{
  "bookName": "History of Christianity in India: Source Materials",
  "authorName": "M. K. Kuriakose",
  "publisherName": "Indian Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge",
  "publicationYear": 2011,
  "chapterNumber": 189,
  "chapterName": "1958. Resolution of the Prathinidhi Mandalam of the Mar Thoma Church on Inter-Communion with the Church of South India",
  "pageFrom": 396,
  "pageTo": 397,
  "pages": [
    {
      "pageNumber": 396,
      "ocrText": "396\nHISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA\nto communicate in the other Church. In such cases the procedure\nlaid down in rule (5) shall be followed but the certificate to be\nproduced in such cases must state not only that the member is a\ncommunicant in good standing in his own Church but also that his\nown Pastor approves of his being admitted to the Holy Communion\nin the other Church.\n7. The existing rules obtaining between the two Churches\nregarding marriages (Deshakuri, Pasaram, etc.) shall continue to be\nobserved until altered by mutual consent.\n8. In the event of a member of the Mar Thoma Syrian Church\ntaking up work in the sphere and jurisdiction of an Anglican diocese\nhe may, with the approval of his Metropolitan be granted the status\nof membership of the Anglican Communion in that diocese by the\nAnglican Bishop concerned, during the period of his work there\non the understanding that he does not cease to be a member of the\nMar Thoma Syrian Church. At any particular time he can parti-\ncipate in the government of one Church only, by the exercise of\nvote and the holding of office.\n9. Bishops of provinces or of Missionary Dioceses of the\nAnglican Communion may be asked to exercise episcopal super-\nvision over clergy and laity of the Mar Thoma Syrian Church at the\nrequest of the authorities of the Church (see Lambeth Conference\nReport 1948, part II, p. 72).\n189.\nRESOLUTION OF THE PRATHINIDHI MANDALAM\nOF THE MAR THOMA CHURCH ON INTER-COMMUNION\nWITH THE CHURCH OF SOUTH INDIA (1958 A.D.)\nThe Prathinidhi Mandalam, the supreme authority of the Mar\nThoma Church, took the following action relative to relations with\nthe Church of South India. Cited in C. E. Abraham, ed., The Mar\nThoma Syrian Church and The Church of India and The Church of\nSouth India, pp. 43-44.\nFormula\n(a) Each Communion believes the other to hold the essentials\nof the Christian faith and recognises the other as part of the Universal\nChurch.\n(b) Each Communion agrees to admit members of the other\nCommunion to participate in the Holy Communion.\n(1) The Mar Thoma Church believes that Episcopal integra-\ntion of the ministry of the C.S.I. is essential for full inter-com-\nmunion.",
      "status": "completed"
    },
    {
      "pageNumber": 397,
      "ocrText": "SOURCE MATERIALS\n397\n(2) The Mar Thoma Church recognises that among its\nmembers there are those who have objection to receiving Holy\nCommunion celebrated by the non-episcopally ordained ministers\nof the C.S.I. and those who do not have such objection. The Mar\nThoma Church respects those differences even as the C.S.I. by its\npledge (Constitution 2.13) guarantees to respect the consciences\nof those who wish to receive Holy Communion only from episco-\npally ordained ministers.\n(c) Intercommunion does not require from either Communion\nthe acceptance of all doctrinal formulations, sacramental devotion\nor liturgical practices of the other.\nRules of Comity\n(a) At conferences of students and clergy and at ecumenical\ngatherings members of either Church may participate in the Holy\nCommunion when the celebrant is of the other Church, as it pro-\nmotes fellowship.\n(b) Ministers of either Church shall have authority and discretion\nto admit to the Holy Communion communicant members of good\nstanding in in the other Church in places where they have no access\nto the ministrations of the Church to which they belong. Members\nof either Church desiring to avail themselves of this privileges shall\npreviously give notice of their intention to the minister concerned\nand shall produce to him a certificate from their own minister as to\ntheir communicant status and good standing in the Church to which\nthey belong.\n(c) In places where a member has access to the ministrations of\nhis own Church, he should generally be discouraged from communi-\ncating in the other Church. However very exceptional cases may\nbe allowed if his own minister approves of his being admitted to the\nHoly Communion of the other Church. In such cases procedure\nlaid down in rule 'b' shall be followed.\n(d) Persons seeking to change their membership from the Mar\nThoma Church to the C.S.I. or vice versa shall in no case be\nadmitted to such new membership until they produce a certificate\nsigned by the diocesan Bishop of the Church to which they have\nbelonged hitherto. Such certificates shall not ordinarily be issued\nuntil a period of at least three months has elapsed after it has been\napplied for.\n(e) The same procedure shall be followed in the case of those\nwho may seek admission into the C.S.I. or the Mar Thoma Church\neven from any other Church, if they were members of the C.S.I.\nor Mar Thoma Church, at any period within three years before",
      "status": "completed"
    }
  ]
}