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Rt. Rev. Thomas Mar Athanasius Suffragan Metropolitan

He was born in 1914 in the Panampunna family at Kottayam and was a deep scholar who continued his reading and studies to the end of his days. He was known for his deep devotion and great ability to build up the Church

Panampunna Family

Panampunna family is one of the oldest Christian family at Kottayam, Kerala. They were deeply religious and a part of Marthoma church from the time of formation. They were mostly involved in business and most people were deep scholars.

http://panampunna.googlepages.com/ http://sites.google.com/site/pulikkattumadathil/

Education

He had his earlier education at the C.M.S College Kottayam and later as at Trivandrum where he took Post Graduation in History from the Arts College.

He had his Theological training at the Bishop’s College Calcutta and at Oxford University, England. He taught in the Mar Thoma Theological Seminary and the M.T High School Kottayam.

Priesthood

He was ordained Deacon of the Church in 1944 and Kasseessa in 1946 while he continued his teaching at the Mar Thoma Theological Seminary.

Consecration

Realizing the need for three more bishops for the Mar Thoma Church, the Church Mandalam (representative assembly) in 1950, decided to consecrate three more bishops. Rev. P.Thomas was one of those who were selected.

Episcopa

On May 23, 1953, Juhanon Mar Thoma Metropolitan assisted by Mathews Mar Athanasius Episcopa ordained Rev. P. Thomas as episcopa and was given the episcopal title, Thomas Mar Athanasius . Rev.M.G.Chandy (Alexander Mar Theophilus) and Rev. Philip.Oomman (Philipose Mar Chrysostom ) were also ordained on the same day.

On his consecration as Bishop in 1953 with the other two Bishops, he was first in charge of the Diocese in Kerala, South of Adoor, called the Southern Diocese at that time. After six years in this capacity, he functioned as Missionary Bishop from 1959 to 1963. Since then he has been in charge of the Northern Diocese with head quarters first at Kottayam, and later at Manganam.

Suffragan Metropolitan

He was designated as Suffragan Metroploitan in May 1978 together with Philipose Mar Chrysostom

Achievements

He attended the first Assembly of the World Council of Churches at Amsterdam in 1948, and also the Assembly at New Delhi in 1961. He was a member of the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches since 1961. Thus he made significant contributions to the cause of ecumenism. He has attended many other international conferences in the Churches and was a delegate to the Melbourne Conference where he had made a distinct contribution as a leader of Bible Study. He also attended the sessions of the second Vatican Council on special invitation.

He has been President of various organizations of the Church, such as the Evangelistic Assocaiation, Sunday School Samajam, Sevika Sangham and Yuvajana Sakhyam on different occasions. He guided the evangelistic activities of the whole church for many years.

As a builder, he opened up many centers for the development of the church, raising funds by personal appeals. Thus were established the Diocesan Headquarters at Adoor, Maganam and Kunnamkulam. The Church Center at Chungathara, the Convention Speakers Sites in the Retreat Centre at Maramon, and the St. Augustine Study Centre, Manganam, Kottayam with the view that the clergy and Laity should take time off to stay at the center and read the latest books on theology and related subjects. By his personal efforts, he built a library of over 6000 valuable books.

The Mar Thoma College for Women at Perumbavoor was established under his inspiring leadership and patronage.

He gave leadership to the Parishes in the Ranny area to establish a center for the church. He was Cahirman of different colleges of the Church and of the Vaidika Seminary for many years and gave valuable contributions to their development.

Doctorate

He was awarded a Doctorate by the Serampore University considering his meritorious services to the Church in India, and towards ecumenical cause.

Demise

The last months of his life were spent in organizing and developing the Parishes in North America. His sudden demise on November 27, 1984 was a severe shock to the whole Church and to the ecumenical world. His loss was irreparable.

Memorial

DR. THOMAS MAR ATHANASIUS MEMORIAL RESEARCH AND ORIENTATION CENTRE

History

Dr.Thomas Mar Athanasius Memorial Orientation Centre, Manganam, Kottayam, India is a brain child of late Rt. Rev. Dr. Thomas Mar Athanasius Suffragon Metropolitan of the Mar Thoma church. The Centre then called St. Augustine Study Centre was inaugurated on l0th February 1978 by the Rt. Rev. Paul Moore, Bishop of the Episcopal Church, New York. Bishop Mar Athanasius was called to God on 27th November 1984 and to honour his memory the Mar Thoma Church decided to rename the Centre as Dr. Thomas Mar Athanasius Memorial Orientation Centre. After 10 years of journey the Centre has been recognized as a Research Centre in religious sociology and Ecumenism by Mahatma Gandhi University in 1997. At present this Centre is known as Dr. Thomas Mar Athanasius memorial Research and Orientation Centre.

Vision

This Centre has been a cynosure of dialogue on reflections and responses on matters of faith and doctrine in the emerging context of total mission of the Church. The Centre envisages Study, Research and Orientation in matters pertaining to Religion and Society and is open to all who seek a theological perspective to the contemporary social issues.

Objectives

² To provide a platform for Churches, Social Movements and Ecumenical Organizations for sharing concern at various levels. ² To provide a base for continuing education of clergy and lay leaders. ² To provide a venue for dialogue to people belonging to other faiths. ² To promote research in ecumenical perspective. ² To provide facilities for clergy and laity for short stay to engage in dialogue and studies ² To publish journals, periodicals and books relating to religion and society.

Facilities

² Library containing 10000 volumes in Religion, Theology, Social Sciences, Culture, Economics, Political science, Literature etc. ² Circular Chapel built in oriental architectural style. ² Two lecture halls ² An Auditorium cum conference hall with a seating capacity of 200 chairs. ² Quarters for directors ² Hostel with 40 double rooms ² Telephone, Fax, Xerox, Computers and Internet facilities ² Food and refreshment facility in the same campus.

Programmes

² Seminars on current topics ² One year part time course for laity and youth ² Clergy continuing education programme ² Workshop on Mission ² Workshop on biblical hermeneutics and Ministry ² Programmes for college students and staff ² Participatory communication course for social change ² Dr. Thomas Mar Athanasius Memorial Lectures ² Research Methodology courses

Publications

² Research journal 'Vision' (English) ² 'Daily Bible Study' -. Prathidina Vedapadanasahai (Malayalam) ² 'Parish Ministry' (Malayalam) ² Occasional Publications

Location

The Centre is located on the outskirts of District Headquarters in the town of Kottayam. Well connected by road and rail with nearest airport at Nedumbassery which is only 35 miles away. Kottayam is the oldest seat of higher education in Kerala, pioneered by the Anglican Missionaries through setting up schools and Colleges. Manganam, the place where the Centre is situated exactly is distant 5 kms from Kottayam Railway Station on the way to Puthuppally.

ECUMENICAL LEARNING TO ENABLE LOCAL ACTION (E-LE-LA)

Ecumenical Learning to Enable Local Action is a modular component of T.M.A.M. Research and orientation Centre. The research programmes of the 'E-LE-LA’ are specially designed to prepare students to make original contributions in Religious Philosophy and Social Sciences. The programmes are broadly grouped into (I) Regular research leading to Ph.D. degree and (II) Visiting Fellowship.

Ph.D. Programme

The regular programme is open to candidates holding a Master's degree (as per marks restriction of M.G.University) including M.Th. and those who have passed the Ph.D. entrance examination conducted every year by the University. Facilities for conducting part - time research are also on hand for those who are otherwise employed. As the Centre is affiliated to Mahatma Gandhi University for its Ph.D. programme the supervisors are recognized guides of the university.

Once admitted to the Centre, the student would join in a training programme, which for the first year consists of course work. A student has to do a minimum of six courses before she/he undertakes research work. The course work will be assessed either on the basis of term papers for each course or on the basis of written examinations. The courses offered are Social Theories (two Courses), Philosophy of Social Sciences (one), Research Methods (one), Logic (one), and Generating and Organising Empirical Data (one).

Visiting Fellowship

Basic requirement for Visiting Fellowship is a concern for social life and its problems. The nature of the periodic programme can be opted based on an assessment of the level of the specialised knowledge of the incoming scholars. But a scholar or any individual with a genuine interest in social matters can seek admission to the programme, by submitting a synopsis. A committee constituted by the academic council of the Centre will examine the proposal. If the proposal is provisionally accepted the applicant will be called for an interview. Those who are admitted to the programme will be the Center’s visiting scholars for a definite period and will be accommodated at the residential complex of the Centre on a nominal charge.

The training programme will consist of courses in formal reasoning, classic and advanced social theories, philosophical and methodological problems of social sciences and generating and organising empirical data. Towards the end of the programme the scholar is expected to submit a long tem paper or do a minor project which will be evaluated by experts and might later be published by the Centre as its working paper.

Facilities available for other researchers

Researchers from other Universities in India and abroad can avail of the facilities of accommodation, food, library etc, for their research work and Exposure Programmes at their expense.

Contact us

Mailing address T.M. A.M. Research and Orientation Centre, Manganam, Kottayam, Kerala, India Pin code: 686018

Telephones: (0481) 2571879 ;(0481) 2571167 & (0481) 2572125 Fax: (0481) 2571167 E-Mail: tmamroc@hotmail.com & tmamrc@sify.com

President: Rt. Rev. Dr. Issac Mar Philoxenos Episcopa Director (General): Rev.Oommen V. Varkey Director (Research): Rev. Dr. Y. George

• "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/*Rt. Rev.Dr. Thomas Mar Athanasius Suffragan Metropolitan"

• "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ *Thomas Mar Athanasius"
• "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ *Thomas Mar Athanasius Suffragan Metropolitan"
• "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ *Dr. Thomas Mar Athanasius"
• "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ *Thomas Mar Athanasius Metropolitan"
• "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ *Panampunna"
• "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ *Panampunna Family"

Controversy

At the time of his consecration as Bishop a controversy was started by Mr. K N Daniel who questioned his loyalty to reformation principles. After closely observing his life and work for some years, Mr. Daniel himself admitted that his fears were unjustified and he had full confidence in Mar Athanasius’s personal commitment to Jesus Christ, his evangelical zeal and loyalty to the Church.