Church role in education lauded

The role and leadership of the Church of South India in promoting education, health and Tamil was commended during the celebration of its diamond jubilee in Chennai, on Thursday.

The church being one of the oldest and largest ecumenically united in Asia, consists of 40 lakh members in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Pondicherry and the Jaffna province of Srilanka.

Minister of State for Railways R. Velu, urging Christian leaders to go one step further and work for the unification of the church across India said, “I appeal to all the bishops, why confine your unification to South India alone? Maybe, before your platinum jubilee, the ‘S’ will be removed and you will become the Churches of India.”

The minister also encouraged the representatives of the church from other southern states to fight for the reservation of religious minorities in education and employment, just like how it came to activation in Tamil Nadu.

Finance Minister K. Anbazhagan appreciated the role of Christianity in promoting Tamil, recalling the contribution of the 18th century missionary Bartholomew Ziegenbalg, a pioneer in Tamil printing.

The church as a part of its diamond jubilee celebration came out with a 10–point manifesto, including a commitment to create an endowment of Rs. 1 crore for the education of 120 underprivileged boys and girls.

Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali, the Prince of Arcot, during the function urged Christians and Muslims to act as brothers and sisters and to fight against terrorism unitedly.