The
Syrian Orthodox Church in India is known as the Malankara Jacobite Syrian
Orthodox Church. The Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church, together with
all Churches belonging to the Nazarani Christian community of Kerala,
traces its origin to the mission of St. Thomas the Apostle of Christ. It is
under the Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch. The Malankara Jacobite
Syrian Orthodox Church is a semi-autonomous Church with a local head called the
Catholicose duly consecrated by the Syrian Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch. This
paper is an attempt to elaborate the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church’s
understanding about the ‘Particular Church,’ ‘Local Church’ and ‘Universal
Church’ and a special comparison between Local Church and Universal Church.
1. Particular Church
The idea
of a Particular Church, in its New Testament meaning, continued to prevail in
the following early Christian literature, though it did not cease to imply Universality
of the Church.[1]
The two ideas, however, as it was mentioned, did not receive any significant
theological development. They became embodied in the way that the Church
organized itself. By the end of the first millennium, the western Christianity
became more inclined to the idea of a Universal Church, while the eastern
Christianity, to the idea of Particular Church. Both Churches, however,
departed quite far from the original meanings of the universal and the
particular. In the eastern tradition,
the idea of particularity of the Church became prevailing. It did not however
facilitate developing any significant 'ecclesiology of particularity,' similar
to the Roman theological reflections on universality. It rather embodied itself
in the structures and identities of 'local' eastern Churches. This eastern
inclination to particularity had its own historical reasons.
The
Catholic Church uses the term ecclesia particularis (“Particular
Church”) in a dual sense. The documents of Vatican II identify a particular Church
as a Church led by a bishop and his presbytery in a specific place.[2] In
other passages, the council also calls a union of several dioceses a particular
Church, which, despite individual theological and legal traditions, maintains
unity with the universal Church, for instance the Churches of the Latin rite.[3]
Pope
John Paul II extended the concept by saying that the Universal Church subsists
in the Particular Churches:
The
Catholic Church herself subsists in each Particular Church, which can be truly
complete only through effective communion in faith, sacraments and unity with
the whole body of Christ…It is precisely because you are pastors of Particular Churches
in which subsists the fullness of the universal Church that you are and must
always be in full communion with the successor of Peter.[4]
The bishop
is a visible source and foundation of the unity of the Particular Church
entrusted to his pastoral ministry. But for each Particular Church to be fully Church,
that is, the particular presence of the Universal Church with all its essential
elements, and hence constituted after the model of the Universal Church.
1.1. Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church
is a Particular Church?
Malankara
Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church does not have the understanding of ‘Particular
Church’ like in Catholic Church. It has its own particularities which are quite
different from Catholic Particular Church. Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church
as an integral part of the Universal Syrian Orthodox Church in India functions
as an inseparable part of the Universal Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch.
Today the Patriarch of Antioch, the successor of St. Peter, is the supreme head
of the Universal Syrian Orthodox Church. The Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox
Church is the local Church under the Patriarchate of Antioch.
2. Local Church
The word ‘local’ is derived from
Latin locus meaning ‘place’. It is used both literally and figuratively in
modern European languages. Its application in geographical, political, economic
and cultural contexts always assumes the particularity of a certain place.
Since locus (place) is primarily a geo-spatial reality it implies territory.
The dictionary meaning of the word does not indicate anything directly
geographical. But in ecclesiastical language since the word local, obviously
referring to place, is correlated to universal, the latter seems to have
assumed an enlarged geographical sense. In the Roman Catholic Church the
notions of ecclesia localis and ecclesia universalis have been
used according to the part-whole logic. Thus the Local Church was understood as
part of the Universal Church. However, in light of the development of communion
ecclesiology and the evolution of the concept of ‘individual Churches’ this
logic is no longer valid.[5]
The Local Church has everything it
needs to be a Church on its own: it confesses the apostolic faith; it proclaims
the Word of God in scripture, baptizes its members, celebrates the Eucharist
and other sacraments; it affirms and responds to the presence of the Holy
Spirit and his gifts, announces and looks forward to the Kingdom, and
recognizes the ministry of authority within the community. All these various
features must exist together in order for there to be a Local Church within the
communion of the Church of God. The Local Church is not a free-standing self-sufficient
reality. As part of a network of communion, the Local Church maintains its
reality as Church by relating to other local Churches.[6]
2.1. Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox
Church’s Perspective on Local Church
The Local Church is a community of
professing believers in Jesus Christ who meet in some particular location on a
regular basis. A Local Church is normally defined as a local assembly of all
who profess faith and allegiance to Christ. Most often, the Greek word ekklesia is
used in reference to the local assembly (1 Thessalonians 1:1; 1 Corinthians
4:17; 2 Corinthians 11:8). There is not just one specific Local Church in any
one area, necessarily. There are many Local Churches in larger cities.[7]
The Local Church is not an administrative or juridical sub-section or part of
the Universal Church. In the Local Church the one, holy, catholic, and
apostolic Church is truly present and active.[8]
The local Church is the place where the Church of God becomes concretely
realized. It is a gathering of believers that is seized by the Spirit of the
Risen Christ and becomes Koinonia by participating in the life of God.[9]
3. Universal Church
The Universal
Church is the name given to the Church worldwide. In this case the idea of the Church
is not so much the assembly of believers but those believers constituting the
Church. The Church is the Church even when it is not holding the status of a
parish church or diocese. In Acts 8:3, one can see that the Church is
still the Church even when its members are scattered in different places.
In Acts 9:31, the Churches in Judea, Galilee and Samaria should
actually be the singular Church, which describes the Universal Church, not
just Local Churches.
The Church
is universal, gathering all believers together in the unity of faith. Just as
there are no distinction within the love of God, so the Church stretches out
her arms to the world “where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor
uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in
all” (Colossians 3:11). This Universal Church brought together the Jews
and Gentiles, as well as all nationalities, peoples, and tongues in one faith. Being
universal, the Church held ecumenical councils, like the that of the Apostolic
councils (Acts 15:1-35), calling
together the leaders of the Church to study and define a matter of faith, and
decide certain issues regarding the Church organization so that all Churches
might follow one doctrine. The first thee ecumenical councils the Universal
Church brought together all the Local Churches into one Church embracing all,
in one creed, under uniform Church laws. This Universal Church brings all
believers together in communion, in one faith, in the holy sacraments, and in
partaking from one altar. St. Cyril of Jerusalem gives an expanded
explanation of the sense in which the term ‘universal’ has been applied to the
Church, saying:
The Church
is called ‘Universal’ because it extends through all the world, from one end of
the earth to another. Also, because it teaches universally and without omission
all the doctrines which ought to come to man’s knowledge, about things both
visible and invisible, heavenly and earthly; and because it brings under the
sway of true religion all classes of men, rulers and subjects, learned and
ignorant; and because it universally treats and cures every type of sin,
committed by means of soul and body, and possesses in itself every kind of
virtue which can be named, in deeds and words, and spiritual gifts of every kind.[10]
4. Local Church and Universal Church Comparison
The position and status of a Local Church according to Syrian Orthodox
tradition can be the best explained through a comparative study. We will
compare the Orthodox ecclesiology with the Catholic ecclesiology and will try
to find out the difference. The difference is in the understating of the
structure of the Church. The ecclesiology of the Catholic Church begins with
the view of a Universal Church and then tries to explain the meaning and
existence of the Local Church. The Local
Church is understood only as a part of the one Universal Church carrying all
the consequences and deficiencies as part of the whole. The apostolic throne of St. Peter is
theoretically and practically the starting point. The Roman Catholic ecclesiology begins from
the top and goes down to the bottom.
This way of thinking is called the deductive way of approach.[11]
The Orthodox Churches on the other
hand have got a different way of approach. For them the starting point of
ecclesiological thinking is not the Universal Church but the Local Church. From
the bottom i.e. from the Local Church, they reach the top – the Universal Church. This way of thinking can be called the inductive
way of approach. According to Orthodox
ecclesiology, every Local Church is an expression of the Universal Church. All the qualities and attributes of the
Universal Church are imminent in the Local Church too.[12]
The Local Church, formed is allied to the Universal Church. The relation manifests through the
appointment of priest representing bishop as spiritual father and shepherd of
the various parishes in the diocese. The appointment of the priests for various
parishes is done by the bishop of the diocese in the Local Church. The Fifth Meeting of the International Joint
Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the
Oriental Orthodox Churches, states:
The
bishop acts not as an individual but represents his local church in the
communion of churches. He is the source of unity with in his local church or
diocese and has collegial responsibility for the unity of faith and for the
communion of the one holy, catholic and apostolic Church.[13]
The priestly order is conferred upon a person through ordination in which
the important aspect is the apostolic laying on of hand by the bishop. Therefore the authority of the priest is
closely linked with apostolic succession prevalent in the Universal Church. In the bottom, at the basic level the parish
priest becomes the bearer of apostolic succession of the Universal Church and
mediator of the spiritual graces conferred upon all believers. The priests
through the sacraments and other services bestow all the blessings of the
Universal Church upon all the parishes established in every nook and corner of
the world. From this, it is
unequivocally clear that the bishops represent the significant and crucial link
between the Local Church and the Universal Church. A Local Church in any corner
of the world is linked to the Universal Church through the bishop. In short, the link between the Universal Church
and the Local Church is established through the apostolic succession exercised
by the bishop and the local parishes.[14]
4.1. Orthodox Churches’ Understanding
on Universality
As far as I know the Roman Catholic understanding of universality or
catholicity refers mainly to the quantitative and geographical extension of the
Church in the whole world under one head the Pope, who is enthroned as bishop
of Rome and successor of St. Peter. Here the emphasis is on the quantitative
aspect of universality. In the case of the Orthodox Churches on the other hand
the emphasis on the qualitative and theological aspect of universality. In the
sense each Orthodox Church under its supreme head is a Universal Church. An
Eucharistic ecclesiology is put into practices in the Orthodox Churches. When
the supreme head of an Orthodox Church celebrates the holy Eucharist, he
represents Jesus Christ the head of the body-the church and therefore then and there
the Universal Church is manifested. Here the emphasis on the qualitative and
theological aspect of universality. The supreme head of an Orthodox Church is
not its supreme authority. The supreme authority of an Orthodox Church vests in
the holy episcopal synod and supreme head only acts as president of the college
of bishop and as first among equals. Paulose Mar Gregorious explains as:
The
Roman Catholic Church, for example, believes in a universal organizational
structure for the Church with one particular bishop, namely the Bishop of Rome
or the Pope, holding a unique position in the whole world. … So the Orthodox
have no Pope.[15]
4.2. Universality of Syrian Orthodox Church
The basic ecclesiological standpoint of the Universal Syrian Orthodox
Church must be understood first. Then only we can grasp the disposition of
Syrian Orthodox Church in India, since the Church in India is a part of the
Universal Syrian Orthodox Church. The Universality of the Church is an
inseparable part of the profession of the Church. Since the Syrian Orthodox
Church too is Catholic, it can only remain Universal transcending territorial
boundaries. Though Universality is mainly a qualitative attribute, the
quantitative and geographical aspect cannot be ignored. The ecclesiological
stand point of the Syrian Orthodox Church is special when compared to the
standpoints of other Orthodox Churches.[16]
Syrian Orthodox Church is the only Church in the family of Orthodox Churches
which believes and follows the notion of Petrine primacy similar to the
Catholic Church. This stand point of the Syrian Orthodox Church is unique in
comparison with the other orthodox Churches. The Syrian Orthodox Church
emphasis that both the quantitative as well as the qualitative aspect of the
universality of the Church. In this sense Patriarch of Antioch as supreme head
of the Universal Syrian Orthodox Church represents the universality of the
Church qualitatively and quantitatively and the throne of St. Peter at Antioch
Conclusion
Local Church is an integral part of the Universal Church. Without local
Church there is no existence of the Universal Church. An acceptable understanding of the Local Church
is grounded in the idea of the Church as the Body of Christ following the
Pauline metaphor. The holistic nature of the life of the body does not isolate
or negate the identity of its members. Instead the profound and subtle
interconnectedness within the body manifests its fullness in every part of the
body. In the normal, healthy body of a living organism, the integration of all
its parts is so perfect that there is no awareness of division or separation.
An objective and profound inquiry on the Local-Universal Church affiliation in
Syrian Orthodox Church and Catholic Church can give us much insight on the
similarities and dissimilarities between the two. And I anticipate that these
resemblances shall open neo-arenas for a fruitful dialogue between the two
Churches.
[1] After
the NT period, we find in the letters of Ignatius Churches in cities presided
over by a single bishop with presbyters and deacons. The Didachȇ is
clearly descriptive of a local Church with its ordinances both moral and
liturgical. From the time of Irenaeus it is clear that the Ignatian model of
Church order was to be found everywhere. Cfr. O'Donnell, Christopher. Ecclesia:
a Theological Encyclopedia of the Church. (Collegeville, Minn.: Liturgical
Press 1996), 270-271.
[2] LG
23.1; 27.1; 45.2.
[3] LG
13.4.
[4] Address
12th September 1987. The text can be found in Origins 17:16 (Rome: October
1987), 258.
[5]K. M. George,
“Beyond the Local and the Universal: Search for New Paradigms in Ecclesiology,”
OIC July 08, 10.
[6]
“Appendices-Study Documents of the Joint Working Group the Church: Local and
Universal,” Information Service, Pontifical Council for Promoting
Christian Unity, N. 74, III (1990), 75-84.
[7] John
Mac Arthur, The Master's Plan for the Church, (Chicago: Moody Publishers
2008), 17-75.
[8]
“Appendices-Study Documents of the Joint Working Group the Church: Local and
Universal,” Information Service, 75-84.
[9] Michael
E. Putney, "Come Holy Spirit, Renew the Whole Creation: Seventh Assembly
of the World Council of Churches", Theological Studies 52 (1991), 607-635.
[10]Cyril of
Jerusalem, Catechesis 18.23; Cfr. Maged Attia, The Coptic Orthodox
Church and the Ecumenical Movement, (Cairo 2001), 2.
[11]Adai
Jacob Cor-Episcopa, “A local Church as microcosm of the Universal Church: Theological foundation for the concept Local
Church”, 2-4.
[12]Ibid.
[13]“Nature,
Constitution and Mission of the Church,” The Fifth Meeting of the
International Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue Between the Catholic
Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches, The Unpublished Document,
(Maarrat Saydnaya, Syria, January 27 to February 2, 2008), 9.
[14]Adai
Jacob Cor-Episcopa, “A local Church as microcosm of the Universal Church: Theological foundation for the concept Local
Church”, 4.
[15] Paulose
Mar Gregorios, "How Different is The Eastern Orthodox Church?",
Collection of Articles of Paulose Mar Gregorios, (Kottayam: 1991), 1-2. Also
cited in www.paulosmargregorios.in/?p=2121.
[16]Adai
Jacob Cor-Episcopa, The Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church in India,
(Mulanthuruthy, Seminary Publications 2015), 10.s
