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HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA : M. M. NINAN involvement has principally been in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, China and Japan; and in the Middle East, it has worked in Palestine, Jordan, Iran and Egypt." http://www.cms-uk.org/default.aspx?Tabid=181 In 1808 Marthoma VI (Mar Dionysius I) made an attempt to raise funds from among the community and was able to collect , 840 poovarahans (star pagoda gold coins = Rs 2,940 of that time) from the Malankara Syrian Christian community. To this amount the British resident in Travancore, Col. Macaulay added another 2,160 Poovarahans (Rs 7,560) a contribution from the government of Tranvancore from money collected as fines from Hindus by the Travancore government for their crimes against the Syrian Christians - a total of 3000 Poovarahan equivalent to Rs 10,500/- a large amount at that time. Marthoma VII deposited this money at annual interest of 8% which was to be paid to the Church annually. This investment was called Vattipanam (interest money). Poo Varahan - Star Pagoda Gold Coin of East India Company was the gold coin minted in Madras during 1740 - 1807 and was the standard until 1816 Though many of the Jacobite theology was at variance with the Protestant theology there was lot of cooperation between the CMS and the Syrian Churches. Among the prominent missionaries were Thomas Norton, Benjamin Bailey, Joseph Fenn and Henry Baker, who are common names among the Christians even today. They started the CMS Press in Kottayam in 1821, and began to publish Malayalam Bible and Christian literature for the use of common people. 1825, they published the gospel of Matthew, and in 1828, the New Testament, and in 1841, the complete bible. The availability of the bible in the hands of the people had made much difference in the growth of <strong>Christianity</strong> in Kerala. Again Theological Education which was introduced by the CMS missionaries had also its impact in the later growth and divisions of the churches among the Nasranis. The Orthodox Church had no educational institution of its own for the training of candidates to priest hood. To remedy this in 1813 Pulikottil Joseph Ramban, a senior priest of the church from Kunnamkulam took the initiative and as the result of his work the Kottayam Seminary was started in 1815. The Bishops of Malankara Syrian Christian Church, Pulikkottu Mar Divannaciose (1817-18), Punnatra Mar Divannaciose (1818-27) and Cheppadu Mar Divannaciose (1827-52) and they all helped in the project. In fact this institution was the center and the starting point of the reformation within the church. 146
HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA : M. M. NINAN Col. John Munro impressed by the plan encouraged Joseph Ramban (Professor Joseph) by all possible means at his disposal. At that time Col. Munroe was both the Resident of the Crown of England and also the Divan (Prime Minister) of the then ruling Rani Laxmi Bhai, the Regent Ruler of Travancore. Hence he was able to give to the church 16 acres of land and the timber for construction of the buildings and also the cost of Rs.2000 for the construction of the Seminary. Soon the resident came to realize that according to the original stipulation the recipient of the interest - the Vatti Panam - had to be the Metropolitan of the Orthodox Church and that the Seminary needed competent teachers to undertake teaching work in it. It appears that there was some conflict of interest between the Marthoma and Monroe. The only way to channel the money to the seminary was to make Joseph Ramban a Bishop. The only bishop available outside of Marthoma at that time who could lend co-operation to perform the consecration of was the Metropolitan of Thozhiyur. Thozhiur was glad to extend this courtesy to the Resident when he was so requested. Joseph Ramban, thus, was ordained as bishop with the name Mar Dionysius II in 1816 and later a Royal proclamation from both the states of Travancore and Cochin were issued to confirm Mar Divanyous as the Metropolitan of the Orthodox church. But those who insisted on Antiiochian authoriry within the Church and within the Seminary Staff began to question the validity of Dionysius Episcopal status because he was ordained from Thozhiyoor Church and not from the Orthodox Church. This party was headed by the Konattu Malpan another Professor at the newly founded seminary. At the time of Gee Varghese mar phelexinos (kidangan) of Thozhiyur (1811-1829) Malankara church was in series of troubles in its administration. Thozhiyur bishop consecrated three consecutive bishops for Malankara as Malankara Methran viz. Pulikkottil Mar Divannasios, Punnathra Mar Divannasios and Cheppat Mar Divannasios. Even Gee varghese mar Phelexinos (kidangan) himself was in charge of Malankara Methran for a short period. Thus the church leaders of Malankara Syrian Christian Church and C.M.S. worked together from 1816 to 1836. The Metropolitans Pulicottil Mar Dionysius II (Valiya Mar Dionysius 1815-16) and Punnathara Mar Dionysius III (1817-25) were highly pleased with the services rendered by the CMS. This is evident from the letter reproduced below from the Metropolitan. The theological differences came to surface and in January 16, 1836 there was clear rift between the Missionaries and the Syrian Churches, and CMS and the Church separated. CMS then turned to evangelization among the Hindus. 147
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HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA M.
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PREFACE This book is the result of
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Kolla Varsham (Malayalam Era) HISTO
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1321 Friar Odoric of Pordenone HIST
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"Third Wave of Migration". HISTORY
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After deep reflection had proclaime
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According to the Anal Naga Baptist
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Bible Studies Six Enigmas in the Bi
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Indian Christianity

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