The Malankara Mar Thoma Church’s ecumenical outlook – marked by twin facets of openness and autonomy – has been the underlying ethos guiding its history, helping it to establish a unique identity. The book retells the church’s ecumenical history dating back to its founding in 52 CE. This study throws ample light on the period between the significant changes of 1889 and the present times. It deals with questions such as: How did the church start practising an ecumenical outlook even before the word ecumenism was coined? Could this have resulted from the church’s interaction with Indian culture that upholds unity in diversity?

Joseph Daniel, Rev. Dr., holds two post graduate degrees in History and Theology. He is recipient of India’s Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund Award and University Merit scholarship for academic excellence and gold-medalist from the Mahatma Gandhi University. He is now vicar of the Salem Mar Thoma Church and teaches at Mar Thoma Theological Seminary (India).