There is going to a special mandalam (council) in February 2010 in order to decide and call for nominations of new bishops in the Mar Thoma church. An objective analysis of the history of the orthodox and Mar Thoma Church will show that 14 bishops (nine of the orthodox church before the reformation and five of the Mar Thoma church has come from the Pakalomattom family - Palakunnathu is a branch of the Pakalomattom family). The reformer Abraham malpan is also from the Palakunnathu family (His real name was Abraham Pannamkuzhy Pakalommathil). However, another interesting phenomenon is that even other bishops consecrated in the Mar Thoma have marriage connections through close kin or other relatives with the Palakunnathu family. Thus, a deeper study of the history of the Mar Thoma church will show a pattern emerging where there is interconnection between families in the matter of ordination of bishops. So, it would seem that a family polity controls the ordination of the highest leadership in this church. On the other hand, there is no evidence either in new testament history or in reformation history that God has used such dynasties to control his church. In the circumstances, as in the apostolic times, when the church "continued with one accord in prayer and supplication" it is the need of the hour that the church pray that God saves his church from the manipulation of human beings. A chain prayer to galvanize 8-10 lakhs marthomites is attempted. A request to all members of this community to help by your prayers. You can also post your prayers in this thread. You can also give your suggest to find creative ways to make this chain prayer a reality. May we see a miracle in our times as in the days of the Acts of the Apostles.
O God, establish him whom Thou hast prepared for us - St. Hippolytus of Rome (Ý235)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I have begun a new community in orkut called Apostolic Reformation. The link is www.orkut.co.in/Main#Community?cmm=97383274 Please prayer for this and contribute.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Please pray that I may be able to complete many projects that I have in mind. One is an objective history of the Mar Thoma church. Another is a book on St. Paul. The third is to seek out to create a new community of the likes of the first apostolic church. Another is to seek for the reformation of the church of India from within the leadership of the church.
