O God, Help, Scatter My People

Dr. John Samuel*

The Mar Thoma Church germinated in the 19th century revival in the Malankara Church of Kerala, is stamping its presence in all the continents, as it approaches the bicentenary year. Though the roots of revival could be traced back to 17th century, it was an upsurge of our forefathers who participated in the act of God incarnated in Jesus Christ as revealed in the Bible. Hence it was quite natural and inevitable that they continued the mission entrusted with the Apostles and early disciples of Jesus to proclaim the Gospel and witness unto the uttermost part of the world. Abraham Mar Thoma who served the Church for three decades (1917-47) as Episcopa and later as Metropolitan during the interim period between the two world wars, discerned with farsightedness the possibilities in the midst of the perils and ruins of the wars. Thus, he offered a prayer to God at the 1920 Maramon Convention: "O God help my people to scatter to different lands.'' It was a genuine and honest prayer from his heart; and his vision is being realized even today.

The emigrants of Mar Thoma Church worldwide can generally be categorized into three classes. First, those who moved from old Travancore-Cochin area to other parts of India in search of living and employment. This group included those who had migrated to British Malabar area and owned cultivable lands and became agriculturists. It is believed that the first organized community of Marthomites was established at Madras in 1915. Second, those who migrated to Malaysia in search of jobs and for citizenship particularly after the first World war; and later in 1965 onwards to North America, Britain, and Australia. A third group was those who were to stay as immigrants in countries like Arabian Gulf and Africa for employment, knowing that they will have to return to homeland one day.

It was in Malayan archipelago that the first Mar Thoma community took shape outside India. The first founder member was one Mr. K.C. George who arrived in 1911 and later he became very popular as an expert in Plantation and Rubber industry. Followed by him, by 1935 more Marthomites arrived and the number increased considerably until the Malaysian government changed the laws in 1953.

A formal worship service was started at Clang Jubilee School in 1927. A vicar could be appointed only by 1936 due to restrictions on Work permit. Very Rev. T. N. Koshy arrived on Work permit as part-time teacher and he became the first vicar. Within one year he organized worship centres from Penang in north to Singapore in south. The migration was slow during the Second World War. But in due course more and more people started arriving. Hence the facilities for worship had to be expanded and as part of this one Mr. V.E. Joseph was ordained in 1947. Thereby the activities of the Church progressed considerably with the establishment of more communities. In 1952 a Church building with parsonage was constructed in Kaula Lumpur and in 1953 at Singapore and later in Clang. By 1958 a school with an auditorium was established in Singapore and the Church flourished very well. But the government-imposed restrictions in 1970 on the renewal of work permits; and thus, many of the emigrants lost their jobs. This resulted in an exodus of diaspora community and in the closure of small congregations in Malaysia. Thus, today the Diocese of Singapore - Malayasia - Australia - New Zealand together comprises of only 26 parishes. The present diaspora Marthomites are the fourth or fifth generations.

The Mar Thoma Diaspora in the continent of North America is different from that of other lands. The emigrants to this region were initially students. The first such student was Deacon N.M. Abraham, who sought admission during 1912-14 in Wycliff College in Canada for his master’s degree; and later he became Abraham Mar Thoma. The next person to follow him was K.K. Kuruvilla who joined Hartford seminary in 1920 for his post-graduate studies. He was the first principal of Mar Thoma Theological Seminary, Kottayam.

The next phase of emigrants was the educated people who arrived in North America for employment. This migration was spurred up by the liberal changes in immigration laws in 1956. Thus, the migration increased considerably and diaspora communities sprang up in many cities. It is worth noticing that the laymen in these cities took initiative to organize themselves as groups for prayer and worship and which later was converted as parishes. In 1976, the first such parish was established at Greater New York. The prayer group started by Rev. Abraham Lincoln in Trinity College chapel during his studies at Wycliff College during 1972-'75 became a congregation in 1978 at Toronto, Canada. The ordained persons who migrated for higher studies were the vicars initially. Followed by these, more and more congregations were established in various cities with unprecedented growth. And now the present diaspora community comprises of second or third generations. About three decades back, the North AmericaEurope diocese was set up to cover the present 86 parishes and auxiliary institutions including a large centre at Atlanta.

There are over 18 parishes in the Middle Esat, including seven parishes in Kuwait. In Africa there are two congregations and with all these the Mar Thoma Church has acquired the image of a global church.

Thus, a small group of Malankara Syrian Christians who resided on either side of Pamba River got inspired with the revival movement spread at a rapid speed throughout the old Travancore - Cochin area during the 19th century and by today all over the world. It was through its peculiar style of evangelization and willingness of people to migrate, the Church has acquired an urbanity, leaving away the simplicity and rustic life- style. Though small numerically, it is a Church linguistically, culturally, racially and socially diverse in stature. Thus, the ancient Church of the Syrian Christians conversed only in Malayalam has evolved a cosmopolitan face- lift.

The small and beautiful church buildings for worship constructed with the local funds mobilized from believers by skipping meals and setting apart a pinch or handful of rice grains everyday at meals; and their hard physical labour are replaced by huge structures of pomposity expending millions of rupees. To a certain extent, the flow of cash from diaspora community, particularly during the second half of the twentieth century has changed the mindset and outlook of Mar Thoma community towards luxury and undue comforts. Simultaneously during this period, the distorted value systems triggered with globalization and individualism has trapped the society at large and this in turn has drained away the essence and identity of the Mar Thoma Church. But conversely it has fattened its structures. Thereby the Church is moving towards a culture of pride and arrogance by blending the nobility and sanctity of the traditions to justify the new trends.

For the Israelites in exile, Zion was the symbol of spirituality that kept them evergreen amidst their afflictions. The sharing of these exilic experiences is expressed in the Book of Lamentations and also in the lamentation songs they chanted standing at the banks of rivers of Babel as we read in Psalms No. 137. They lost their nation, the king; and the City of God with temple and sacrifices; however, in this plight also, we sense their unbound patriotism and trust in God; which for them was the support in captivity. This, in fact, paved the way for the rise of synagogues in foreign lands in place of the temple. It created a sort of defensive mechanism against the attacks from enemies. The Word of God they heard in synagogues became sentry to the soul, not to slip into the worldly routines caused by allurements of illusion.

This recalls to the memories of the primitive Mar Thoma Diaspora communities in various lands, that they assembled frequently at regular intervals in groups for prayer, worship, and fellowship; recollecting their memories of the home land. But later, by the time these groups were institutionalized ecclesiastically, it became a transplantation of the Syrian Christian community from the soils of Pamba riverside to the soils in various lands in the world; and grew up, as that a Church in Kerala, sanitizing the customs, manners, beliefs and practices of the home land.

But for the Israelites in exile, it was a radical shift in their mode and nature of worship and prayer. The temple with traditional ceremonies and festivals centred around the sacrifice was transformed into a centre for spiritual empowerment through the reading and interpreting the Word of God with praise and worship in the synagogues. This variance in shift is an indicator and clue to the issues and challenges in the present-day generation of Mar Thoma diaspora community.

In any case, any attempt to glorify the stale and irrelevant past with its customs and practices will only generate frustrations among the new generation diaspora community. Ruminating over the past glories and heritage of proclaiming Abraham as father and Abraham Malpan as the founder of revival; and remaining indolent in the present is fleeing away from Christian responsibilities; and attempting to hide the wrongs of the present. Hence a fresh appraisal is inevitable on concepts like reformation, revival, eastern, Syrian and so on. It is through this exercise that the essence of the past which presents itself in the present is handed over to generations traditionally; and reformation is experienced as an unending process.

*Dr. John Samuel is a triple gold medalist for his academic standing at the master’s level and a Commonwealth Scholar. He earned his Ph.D. in Economics from University of Toronto in 1965. He worked for Canada’s Immigration Dept. from 1969 to 1996 and represented Canada at various meetings and conferences. He was adjunct research professor at Carlton University for 26 years, and was a consultant for the United Nations, International Labour Organization, and the Australian Government. Dr. Samuel has published extensively on immigration including invited chapters in many books as seen in Canadian Who’s Who. His 1994 publication, Separatism in Quebec is Dead: Demography is Destiny received extensive national publicity on the eve of the second Quebec referendum in 1995. He published his memoir, ‘Many Avatars: One Life’ in 2013.