Ecumenical summit pledges to safeguard Indian Christians’ constitutional rights

By Magimai Pragasam

Chennai, Jan 2, 2026: A grand ecumenical summit held at Chennai, southern India, has resolved to strengthen the Christian community’s socioeconomic and political empowerment while safeguarding its constitutional rights.

Nearly 6,000 representatives of various Christian denominations in India attended “Tabor 2025” held on December 29, 2025, at the St. Thomas Mount National Shrine Basilica.

The event was conducted simultaneously at four venues for youth, children, religious and laity.

It commemorated the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea convened by Roman Empire Constantine where the Nicene Creed was adopted.

The creed is a foundational statement of Christian faith, accepted by most Christian denominations. It clarifies doctrine, especially affirming Jesus’s divinity as “begotten, not made” and “consubstantial with the Father” (of one substance).

The organizers said the journey will continue until 2033, when Christians mark the 2000th anniversary of Christ’s death and resurrection.

Father Benedict Barnabas, secretary of the Regional Ecumenical Commission of the Catholic bishops of India, pointed out that the summit was held at the site of martyrdom of Saint Thomas the Apostle who introduced Christian faith to India in the first century.

The Chennai summit, with the central theme “Christianity: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,” took place in the backdrop of increasing attacks on Christians in various parts of India, especially days before last Christmas.

It addressed the Church’s responsibilities in times of growing turbulence, particularly when religious extremists attack its members and churches, as happened during Christmas time.

The summit offered a comprehensive reflection on the past, present, and future of Christianity in India.

Several speakers highlighted the Church’s immense contribution to Indian society, especially in the fields of education, healthcare, culture, social justice, and development.

They expressed deep concern over the pain and suffering endured by Christian communities across the country. They stressed an urgent need for unity, prayer, love, and collective action. They also called for raising a unified voice against injustice and discrimination.

The speakers urged the participants to overcome social evils such as caste, class discrimination, dowry, and bribery, calling upon Christians to become “the rocks of God, speaking His language of love.”

They reminded the gathering that the Indian Constitution upholds values of equality, liberty, and fraternity, which resonate deeply with the teachings of Jesus, and emphasized the responsibility of Christians to safeguard these values.

They tried to answer Pope Francis’ question: “In 2033 how do you want the Church to be?” The Chennai speakers want to resurrect the Church as a family and a community to bear witness to Jesus’s love, peace and reconciliation, promoting synodality.

“We are not against anybody. We seek unity, and through love, we can achieve our goals,” said Bishop Lawrence Pius of Dharmapuri, chairman of the Commission for Ecumenism, Tamil Nadu Bishops’ Council. He urged the summit to seek unity through love and prayer.

The summit resolutions stressed Christians’ participation in nation-building while remaining rooted in Christian identity and values. It stressed a thorough study on the influence of media and deteriorating cultural values and to use media for upholding human dignity and societal development.