Church of South India
The Church of South India (CSI) is a united Protestant Church in India. It is the result of union of a number of Protestant denominations in South India that occurred after the independence of India.[3][7]
Church of South India
CSI
Mixed polity with episcopal, congregational, and presbyterian elements[1][2]
Justice R. Balasubramanian
Justice V. Bharathidasan
Judge S. Bhaskaran
Vacant
Vacant
27 September 1947 (Day of Union, not date of establishment)
Tranquebar, Tamil Nadu (Presently Under the Pastorate of Karaikal - Tranquebar, Tiruchirappalli - Thanjavur Diocese)
Church of India, Burma and Ceylon (Anglican), the southern district of the Methodist Church, South India United Church (which was a union in 1904 of the Continental Reformed, Presbyterian and Congregational Churches), Basel Mission Churches in South India[3]
Anglican Church of India (1964)
Anglican Catholic Church (1984)
3,300[4]
104[5]
2000 schools, 130 colleges[5]
The Church of South India is the successor of a number of Protestant denominations in India, including the four southern dioceses of the Church of India, Burma and Ceylon (Anglican), the South India United Church (Congregationalist, Presbyterian and Continental Reformed), and the southern district of the Methodist Church.[8][9]
The Church of South India is a member of the Anglican Communion, World Methodist Council and World Communion of Reformed Churches.[10][3] It is one of four united Protestant churches in the Anglican Communion, World Methodist Council and World Communion of Reformed Churches, with the others being the Church of North India, the Church of Pakistan, and the Church of Bangladesh.
Being a United Protestant denomination, the inspiration for the Church of South India came from ecumenism and the words of Jesus as recorded in the Gospel of John (17.21); as such "That they all may be one" is the motto of the Church of South India.[5]
With a membership of nearly four million,[4][5] it is the second-largest Christian church based on the number of members in India.
History[edit]
Origins[edit]
Four different church traditions were brought together in the CSI: Anglican, Congregational, Presbyterian, and Methodist. All these churches had been established in India through the missionary work of churches in Europe, America, and Australia, which had started their work in India at different periods from the beginning of the 18th century.
The Church of South India Scheme was the first practical attempt of its kind toward a union, on the basis of the following points enunciated in the Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral:
Logo[edit]
The logo of the Church of South India consists of a Cross superimposed on a stylized Lotus flower in a white backdrop; around which the motto and name of the Church, is embossed.[23] It was designed by J. Vasanthan of the American College, Madurai.
The imposing central position of the Cross denotes the foundation of the Church and its faith, while its four arms of the same length promulgates equality. The Lotus flower, called Pankaj meaning "mud-born" in Sanskrit, has been of great spiritual and symbolic significance in India, since ancient times.[24][25] Its placement in the Logo, proclaims the indigenous nature of the Church of South India and its dependence on the grace of God, just as a Lotus that blooms at sunrise and closes at sunset, depends on the Sun. The stylized rendering, makes the Lotus petals simultaneously depict the fiery split tongues of the Holy Spirit. The motto of the CSI embossed on the logo, which is an excerpt of Jesus's prayer in John 17:21, is used as an inclusive affirmation of the need for the unity of all people.[26][23][27]
Liturgy[edit]
The CSI Synod Liturgical Congress has developed several new orders for worship for different occasions.[58] The order for the Communion service, known as the CSI Liturgy, has been internationally acclaimed as an important model for new liturgies. The committee has also produced three different cycles of lectionaries for daily Bible readings and "propers", and collects for Communion services. In addition, the committee has also brought out a supplement to the Book of Common Worship.[58] Cherishing the reformation principle of worship in the native language, the CSI liturgy and church services are completely in the vernacular, in all the different South Indian states and Northern Sri Lanka, which comprise its ecclesiastical province.[59][60][61]
Observances and festivals[edit]
The important observances and festivals include Lent (including its first day, Ash Wednesday), Passion Week, Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter, Ascension Thursday, Pentecost, Lammas and Christmas.[62]
Constitution[edit]
The Constitution of the CSI is the key document that governs the administration and management of the church. It comprises 14 chapters detailing rules for the functioning of the Church at every level, from local congregations to the pastorate, dioceses and the Synod.[63] The most important part of the CSI Constitution is "The Governing Principles of the Church" which sets out 21 governing principles on which the other chapters of the Constitution and the rules contained therein rest. While amending any part of the Constitution can be approved by a two-thirds majority of the Synod, amending the Governing Principles requires a three-fourths majority.[64]
Ecumenism[edit]
As a united Protestant Church, the Church of South Indian is a member of the World Methodist Council, as well as the World Communion of Reformed Churches; as a constituent member of the Anglican Communion its bishops participate in the Lambeth Conferences.[3] It also has representation in the Anglican Consultative Council.[3] Consequently, the CSI is in full communion with the Old Catholic Churches of the Union of Utrecht[65][66] and the Philippine Independent Catholic Church.[67] It is a member of the World Council of Churches, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, Christian Conference of Asia and the National Council of Churches in India. Through the Communion of Churches in India, it is also in partnership and full communion with the Church of North India and the Mar Thoma Syrian Church.
The Church of South India maintains close partnerships with the Church of Scotland, Episcopal Church of the United States, Methodist Church of Great Britain, Presbyterian Church in Korea, Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea, Presbyterian Church of India, Presbyterian Church (USA), Reformed Church in America, United Church of Christ and the Uniting Church in Australia.[68]
Administration[edit]
The church accepts the Lambeth Quadrilateral as its basis and recognises the historical episcopate in its constitutional form.[6] Like Anglican and most other episcopal Churches, the ministry of the Church of South India is structured with three holy orders of Bishops, Priests and Deacons.[69][70][71]
The church is further divided into twenty-four dioceses, each under the supervision of a bishop, including one diocese encompassing Jaffna, Sri Lanka. The dioceses are governed by diocesan councils composed of all clergy in the diocese as well as lay people elected from the local congregations.[75] Each church will have representation in diocesan council based on their membership. The diocese is headed by the Bishop, who is a presbyter elected through the Diocesan Council. He is considered as the head of the diocese and all the institutions belonging to the diocese. Other than the Bishop, the following are the important administrative posts of each diocese:
The Diocesan Council also consists of Diocesan Executive Committee, Diocesan Standing Committee, and Pastorate Committee.
Affiliations[edit]
Theological education[edit]
The church recognizes theological degrees granted by institutions affiliated with the Board of Theological Education of the Senate of Serampore College. These include: