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H. G. Dr. Geevarghese Mar Osthathios Metropolitan
(This Portion of article is taken from the book ‘Vaideekarude Vaideekan’, a Commemorative
volume in honour of Great Theologian Rev. Dr. V. C. Samuel)
Dr. Fr. V. C. Samuel of blessed memory was born in 1912 AD, four years before I was born and two
years before First World War started. Hence he is my elder brother not only spiritually but also
physically. I was born after the end of the world war. He was my teacher literally as I owe much of
my theology to his all inclusive Orthodox Theology over against the popular view that Orthodox
theology is Eastern and the Catholic and Protestant theologies are Western. As Dr. John
Meyendorff of St. Vladimir Seminary, who was also the Moderator of the Faith and Order
commission of WCC, has written, Orthodox Theology is Catholic and Universal, including the
Eternal Truth of Western Churches also.
Our friendship has continued for more than half a century. Bishop Pakenham Walsh has inspired
both of us at Christu Sishya Ashram, Thadakom near Coimbatore. When Fr. Samuel’s marriage was
solemnized in Thadakom Ashram chapel, I was deacon and the best man for the wedding
ceremony. Another great man who was influenced both of us was Sadhu Mathaichen of
Manganam Ashram. Once Sadhu Mathaichen told me that my going around for convention
speeches, was like an expert woodcutter who moved from tree to tree in the forest using the
sharp axe to cut each tree and finally looked back and realized that no tree had fallen to ground.
While I was a research student in Serampore College, 1961‐62 Dr. V. C. Samuel was professor of
theology there and he has helped me in my research on the Nichene Creed, which was first
published by Theological Literature Committee (TLC) entitled Njangal Viswasikkunnu (We Believe).
I am also grateful to the late Dr. M. M. Thomas who edited it and made it better than what I
wrote. I was in touch with Samuel Achen during his tenure as professor in the United Theological
College, Bangalore and also at Haili Selassi University in Addis Ababa. In one of my trips in Europe,
I visited him in Ethiopia, as invited by him. His ability to teach Theology, Church History, and Indian
Philosophy and many other subjects was great indeed.
His Great Contribution:
His defiance of the pre‐Chalcedonian Theology is his greatest contribution. His Doctoral thesis with
the title ‘The Council of Chalcedon Re‐Examined’ (Published by the Senate of Serampore College,
1977) is still considered as classic. I had the privilege to be one of the Oriental Orthodox
theologians who as a participant in three earliest dialogue with the eminent Roman Catholic
theologians in the Pro‐Oriente Consultations in Vienna, Austria in the seventies, in which all the
participants had to agree with the scholarly findings, which our beloved Samuel presented
convincingly. Of course, Father Paul Varghese also had a herculian task to change the mind of
Roman Catholic theologians and patristic scholars to recognize that we must stop blaming each
other as if conceptualization of ultimate truth is as final Truth itself. Thank God that he used Dr. V.
C. Samuel more than any other for the agreed statement on Christology, bridging the gap that
existed from 451 AD, between the pre‐Chalcedonian and Chalcedonian Christologies. But for the
research work of Achen this would not have been possible. Similarly, the Baptism, Eucharist and
Ministry (BEM) Document of Faith and Order commission of WCC, which was passed unanimously
in the Commission meeting in Lima, Peru, also contains significant amendments proposed by our
Dr. V. C. Samuel Achen, for which also I was a witness and sharer of ideas.
A Linguist among the Syriac Scholars of our Church:
His Holiness Baselios Augen I and Dr.V.C.Samuel should be given the great credit, as Syriac
Malpans. Dr.V.C.Samuel was also an authority on St. Severus of Antioch and many other Syriac
writers and theologians. He has told me that he had read all most all the Syriac books available in
Manjanikkara and other Syriac libraries in Kerala. For his doctoral studies, he had to specialize
Greek, French and German. He knew Sanskrit as was also a teacher of Indian Philosophy. His
research on Ramakrishna Mission convinced him that it also needs more respect to Christian faith.
His B.A. and M.A. degrees were in Indian and Western philosophies. While a Professor in Addis
Ababa, he studied the Ethiopian language of Amharic also. He had a number of Post Doctoral
fellowships also to deepen his knowledge of Protastant, Roman Catholic, Byzantine, Oriental
Orthodox theologies and Indian philosophies of Sankara, Ramanuja, Madhva, Sree Narayana Guru
as well as Islam, Buddhism and Jainism. He was familiar with fifteen languages and scholar in at
least five, namely, Syriac, Malayalam, English, Hebrew and Greek, which he could teach his
students.
From Jacobite Faith to Orthodox:
His conversion from Jacobite theology, to the Orthodox, was not a sudden emotional change, but
due to his deep study of Church history and Christian dogma of faith. Those who want to study it
in details are asked to read his own publications such as:
1. Malankara Anthiocian Bandhathile Chila Charithra Sathyangal (Certain Historical Facts about
the Malankara Antiochene Relations). Theological Seminary, P.B.611, Kottayam.
2. Malankara Sabhayude Anthiokian Bandham (Antiochean Connection of Malanakara Church)
OTS Kottayam.
3. Truth Triumphs, Catholicate Aramana, Kottayam
4. Sabha Valarunnu (Church Grows) OTS (Available in English also)
5. Adhunika Bharatha Sabha (Modern Indian Church) OTS. (English Translation is under
Progress)
There are numerous articles of Dr. V. C. Samuel Achen, published in the Church Weekly ‐ Alwaye,
Malankara Sabha – Kottayam, Malankara Sabha Deepam – Kottayam. May I suggest the Dr. V. C.
Samuel Ecumenical Forum to collect such valuable articles and print them in volumes. This will
help the future generation’s research.
Among the many differences between Jacobite Syrian and Orthodox Churches, the following
points are worthy.
* To the Orthodox churches there is no Episcopal pipeline, Episcopal succession from St. Peter,
who calls himself a Co‐Presbyter (1 Peter 5: 11)
* Timothy’s ordination was from St. Paul (2 Tim. 1: 6), One Christ, 12 Apostles.
* There is no pyramidical hierarchy with St. Peter at the top
* The Holy Trinity is the model of Synodical Collegiality
* The Patriarch or Catholicose has no veto power.
* The Universal Head of the Church is Jesus Christ.
* Orthodox Churches are National Churches and the Ecumenical Patriarch is only titular head with
no juridical or administrative Authority over National Orthodox churches. Dr. V. C. Samuel
joined Orthodoxy due to such convictions.
From Subjective History to Objective History:
It is usually assured by existentialists that all history if fact plus subjectivity and that nature is
unknowable. There is some truth in this statement for example the history of Second World War
written by Hitler is incompatible with Winston Churchill’s history of the same. Similarly E.M.Philip
and Z.M.Paret have written the connection of our Church with Antioch differently. It is only after
the researches of Rev.Dr.V.C. Samuel that our relationship with the Patriarch of Antioch has
become more objective than ever before. At present Rev.Dr.T.I Varghese also fully agree with
Samuel Achen’s history of Antiochene connection. Both of them show the ambiguity of the
Catholicate history taught in our own Seminary in the past. Some Roman Catholic historian also
feel that we have the right in to establish our own Catholicate and that we need not equate the
Maprianete under the Antiochene Patriachate as autonomous Catholicate. We have of course the
heritage of St. Thomas, the Apostle. We need not drag St. Peter ‘s throne of apostolic succession
to show our antiquity. Modern history of Catholicate that started in 1912 AD is enough for our
independent Catholicate history.
In his famous book ‘TRUTH TRIUPHS’ which is an objective study of the Biography of Mar Dionysius
IV (Vattaseril Thirumeni) elucidate the liberation of our church from the authoritative rule of the
Patriarch of Antioch. Fr. Dr. Samuel says that if the Antiochene Church had political power as of
the Roman Catholic Church, we would not have got the freedom from Antioch, which we enjoy
from 1912 and in early period. The constitution of 1934 is a ‘Magna Carta’ of our Church, for
which our debt to Mar Dionysius IV is indescribable. As I am not a historian, do not want to go into
the details about the fruits of the precious historical contributions the eminent scholar, Dr. Samuel
Achen, except to point out that our Church should be Indian Church and not Syrian Church,
especially for our mission work in India.
The call to be an Indian Church:
Read the book ‘Ithu Oru Indian Sabhayo?’ (Is this an Indian church? ‐ CLS, Thiruvalla, 1975). This
was a dream of Dr. V. C. Samuel and a day may come when his dream may actualized, as we are at
present far from it. As I am also interested in the missionary being and becoming of our Church, I
agree with his relevant arguments in favour of an Indian Orthodox Church discernible in his
writings.
• The incarnation principle of contextualization.
• Syriac is a dead language and so let us study or inculturate the Indian language.
• Our better ecumenism should be with the Marthoma Church, Church of South India and North
India and mot to the Oriental and Byzantine Churches far away from us, though we need not
severe our wider ecumenism. We are blessed.
• Local culture and self‐support we have inherited from the past history will make us more
welcome to Hindu brethren.
• St. Thomas, the Apostle was sent to India by Christ, and we have forgotten his name and
mission.
• Study of Indian religion, dialogue with them and sharing our resources mutually are our
bounden duties.
• We are Indians and not Syrians and using Syriac language and heritage doesn’t make us
Syrians.
• The Ethiopian Church has developed their own liturgy, instead of Coptic we can also have
Indian liturgies, prayers etc., without depending on Syriac liturgy, prayers etc., forever.
• Our Church will come of age only when we are an Indian church
• The Syrian church is not a role model of our mother Church. Her contributions, like that of the
earlier Nestorian Church, is a fact of history, but our destiny is that of an Indian church, with
no foreign supremacy.
• The fault is not only in the desire of the Patriarch of Syria, of whom have tried their best to
have control over material wealth of our Church, but also undue loyalty that a minority section
of our church who do not realize that this church founded by St. Thomas, is Indian Orthodox
Church, like other national autonomous, autocephalous Churches which have the God given –
capabilities to be a self supporting Church which a great missionary responsibility in India.
The Supreme Court in accepting the 1934 AD Constitution has said that the Patriarch’s
administration has come to a vanishing point and so there is no legal or spiritual hurdle for our
church to be an Indian Church.
Conclusion:
This brief article is a sign of my humble homage to Dr. V. C. Samuel to whom my debt is more than
I can describe in words. Malankara Orthodox Church will cherish his life and work as an authority
in church and religions and as profound theologian, efficient professor, a model friend of poor
including me and an Ecumenist whom the Churches around the world respect. His books and
messages will be living forever, though he is beyond the veil.
May he rest with Aaron and all the Saintly priests in paradise. I know that he is interceding for me
also to the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for whom He lived and died. On my part, I pray for the
response of his soul at the Holy Altar.
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