We have our tradition deeply routed in Eastern Orthodox Church with connections of Western Orthox and lately Anglicans.
How are you “deeply rooted” in the Eastern Orthodox Church? There is no Eastern Orthodox Church in communion with the Marthoma Community - if anything you should claim a link to “Oriental Orthodox” - specifically the Syriac Orthodox or Malankara Orthodox Church - but even in this case, your community is not in communion with either of these Churches.
We are reformed Orthox Church holding on to the customs of pre Diampher synod of St. Thomas Christians (which was dictated by Portughese on us)
First - reformed and orthodox do not go together, that which is of the Correct and True Faith/Worship (Ortho - Correct/True Dox- Faith/Belief/Worship) needs no reform.
What are the teachings of the pre-Diamper Universal Church? How is it that the Marthoma church claims to be “returning to the authentic faith” of the preDiamper Church, yet no other Church in the world has the same beliefs as the Marthomites and the Marthoma are in communion with NO canonical Orthodox Church either in India or abroad - yet it is in full communion with Anglicans (CSI and Church of England) and send their ministers to Lutheran and Anglican Seminaries? Are you claiming that the Diamper Synod affected the Coptic, Armenian, Syriac, Ethiopian, and Eritrean Orthodox Churches as well - and therefore your group is the only one left with the “authentic universal faith”?
We have differences with catholics by staying away from Intercession prayer to Saints, Veneratiing the icons & statues.
Differences with Catholics and Orthodox - and the Apostolic Faith.
But we are indeed Nicane Creed community. We are not protestants as we are not formed out of Anglican Church. But we has taken up their view on evangelization and study of Bible if that is wrong to do it!.
Protestants are those communities which split from the Catholic or Orthodox Church and formed out of the teachings of Luther, Zwingli, and Calvin - that is the very definition of the Marthoma church. All of its early leaders were educated by British missionaries. The early history of the Marthoma split mentions “Claudius Buchanan” and other low-church Anglicans, not Orthodox bishops or theologians. The community was FUNDED in its infancy by the British government in India. Not too many know this - or will admit it if they do know it - Rev. Abraham, the reformer who created the Marthoma community was ordained a celibate priest. After being influenced by Anglicans and refusing to submit to his bishop, he was excommunicated. The British government in those days offered R20,000 for celibate clergy who would renounce their vows and marry, in order to influence the Malankara Church. One of the first priests to take that money was Abraham Malpan.
As being member of Universal Church (not the cathoilic church who claim to be the only true Church) that is part of Christ Body, I find nothing wrong in marrying a Marthomite if your love is true in front of God.
Quite a paradox here - you start with “being a member of the Universal Church” and end with “if your love is true in front of God” - what about the teachings of that Universal Church - and what is best for the couple? Authentic Christian Life isn’t about me and God, God and me - Its God, me, and everyone else - the Church!
Because both of you believe in Jesus Christ which is the very basic of the message of gospel to be saved.
is that what Jesus taught?
I agree that with the influence of modern churches some might think that Marthoma Church is a Protestant Church. But in reality it is not. One more thing - I can show enough and more of the ex-Catholics too with Pentecostal Churches. Personally I tried to convince them back to their mother Churches (Cathoilic) even though I am a Marthomite.
The fact is the Marthoma community is rooted in being anti-Apostolic Tradition. Their very teachings reflect what they are not: We do not venerate dead saints, etc… we do not pray to Mary, we do not do what those Orthodox and Catholics do…
How can they then say that others who have taken that to the next level - Calvinists, Methodists, Pentecostals, etc - are wrong?
Marthoma Church have much broader outlook and hve respects for all the apostolic sister churches with due respect despite the differences.
The Marthomites have no choice but to respect the Apostolic Churches because they claim their heritage from those same Churches - on the other hand they claim the teachings of those same Apostolic Churches are unbiblical. They are trying to preserve their semi-apostolic tradition while at the same time teaching reformation - this is why the Marthoma community does not have a coherent theology or catechism. In fact, if you look at the Worship book of the Marthoma church, it commemorates the Councils of Nicæa, Constantiople and Ephesus - Ephesus is where Mary was acknowledged Theotokos. Does the Marthoma church today teach Mary is the holy Ever-Virgin Mother of God?
Don’t Leave your Mother Church.save from brain-washing by the protestents(mar thoma church) ,you Please go ASAP to a SMC diocese ,ask help from a priest ,ask him to pray for you.