Quintessence of Religious Doctrines - Malankarasyriac Voice

6ThadathilMuttambalamKottayam - 686 004Kerala (India)JUSTICE K. T. THOMASFormer Judge, Supreme Court of IndiaForewordTel: 0481-2578215Mobile: 0944707821512-12-2006Prof. O. M. Mathew and I were classmates. It started whenwe both joined the kindergarten school at Kottayam. His father andmy father were friends. We were together in the same school tillfourth class. Thereafter, we studied in different educational institutions,and even then we maintained our friendship, though only rarely wecould meet each other. Prof. O. M. Mathew was then and now anintrepid. He out-shone himself among his classmates. I haveobserved him towing always differently from others. He surprisedmany of his Christian associates when he offered himself as acandidate on BJP ticket for contesting Parliament elections fromKottayam constituency. He did not mind his Christian companionsfrowning at him for associating himself with RSS. His activities inpolitical field continued unabated even after he failed to win theParliament election. Thus, Prof. O. M. Mathew was a differentperson at all times.This book is the English version of a work authored byMar Geevarghese Dionysius (popularly known as ‘VattasserilThirumeni) who spearheaded the revolt in Malankara Jacobite SyrianChurch. A perusal of this book reveals the strength of conviction ofits author in the historical ordination emanating from Patriarch ofAntioch. A considerable section of people belonging to the MalankaraChurch believe that Patriarch of Antioch is the successor of St. Peterand hence he is the repository of the authority to ordain clergymenand bishops. I learnt that Marthoma Metropolitan Titus the First12Quintessence of Religious Doctrinesreceived his ordination from a Bishop who in turn had receivedordination traced through the Patriarch of Antioch. I also learnt thata few committed clergymen had to undergo a lot of sufferings tobring down that Bishop who lived far away from the place selectedfor the elevation of Titus the First. Thus people ventured to undergoall the hardships and tribulations to secure the historical ordinationtraced through the Patriarch of Antioch.As I have studied the subject I noticed that differences indogmatics between Marthoma Church and Syrian Orthodox Churchare more on academic nuances than real, or more on finer nicetiesthan on fundamental principles. It cannot be overlooked that minordifferences had existed even between two schools of thought of thesame denomination. When all the denominations (barring Jehova’switnesses) stand by the creed enunciated in Nicean Synod, thereare broader and larger areas of agreement while the areas ofdisagreement are only on fringe details rather than fundamentals.I learnt that Prof. O. M. Mathew underwent a course of trainingin Theological subjects and that would have helped him to go intothe fathoms of dogmatics of different denominations of ChristianChurch. I admire him for this endeavour. The translation work isdone without impairing the spirit and substance of the original book.Justice K. T. Thomas