Mar Thoma leader promoted ecumenical unity, interreligious dialogue

By Swami Sachidananda Bharathi

Kochi: Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan, who died October 18 aged 90 at Thiruvalla in Kerala, was a great Christian leader who was an ardent promoter of ecumenical unity and interreligious dialogue.

His demise is an irredeemable loss not only for the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church but also for all Christian denominations in the world, especially in Kerala, the cradle of indigenous Christianity in India.

The Mar Thoma Church represents an Indian face of the Christian faith.

Promoting such an Indian face of the Christian faith has been the mission of my ‘second life.’ That is how I was drawn closely to the Mar Thoma Church and to Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan.

We spent time together at the United Nations during the Millennium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders in August 2000. I was invited as the head of Dharma Rajya Vedi and he represented the Mar Thoma Church.

Dharma Rajya Vedi was founded by me in 1990. It is envisaged to be a network of autonomous communities of disciples of Sadguru Jesus Christ committed to the Kingdom of God of love, righteousness, peace and reconciliation on earth through ecumenical unity and interreligious dialogue.

During the last time we met at his office at Thiruvalla, the metropolitan showed me a photograph that we had taken together at the U N. The meeting was arranged by Reverend George Samuel, my friend and a priest of the Mar Thoma Church. The priest had arranged a series of programs for me with the members of the Mar Thoma Church.

I hope to take forward the mission of promoting ecumenical unity and interreligious dialogue through the Dharma Rajya Vedi in collaboration with the Mar Thoma Church as a befitting tribute to the memory of the late Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan.

May his departed soul live in the eternal peace and joy of Christ our Lord.

(Swami Sachidananda Bharathi is the founder and Acharya-guru of the Dharma Rajya Vedi, and Disciples of Christ for Peace. He can be contacted at Dharma Bharathi Ashram, Mulanthuruthy, Kochi-682324.)