Metropolitan lauds the secular fabric of India

Kerala, January 29, 2015: The Indian concept of secularism refers to giving due respect and honor to all religions and it even gives the freedom not to believe in any particular religion, according to Geevarghese Mar Coorilos Metropolitan, moderator of the World Council of Churches Commission on World Mission and Evangelism.

Mar Coorilos was delivering the keynote address at a dialogue on ‘Secularism and religious conversion’ organized by the Citizens’ Forum at the Jerusalem Mar Thoma Church hall at Kuttappuzha near Thiruvalla on Wednesday.

He said the number of religions across the globe has been put at around 4,500 and India has got four major religions.

India is known for its rich culture and tradition of mutual respect in a society having different religions and for the social unity among people of different faiths, he said.

Caste is a big factor associated with religion in India and secularism has been made very much a part of the Indian Constitution, he added.

B.R. Ambedkar, who was the architect of the Indian Constitution called for rejection of Hinduism and embracement of Buddhism with a view to overcome the limitations of the caste system, he said.

The Metropolitan said conversion was a process of political empowerment to overcome the limitations of the caste system.

Hence, conversion was a political process towards achieving more freedom and liberty, he said.

Mar Coorilos said Christians should take the challenge of building a just society, with the message of social equality and freedom.

Fr. Abraham C. Mathew, Vicar, presided over the program. Philip N. Thomas, forum secretary, and Annie Athyal, joint secretary, also spoke.

– the hindu