Syriac Orthodox Self-Understanding and the Protestant Challenge (Jaakko Antila)

Abstract

Jaakko Antila: Syriac Orthodox Self-Understanding and the Protestant Challenge. A Study on the Internet Material of the Malankara Jacobite Archdiocese in North America. Helsinki & Järvenpää 2007. 173 s.
Electronic publication: Aleksanteri Papers 1/2007 (Aleksanteri Institute, University of Helsinki). ISSN 1457-9251. ISBN 978-952-10-4124-2.
Printed publication: Ylivieska. ISBN 978-952-92-2545-3.

The study concentrates on the website of the North American Archdiocese of the Malankara Jacobite Syriac Orthodox Church. The method of the study is systematic analysis. In addition, results of historical and sociological research have been utilised.

The study is centred on the conceptions about Protestants presented in the web texts written by Curian Kaniyamparambil and Geevarghese Mar Osthathios. The study also inquires into the self-understanding of the Malankara Syriac Orthodox Church, expressed on the website. Moreover, it is relevant to ask how the doctrinal texts reflect their context in North America as well as on the Internet.

From all the Protestant churches, Kaniyamparambil sees particularly Anglicans, and in some cases also Lutherans, as mediators between Orthodox churches and heretical movements. Both of the authors make a clear difference between traditional and modern Protestant communities. Kaniyamparambil seems to represent quite an exclusivist view, stressing the superiority of the Syriac Orthodox Church. From Mar Osthathios' viewpoint, the ecumenical dialogue between churches takes place on a more equal basis. Nevertheless, both of the authors promote ecumenism at the level of churches, not in the form of interdenominational worship.

Kaniyamparambil rejects the modern Protestant views quite categorically, while Mar Osthathios is ready to adopt quite liberal ideas from these Protestants. The most popular themes in the texts are those which give rise to disputes with Protestants. The authors, however, do not pay much attention to predestination, free will or synergism. One reason may be the fact that those Protestant groups that are attracting Syrian Orthodox Christians in India and in North America are usually modern evangelical and charismatic groups, which have largely adopted the doctrine of the free will.

Mar Osthathios also pays attention to the process of modernisation. He sees Protestants as allies who have faced the same challenge and who have developed noteworthy means to cope with the new situation. For Kaniyamparambil, on the other hand, Protestants are a part of those powers that have caused the negative consequences of modernisation.

The denominational strategy of adaptation is more clearly visible in the texts than the ethnic background. This seeming absence of ethnicity is not, however, by any means exceptional on the Internet. Studies have also shown that religious websites usually have an evangelistic element. This result is in accordance with the evangelistic emphasis of the texts.

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Syriac Orthodox Self-Understanding and the Protestant Challenge

	Syriac Orthodox Self-Understanding and the Protestant Challenge. A Study on the Internet Material of the Malankara Jacobite Archdiocese in North America. Helsinki & Järvenpää 2007. 173 s. (Paperback). Electronic version: ISSN 1457-9251. ISBN 978-952-10-4124-2. (Pdf file). Printed version: ISBN 978-952-92-2545-3. What happens when an Asian-Indian church comes to North America, where the greater part of the population belongs to a Christian community, but where the surrounding culture is different from that of India? How does the new context affect one's theological self-understanding? How is this self-understanding communicated via the Internet? What kind of ecumenical challenges do the web documents reflect, and what kind of adaptation strategies do they support? These matters are current, as old ethnic churches branch out into countries which are traditionally regarded as Christian. This study sheds light on these questions by analysing the website of the North American Archdiocese of the Malankara Jacobite Syriac Orthodox Church.
Abstract Jaakko Antila: Syriac Orthodox Self-Understanding and the Protestant Challenge. A Study on the Internet Material of the Malankara Jacobite Archdiocese in North America. Helsinki & Järvenpää 2007. 173 s. Electronic publication: Aleksanteri Papers 1/2007 (Aleksanteri Institute, University of Helsinki). ISSN 1457-9251. ISBN 978-952-10-4124-2. Printed publication: Ylivieska. ISBN 978-952-92-2545-3. The study concentrates on the website of the North American Archdiocese of the Malankara Jacobite Syriac Orthodox Church. The method of the study is systematic analysis. In addition, results of historical and sociological research have been utilised. The study is centred on the conceptions about Protestants presented in the web texts written by Curian Kaniyamparambil and Geevarghese Mar Osthathios. The study also inquires into the self-understanding of the Malankara Syriac Orthodox Church, expressed on the website. Moreover, it is relevant to ask how the doctrinal texts reflect their context in North America as well as on the Internet. From all the Protestant churches, Kaniyamparambil sees particularly Anglicans, and in some cases also Lutherans, as mediators between Orthodox churches and heretical movements. Both of the authors make a clear difference between traditional and modern Protestant communities. Kaniyamparambil seems to represent quite an exclusivist view, stressing the superiority of the Syriac Orthodox Church. From Mar Osthathios' viewpoint, the ecumenical dialogue between churches takes place on a more equal basis. Nevertheless, both of the authors promote ecumenism at the level of churches, not in the form of interdenominational worship. Kaniyamparambil rejects the modern Protestant views quite categorically, while Mar Osthathios is ready to adopt quite liberal ideas from these Protestants. The most popular themes in the texts are those which give rise to disputes with Protestants. The authors, however, do not pay much attention to predestination, free will or synergism. One reason may be the fact that those Protestant groups that are attracting Syrian Orthodox Christians in India and in North America are usually modern evangelical and charismatic groups, which have largely adopted the doctrine of the free will. Mar Osthathios also pays attention to the process of modernisation. He sees Protestants as allies who have faced the same challenge and who have developed noteworthy means to cope with the new situation. For Kaniyamparambil, on the other hand, Protestants are a part of those powers that have caused the negative consequences of modernisation. The denominational strategy of adaptation is more clearly visible in the texts than the ethnic background. This seeming absence of ethnicity is not, however, by any means exceptional on the Internet. Studies have also shown that religious websites usually have an evangelistic element. This result is in accordance with the evangelistic emphasis of the texts. etusivu