The Epoch making declaration of His Grace Joseph Marthoma Metropolitan in Marina Hall on 4th May 2012 in the presence of more than 2000 ardent Marthoma believers that, the parish has been reinstated in Kuwait with its seniority and the name KUWAIT CITY MARTHOMA PARISH is the rarest in the history of Malankara Syrian Marthoma Church. Ever since its entity of over 175 years of history as a reformed church, the dissolution of an active parish and its reestablishment has never happened. Our Honorable Metropolitan and Episcopal Synod have taken this bold step in the paternal love of our Lord Jesus Christ by recognizing the integrity of their flock of sheep.
The whole episode is the culmination of misguided and immature advice of certain vested interests to the then Diocesan Bishop and his action based on it without understanding peoples’ true sentiments and relevant situation of the parish which survived 47 years of turmoil in a desert country. The ordinary people valued their tradition more than anything. Their fate was decided without considering their views and belief. This situation ignited an unwanted tussle which lasted for 14 months without any solution. During this period, this majority lead a “neo-satyagraha” for their right aligning their integrity to Almighty God, the Church and its leaders but rejecting the injustice. Finally, the Synod and the Metropolitan understood the real situation and was magnanimous to reestablish the parish.
To understand the root cause of the episode, we have to analyze various types of parish members:
1. First category is namesake members of church who do not value the tradition or the belief of
the church. They are either passive or too active in other denominations with Western view
of Christian life and theology. A vast majority of young generation belongs to this, which
comprise around 10% of the total population of the church. The present situation has no
impact on them and uses it as a pretext to distance from this church of our forefathers.
2. Second Category is very active in the day to day management of the church. Their main
motto is to hold positions of importance in the parish, mandalam or assembly of the main
church. Any hindrance to this aspiration, leads them to manipulate the situation to safeguard
their interest for power. For this, they are ready to betray their fellow believers, parish, church
and anything which they find as an obstacle. Their integrity is to “self” and not to Church,
its principles or its leaders. They are “Mir Sadiqs” in the community, who are ready to sell
everything for “self”. They comprise 10% of the total population. Such people were the
root cause of the dissolution of Kuwait Parish. For their vested interest, they conspired with
outsiders who shared similar views in materializing the downfall of the parish in Kuwait.
Fortunately, this minority has left us and is no more with us.
3. Third category is ordinary believers of the Church. They are aligned to the church, its
heritage and its principles to the core of their belief. They have no interest in the church
politics or positions. They comprise 80% of the population. They fought for their rights
during the last 14 months in the Marina Hall.
Now, the main challenge we are facing is the Second category as mentioned above. Though they have left us, there should not be any room for this tendency among us any more. We should have consensus among us to accommodate all in the management of the parish. We need leaders but not power mongers.
Another challenge is to bring back the first category to our own fold, as they are our future generation. Distancing younger generation is detrimental for a growing church. We should develop an atmosphere to accommodate them too in the light of changing world.
We have to be grateful to our Metropolitan and Episcopal Synod for resolving the issue amicably. Now our responsibility as a congregation is very heavy. We should not be over enthusiastic in our approach to others. We should not feel that we have defeated anybody. In any war, physical or psychological, nobody is a winner or a loser. In fact, we have lost our brothers, who worshipped with us for many years, and vice versa. We should mend the rift and try to co-exist in the Christian love, wherever we are. We should have the courage to forget and forgive our adversaries as our lord taught us. Time will heal all wounds.
Also we should continue our fellowship within the parish as in the days of difficulties resembling early Christian community of 1st century. We should not be relaxed in a secure atmosphere forgetting the past. Power politics should not be our goal and should not recur anymore. We should be “Democratic Socialists” in our Church life as Jesus taught us in his earthly life. Whatsoever happened is for good, whatsoever happening is for good, and whatsoever to happen is also for good.