Dr. M M Thomas Birth Centennial Public Lecture

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Prof. Dr. Ram Puniyani Delivers Dr. M M Thomas Birth Centinniel Lecture on 'Democracy and Inclusive Governance'2015 is the Birth Centenary year of the late Dr. M. M. Thomas a globally renowned Church Man, Ecumenist, Christian Theologian, Socialist and Humanist. To offer an ecumenical tribute to this great person, the National Council of Churches in India, along with CASA and in partnership with CISRS, ECC and SCMI organized a Dr. M M Thomas Birth Centenary Public Lecture on 24th August 2015 at ECC Bangalore, on the theme ‘Democracy and Inclusive Governance’.
Prof. Dr. Ram Puniyani a secularist, writer and scholar delivered the Lecture. He described how the inclusive spirit of democracy drafted and affirmed by Dr. B R Ambedkar is ‘out –casted’ by the right wing exclusivist ideologues and political parties in recent days. He called the Churches to work for an inclusive society through promoting and affirming democracy and inclusive governance rather than positioning themselves as one of the faith communities in the country.

NCCI – APCC Press Meet/ Press Note

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The Metropolitan of Marthoma Church, the Most Rev.Joseph Marthoma from Kerala; Rev.Dr. Roger Gaikwad, General Secretary of the NCCI, Dr. J. A. Oliver, Secretary of APCC , Most Rev. Johan Dang and Rt. Rev. Dular Lakra  from Gossner Lutheran Traditions at a press meet in Hyderabad on 18th August 2015.See Press note below.

PRESS NOTE

18th August, 2015

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  • The NCCI is holding a Round Table on the concerns of Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration on 18th, 19th August 2015 at Hyderabad in which the Metropolitan of Marthoma Church, the Most Rev.Joseph Marthoma from Kerala; Rev.Dr.Roger Gaikwad, General Secretary of the NCCI, Nagpur; the Moderator, the Bishops and senior leaders of Gossner Lutheran Church from North and Eastern India are participating in conjunction with which this Press meet is convened.

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ESHA Steering Committee Meeting Reviewing The Present, Envisioning The Future

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IMG-20150805-WA0003The Steering Committee of ESHA (Ecumenical Solidarity for HIV and AIDS) met in Neemrana, Rajasthan for a two-day meeting on July 22-23, 2015.

The Present Phase

As the present phase of ESHA is drawing to a close, the committee took stock of the work achieved.

Work Place Policy: – Ms. Ella Sonawane, Secretary – Publishing and Programmes, ISPCK has been facilitating this work. It was noted that a few of the All India Christian Organizations had made good progress in drafting their work place policies while some others were at different stages of its formulation. Even the NCCI has prepared a draft of the Work Place Policy for approval by the NCCI Executive Committee
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Statement on the Middle East, Future Plans

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29 May 2015

Greetings in the name of Christ,

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I bring you greetings as we have recently completed the 2015 executive committee meeting of the World Communion of Reformed Churches in the cradle of Christianity, gathering at the Evangelical Conference Center in Dhour Choueir, Lebanon, run by the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon.

While gathered together we heard the stories of our sisters and brothers from many countries of the Middle East, including Egypt, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon itself. We were deeply moved by the testimonies of ministry in the face of great challenges. Our eyes were also opened as their reality was presented to us, instead of the one distorted through the mass media.

Our sisters and brothers in the Middle East need us to be closer to them than ever. Their very existence is threatened even as they are the key to peace and reconciliation in the region. To that end, the executive unanimously made a statement that fully commits us as a Communion to be deeply involved with them.
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Movements for the Cause of Palestine

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In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Vatican would soon sign its first accord with Palestine, two years after officially recognising it as a state.  The Vatican said that the “bilateral commission of the Holy See and the State of Palestine” was putting the final touches to the treaty.The treaty states that the Holy See favours a two-state solution to the conflict with Israel and allows the Vatican to oversee aspects of Roman Catholic life in the areas President Abbas controls. Israel has however expressed disappointment with the treaty, which uses the term “Palestinian state”.

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MPs protest held at Gandhi statue in the Parliament premises : Joint Statement by Parliamentarians

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Regarding the communal situation in the country and the fear among Religious Minorities in wake of Hashimpura Judgment, some MPs organiized a signature campaign followed by a protest. Many MPs participated in the protest at Gandhi Statue in the Parliament premises on 7th May, at 10 am.  The successive state Government’s negligence and failure in producing evidence before the court of law denied justice to the victims. Whereas promulgation of executive order in 1950, 10th August by President without the approval of Parliament amounted to denial of equal opportunity and choice of Religious Freedom not only to Dalits of the country but also to the Religious Minorities.  This was to voice their concern to ensure the citizenry in upholding Constitutional mandate of Social Justice beyond Religion.

The Demands were:

  1. A thorough investigation under the supervision of sitting Supreme Court judge to ensure confidence among Citizenry on the governance and the justice delivery system beyond delivering Justice to the victims. The Union Government and the State Government should take every possible effort in bringing the culprits to the book.
  2. We demand the Union of India to Extend the Scheduled Caste Status to Christians and Muslims of Scheduled Caste origin.

Fr. Devasagayaraj

Secretary, CBCI Office for SC/BC

 Mr. Samuel Jayakumar

  Executive Secretary, CoP, NCCI

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Bishop Desmond Tutu writes an open letter to the Deutscher Evangelischer Kirchentag

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Concern for justice and solidarity with the suffering:
Letter of Bishop Tutu to the German Churches

Please see below  a copy of the letter written by Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu to the German Churches. especially to the people who are attending the forthcoming Kirchentag.  His letter challenges our churches also as we take a stand for justice and pray for meaningful peace. 

Open Letter to Deutscher Evangelischer Kirchentage

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ

I send very warm greetings from Cape Town to you all.

Deutscher Evangelischer Kirchentag is a special organization that occupies a special place in this old man’s heart.

It has played an exemplary and prophetic role in gently nudging modern Germany, with its powerful economy, towards using its power actively and compassionately for justice.

I remember how, in the 1980s, you struggled with your consciences over taking “a clear stand” against apartheid – and ultimately acted on your impulse to do the right thing, closing your accounts at Deutsche Bank over its dealings with South Africa. Thank you.

CASA’s Response to the Earthquake in Nepal

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AppealThe killer earthquake that hit Nepal on the noon of April 25th, 2015 has devastated human lives and property. It is believed to have killed over 7,000 people and left more than 12,000 injured, and several thousand houses flattened. The apprehension is that the death toll may rise to 10,000. Further, it is estimated that about eight million people are severely affected in the Himalayan region by this devastating earthquake. Read more

“End Scandal of Discrimination!” Message from NCCI- AICCW pertaining to World Labour Day

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blogWorld Labour Day is commemorated every year on 1st May. With reference to this important celebration, the All India Council of Christian Women, the Women’s Wing of National Council of Churches in India sent messages to churches, church based organizations, institutions, church leaders and communities that there should be no discrimination between men and women in the work place in terms of wages and facilities for same job.
The scripture endorses there should be no discrimination of women. According to Galatians 3:28 there is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. However many times our theology gets tainted by patriarchal interpretations that portrays women as the ‘second sex’ weaker than men. Such interpretations often and legitimizes and sanctions discrimination of women not only in society but even work place. Jesus never discriminated women and was compassionate and had full understanding of the challenges women face in society.

NCCI Stands with the Grieving and Suffering Bomb attack Victims in Pakistan

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pakistan-articleLargeNagpur, March 16, 2015: The National Council of Churches in India expresses its deep shock and painful concern over the continuous attack on innocent public, including Christians, in Pakistan.
As reported by the Media at least 70 people were injured and 15 lost their lives to these inhuman assassinations yesterday ( 15 March 2015) in a Catholic Church and the Christ Church in Youhanabad near Lahore City, where Christians have lived together for years in amity and peace.
The NCCI considers these assaults not merely as attacks on public and innocent citizens of Pakistan, but rather as intentional attacks on ‘Pakistan’ itself’.