Fr. Jerry Kurian is a priest, theological educator and public speaker with interests in blogging, social media, theatre, internet ethics, preaching, life skills and leadership training.
Repenting and changing is
easier said than done. Many a time we are brought up in a way whereby we don’t know
how to identify our shortcomings and problems. We also don’t have positive
relationships and friends which and who can tell us how to change without
hurting us. Even our partner may have limitations in this regard as lack of
time and increasing work leads to very less time left for interaction, let
alone to help each other out in this regard. We also need someone whom we
respect, can listen to and whose judgment we will accept. This lent partner can
be anyone and yet has to be someone who knows us well and is able to invest
time to show us who we really are. It can be one’s husband, wife, brother, sister, friend or
acquaintance.
St. Matthew 7: 4 says “Or
how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye, when
there is the log in your own eye?” What this suggests is that we need help to
identify our faults. But we also can’t rush to help someone identify their
shortcomings unless we are given permission for that.
Having a lent partner is
to get into a positive relationship of friendship whereby both people agree to
help each other. One is not above the other and one is not more a sinner than
the other. The relationship reflects love and compassion and is to help in every
possible way. We need a mirror, a person who can see us and understand us.
There are things we don’t know about us and not identifying them and working on
them this lent would be a shame because our Lenten experience will be left
incomplete.
A lent partner also just
does not tell us about things we can change but also tells us things that are
good about us. Things which we have never thought about. Small but important
things of consequence and value. Something appreciative. A daily conversation
in this regard prevents us from searching for the speck in someone’s eye and
will help us find the log in our own eye. Such self-appraisal and understanding
through someone’s eyes are what we miss during lent and what makes lent the opposite
of what we intend it to be.
Having a lent partner is
mutual and starts with the interest and permission of someone asking us to be
their lent partner. It is not something where we ask someone or force someone
to make us their lent partner. It is not one sided whereby we offer our help
and do not want to be helped by the other person. The mutual trust, respect and
honour are critical to such a partnership.
A lent partner is not
just someone who loves us and is concerned about our welfare. Primarily both
should be in love with Christ Jesus and follow the teachings of Christ. That
should be the first thing in common and the first concern. St. Paul says in 2
Corinthians 8: 23 “As for Titus, he is my partner and co-worker in your
service.” It is of concern that people belonging to the same church and even
priests who are colleagues find it difficult to share things with each other,
because it can be used against them at a later point in their ministry. This is
immensely sad and also prevents priests from getting good lent partners.
This can also be a
realisation for priests to have their own partner as their lent partner or to
have a lay person as their lent partner. The open mindedness to have an un ordained
person as a lent partner will in itself be an acceptance of the willingness to
be open for repentance and change. May God show us someone who can positively
show us our shortcomings and start a conversation which will lead to repentance
and change. Amen.
As we come across Valentine’s
Day messages, loved up snaps of couples in courtship and already married, it
will bid well to go back to the story of St. Valentine. Whether mythical or
not, we are reminded of the story of the young priest who gives support to young
couples who wanted to get married. The decree of Emperor Claudius that young
men should not get married as he wanted a strong army is then challenged and
opposed. Valentine is thrown into jail and later tortured and killed for this.
Churches and other religious
institutions oppose Valentine’s Day because of the way it has been commercialized
and has become a means of selling merchandise including red flowers, cards and
other gifts. Special candle light dinners, vacations and offers are also added
to the list of temptations. Young couples feel forced to spend money on each
other to prove their love. The commercialization of this day can indeed be
opposed even though I reject arguments that Valentine’s Day itself is against
Indian culture.
Dr. B. R. Ambedkar’
observation that inter caste weddings are the real remedy for breaking caste
can be read and interpreted for Valentine’s Day. But what is really happening
in India? Marriage murders and honor killings are the rule of the day even in
2024. Either men from a Dalit background are killed for marrying a girl from an
upper caste or a girl who belongs to an upper caste is killed for marrying someone
from a lower caste or another community. These killings are not limited to
certain parts of India only as was seen in 2018 in the case of the torture and
murder of Kevin Joseph in Kerala or as late as 2023 when a 14 year old girl in
Kerala was tortured by her own father and given pesticide due to which she
later died. All because she was in a relationship with a boy from another
community. In all cases, the justification of the parents is that they killed
because they loved their child!
1 Corinthians 13:6 says
that love does not rejoice in wrong doing but rejoices in the truth. Since when
has the church started being against love? Or is the church and are other
religions thinking of caste over and ahead of God and love? Valentine’s Day is
a time to go beyond celebrations and to light a candle for all the couples who
deeply loved each other and yet could not live together because of the narrow
mindedness of their family, religion and even church. The passion shown by
churches to talk about and preach about their community and not about our Lord Jesus
means that caste and community matter more to us and this should be called out
and rejected at any cost.
Today is a day of taking
a stand, of supporting, of being strong so that those in love can be together.
A priest should be a custodian of love, a custodian of couples who are in love
and a custodian of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We need more Valentine priests
in our midst. Priests who can reflect the zeal of St. Valentine, who gave his
life for the happiness of young couples. The church has to also come clear on
this and stop preaching importance of community and caste and give protection,
legal help and spiritual guidance to young couples from different castes and
communities who want to get married. The church has to become a safe space for
love, the preaching of love, the enacting of love and for people in love.
Fr. Jerry Kurian is a priest of the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church and
an alumnus of the New Indian School, Kuwait, the Marthoma Residential School, Thiruvalla, S.B. College, Changanachery, UTC, Bangalore and GLTC, Chennai. He
is now the Vicar of the St. George Simhasana Church, Thiruvalla.
Jerry Kurian taught at the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Theological
Seminary (MSOTS) for a period of five years before joining for his
research and then taught in the United Theological College, Bangalore for six years. He now teaches at the Believers Eastern Seminary in Thiruvalla. He has many years of pastoral experience as well. He is a theological educator, public speaker, blogger, theatre enthusiast, preacher and leadership and life skills trainer.
His research interests include new media, the internet, public speaking,
drama, film analysis, communication and mission, alternative media,
alternative journalism, traditional media, social networking, blogs,
communication and women's liberation and communication and climate
change.
Fr. Jerry believes his calling is to
teach and pastor towards an inclusive society where everyone will be a
part of our spiritual expression and everyone will benefit from the
liberative gospel of Jesus Christ. He believes Orthodox Christianity has
many things to offer in the diverse ecumenical and religious
environment of India. He affirms that proper Communication can lead to a
just society.
Asia Communication Sunday worship order for the WACC Asia
Communication Sunday booklet June, 2010
Presentation on ‘God’s providence and the youth in the
church’ in Yercadu on July 24, 2010.
Meditations for Gurukul Daily Devotion 2011 submitted in
October, 2010.
‘Rights of (Vulnerable) Children and the New Media:
Challenges for the church in India’.
Paper presented in the seminar on ‘Children and their rights: A Theological
exploration’, Chennai on November 15-17, 2010.
‘Examining the claims of the Information Revolution:
Social Revolution or Knowledge Capitalism’. Published in KCC magazine,
November, 2010.
‘The woman and Jesus. A bible study on Luke 7: 36-50’.
Presented for the NCCI workshop on ‘Daring to study scriptures publicly and
sensually’ on 5-2-2011, Chennai. This was later published by NCCI.
‘The essence of Lent: Learning and struggling to bend our
knees, mend our hearts, and lend our hands’. Published in CSI Life magazine,
March, 2011.
Co-edited the WACC Asia Communication Sunday booklet June,
2011.
Poem/song on “Vulnerability in
the midst of Climate Change”, p.8 in Asia Communication Sunday booklet,
Communicating Climate Justice, WACC-AR, June 26, 2011.
Co-edited the Asia Communication
Sunday booklet, 2011.
Bible study for the BTESSC-UTC
workshop on “Online Training Techniques and Different Possibilities” on August
30, 2011.
“Media Ethics, the main line
media and new (social) media: A case for alternative people’s journalism”-
paper presented for the UTC alumni meeting in October, 2011.
Meditations for the Gurukul
Daily Devotion, 2012, GLTC, Chennai, 2012, “Neighbourly Relations and Christian
discipleship”, pp. 289-296.
Article on “Christ the
Revolutionary” published in Assisi Magazine, February-March 2012, Vol.58, Issue
2, Assisi Ashram, Bharananganam, Kottayam, Kerala, pp. 20-22.
Presentation on “Bollywood and
the Construction of Masculinities” in the WCC-SCMI gender training workshop on
March 20, 2012 in UTC, Bangalore.
Article on “Alternative Media
and Journalism as a framework for Communicating Peace” published in the Clark
Journal Of Theology (Theological Reflections on Peace building), Vol. II. No.
1, January- June, 2012.
Article titled
“The Church, Human Sexuality and Challenging the Unchallenged” in the Gurukul
Journal of Theological Studies (Human Sexuality: Theological and Biblical
Reflections), Vol XXIII, No. 2, June, 2012. This was published in December,
2012.
Presentation on “Forms of
spirituality” to 50 ordained pastors from CSI Rayalaseema and Nandyal
Dioceses on July 3, 2012 at Vishranthi Nilayam, Bangalore.
Presented a bible study on
Genesis 4:3-9 titled “Am I the reason for the divide” (A bible study on the
digital divide) for the SCMI Centenary Bible Study workshop on September 6-8,
2012. This was later published by the SCMI and released during its centenary
celebrations.
UTC alumni refresher course
presentation on “Lord Renew the Church: Begin From Me. Empowered by the Spirit
of Renewal: People of God as the True Agents of Change. Internet as a catalyst
for building an alternative community for church renewal” in October, 2012.
Class for youth of Mumbai
diocese of the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church on November 16, 17 and 18, 2012
on “Who and what am I for God”.
Took sessions on “Media and
Leadership” and “Cyber ethos and internet de-addiction” for the Fest Zoe 2012
(Ecumenical Youth Leadership Training Camp) with the theme Beyond
Globalization, Youth Culture, Mission
and Leadership on
November 14, 15, 2012. It was conducted by the The CSI Department of Pastoral Concerns and the
Department of Ecumenical Relations & Ecological Concerns in the CSI Synod
Centre, Royapettah, Chennai.
Presented a paper on “The Internet and
Alternative Media for Communicating Peace” for the Faculty Research Seminar in
the UTC on November 28, 2012.
Recorded a Jacobite Syrian Orthodox
worship liturgy cd in English on November 29, 30, 2012. The CD was released on May 5, 2013.
Did a presentation on
“Christian Communication, internet and alternative Communication” and helped in
the sessions on “Reporting and Editing” in the workshop on “Communicating Ecological Justice”, held at CSI Synod Guest House, from 3rd to 5th Dec
2012. It was conducted by WACC and the CSI Synod.
Took a session on “Exodus: A
journey to Togetherness” for the youth of the Bangalore diocese of the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox
Church on January 26, 2013.
“Lord
Renew the Church: Begin From Me. Empowered by the Spirit of Renewal: People of
God as the True Agents of Change. Internet as a catalyst for building an
alternative community for church renewal” done for the UTC alumni refresher
course was published in the latest issue of the Masihi Sevak, UTC.
Initiated the discussion for
Dr. Joseph George’s faculty research seminar paper on “Changing patterns of
Relationships in the Cyberage: Challenges and Directions for Ministry in India”
on February 27, 2013.
Attended the NCCI sub
committee meetings on March 6, 7, 2013 in Gurukul, Chennai. Apart from the
Commission on Communication, was also nominated to the Centenary Celebrations
sub committee to prepare a documentary on the NCCI.
Paper presented on “An Ecumenical
View on Churches View of the Eucharist. A Critical Discussion” for theologians
across India in the
Ecumenical Christian Centre (ECC), Bangalore
on May 15, 2013.
Presentation on “Church: The
Sacramental Sign of Hope. The church and internet: Hope in the New Age” for the
CSI Central Kerala Youth Pre Assembly in May, 2013.
Presentation on “Media values in India” to a study group from Edinburgh University
in June, 2013.
Retreat for teachers of the CSI
Institute of Technology, Nagercoil on July 8, 2013.
Presentation on “Women and
Migration” for a CSI Synod programme in Vishranthi Nilayam, Bangalore in July, 2013.
Article on “The Internet and
Alternate Media as Christian Communication” published in the National Council
of Churches in India (NCCI) review in July, 2013.
Skit direction and presentation
for the National Council of Churches in India- World Council of Churches pre
assembly seminar in Bangalore
in August, 2013.
Presentation on “Blogs and
writing” and “The Spirituality of writing” in the Writers’ workshop for pastors
conducted by the United Basel Mission and UTC in Mumbai YMCA on September 16,
2013.
Scripted, directed and edited a
documentary on the United Theological College,
Bangalore in
October, 2013. This was screened in the World Council of Churches Assemby in Busan, South
Korea.
Part of the NCCI centenary
documentary team working on a documentary for the NCCI.
Presentation on “Living with God
in the Contemporary World” for the Tangkhul Christian Fellowship, Bangalore on November 1,
2013.
“Media, Culture and Religion:
Alternative Media as a New Religious Expression in India.” Paper presented to the St.
Olaf College, U.S. students in the Ecumenical Christian Centre, Whitefield, Bangalore on November 5,
2013.
“Christian perspective on media
and youth advocacy for social change.” Paper presented to college students from
all over India at the
Student Christian Movement India Centre in Bangalore on November 15, 2013.
Paper on “Orkut, Facebook,
Tumblr: What next?” presented for the National Ecumenical Youth Pre-assembly of
the NCCI in Goa via video conference on Nov
18, 2013.
Chapter on “Media Ethics” in
December, 2013 for Sunday school students of the Kottayam diocese of the
Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church in their book for senior Sunday school
students.
Presentation on “Atrocities
against Women” in ECC, Bangalore
on Feb, 2014.
Article on the Patriarch Ignatius
Zakka I Iwas titled “Patriarch Ignatius Zakka I Iwas: The Equinox on which the
Church rode three decades” published in the Malankara World Journal in March,
2014.
Paper presented on “Ecclesiology in
the Cyber Age” in the NCCI seminar held in Bangalore on June 26, 2014.
Paper presented on “Informed Prodigy
or Juvenile Criminal” in the National workshop on Crimes by Juveniles in India
on July 30, 2014.
“Theatre as a pedagogical framework
for theological education”. Faculty seminar presented on October 29, 2014.
"Media, Culture and
Religion". Presentation in ECC for the St. Olaf Seminary students on
November 6, 2014.
Main speaker for the District Youth
Conference of the Marthoma Church in Bangalore on May 14-17, 2015.
Paper presented on “Media and
Spirituality: A journey of the church into the lives of people” on June
27, 2015 in the Marthoma Seminary, Kottayam, Kerala.
Paper presented on “Religion in the
Market Place: The Changing environment of Women in the Church” in the National
Seminar on Role of Women in the Christian Church: An ecumenical perspective,
conducted by BTESSC and the MSOT seminary in the MSOTS, Ernakulam, Kerala on
July 14, 2015.
Presentation made to St. Olaf students on "Media and Spirituality" on
October 26, 2015 at the Ecumenical Christian Centre, Whitefield,
Bangalore.
Main speaker for the Marthoma Church Regional Youth Conference, Delhi on November 10-13, 2015.
Produced and acted in the College play "The Nation of refugees" on December 3, 2015 in UTC.
Paper titled “Religion in the market place: The
changing environment of women in the church” published in the Bangalore
Theological Forum, Bangalore, Vol. XLVII, No.2, December, 2015.
Produced and acted in the play “The Nation of the
Refugees” in an entire new location and format on March 4 and 5, 2016.
Paper titled “Theatre as a pedagogical expression
for theological education” published in the Hekamtho Theological Journal Vol 1,
No. 2, MSOT Seminary, Ernakulam, Kerala in March, 2016.
Presented a paper on “The Theatrical expression of
the Eucharist” in the National seminar for Theological Students in ECC,
Whitefield, Bangalore on May 18, 2016.
Presented
a paper on "Role of Media in Environmental Justice" in the National
seminar on "Environmental Justice: Issues and Challenges." on July 6,
2016.
Took
two sessions for the youth on the theme "Get up: Don't be afraid
(Matthew 17:7)" at the International Youth Conference of the Assyrian
Church of the East on July 22, 2016.
Presented a paper on "Maoists and Social Media" in the National seminar on "The Red Corridor and Maoism: Issues and Challenges"on August 19, 2016.
Took a session on "Women in the Church" for the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox
Bangalore diocese women's fellowship one day meeting on August 27,
2016.
Gave two talks on the theme "New Creation in Christ" for the first youth
conference of the CSI Malabar diocese on September 12, 13, 2016 and
took a session on Internet de-addiction on September 12, 2016.
Preached in the Naga Christian Fellowship Bangalore for their Power House service on September 25, 2016.
Presented a paper on "Transforming
discipleship in a changing nation: Social media as a tool for ministering to
the youth in church" for the UTC alumni refresher meeting on October 19, 2016.
Took a session on the Jacobite church, its faith and theology to a group from the University of Colombia, U.S. in January, 2017 at the St. Ignatius JSO Church, K.R. Puram, Bangalore.
Presentation on "Women in the Church" in the Jacobite Church Women's Conference held in May, 2017.
Conducting special youth worship in English once every month from June, 2017 in St. Mary's JSO Cathedral Queen's Road, Bangalore.
Completed a relic room which has the relic of St. Ignatius Elias III and a building (G+3) of close to 20,000 sq ft which includes a hall, class rooms and two badminton courts in the St. Ignatius JSO Church, K. R. Puram, Bangalore.
Speaker for the Family Conference of the St. George Jacobite Church, Al Ain held in November, 2017
Spoke to the international group from the Union Biblical Seminary on the Jacobite church, its faith and practices, in January, 2018.
VBS director for the Vacation Bible School of the St. Ignatius Jacobite Church, Dubai held in March, 2018.
VBS director for the Vacation Bible School of the St. George Jacobite Church, Al Ain held in April, 2018.
VBS director for the Vacation Bible School of the St. Mary's Soonoro Cathedral, Sharjah held in March, 2019.
Retreat director for the priests of the Colombo Diocese Anglican Church of Sri Lanka held in July, 2019.
Has been writing daily prayers for an online audience from 2017 onwards.
Has been writing quite
regularly in a personal blog on social, religious and cultural affairs @ www.jerryachensworld.blogspot.in
Lent helps to cleanse our soul and make us better
people. But when people talk of the struggles that they face in life, anger is
one of the top most things that come out. There are many people who say that
he/she is a good person but can’t control their anger. It is interesting to
note that many people who have diet restrictions and fasting end up being angrier
than others. It could also be due to the frustration of not being able to eat
properly or even the fluctuation of blood sugar levels. Whatever it is, anger
in men and women becomes one significant thing that people can change during
lent but it is easier said than done. It should also be noted that channelizing
anger rather than completely doing away with anger perhaps is a better model. Can an anger fast then be a meaningful fast for us during lent?
Whichever ladder of the hierarchy we belong to,
anger should not be a part of our repertoire. A priest should not get angry at
his congregation, a father and mother at their child/children, siblings to one
another, friend to another friend and colleague to colleague. There is no
justification for anger as it is unsettling for our body and soul. Thomas Aquinas wrote that anger can
become a mortal sin if “through the fierceness” of the anger a person “falls
away from the love of God and his neighbor.” Getting angry at someone is not a
solution to a problem and neither can it be justified citing seniority and more
experience. The more one has seen the world, the more one should be able to
channelize one’s anger as we can’t justify getting angry at God’s creation
because it is like getting angry with God.
Ephesians
4:26 says “In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are
still angry.” Our fasting and lent should teach us and reform us to deal with
our anger. Some of us fast till noon, some afternoon and some evening. But what
use will it be if we can’t channelize our anger properly? We justify anger
because we do not see it as part of morality and morality
is what concerns us the most than anything else. James 1:19-20 says “My dear brothers and sisters,
take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow
to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that
God desires.” We jump at something we hear and don’t even think for a moment or
say a small prayer. It is the spur of the moment and then we can’t take back
what we said.
Anger
mostly only instills fear in others and we are not justified in instilling fear
in others as that would lead to forcing people into things. Nothing forced will
last in life. We sometimes get angry at one word or one action. Proper prayer
will give us the strength to be patient and understanding. One explanation of
diet restriction for lent is that ordinary food makes us calm and patient. But
this may not be the case always because people can be bitter with the fact that
they are on a lent or that they are doing this for someone. This may not help.
Anger will not get us anywhere. Matthew 5:22 says “But I tell you that anyone
who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment…” Lent is a
hope for a better tomorrow. By getting angry and judging others we are falling
into judgment ourselves. This does not in any way fulfill the reason for lent.
The Psalmist puts it more directly in Psalm 37:8-9, “Refrain from anger and
turn from wrath; do not fret- it leads only to evil. For those who are evil
will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.”
Aristotle said something very thought provoking and
it is “To become angry is easy. To be angry with the right person, to the right
degree, at the right time, for the right purpose and in the right way - that is
not easy.” Even when we say that lent is a good time to do away with anger or
channelize anger properly there are two things that should qualify that. In a
house it could mean that the wife can never get angry because she will have the
burden of being patient and keeping quiet to prevent a tensed situation. This
may lead to the explanation by a husband that his wife did not allow him to
observe a true lent because she did not understand his anger and keep quiet and
instead got angry herself leading to a reaction from him. Anger sometimes has to be talked out between family
and friends as otherwise it will come out at an unexpected time. This is a
danger that we ignore. Husband and wife or partners should use lent as a time
to talk about frustrations, dreams, unaccomplished things, misunderstandings
and plans. This will become properly channelized anger as the anger inside will
come out instead of being suppressed.
The second thing is righteous anger which is often
quoted by many in church as a justification to get angry. Michael Perrott talks
of Jesus getting angry at the temple. This is seen in three gospels in Matthew
21, Mark 11 and John 2. By and large I have seen this as a passage used by
church leaders to justify getting angry in church and in certain cases refusing
to reconcile. But Perrott has a different explanation of the righteous anger of
Jesus. He says that the shops and the money exchange happened in the place
which was for the gentiles. All this activity denied them an opportunity to
worship in a certain section of the temple. So it was not only that they were
confined to a certain section but that even that was taken over by commercial
interests. This was when Jesus got very angry. I look back at the three years
of pastoral ministry in my latest church. I have got angry very few times. But
once I had an outburst and everyone in church was surprised. It was because
there was talk of pushing a family out of church for a flimsy reason. I can
understand how Jesus would have felt when certain people were denied an opportunity
to worship God.
So channelizing our anger and expressing righteous anger for
the right reasons are how we qualify not getting angry. But otherwise anger
will not get us anywhere and we will only drown in our own anger. Lent is an
excellent opportunity to reform ourselves from being angry people to channelizing
our anger and expressing rightful and righteous anger like Jesus did, for the
people of God. May we be able to deal with our anger pangs and anger issues
this lent. Let us try an anger fast where we consciously tell ourselves that we
won’t get angry with anyone unless we are talking for God's people and not just ourselves. Amen.
Fr. Jerry Kurian is a priest of the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church and
an alumnus of UTC. He
joined the United Theological College, Bangalore as lecturer in the Department of
Communication in May, 2011.
Jerry Kurian taught at the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Theological
Seminary (MSOTS) for a period of five years before joining for his
research. He has many years of pastoral experience as well. He functions as the Chairperson of the Department of Communication.
His research interests include new media, the internet, public speaking,
drama, film analysis, communication and mission, alternative media,
alternative journalism, traditional media, social networking, blogs,
communication and women's liberation and communication and climate
change.
Fr. Jerry is serving as priest in the St. Ignatius Jacobite Syrian
Orthodox Church, K.R. Puram, Bangalore. He believes his calling is to
teach and pastor towards an inclusive society where everyone will be a
part of our spiritual expression and everyone will benefit from the
liberative gospel of Jesus Christ. He believes Orthodox Christianity has
many things to offer in the diverse ecumenical and religious
environment of India. He affirms that proper Communication can lead to a
just society.
He worked on the design and implementation of the college web site and is presently maintaining the web site @ http://utc.edu.in/ He also designed and is maintaining and updating the college blog @ http://www.utcbangalore.blogspot.in/
Publications and presentations
Asia Communication Sunday worship order for the WACC Asia
Communication Sunday booklet June, 2010
Presentation on ‘God’s providence and the youth in the
church’ in Yercadu on July 24, 2010.
Meditations for Gurukul Daily Devotion 2011 submitted in
October, 2010.
‘Rights of (Vulnerable) Children and the New Media:
Challenges for the church in India’.
Paper presented in the seminar on ‘Children and their rights: A Theological
exploration’, Chennai on November 15-17, 2010.
‘Examining the claims of the Information Revolution:
Social Revolution or Knowledge Capitalism’. Published in KCC magazine,
November, 2010.
‘The woman and Jesus. A bible study on Luke 7: 36-50’.
Presented for the NCCI workshop on ‘Daring to study scriptures publicly and
sensually’ on 5-2-2011, Chennai. This was later published by NCCI.
‘The essence of Lent: Learning and struggling to bend our
knees, mend our hearts, and lend our hands’. Published in CSI Life magazine,
March, 2011.
Co-edited the WACC Asia Communication Sunday booklet June,
2011.
Poem/song on “Vulnerability in
the midst of Climate Change”, p.8 in Asia Communication Sunday booklet,
Communicating Climate Justice, WACC-AR, June 26, 2011.
Co-edited the Asia Communication
Sunday booklet, 2011.
Bible study for the BTESSC-UTC
workshop on “Online Training Techniques and Different Possibilities” on August
30, 2011.
“Media Ethics, the main line
media and new (social) media: A case for alternative people’s journalism”-
paper presented for the UTC alumni meeting in October, 2011.
Meditations for the Gurukul
Daily Devotion, 2012, GLTC, Chennai, 2012, “Neighbourly Relations and Christian
discipleship”, pp. 289-296.
Article on “Christ the
Revolutionary” published in Assisi Magazine, February-March 2012, Vol.58, Issue
2, Assisi Ashram, Bharananganam, Kottayam, Kerala, pp. 20-22.
Presentation on “Bollywood and
the Construction of Masculinities” in the WCC-SCMI gender training workshop on
March 20, 2012 in UTC, Bangalore.
Article on “Alternative Media
and Journalism as a framework for Communicating Peace” published in the Clark
Journal Of Theology (Theological Reflections on Peace building), Vol. II. No.
1, January- June, 2012.
Article titled
“The Church, Human Sexuality and Challenging the Unchallenged” in the Gurukul
Journal of Theological Studies (Human Sexuality: Theological and Biblical
Reflections), Vol XXIII, No. 2, June, 2012. This was published in December,
2012.
Presentation on “Forms of
spirituality” to 50 ordained pastors from CSI Rayalaseema and Nandyal
Dioceses on July 3, 2012 at Vishranthi Nilayam, Bangalore.
Presented a bible study on
Genesis 4:3-9 titled “Am I the reason for the divide” (A bible study on the
digital divide) for the SCMI Centenary Bible Study workshop on September 6-8,
2012. This was later published by the SCMI and released during its centenary
celebrations.
UTC alumni refresher course
presentation on “Lord Renew the Church: Begin From Me. Empowered by the Spirit
of Renewal: People of God as the True Agents of Change. Internet as a catalyst
for building an alternative community for church renewal” in October, 2012.
Class for youth of Mumbai
diocese of the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church on November 16, 17 and 18, 2012
on “Who and what am I for God”.
Took sessions on “Media and
Leadership” and “Cyber ethos and internet de-addiction” for the Fest Zoe 2012
(Ecumenical Youth Leadership Training Camp) with the theme Beyond
Globalization, Youth Culture, Mission
and Leadership on
November 14, 15, 2012. It was conducted by the The CSI Department of Pastoral Concerns and the
Department of Ecumenical Relations & Ecological Concerns in the CSI Synod
Centre, Royapettah, Chennai.
Presented a paper on “The Internet and
Alternative Media for Communicating Peace” for the Faculty Research Seminar in
the UTC on November 28, 2012.
Recorded a Jacobite Syrian Orthodox
worship liturgy cd in English on November 29, 30, 2012. The CD was released on May 5, 2013.
Did a presentation on
“Christian Communication, internet and alternative Communication” and helped in
the sessions on “Reporting and Editing” in the workshop on “Communicating Ecological Justice”, held at CSI Synod Guest House, from 3rd to 5th Dec
2012. It was conducted by WACC and the CSI Synod.
Took a session on “Exodus: A
journey to Togetherness” for the youth of the Bangalore diocese of the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox
Church on January 26, 2013.
“Lord
Renew the Church: Begin From Me. Empowered by the Spirit of Renewal: People of
God as the True Agents of Change. Internet as a catalyst for building an
alternative community for church renewal” done for the UTC alumni refresher
course was published in the latest issue of the Masihi Sevak, UTC.
Initiated the discussion for
Dr. Joseph George’s faculty research seminar paper on “Changing patterns of
Relationships in the Cyberage: Challenges and Directions for Ministry in India”
on February 27, 2013.
Attended the NCCI sub
committee meetings on March 6, 7, 2013 in Gurukul, Chennai. Apart from the
Commission on Communication, was also nominated to the Centenary Celebrations
sub committee to prepare a documentary on the NCCI.
Paper presented on “An Ecumenical
View on Churches View of the Eucharist. A Critical Discussion” for theologians
across India in the
Ecumenical Christian Centre (ECC), Bangalore
on May 15, 2013.
Presentation on “Church: The
Sacramental Sign of Hope. The church and internet: Hope in the New Age” for the
CSI Central Kerala Youth Pre Assembly in May, 2013.
Presentation on “Media values in India” to a study group from Edinburgh University
in June, 2013.
Retreat for teachers of the CSI
Institute of Technology, Nagercoil on July 8, 2013.
Presentation on “Women and
Migration” for a CSI Synod programme in Vishranthi Nilayam, Bangalore in July, 2013.
Article on “The Internet and
Alternate Media as Christian Communication” published in the National Council
of Churches in India (NCCI) review in July, 2013.
Skit direction and presentation
for the National Council of Churches in India- World Council of Churches pre
assembly seminar in Bangalore
in August, 2013.
Presentation on “Blogs and
writing” and “The Spirituality of writing” in the Writers’ workshop for pastors
conducted by the United Basel Mission and UTC in Mumbai YMCA on September 16,
2013.
Scripted, directed and edited a
documentary on the United Theological College,
Bangalore in
October, 2013. This was screened in the World Council of Churches Assemby in Busan, South
Korea.
Part of the NCCI centenary
documentary team working on a documentary for the NCCI.
Presentation on “Living with God
in the Contemporary World” for the Tangkhul Christian Fellowship, Bangalore on November 1,
2013.
“Media, Culture and Religion:
Alternative Media as a New Religious Expression in India.” Paper presented to the St.
Olaf College, U.S. students in the Ecumenical Christian Centre, Whitefield, Bangalore on November 5,
2013.
“Christian perspective on media
and youth advocacy for social change.” Paper presented to college students from
all over India at the
Student Christian Movement India Centre in Bangalore on November 15, 2013.
Paper on “Orkut, Facebook,
Tumblr: What next?” presented for the National Ecumenical Youth Pre-assembly of
the NCCI in Goa via video conference on Nov
18, 2013.
Chapter on “Media Ethics” in
December, 2013 for Sunday school students of the Kottayam diocese of the
Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church in their book for senior Sunday school
students.
Presentation on “Atrocities
against Women” in ECC, Bangalore
on Feb, 2014.
Article on the Patriarch Ignatius
Zakka I Iwas titled “Patriarch Ignatius Zakka I Iwas: The Equinox on which the
Church rode three decades” published in the Malankara World Journal in March,
2014.
Paper presented on “Ecclesiology in
the Cyber Age” in the NCCI seminar held in Bangalore on June 26, 2014.
Paper presented on “Informed Prodigy
or Juvenile Criminal” in the National workshop on Crimes by Juveniles in India
on July 30, 2014.
“Theatre as a pedagogical framework
for theological education”. Faculty seminar presented on October 29, 2014.
"Media, Culture and
Religion". Presentation in ECC for the St. Olaf Seminary students on
November 6, 2014.
Main speaker for the District Youth
Conference of the Marthoma Church in Bangalore on May 14-17, 2015.
Paper presented on “Media and
Spirituality: A journey of the church into the lives of people” on June
27, 2015 in the Marthoma Seminary, Kottayam, Kerala.
Paper presented on “Religion in the
Market Place: The Changing environment of Women in the Church” in the National
Seminar on Role of Women in the Christian Church: An ecumenical perspective,
conducted by BTESSC and the MSOT seminary in the MSOTS, Ernakulam, Kerala on
July 14, 2015.
Presentation made to St. Olaf students on "Media and Spirituality" on
October 26, 2015 at the Ecumenical Christian Centre, Whitefield,
Bangalore.
Main speaker for the Marthoma Church Regional Youth Conference, Delhi on November 10-13, 2015.
Produced and acted in the College play "The Nation of refugees" on December 3, 2015 in UTC.
Paper titled “Religion in the market place: The
changing environment of women in the church” published in the Bangalore
Theological Forum, Bangalore, Vol. XLVII, No.2, December, 2015.
Produced and acted in the play “The Nation of the
Refugees” in an entire new location and format on March 4 and 5, 2016.
Paper titled “Theatre as a pedagogical expression
for theological education” published in the Hekamtho Theological Journal Vol 1,
No. 2, MSOT Seminary, Ernakulam, Kerala in March, 2016.
Presented a paper on “The Theatrical expression of
the Eucharist” in the National seminar for Theological Students in ECC,
Whitefield, Bangalore on May 18, 2016.
Presented a paper on "Role of Media in Environmental Justice" in the National seminar on "Environmental Justice: Issues and Challenges." on July 6, 2016.
Took two sessions for the youth on the theme "Get up: Don't be afraid (Matthew 17:7)" at the International Youth Conference of the Assyrian Church of the East on July 22, 2016.
Presented a paper on "Maoists and Social Media" in the National seminar on "The Red Corridor and Maoism: Issues and Challenges"on August 19, 2016.
Took a session on "Women in the Church" for the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Bangalore diocese women's fellowship one day meeting on August 27, 2016.
Gave two talks on the theme "New Creation in Christ" for the first youth conference of the CSI Malabar diocese on September 12, 13, 2016 and took a session on Internet de-addiction on September 12, 2016.
Preached in the Naga Christian Fellowship Bangalore for their Power House service on September 25, 2016.
Presented a paper on "Transforming
discipleship in a changing nation: Social media as a tool for ministering to
the youth in church" for the UTC alumni refresher meeting on October 19, 2016.
Has been writing quite
regularly in a personal blog on social, religious and cultural affairs @ www.jerryachensworld.blogspot.in
Priest in the St. Ignatius
Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church, K.R. Puram, Bangalore. Responsibility includes leading
worship, preaching and taking classes for the youth on Sunday. Has also been
taking sessions on “Communication in the family” for the pre-marriage
counselling courses held by the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church diocese in Bangalore”.
Phone: +91-9483966951
E mail: jerryachen@gmail.com
Mary John Akhouri (aka Madhu Jyotsana Akhouri) was denied a burial in her mother church, the St. John's Attamangalam Jacobite Church, Kumarakom because the church argued that she did not possess a membership which she had forfeited due to her marriage to Dr. Akhouri, a Hindu. She was then buried in another church. Mary Akhouri is the grand mother of Bollywood actor Priyanka Chopra and this was one of the main reasons of the story being reported in the mainline media. Priyanka herself called it an unfortunate incident while the Jacobite bishop of the Kottayam diocese H. G. Thomas Themotheos called it inhuman and unchristian. The church in question through its vicar and committee stood their ground and said that this was what any church under the Jacobite fold would do and a burial was denied not just because of Ms. Akhouri’s intercaste marriage but because she had never renewed her membership in the church. Her relative though from the same church said that Ms. Akhouri had confessed to a priest and had communion from the same church two years ago.
It is easy to point fingers at this moment but we should also be understanding on several fronts. We should be understanding to Ms. Mary Akhouri who was a hard working person, a freedom fighter and a member of the legislative assembly in Bihar. We should also be understanding to Ms. Priyanka Chopra because it is not fair to come down heavily on her because she is a famous actor and she is rich. In many ways even though it is easy to criticize the church we should also try and understand the policies of the church, irrespective of whether they are good or bad.
Was the priest correct to say no to a burial in a church under his leadership? Did he also refuse to conduct the service despite a directive from his own bishop? The priest must have in all probability used his experience, the church tradition and the collective wisdom of the church committee to come to an understanding. Was he wrong in doing so? I don’t think so and I will explain why. A priest is taught in a regional seminary to follow the rules and traditions of the church that he is pastoring in. In this case the marriage of Mary John to a person from a different religion must have disqualified her from church membership. Whether the church actually did follow any procedure in intimating Ms. Akhouri or her family in Kerala about the cancellation of the membership is not known to us. The priest only followed instructions which he learnt. Which religion teaches priests to be compassionate or humane? Which priest is given permission to follow his heart and not the rules? If that was the case would so many people die in the name of religion in India? Wouldn’t India be absolutely inter religious and unified in diversity? So if at all, the church, religions and the society has to be questioned as to what their roles are? Is it to unify people or to create discord among people? Priests in all religions end up being spokespersons of their own community and don’t go beyond that. It is true that the bishop seems to have sent the priest a directive. One way forward was for everyone to meet and sort out the issue. But aren’t there deeper issues which cannot be sorted out with one directive from the bishop?
What are the issues that come to the forefront through this? What is the policy of religions to inter caste marriage? What is the belief of religions with regard to people of other religions coming to their sacred space and partaking of their blessings? Are people of all castes allowed in all temples, are Hindus allowed in mosques, are all people from all religions and other denominations given communion in churches, are women allowed in the holy of holies of religious spaces? There are many underlying issues in the issue of denying a decent burial. Are we ready to talk about them?
Couples who opt for inter caste weddings are killed and brutalized for falling in love and this is justified by politicians, religious leaders and high caste families. Why don’t people come together against this? Women in the Syrian churches are married out of the church. They join the church of the husband and then severe ties with their mother church. Why should it be this way and why can’t women still be part of their own church? Mary Roy created history by fighting for the rights to her ancestral property and through that came into the bad books of her Syrian church and interestingly all of this happened in Kottayam. Mary Roy, the illustrious mother of Arundathi Roy fought for and got a judgement from the court granting equal rights to ancestral property for women. The church was uncomfortable with Mary Roy and the verdict, and this continues even now because Mary Roy has not been felicitated for the great work that she has done. This has been the context of the priests and how they have experienced ministry in the church.
The humanity and Christian values that they have to show in the church they are ministering in also gives second priority to women in almost all things. This is so for burial as well when the face of the deceased is preferably covered during the last rites by the son or another male member of the family and not a woman. Recently I also observed some priests insisting that when a woman was buried the church should not use a silver plated cross but a wooden cross because the husband was still alive! This has been the context in which a priest has come up. Any reaction to a new situation is only based on what he has experienced right from childhood up till becoming a priest. In many cases priests do not completely agree with what is being followed in church. An example of this is that girl babies are not taken to the altar after baptism while male babies are taken, creating a clear division between boys and girls. Many priests now do not agree with this but keep quiet knowing not what to do.
As I mentioned before it is not fair to come down heavily on Priyanka Chopra or her family for what has happened. So we can consider Mary John Akhouri as our own grand mother. What else should we have done to make her memory live on and for her last wish to come true? We should for starters try and understand the system of the church and debate and seek change of any archaic and wrong traditions followed in the church which are beneficial only for a certain section. Why are women treated as second class citizens in the church even though the theology of the church says that God has created man and woman in God’s image and likeness? Can’t we question caste based traditions still followed, sometimes unknowingly and sometimes with clear cut intentions? People inside and outside the church approach the church mainly for baptism, marriage and burial. But shouldn’t we also be approaching the church at other times and debate with the church about the culture of the land and about a society which is very multi lingual and multi cultural? Any loss of a family member is sad but that is the case for all families. When other people and families are discriminated against on the basis of caste, class, gender and religion why do we keep quiet and maintain a status quo? It is time to debate and time to change.
But again it is not to say that we have to do something new in the context of new challenges but to also see what are the corruptions that have come into the church because of cultural pressures and thus go back to the bible and read what it says. The concept of a cemetery is new and is not mentioned in the bible though having a tomb for people is. In John 11:38 it says “Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it.” There is no suggestion that this was a cemetery. In Genesis 23:9 Abraham seeks a place to bury Sarah and the verse says “That he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he owns; it is at the end of his field. For the full price let him give it to me in your presence as property for a burying place.” In the Old Testament as well we read about tombs and not cemeteries. In John 19:38-42 Jesus is also placed in a tomb after his crucifixion. “After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.” So even Jesus was not buried in a cemetery. But then Jesus showed us the importance of his resurrection over his death.
It is important that the church and civil society work together and that the church should be a corrective for civil society and when necessary civil society should also be critical of the church. One should not get into the narrative of church vs civil society or church vs the media but should look ahead at what can be done so that all who live and all who pass on are equally honored because they are a creation of God. Why is it that people in the church and people belonging to civil society keep quiet or are not expressive enough when people who died were not given a decent and honorable burial because of church feuds? Why weren’t the people involved including priests then not questioned enough about the inhuman and unchristian approach to dead persons? Was that person not a human being? Why don’t we pose enough questions when the funeral rites are done two times, one each by different denominations wanting to assert their supremacy through such acts? Why do we remain quiet when the pulpit is used for preaching hatred, caste supremacy and gender difference?
We have in numerous ways humiliated various living persons and dead persons by our actions in the religious sphere. Mary John Akhouri was not singled out for discrimination but that does not mean that she did not deserve better. It is time that various religions and denominations got together to look at their similarities rather than preach their differences. It is an opportunity to talk about topics usually not encouraged to be discussed in the open. It is also a space for us to gather in public and openly express our religious beliefs including and not excluding the other. If we can do this in the name of Mary John Akhouri and other women and men before her then we will end up respecting them forever. Anything less than that will only lead to the disrespect and humiliation of the soul of Mary John Akhouri. May God guide us.
