By being Baptized or member of a Church, do not qualify one to be a Christian. It makes one “CHURCHENED” and not “CHRISTIANED”. Christianity, in true sense, is a way of life demonstrated by Jesus Christ in his earthly life revealing the unconditional love of God for the creations.
Church and its history in the medieval period is blood stained as power and money overruled Christian love and peace. Church become institutionalized and way of imposing authority over poor and marginalized. Monarchies with the support of Church waged war on humanity. Crusade, Spanish Inquisition, Goa Inquisition, persecution of reformers, are some of many atrocities committed in the name of Christianity. These Church sponsored inhumanity tarnished the image of Christianity and Christ.
Christianity as a religion is the culmination of sacrificial life of many devoted forefathers, who upheld the principles of Jesus Christ. Many were persecuted, by Religious Elites, for their effort to guard these principles. They were instrumental in the survival of Christianity and its triumphant advancement in the face of all adversities.
When St. Peter and others were persecuted by the Sanhedrin :[Gamaliel said]: ‘Leave these men alone!… For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.’ Acts 5.38-9. As the cause is from God, Christianity survived all odds and persecution.
Current day Church, is yet to reel out of its past errors. Autocratic management is an unending hurdle. Church is becoming more and more ritualistic. Rituals dominate the teachings of Jesus Christ. Rituals are gradually taking the shape of “IDOLATRY”. Priests and Leaders fail to understand that they can no longer rule laity with customs and rules. There is an explosive advancement in religious ideologies within and outside the Church. These challenges have to be addressed creatively. Church has to be inclusive in their outlook on self and other religions instead of being exclusive.
Does Church Guarantee Salvation?
Jesus Christ incarnated for the redemption of humanity. This gift of God is not restricted only to Christians or Jews or those of Abrahamic religions. God is not one’s private property as thought by all Semitic religions. Those, who conquer sinful nature and identify themselves to Jesus, are gifted with the salvation. Salvation is a process renewed every day till end of life. It cannot be substituted with customized rituals like baptism, Qurbana and other sacraments. These Rituals are that; psychologically prepare one for spiritual discipline. Christ’s way of life is a continued process in the fulfillment of salvation. One should be able to accommodate all in this universe from vegetation to animals and human. It is a mergence with the nature, which is God. God is not in the high place as many think. God is within you, and within all in this universe. God cannot be confined to a worship place like, Church, mosque or temple. One can see God in the poor, oppressed, sick, and enslaved. That is why Jesus said: I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Mathew 25: 36. It is an invitation to find God in your neighbor.
Is Priest mediator for Salvation?
Every religion in this world is Priest Dominated. Priests always, keep the scripture, Vedas, and other holy books alienated as a secret from the common man. They proclaim themselves to be the custodians of divine secrets and knowledge, thereby a mystery is created. Divine languages, hierarchy and lineage are pretext for their exclusivity. Jesus Christ neither instituted a religion nor ordained a priest. The disciples were not masters but servants of humanity. Jesus ordained servants for humanity in his service - not masters. It was a classless society based on love. Jesus ordained each and everybody to be his priests in the divine service to humanity. So salvation is open to all within the code of a loving society inheriting the life of Jesus Christ.
Is Church Leaders our Masters?
“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many." Mathew 20 : 28
How many of our leaders follow this? Episcopacy maintains an Imperialistic attitude in their thought and action. They do not want to reason with but to impose. For this purpose, they project an ‘ENTHRONED” Jesus and themselves as the ambassadors of Christ. They ascribe IMPERIALISTIC power to Jesus for their convenience. They proclaim divinity for them, which are imposed psychologically into the mind of common people from their childhood. It is a sort of psychological colonialization. They believe, scripture is binding common people and not them. They misinterpret scripture as a basis for their divine imperialistic authority. Jesus never lived as King. He was born in a manger amidst filth. He could have born in the Palace of Herod. He did not want to conquer this world of polity. He wanted to assist men in their pursuit for divine union. He lived among outcastes of the society. Can our leaders be our models in this way of life of Jesus? How many of them can live a life of poverty and misery like majority of population. Can they serve the public as one among them? Bishops ornament themselves with Golden Cross while proclaiming the wooden Cross of Jesus Christ as the way of life.
Is power of Polity and Money ruling the Church?
Current tendency of Church is to compromise with situation, for which its identity is mortgaged on many occasions. Powerful in the society- politically-financially-are using the Church for personal gain and Church is reciprocating it for their worldly gains. Many decisions of the Church, is brokered by these elites. Here ordinary people are simple game watchers. They are under the mercy of these power brokers. Minority is ruling the majority, who are helpless and destined to be ruled. Church democracy is name sake. It is often bent for implementation of Imperialistic, self willed and imposed ideas. Any rare attempt to challenge this tendency is brutally subjugated with the divine authority of excommunication and as such.
The Ruling Councils of the Church is filled with “YES MEN” by way of nomination or through parish elections, which resembles with the filthy political games. Church is for many a ladder for their political and financial aspiration to become members of powerful committees like management of Schools, Colleges, Hospitals, Clergy Selections, Bishop Selections and as such. Many of them are members for life through manipulations, nominations, and so on. They misuse their position as members of “INNER CIRCLE OF POWER” to misguide Bishops and clergy. They are always in the decision making body of the church. Church leaders are their pawn and people are their victims.
Is Christ in our Churches ?
Elites in the religious field are using religion as a source of worldly gains and status. The exposed, unimaginable assets in Sathya Sai Temple in Puttaparthi, Sree Padhmanabha Temple and unexposed assets in Churches and other religious system ask a question, whether God need Worldly Wealth? Millions are dying of starvation and poverty. Wealth amassed in the name of God is filling the Vaults with no use of it. EMPIRE BUILDING attitude of contemporary Christian churches is contradictory to what Jesus taught. Jesus cannot exist in such churches. We can see Jesus in the market place, among our neighbors, among the needy and outcaste. Let us consider the blessings, which we enjoy is the gift of God. We are not its owners but custodians. It is to be shared with our fellow beings and not to be stored.
Jesus taught us to love our fellow beings irrespective of their religion, language and status. By giving divinity to our leaders, we make ourselves idolaters. All of them are human beings with limitations. Any wrong steps by them should be questioned and corrected instead of accepting it as a divine decree. Jesus never taught us to be unwise and timid. Let us make the church the abode of God instead of that of human selfishness. Do not compromise injustice.
What are the Reformation Principles of Martin Luther?
- Every believer is a PRIEST. Priestly mediation is not Scriptural.
- God judge Humanity based on belief and not on rituals.
- Christian life and belief is based on Scripture and not on systems and heritage of Church
- Symbolic fellowship with Christ and co-believers is the basis of Holy Communion.
A Question to All: Is Marthoma Church true to its Reformist Mission?