Meeting the Mar Thoma Christians

Notes: The author visited the Mar Thoma Church in Kerala India for Christmas 1996. The Church is very involved in social work and its programs include a hostel to provide education for the daughters of coastal fisher folk and Aha Bhavan ("the House of Hope"), a home for disabled children. When he was asked when the Mar Thoma Church would ordain women, Bishop Philipose Mar Chrysostom replied instantly "When Jesus returns. We think that women are so important that Jesus himself must ordain them." Connor commented: "I can think of a number of people who might wish they had thought of that line !"

Subjects: Mar Thoma Syrian Church - India; Philipose Mar Chrysostom, Bishop; Christians - India; Church and social problems - India; Social justice - Mar Thoma Syrian Church