A brief overview of historical, dogmatic and liturgical features of the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51216/Keywords:
dialogue of Churches, history of the Church, Malankara Syrian Church, moderate Monophysitism, Christianity in IndiaAbstract
The article describes historical, dogmatic, liturgical, cultural and other features, as well as the current state of the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church (abbreviated name – Syro-Malankara Church), which is one of the
Ancient Eastern Pre-Chalcedonian Churches and which operates in India. The spread of Christianity in this country is associated with the name of the Apostle Thomas. This work seems relevant due to the fact that in 2024 the 1950th anniversary of the martyrdom of this apostle was celebrated. Since the foundation of the Church, Indian Christians did not have a permanent hierarchy and later adopted it from the Syrian Monophysites. For several centuries, Indian Christians were influenced by the East Syrian Nestorians, then by the Portuguese Catholic mission. The subsequent
Protestant influence of the Anglican Church after the change of colonial rule at the turn of the 18th–19th centuries had dual features: on the one hand, promoting education and familiarization of Indian Christians with
the Holy Scripture translated into the national language of Malayalam, on the other hand, an attempt to impose liturgical and church-practical reforms. Currently, Christians in India make up 2,3% of the country’s population and belong to different denominations. The Malankara Church professes moderate Monophysitism based on the formula of St. Cyril of Alexandria “the one nature of God the Word incarnate”, rejecting the Nestorian and Eutychian heresies. The author of the article draws attention to the special path of development of the Malankara Syrian Church, conditioned to a greater extent by its geographical location and cultural and religious dialogue of various Christian denominations. The modern Malankara Syrian Church maintains warm relations with the Russian Orthodox Church.
Downloads
References
1. Сергунин В. А., прот. Краткий обзор истории и современного состояния Древних Восточных (Нехалкидонских) Церквей / протоиерей Владимир Александрович Сергунин. DOI: 10.51216/2687-072Х_2023_3_118. EDN: OSFUMQ // Богословский сборник Тамбовской духовной семинарии. – 2023. – № 3 (24). – С. 118–132.
2. Фома, апостол // Древо : открытая православная энциклопедия. – URL: https://drevo-info.ru/articles/4112.html (дата обращения: 22.07.2021).
3. Нелюбов, Б.А. Древние Восточные Церкви: Малабарская Церковь / Б. А. Нелюбов // Альфа и Омега. – 1998. – № 5 (19). – С. 330–369.
4. Топычканов, П. В. Маланкарская Церковь / П. В. Топычканов // Православная энциклопедия. – Москва : Церковно-научный центр «Православная энциклопедия», 2021. – Т. 43. – ISBN 978-5-89572-049-3. – С. 168–171.
5. Хомулло, Е. Хождение в Индию / Елена Хомулло // Православие. ru : портал. – URL: https://pravoslavie.ru/91083.html (дата обращения: 22.07.2023).
6. Топычканов, П. В. Диамперский собор / П. В. Топычканов // Православная энциклопедия. – Москва : Церковно-научный центр «Православная энциклопедия», 2012.– Т. 14. – ISBN 978-5-89572-024-0.– С. 624–625.
7. Соколов С., свящ. История восточного и западного христианства (IV–XX века) / священник Серафим Соколов // Азбука веры : православный портал. – URL: https://azbyka.ru/otechnik/Istorija_Tserkvi/istorija-vostochnogo-i-zapadnogo-hristianstva-4-20-veka/3_36 (дата обращения: 14.05.2023).
8. Августин (Никитин), архим. Андроник (Елпидинский) / архимандрит Августин (Никитин) // Православная энциклопедия. – Москва : Церковно-научный центр «Православная энциклопедия», 2008. – Т. 2. – ISBN 5-89572-007-2. – С. 415.
9. Джордж, К. М. Богословие таинств в маланкарской традиции / К. М. Джордж // Православное учение о церковных таинствах. В 3 т. Т. 3. Брак. Покаяние. Елеосвящение. Таинства и тайнодействия. – Москва : Синодальная библейско-богословская комиссия, 2009. – С. 571–585.
10. Соловьев С. Православное присутствие в стране апостола Фомы / Сергей Соловьев // Православие.ru : портал. – URL: https://pravoslavie. ru/124740.html (дата обращения: 22.07.2023).
REFERENCES
1. Sergunin V. A., Archpriest Kratkii obzor istorii i sovremennogo sostoyaniya Drevnikh Vostochnykh (Nekhalkidonskikh) Tserkvei [A brief review of the history and current state of the Ancient Eastern (Non-Chalcedonian) Churches]. DOI: 10.51216/2687-072Х_2023_3_118. EDN: OSFUMQ Bogoslovskii sbornik Tambovskoi dukhovnoi seminarii [Theological Collection of Tambov Theological Seminary]. 2023, no. 3 (24), pp. 118–132. (In Russian).
2. Thomas, Apostle Otkrytaya pravoslavnaya entsiklopediya “Drevo” [Open Orthodox Encyclopedia “Drevo”]. (In Russian). Available at: https://drevo-info.ru/articles/4112.html (accessed: 22.07.2021).
3. Nelyubov B. A. Drevnie Vostochnye Tserkvi: Malabarskaya Tserkov’ [Ancient Eastern Churches: Malabar Church]. Alfa i Omega [Alpha and Omega]. 1998, no. 5 (19), pp. 330–369. (In Russian).
4. Topychkanov P. V. Malankarskaya Tserkov’ [Malankara Church]. Moscow, Church Scientific Center “Orthodox Encyclopedia” Publ., 2021, vol. 43, pp. 168–171. (In Russian).
5. Khomullo E. Khozhdenie v Indiyu [Journey to India]. Portal Pravoslavie. ru [Portal Pravoslavie.ru]. (In Russian). Available at: https://pravoslavie.ru/91083.html (accessed 22.07.2023).
6. Topychkanov P. V. Diamperskii sobor [Diamper Cathedral]. Moscow, Church Scientific Center “Orthodox Encyclopedia” Publ., 2012, vol. 14, pp. 624–625. (In Russian).
7. Sokolov S., Priest Istoriya vostochnogo i zapadnogo khristianstva (IVXX veka) [History of Eastern and Western Christianity (4th – 20th centuries)]. Pravoslavnyi portal “Azbuka very” [Orthodox Portal “ABC of Faith”]. (In Russian). Available at: https://azbyka.ru/otechnik/Istorija_Tserkvi/istorija-vostochnogo-i-zapadnogo-¬hristianstva-4-20-veka/3_36 (accessed: 14.05.2023).
8. Augustine (Nikitin), Archimandrite Andronik (Elpidinskii) [Andronicus (Elpidinsky)]. Moscow, Church Scientific Center “Orthodox Encyclopedia” Publ., 2008, vol. 2, pp. 415. (In Russian).
9. George K. M. Bogoslovie tainstv v malankarskoi traditsii [Theology of the sacraments in the Malankara tradition]. Pravoslavnoe uchenie o tserkovnykh tainstvakh [Orthodox teaching on the Church sacraments]. Moscow, Synodal Biblical-Theological Commission Publ., 2009, vol. 3, Marriage. Repentance. Unction. Sacraments and Mysteries, pp. 571–585. (In Russian).
10. Soloviev S. Pravoslavnoe prisutstvie v strane Apostola Fomy [Orthodox presence in the country of the Apostle Thomas]. Portal Pravoslavie.ru [Portal Pravoslavie.ru]. (In Russian). Available at: https://pravoslavie.ru/124740. html (accessed 22.07.2023).
Downloads
Published
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
