Communion of Churches in India

The Communion of Churches in India (CCI) is a representative body of three mainline non-Catholic denominations in India: the Church of North India, the Church of South India, and the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church. The three churches are in full communion with each other. They accept each other's clergy, interpretation of the Bible, creeds, and mutually accept one another’s baptism, eucharist, and ministry.

Prior to 2004, the CCI was known as the Joint Council of Churches in India which constituted of the same member churches. The Joint Council of Churches was formed on July 4, 1978 after a 5-year study by a Joint Theological Commission of delegates from the member churches to explore possible areas of cooperation and unity.

In 1973, Theological Commissions from each of the three churches met to consider the matter. At the very outset, representatives of the Mar Thoma Church led by the present Metropolitan, Alexander Mar Thoma, made it clear that they had no intention to enter into an organic union with the other Churches which would involve merging of the three Churches. The Mar Thoma Church wished to explore possibilities of working together especially in the field of evangelization in India and other areas of cooperation in the fulfillment of the mission of the Church.

As the Mar Thoma Church has oriental traditions which it wishes to preserve, the Church did not want to lose its identity by merging with the other Churches. The C.S.I. and C.N.I. was formed by the merging of different denominations from the Western tradition and had less difficulty with the idea of again merging to form a new Church. Recognizing the need to work and grow together in the spirit of unity, all the three Churches agreed to form a joint council consisting of 30 representatives from each Church including five Bishops, ten presbyters and fifteen laymen (of which five should be women).

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