Free from Christological Controversies May be the theology of the particular Churches within the universal Church developed later and came to the full expression in Vatican II. It was however very much in focus in the letters of St. Paul: “To the Church of God in Corinth ” ((I Cor.1,1).In evaluating the history of Thomas Christians and in alleging them of holding any false doctrine, a few things have to be kept in mind. The Thomas Christians, in spite of all their dependence on the Persians for the prelates and for the Liturgy, were independent of them for their faith and communion with Rome.

They received the good News from Apostle Thomas. They kept it intact as their precious heritage. They were not aware of any Christological controversies, nor involved in any of them. It may be that some of the Christological errors were found in the liturgical texts of St. Thomas Christians. But they were not well versed in Syriac so as to understand the errors. It has in no way disturbed the relations of this Church with Rome. Hence it is very unjust to brand St. Thomas Christians as Nestorians. Whenever they got an occasion to profess their allegiance with Rome they did so. When the Seleucian Church went Nestorian the Thomas Christians were not aware of it. The faith of this Church and its loyalty to Rome were independent of their relations with Persia. The missionaries in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries who could not understand this specific situation of this particular Church have tried to establish that St. Thomas Christians were Nestorians and they were brought back to communion with Rome with their efforts. They also succeeded in convincing some in the West. This was the pretext under which the Synod of Diamper was convoked in 1599.They have done great damage to this Church (About the Synod of Diamper see below).

The title “Syro-Malabar ” not appropriate For St. Thomas Christians The name “Syro-Malabar Church ” can be misleading, as it does not point to the origin of these Christians. It is apostolic origin, connected with St.Thomas. St. Thomas Christians were there a few centuries before the East Syrians reached Kerala. (SeeFr.Podipara,p.27).Till the end of the 16th century the St. Thomas Christians were ruled by the prelates of the Church of Seleucia of Persia. In the course of history the Persian Church was divided into Chaldean Church (Catholic)and the Nestorian Church..15 16 Malabar also does not suit to the present territorial boundaries of this Church. According Fr. Mathias Mundadan ”The hyphenated name Syro-Malabar does not represent the most important aspect of the ST. Thomas Christians, which is its apostolic origin ” ((See. Mathias Mundadan, The Syro-Malabar Church An overview, p.56).

Some call St. Thomas Christians “Chaldeans ”.Why should the Church of St. Thomas Christians be called Chaldean as the vicissitudes of that Church and the controversies in which it was involved did not affect the St. Thomas Christians. Chaldean which recalls the Nestorian controversy is in no way appropriate to identify this Church? East Syrian may indicate the origin of the Liturgy of this Church. The title Syro- Malabar was given to St. Thomas Christians after the division caused in the seventeenth century through the desertion of Catholic communion by a group of St. Thomas Christians who became Jacobites. This title does not do justice to this particular Church.” St.. Thomas Catholics ” and “St. Thomas Catholic Church ” could be a more appropriate name.