CHENNAI: The Church of South India (CSI), the Protestant Christian denomination having the highest membership in Chennai, is facing a tumult from within following a controversy over the tenure of the present Bishop of the Diocese of Madras, V Devasahayam.
Devasahayam, who was elected to the post in 1999, had given an undertaking at the time of his selection that would leave the job after 10 years, while the retirement age of a Bishop, according to the CSI constitution, is 65 years.
So, when the Synod, the apex body of the CSI, ‘retired’ Devasahayam, who is only around 60 years now, members of the diocese rose up in arms. The executive committee of the diocese called the move by the head of CSI, moderator J W Gladstone, to call for election to the post of Bishop as ‘unconstitutional’ and ‘unprecedented’ and called for an ‘massive demonstration’ when the Synod executive was expected to meet on Thursday and take a final decision.
However, with Gladstone putting off the Synod executive, the Madras Diocese too called off the agitation, according to sources.
The diocesan secretary, T Sampath Bagavandoss, told Express that though Devasahayam had given the undertaking that he would serve as Bishop for only 10 years, it was challenged by a team of lawyers in the Church then itself. He said that a small group of persons, who made the Bishop give such an undertaking, cannot decide on behalf of the four lakh members of the diocese.
However, sources in the Synod said that there is a provision for Bishops to seek voluntary retirement after 10 years of service and Devasahayam’s letter was treated as one such request. The sources pointed out that at no point of time in the past 10 years did he withdraw the letter.
But Bagavandoss claimed that ‘the members, pastors, students, staff and executive members of the Diocesan churches, institutions as well as various boards and departments are very much agitated.
In a statement to the media, he termed the moderator’s action as one “disturbing and sabotaging the smooth functioning of the life and work of the believers, children, staff and professionals”.