MM Thomas - Life, Legacy and Theology

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THEOLOGY OF MADATHILPARAMPIL MAMMEN THOMAS historical person of Christ, the bearer of salvation for all humankind. 130 3.2. The Cross of Christ We may agree with T.M. Philip that as Christology lies at the heart of M.M. Thomas’s theology, so does the Cross lie at the heart of his Christology. 131 In this section I shall examine Thomas’s interpretation of the Cross as it relates to God’s love, the victory of Christ over principalities and powers and to Divine forgiveness and Grace. M.M. Thomas writes of the Cross of Christ: “The cross was the supreme fact in the life of Jesus. It was the supreme moment in the manifestation of God’s own life, the moment when he revealed his very self in relation to the human race. 132 In a contemporary world which seems indifferent to human relations, human beings long to love and be loved. The Cross overcomes the tragedy of lovelessness as a consequence of self-love: “The Cross reveals God and His purpose for His whole creation as Love. It gives the assurance that the universe has at its centre not a Chaos, not even a cold, calculating Mind, but a Cross – i.e. a heart throbbing for all men with understanding, suffering and forgiving love.” 133 Through the Cross, God’s love and desire to be in relationship to humanity is fully revealed. In response to human sin and ignorance, God’s love is voluntarily given for the forgiveness of sin. 134 It is a self-emptying act of redemptive love whereby all may enter into fellowship with God and express this love in community with neighbour. In a devotional prayer Thomas writes: “Father, every time we wander away from your presence, we hurt you afresh and make you unhappy. But your love never fails to pursue us, and you love us out of our sinfulness.” 135 Through the Cross of Christ, God literally ‘loves’ sinful humanity ‘out of our sinfulness’. It is this love, expressed so clearly in the Cross of Christ, which becomes the foundation for the divine-human relationship 191
THEOLOGY OF MADATHILPARAMPIL MAMMEN THOMAS and for true human community. The Cross, for Thomas, represents a “decisive historical event in which God drives out the Prince of this world”. 136 Through the Cross and resurrection sin is overcome, and thus interpreted as victory over all structures of evil, and finally death itself. 137 Recollecting a visit to Oslo in a 1954 sermon, Thomas writes: I remember visiting the Vigeland Park in Oslo, where I saw carved in stone, a man struggling with a big lizard representing humanity’s struggle with the cosmic powers of evil. In that story, man gets finally crushed to death by the lizard. If that is the ultimate truth about man, then life and labour are all in vain. But from Vigeland’s Park one goes to the Oslo Cathedral and the theme of the famous paintings of the ceiling is Christus Victor – Christ victorious over the dragon through the Cross, Christ reigning over the cosmic powers, Christ coming again as the Lord of Glory – these are the pictures – pictures that speak of deliverance from the powers of evil, offered to man in Christ Jesus. 138 This provides a wonderful insight into M.M. Thomas’s reflections on the Cross as victory over principalities and powers, here represented as the lizard crushing the life of humanity. The image of Christ as Christus Victor is thus central to Thomas’s theology. 139 Through Christ’s death and resurrection humanity is redeemed from sin, that is, from human rebellion and broken relationship with God. 140 Thomas writes: “At the Cross of Christ, the utter devastatingness of God’s judgment upon guilt and the utter self-giving, forgiving love and identification with which God embraces the sinner are revealed.” 141 The juxtaposition of judgement and forgiveness is evident in the Cross event. It is this reality, experienced not as a once for all but daily reality, which provides the basis for Thomas’s optimism, and caution, in the struggle for 192
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Dr. M.M.Ninan 5708 Rudy Dr. San Jos
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THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF MADATHILPARA
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THEOLOGY OF MADATHILPARAMPIL MAMMEN
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MM Thomas - Life, Legacy and Theology

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