Madathilparampil Mammen
Thomas (1916-1996)
M. M. Thomas
Dr. M. M. Thomas was born on May 15, 1916 at
Kozhencherry, Kerala India. His father M. M. Mammen
was a reformation leader, printer and publisher based in Kozhencherry, Kerala.
His mother was Ooriapadickal Mariamma, a school teacher. They had nine children
of which Thomas was the eldest. He was a renowned Indian Christian theologian,
social thinker, activist and former Governor of the Indian State, Nagaland from May 1990 to April 1992. He
was also involved in the Independence Movement in India during the Salt Satyagraha.
He also served as the Chairperson of the
Central Committee of World
Council of Churches (1968–1975). He was conferred with the honorary
doctorate degree by the University of Uppsala in 1978.[1]
He was the moderator of the Central Committee of
the World
Council of Churches (WCC) from 1968-1975. Published a number of books,
chaired a number of meetings of the WCC and left his foot prints in the history
of World Ecumenical Movement. Dr. M. M. Thomas is the leading
representative of theology much more closely related to modern, secular India,
and to the world of the Asian revolution. He was living at Manjadi, Tiruvalla and died on December 3, 1996 and
was laid to rest at Tiruvalla, Kerala.[2]
Major works
1. The
acknowledged Christ of the Indian Renaissance (1969 SCM Press, London)
2. Risking
Christ for Christ's Sake
3. Nagas
towards 2000
4. My
Ecumenical Journey 1947-75 (1990)
5. Response
to Tyranny
Christianity as Karma Marga
In his discussion of Gandhi that Thomas’
interpretation of Christianity as Karma Marga in the light of suffering love
can be seen most clearly. Despite Gandhi’s upbringing in the Bhakthi Marga of
Vaishnavism he was in later years happy to describe himself as a follower of
the Karma Marga. In his hands karma marga was transformed; the action was
action without desire for enjoyment of the fruit of action (niskamya karma); the
inspiration of action was a non- violence (ahimsa) akin of Christian love, and
its goal was truth (sathya). His life and death, he writes, the meaning of
suffering love has been deepened and its larger application to the struggles
for political and social justice opened up for the whole world. Thomas realises
that this interpretation of suffering represents a real break from Indian
tradition; it is a classic example of how the ‘challenging relevancy’ of
Christian love has acted as a catalyst to produce a new attitude within Hindu
society. Thomas looks a new type of karma marga which will take full account of
power of sin, of the tragic aspect of life, and of man’s need for forgiveness
if his true humanity is to be restored in Christ.[3]
Christianity
and Hinduism: A Challenging Relevance
He defines the relation of Christianity and
Hinduism Thomas frequently quotes the phrase of A. G. Hogg, ‘a challenging
relevance’. The ‘challenge’ for Thomas means the disturbance of the Hindu
consciousness which has resulted from the Christian mission, and also the
social implication of the Gospel to which, from the time of Ram Mohan Roy, the
world of reformed Hinduism has felt obliged to respond. But what Hogg wrote as a possibility for the
future apologetic of the Church, Thomas sees as a challenge which has already
produced a remarkable effect, both in renascent Hinduism and also in the great
secular and revolutionary movements of our time.[4]
Criteria
of a Living Theology
M. M. Thomas is not particularly interested in the
detailed outworking of the terminology of Indian Christian theology, though he
is convinced that its formulation is a work of importance. His special gift, is
to see the task of theology against very broad and challenging background,
includes the tensions and excitements of the revolutionary third world, the
traditions and insights of ancient as well as reformed Hinduism, and also the
fluctuations of western theological thought. For him the only valid and living
theology is one which is hammered out in dialogue with these different
viewpoints, a theology arising from what he calls a ‘dialogical situation’.
Indian theology must do its work ‘not in isolation from but in dialogue with
the new Hindu philosophy and theology. Thomas holds that there is a place for
much variety in theological presentation, and that there is no harm in such
variety provided that ‘dialogue’ is maintained with four essential
factors: Scripture, Church tradition,
the koinonia of the Church and its mission in the contemporary world.[5]
Elements
of the Christian theological understanding of man
1. The
reality of man as created in the image of God.
2. The
reality of man as a fallen creature.
3. The
reality of the Crucified and Risen Jesus Christ as the true man and as the
source of the renewal of human nature and through it of all things.
4. The
reality of man and society in the light of the consummation of their Absolute
future in the Kingdom of God.[6]
[1] http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madathilparampil_Mammen_Thomas
[6] R. S. Sugirtharajah and Cecil Hargreaves,
eds., Readings in Indian Christian Theology volume 1 (Delhi: ISPCK, 1994),
93-101
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