| Believers Eastern Church | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Classification | Protestant |
| Orientation | Eastern Protestant |
| Polity | Episcopal |
| Metropolitan bishop | Samuel Mor Theophilus[1] |
| Bishops | 30 (2017)[2] |
| Dioceses | 91 |
| Associations | Kerala Council of Churches[3] and National Council of Churches in India |
| Liturgy | Orthodox Liturgy |
| Headquarters | St. Thomas Community, Thiruvalla, Kerala |
| Founder | Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan I Metropolitan |
| Origin | 1993 |
| Members | 3,500,000[citation needed] |
| Places of worship | 15000 parishes worldwide |
| Hospitals | Believers Church Medical College Hospital, Believers City Clinic, Believers Hospital - Konni |
| Secondary schools | Believers Church Residential School - Thiruvalla, Believers Church Residential School, Believers Church Mahatma Central School, Believers Church English Medium School Alappuzha, Believers Church Vijayagiri Public School, Believers Church Grace Garden School and many other schools |
| Other name | Believers Church (formerly) |
| Official website | www |
Believers Eastern Church (BEC, previouslyBelievers Church) is a church ofIndian origin with congregations and parishes worldwide. It follows anepiscopal governance and structure.[4] It holds Christ as its head (Col 1:18) and further requires that bishops and ordained ministers submit to its metropolitan and his successors. It is governed by a committee of bishops, the synod, with one central bishop holding the honorary title of "first among equals" and followsEvangelical Christian doctrine.[5] BEC is administratively based in the state ofKerala in southwesternIndia. The church has 91 dioceses[6] in 14 nations. It claims a membership of more than 3.5 million in 10 countries speaking a hundred languages. It has 30 bishops, and theMetropolitan Bishop is Moran Mor Samuel Theophilus[1][7] who replaced Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan I Metropolitan[8] (formerly known asK. P. Yohannan).
The Church was founded in 1993 as part of the GFA World (formerlyGospel for Asia) apostolate.[9] On 6 February 2003, K. J. Samuel, the Moderator Bishop of theChurch of South India (a part of the worldwideAnglican Communion), along with the P. M. Dhotekar,Bishop of Nagpur of theChurch of North India, and Bancha Nidhi Nayak, Bishop of Phulbani of the Church of North India, consecrated K. P. Yohannan as a bishop in Anglican lines ofapostolic succession. BishopJohn Wilson Gladstone,Mar Aprem Mooken, Metropolitan of the Assyrian Church of the East in India (Chaldean Syrian Church) were also present for the consecration ceremony. K. P. Yohannan thereafter became the first metropolitan of the Believers Eastern Church, and acquired anepiscopal polity of ecclesiastical governance.[10][11] He later changed his name to Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan Metropolitan in honor of his beloved patron saints, St. Athanasius, the defender of orthodoxy, and St. John (Yohan) the Apostle & Evangelist[1]. BEC describes itself as being "Apostolic in origin, universal in nature, Biblical and evangelical in faith, ecumenical in outlook".[12] It adheres to theNicene Creed, biblical faith, and traditions of the historical church backed up with its own canonical constitution.[12] The Episcopal Synod and the diocesan councils take the responsibility for planning and executing the mission, religious life and charitable programs of the Church. The Believers Eastern Church is divided as regions into dioceses, each with its ownbishop. Each local church has members ranging from less than one hundred to a thousand with an average of a hundred, and the number of parishes themselves are increasing.[13] The BEC is divided into various dioceses under the leadership of a diocesan bishop or a vicar-general.
In 2009, the church ordained seven bishops.[14] On 2 March 2017, Metropolitan Yohan consecrated twelve bishops for the Believers Eastern Church.[2]
The emblem of the Believers Eastern Church reflects its core beliefs, featuring a cross within a circle, surrounded by a dove, heart, book, and fish—symbols of faith. The cross, chosen by early Church fathers, represents Jesus Christ's crucifixion, death, and resurrection. It extends beyond the circle, signifying that Christ's redemptive work transcends time and is central to the faith. The circle represents eternity.[15]
Theliturgy used in the Believers Eastern Church "includes prayers, Scripture readings and a confession of theNicene orApostles' Creed of the Church".[16] The readings come from theRevised Common Lectionary, which has a three-year cycle; it observes theliturgical calendar ofWestern Christianity, thus keepingLent, for example.[17][18] It administers thesacraments ofBaptism andHoly Communion. Women inchurches of this denomination wearChristian headcoverings, in accordance with Believers Eastern Church's interpretation of1 Corinthians 11:2–16. Communicants of BEC use thesign of the cross in their prayers.[16]
The church accepts theOld Testament andNew Testament of theBible as theinspired Word of God which isinerrant and the fundamental standard of faith,[19] and complete and final written revelation of God. It also adheres to theNicene Creed. The church believes in the following doctrines:[20]
For being distinguishable members of Believers Eastern Church, and the message of the Word of God to be applied in an individual's life leading to a greater maturity in Christ, following are the official code of living.[21]
The Sisters of Compassion is areligious order ofnuns within the Believers Eastern Church that is dedicated to serving the "neglected of society".[22][2]
Believers Eastern Church is involved in various social projects and has been lauded for its "humanitarian service towards the society at large".[23] The church's social service includespoverty alleviation,[24] and promoting adultliteracy.[23] The church also provides shelter tostreet children through a home called Asha Grih, which is licensed by theIndian Government.[25][26] Additionally, BEC has a child sponsorship program which providesholistic development to needy children throughoutSouth Asia. As of 2012, the program has helped some 60,000 underprivileged children by providing them free education, a nutritious diet and school supplies.[citation needed] The church sponsorship program has 525 project centers with 2,400 staff.[26] Other major projects include the Believers Church Medical College Hospital,[27] Believers Eastern Church Caarmel Engineering College[28] and Believers Church Theological Seminary.[29]
The operations ofGospel for Asia and BEC were scrutinized after Believers Eastern Church, under the guidance of Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan Metropolitan purchased a 2,268-acre (9.18 km2) rubber estate in Kerala, India.[30][31]Opponents said the church had diverted foreign funds to amass land for itself and for uses other than declared purposes.[32]Further, it was alleged that the rubber estate, which Believers Eastern Church purchased from Harrison's Malayalam Ltd., was on leasehold from the government and not saleable.[33]Legal proceedings are still ongoing.[34][35][36]
There is also been an ongoing court case regarding the illegal filling in of wetlands in order to build the Believers Eastern Church Medical College Hospital.[37][38]
Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan Metropolitan said that the claims were politically motivated and that the workings ofGospel for Asia and Believers Eastern Church are transparent.[39] Further, the rubber estate is an investment to help fund social service activities among underdeveloped communities[31] and not a personal land grab as opponents have stated.
In 2017, theMinistry of Home Affairs had suspended theForeign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) licenses of the church and three NGOs associated with Believers Eastern Church from receiving foreign funds.[40]It is mandatory to have FCRA clearance from the Home Ministry for any organization to receive foreign funds. The trust enjoyed exemption under theI-T Act, 1961 as charitable/religious trust, receiving donations from foreign countries ostensibly for helping the poor and destitute and evangelical purposes.[41]The government has reconsidered the decision to allow prior permission to two NGOs after detailed verification.
In 2020, theIncome Tax officials conducted searches at around 60 premises associated with the Believers Church.[42]The I-T officials seized Rs 14.5 cr from the raid at the offices of Believers church. Out of the total amount, Rs 7 cr was recovered from the boot of a car owned by an employee of the hospital under Believers church. Rest of the amount was seized from various places includingDelhi.[43]I-T officials revealed that they are looking into transactions over the last ten years. The church had got around Rs 4,000 crore over the years and a chunk of it had gone into the construction of institutions and real estate dealings.[44][45]
Believers Eastern Church is a member ofThe National Council of Churches in India[46] and theKerala Council of Churches.[47] It has also held ecumenical contacts with theAnglican Church in North America.[48]
In 1993, Gospel for Asia created its own church administrative structure, the Believers'Church, where newly founded congregations supported by Gospel for Asia were grouped together.
On 6 Feb 2003 the Rt. Rev. K. J. Samuel, Bishop in East Kerala and former moderator of the Church of South India, assisted by the Rt. Rev. P.M. Dhotekar, Bishop in Nagpur of the Church of North India, and the Rt. Rev. Bancha Nidhi Nayak, Bishop in Phulbani of the Church of North India, consecrated Yohannan as metropolitan archbishop of the Believers Church.
Believers Church, a Christian denomination, is Apostolic in origin, universal in nature, Biblical and evangelical in faith, ecumenical in outlook, and has a constitutional episcopacy for governance. The Church adheres to the Nicene Creed, Biblical Faith, and traditions of the historical church backed up with its own Canonical Constitution.
Today marks the first day of Lent. It is one of the oldest holy days on the Christian calendar. As Christians, we have many holidays that we celebrate throughout the year such as Christmas, Palm Sunday and Easter. Lent is a special time like those when we can stop and remember what our lives here on earth are about.
