Remember the day India gained independence from the United Kingdom. It was about a month later that something remarkable happened right here. We’re standing before the House of Prayer CSI Church in Chennai.
The Church of South India was inaugurated on September 27 1947. St. George’s Cathedral in Chennai hosted this historical event. It marked the union of several Protestant denominations.
These included the South India United Church. Also uniting were the Anglican Church of India Pakistan Burma and Ceylon. The Methodist Church of South India joined too. Later in the 1990s some Baptist and Pentecostal churches also joined.
The presiding bishop at the inaugural function was Rt Revd C. K. Jacob. He represented the Anglican Diocese of Travancore and Cochin. A large crowd from around the world gathered at the cathedral in Madras. Bishop Jacob made a historical declaration.
The CSI’s motto reflects Jesus’ prayer. “That they all may be one” is its guiding principle. Discussions about merging South India’s Protestant denominations began in 1919. The conference took place in Tranquebar. It is now known as Tharangambadi. Bishop V. S. Azariah of the Dornakal diocese was a key leader. He was the first Indian bishop of the Anglican Church. The Church of South India is the result of twenty-eight years of prayers and discussions.
The inauguration of the Church of South India opened a new chapter. It was the first union between episcopal and non-episcopal churches. Four traditions came together Anglican Congregational Presbyterian and Methodist.
The South India United Church formed in 1908 was one of the uniting churches. It was a union of Congregationalists and Presbyterians. The Basal Mission district of Malabar joined in 1919.
Initially the CSI had fourteen dioceses. Today the church has twenty-two dioceses. It boasts more than 2 million members. Eight dioceses are in Tamil Nadu. Six are in Andhra Pradesh. Four are in Kerala. Three are in Karnataka. One is in Sri Lanka.
The Church runs numerous institutions. There are 2000 schools 130 colleges and 104 hospitals in South India. In the 1960s the church focused on social responsibility. It started rural development projects. Currently there are 50 such projects all over India. Also there are 50 training centers for young people. 500 residential hostels house 35000 children.
The CSI is a member of several global bodies. These include the Anglican Communion. Also they include the World Council of Churches. They also include the World Alliance of Reformed Churches.
Here at the House of Prayer CSI Church in Chennai you can witness the legacy. It stands as a testament to unity faith and service. It’s a place where prayer fills the air. It is open from 6 am to 6 pm. Anyone seeking comfort and silence can come here. They can surrender to God in a prayerful place. The congregation here is vibrant. Believers come from all over India. Some even come from different parts of the world.