Persecution of Falun Gong
A Brief History of the Chicago Marthoma Church
The Marthoma Church has been a part of India for thousands of years. It was founded by St. Thomas at 52 Ad at 7 locations throughout what will later become Kerala.
Beliefs and Symbols of the Marthoma Church
The symbols of the Marthoma Church have links to both the Christian heritage and the Hindu heritage of the Marthoma Church and Kerala
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Debt levels have been steadily increasing since 2008. The effects of massive levels of debt will adversely effect the global economy and the psycological wellbeing of the populace
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Thursday, March 21, 2019
Falun Gong: Religious Persecution in China
Persecution of Falun Gong
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The Beliefs and Symbols of the Marthoma Church
To learn about the history of the Marthoma Church, click here.
Worship
Sacraments
- Mamodisa (Baptism): The church encourages child baptism and during the baptism, the parents take an oath stating that they will raise the child to follow Christ.
- Confirmation: Confirmation takes place when the child becomes 12. This is when the child declares that he/she will follow Christ in from of the congregation. This sacrament complements baptism because it shows the community that the parents fulfilled their oath and the child can now participate in the Holy Qurbana.
- Confession: Confession is the acknowledgement of one’s sins and asking for forgiveness from God. Unlike Catholics, marthomites believe that confession is between you and God, there is no priest involved.
- Holy Qurbana (Holy Communion): Qurbana is East Syriac for sacrifice, and it is typically referencing to the last supper. While the Catholic church believes in transubstantiation and Lutherans believe in consubstantiation, the Marthoma church believes that partaking in the Holy Qurbana is that God’s grace is given to the individual. This cannot be verbalized and is used to define one’s experience during communion.
- Marriage: In Indian culture, marriage is not only the union of 2 people, it is also the union of families. During the ceremony, the bride and groom are blessed by God to start a family and it is a covenant between the man and the woman to be together until death. This sacrament is optional
- Ordination: Ordination is an optional sacrament that separates a man from his peers to become an Aachen(priest).
- Unction: Unction is the anointing of the sick and elderly with oil to allow God’s touch to be with them. It is also called the Sacrament of Lamps because the early church used lamps to complete this sacrament.
The Logo
- Lotus Flower: This represents holy living and it is a reminder to believers to be holy
- Hand Lamp: This reminds believers to be lights to the world and bring followers to Christ. This symbol also reminds believers to study the Scriptures.
- Ashoka Chakra: This is also seen on the Indian Flag and it represents the Church's roots in India. The chakra is representative of the cosmic order and life. The placement of the chakra in the center of the cross represents that life finds its ultimate purpose and salvation in Christ.
- Motto: The motto, "Lighted to Lighten" is a reminder to the believers that Christ chose them to bring others to Christ.
- Cross: The cross is placed in the middle of the logo represents that Christ is in the center of the Church's mission and to proclaim that all can come to Christ and be saved.
Works Cited
A Brief History of the Marthoma Church
Church Origins
- Kodungallur
- Chavakad (Palur)
- Parur near Alwaye
- Gakamangalam
- Niranam
- Nilakkal (Chayal)
- Quilon (Kalyan)
Locations of the Original Churches |
Migrations to Malabar
Copy of One of the Chepads |
Portuguese Takeover
Divisions within the St. Thomas Church
The Reformation
- Removing Catholic Influences from the church
- Sole Mediation of Christ
If you are interested in learning about the beliefs and practices of the Marthoma Church, click here.
The Church Today
- Ameri in Chhattisgarh
- Kalahandi in Odisha
- Dewas in Madya Pradesh
- Vattavada in Kerala
Final Remarks
Works Cited
- “Heritage.” Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, marthoma.in/the-church/heritage/.
- “Historical Divisions of Mar Thoma Nasranis.” Historical Divisions of Mar Thoma Nasranis, Nasrani Foundation, www.nasranifoundation.org/articles/historicaldivisions.html.
- “Mar Thomas Sabha History.” Marthoma.org Mar Thomas Sabha History, Sabha News, 28 June 2008, www.marthoma.org/portal/publish/FEATURED/Mar_Thomas_Sabha_History.shtml.
- “Mission Board.” The Marthoma Church: Diocese of North America and Europe, The Marthoma Church, www.marthomanae.org/website/portaltemplate.php?mainmenu=MISSION&submenu=Mission+Board+&subsubmenu=&subsubsubmenu=.
- “Mtc-Urban-Missions.” Mtc-Urban-Missions, Neighborhood Missions Ministry of Mar Thoma Church, Diocese of North America & Europe, 2018, www.mtcurbanmissions.org/.
- “Saint Thomas Christians.” New World Encyclopedia, New World Encyclopedia, 10 Aug. 2015, web.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Saint_Thomas_Christians.
The Effects of Debt
Introduction
Effects of Household Debt
Debt Interaction Equation
Public Private Debt Interaction
Debt Interaction Table
Country
|
Public Private Debt Interaction
|
---|---|
United States
|
203%
|
Ireland
|
406.7%
|
Spain
|
203.8%
|
Japan
|
503.47
|