{
  "bookName": "History of Christianity in India: Source Materials",
  "authorName": "M. K. Kuriakose",
  "publisherName": "Indian Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge",
  "publicationYear": 2011,
  "chapterNumber": 200,
  "chapterName": "1975. Recommendations of the Joint C.S.I., C.N.I., Mar Thoma Theological Commission",
  "pageFrom": 437,
  "pageTo": 438,
  "pages": [
    {
      "pageNumber": 437,
      "ocrText": "SOURCE MATERIALS\n437\nD. The Catholic Church:\nCatholics believe in the perpetual virginity of Mary as a sign of\nher total consecration to God, who made her body and her heart\nhis dwelling-place.\nMary besides being the one who gave birth to Jesus, is also the\n'Woman' (cf. Jn. 2:4; 19:26; Rev. 12) whom Jesus associated\nmost intimately with his work of redemption, in which she co-\noperated so perfectly, that her consent at the Annunciation, her\nfaith, her receptiveness in receiving the word of God and her standing\nat the foot of the Cross make Catholics see in her a unique model\nof what the Church is called to be.\nAlthough in need of redemption, in view of this predestined role\nin the Incarnation and Redemption that she had to play, she was\nsanctified from the first moment of her existence. Hence the\nCatholic belief in the Immaculate Conception. Similarly at the\nend of her life, sharing in a unique way in Christ's total victory over\nsin and death, she was bodily assumed into heaven.\nCatholics also understand the words of the dying Lord, behold\nyour Mother' to imply that she is our Mother, who is venerated\nand whose intercession is invoked in the context of the communion\nof the Saints (cf. Vat. II. Constitution on the Church, Ch. 8).\n200. RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE JOINT C.S.I., C.N.I.,\nMAR THOMA THEOLOGICAL COMMISSION (1975 A.D.)\nA theological commission representing the Church of South\nIndia, the Church of North India and the Mar Thoma Syrian Church\nmet at Madras on 16th January 1975 and at Bangalore on the 3rd\nand 4th June 1975 to discuss the question of their closer unity. The\nfollowing recommendations were adopted for consideration of the\nrespective churches. The most notable feature of this document\nis the proposal for the establishment of an all-India United Church\nto be known as 'The Bharath Christian Church'. Minutes of the\nJoint Theological Commission of the Church of South India, the\nChurch of North India and the Mar Thoma Syrian Church, Appendix\nVI, pp. 41-42.\n1. Our relationship of full communion is basically a relation-\nship in and through Jesus Christ, expressed in the theological agree-\nments on Scripture, the two great Sacraments of the Gospel, the\nhistoric Creeds as witness to the Faith, and an episcopate which\nis both historic' and 'constitutional'\n2. The present theological agreement on the above topics\namong the three Churches is sufficient to warrant further growing",
      "status": "completed"
    },
    {
      "pageNumber": 438,
      "ocrText": "438\nHISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA\ntogether in unity. There is, however, need for a continuing discus-\nsion of the historic Faith and Order of the Church in the context of\nChrist's Mission to India today, and of the unity of the Church\nin the wider setting of the unity of mankind as a whole.\n3. The growing together of the three Churches needs to be\nexpressed through structures which will enable our Churches\nalready in full communion to learn further from each other, and\nunite in projects of service with particular attention to the hopes\nand aspirations of our fellowmen and women in India for fuller life,\nhuman dignity and social justice and of witness to salvation and\nthe destiny of man in Christ.\n4. As part of the new structure, we recommend to our Churches\nthe following:\n(a) a joint Advisory Council of bishops, clergy and laity to\nconsider issues connected with the life of the Church, to express our\njoint concern for the mission of Christ in our country today, to\ngive concrete expression to the relationship of full communion\nalready existing, and also to continue or initiate negotiations for a\nwider manifestation of the unity of the Church, 'so that the world\nmay believe'.\n(b) a conference of all bishops to consider the recommenda-\ntions and the proposals of the joint Advisory Council and plan for\ntheir implementation at local, regional and national levels and to\nfoster the growth and welfare of the Church.\n(c) suitable provision may also be made by the joint Advisory\nCouncil where necessary and possible to safeguard the expression\nof the diversities within the unity of the Church.\n5. Finally, the joint Theological Commission recommends to\nour three Churches-C.S.I., C.N.I. and M.T.C. :-\n(a) that the name of the Church to which the three Churches\nwill belong be 'The Bharath Christian Church'.\n(b) that when all the three-Churches have accepted this\nrecommended scheme each of them should take steps according to\ntheir own constitutional procedures to declare themselves part of\nthe Bharath Christian Church.\n(c) that on a date to be agreed upon by the highest governing\nbodies of the three Churches a solemn declaration be made that they\nbelong together in the Bharath Christian Church.\nWhile we make these recommendations we reaffirm our hope\nthat the goal of the Union of our Churches is the coming together\nin visible fellowship of all those who believe in Jesus Christ in our\ncountry.",
      "status": "completed"
    }
  ]
}