MM Thomas - Life, Legacy and Theology

THEOLOGY OF MADATHILPARAMPIL MAMMEN THOMAS
humanisation, justice and social transformation.
In a sermon delivered in Dimapur, 1991, M.M. Thomas asks: “What is the
secret of human community?” 142 Here Thomas reflects on the power of moral
law,scientific advancement or philosophical knowledge as sources of communion with
God and neighbour. Obedience to moral law is certainly of importance, he suggests,
challenging moral lawlessness. Yet, while moral law may be considered a pointer to
divine love, the moral legalist approach of obedience to duty cannot by itself create
true community. 143 Even when one zealously seeks to serve one’s neighbour, ‘inner
conflict’ means that such action is conducted in “utter self-righteousness and selflove…without
any real love of neighbour.” 144 Quoting from I Corinthians, Thomas
writes: “And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my
body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.” 145 Noting Jesus’ parable
of the Pharisee and the Publican praying in the temple, Thomas observes that the
Pharisee alienates himself from both God and from neighbour because of his
devotion to a moral law which affirms superiority over the Publican. 146 The path of
moral law cannot be the ultimate path of community because it can too easily become
self-centred and thus anti-community.
M.M. Thomas also acknowledges the potential benefits for the development of
human community resulting from scientific and technological knowledge, as well as
modern education:
Let us not minimise the achievements of reason and science. It has
made the world one; and I know how much education has meant for
the villagers of India in freeing them from ignorance and superstition
and how much science and technics may mean to lift up the hungry
millions, how much scientific medicine can mean to a village which
by habit has come to think of every disease as due to a spell of
193