of any particular interpretation of episcopacy, and no such particular interpretation shall be demanded from any minister or member of the united Church.", "time": { "start_year": 1947, "start_month": null, "start_date": null, "end_year": 1947, "end_month": null, "end_date": null, "time_display": "1947" }, "meta": { "people": [], "places": [], "event": "The united Church will not require ministers or members to accept any particular interpretation of episcopacy.", "tags": [ "Church", "Religion", "Leadership" ] } }, { "chunk_index": 11, "chapter_name": "1947. The Church of South India: Basis of Union", "page_numbers": [ 384 ], "image_paths": [ "raw\\pages\\00408-1e808e78e01d2dba592d.webp" ], "chunk_title": "Episcopacy for Shepherding", "chunk_data": "Whatever differences there are, however, all the uniting Churches are agreed that, as episcopacy has been accepted in the Church from early times, it may in this sense fitly be called historic, and that it is needed for the shepherding and extension of the Church in South India. Any additional interpretations, though held by individuals, are not binding on the United Church...", "time": { "start_year": 1947, "start_month": null, "start_date": null, "end_year": 1947, "end_month": null, "end_date": null, "time_display": "1947" }, "meta": { "people": [], "places": [ "South India" ], "event": "The uniting Churches regard episcopacy as historic and necessary for shepherding and extending the Church in South India.", "tags": [ "Church", "Religion", "Leadership" ] } }, { "chunk_index": 12, "chapter_name": "1947. The Church of South India: Basis of Union", "page_numbers": [ 384 ], "image_paths": [ "raw\\pages\\00408-1e808e78e01d2dba592d.webp" ], "chunk_title": "Freedom in Public Worship", "chunk_data": "THE WORSHIP OF THE UNITED CHURCH\n12. The uniting Churches recognize that they must aim at conserving for the common benefit whatever of good has been gained by each body in its separate history, and that in its public worship the united Church must retain for its congregations freedom either to use historic forms or not to do so as may best conduce to edification and to the worship of God in Spirit and in truth.", "time": { "start_year": 1947, "start_month": null, "start_date": null, "end_year": 1947, "end_month": null, "end_date": null, "time_display": "1947" }, "meta": { "people": [], "places": [], "event": "The united Church is to preserve valuable traditions while allowing congregations freedom to use historic forms of worship or not.", "tags": [ "Church", "Religion", "Worship" ] } }, { "chunk_index": 13, "chapter_name": "1947. The Church of South India: Basis of Union", "page_numbers": [ 384 ], "image_paths": [ "raw\\pages\\00408-1e808e78e01d2dba592d.webp" ], "chunk_title": "Freedom of Worship Forms", "chunk_data": "It is therefore not their intention that because of the union any form of service at present in use in any of the uniting Churches shall be forbidden in the united Church.", "time": { "start_year": 1947, "start_month": null, "start_date": null, "end_year": 1947, "end_month": null, "end_date": null, "time_display": "1947" }, "meta": { "people": [], "places": [], "event": "The union will not forbid forms of service currently used by any of the uniting Churches.", "tags": [ "Church", "Religion", "Worship" ] } }, { "chunk_index": 14, "chapter_name": "1947. The Church of South India: Basis of Union", "page_numbers": [ 384 ], "image_paths": [ "raw\\pages\\00408-1e808e78e01d2dba592d.webp" ], "chunk_title": "Congregational Worship Regulations", "chunk_data": "Subject to provisions which shall be made in the Constitution and to any special regulations which may be issued by the Synod of the Church with regard to the services of ordination and consecration and the essential elements or central parts of other services, especially those of Baptism, Holy Communion, and Marriage, every pastor and congregation shall have freedom to determine the forms of their public worship.", "time": { "start_year": 1947, "start_month": null, "start_date": null, "end_year": 1947, "end_month": null, "end_date": null, "time_display": "1947" }, "meta": { "people": [], "places": [], "event": "Pastors and congregations receive freedom to determine public worship forms, subject to constitutional and Synod regulations.", "tags": [ "Church", "Religion", "Worship" ] } }, { "chunk_index": 15, "chapter_name": "1947. The Church of South India: Basis of Union", "page_numbers": [ 384 ], "image_paths": [ "raw\\pages\\00408-1e808e78e01d2dba592d.webp" ], "chunk_title": "Autonomy of the United Church", "chunk_data": "THE AUTONOMY OF THE UNITED CHURCH\n13. The uniting Churches agree that the united Church should of right be free in all spiritual matters from the direction or interposition of any civil government.", "time": { "start_year": 1947, "start_month": null, "start_date": null, "end_year": 1947, "end_month": null, "end_date": null, "time_display": "1947" }, "meta": { "people": [], "places": [], "event": "The Basis of Union declares that the united Church should be independent of civil government in spiritual matters.", "tags": [ "Church", "Politics", "Autonomy" ] } }, { "chunk_index": 16, "chapter_name": "1947. The Church of South India: Basis of Union", "page_numbers": [ 384 ], "image_paths": [ "raw\\pages\\00408-1e808e78e01d2dba592d.webp" ], "chunk_title": "Ecclesiastical Independence", "chunk_data": "They further agree that the united Church must be an autonomous Church and free from any control, legal or otherwise, of any Church or Society external to itself. At the same time they re-", "time": { "start_year": 1947, "start_month": null, "start_date": null, "end_year": 1947, "end_month": null, "end_date": null, "time_display": "1947" }, "meta": { "people": [], "places": [], "event": "The uniting Churches affirm that the united Church must be autonomous and free from external ecclesiastical or societal control.", "tags": [ "Church", "Politics", "Autonomy" ] } } ] }