Journal

Mar Thoma Seminary Journal of Theology

Mar Thoma Seminary Journal of Theology is an academic publication of the Mar Thoma Syrian Theological Seminary.  It is committed to promote theological and ecumenical discussions and discourses within the academia and among the faith communities.  The purpose is to disseminate epistemological innovations, ideas and ideals into the larger community with a praxis oriented vision of reality. It also envisages to exemplify theologizing by entering into dialogue with the socio-cultural, religio-political and the ideological pluralism.  This engagement is with a conscious commitment to the Triune God, to the world of God, to the people of God and to the liberative and transformative paradigm enlivened by Jesus Christ, the Word Incarnate.

Theological education and theologizing in India is essentially a multivalent endeavour. This endeavour takes into account the interconnectedness prevalent in a polyphonic and pluralistic society where social hierarchy is well established. Social heirarchization and the resultant marginalization of the people groups necessitate and demand new methodological paradigms in the theologizing process. This methodological approach should take seriously the question of identity formation and existence of multiple identities. The pathos of the people, their hopes and aspirations for a just society and to have an authentic and meaningful relationship undoubtedly sets the agenda for the theologizing. It engenders critical and radical engagement with the contemporary socio-political, religious, economic and aesthetic space.

The confessional loyalties, missiological imperatives, ecclesiastical and liturgical distinctiveness and particularities, the cultural and epistemological perspectives need to be taken seriously in the theologizing process. Any theologizing that does not take into account this polyphonic nature of the society and people groups and the confessional, ideological and epistemological stance authentically, turns out to be a futile attempt. Hence it demands an authentic and responsible interaction and an engagement with the dominant and the contextual discourses of the present. The discourses that often surface demand a faith response and challenge the faith community to actively engage with these discourses and revisit the discursive practices that are prevalent in the society which are hegemonic in its expression.

Mar Thoma Seminary Journal of Theology is an attempt to bring these issues and the polyphonic expressions of faith and ideologies in conversation. It is our desire to provide our readers with significantly engaging work that take the soio-cultural, religio-political and ideological space seriously. The journal contains scholarly articles representing varied academic disciplines.

We also hope to undertake an epistemological mediation by approaching theologizing as an active engagement with the context over the coming years.