ALUVA: The Union Christian College has a very rich tradition in ecumenical activities and it has made immense contributions to communal harmony, Mar Thoma Valia Metropolitan Philipose Mar Chrysostom said here on Monday.
He was delivering the Founders Day Lecture. Metropolitan also released the Brochure of Center for the Study of Religion and Society (CSRS) with C P Mathew Chair, a `5-crore ‘Navathi’ project. Philipose Mar Chrysostom handed over the copy of the brochure to college bursar A Benny Cherian.
K C Chacko, A M Varkey, V M Ittyrah and C P Mathew who founded
U C college had a mission to instil values. They founded the college in 1921, aiming to bring various Churches together to prevent disputes and conflicts among them.
Commenting on the centre, the Metropolitan said that religion is basic to human beings and that it will mould them to attain salvation. People should work for the welfare of others. We should ensure the prosperity, health and wealth of our neighbours, he said. College manager A M Chacko presided over the function. The college founders contributed immensely to the growth of the college, church and society, Chacko said. C P Mathew was an outstanding ecumenist and philosophy professor. He impressed generations of students by his moral uprightness, sense of fairness, spirit of nationalism and social commitment. He represented Kottayam in the first Lok Sabha.
Principal T Thomas Philip said the C P Mathew Chair would provide an effective and in-depth study of all religions and their spiritual and ethical values. The chair would explore the practical application to further the ideas of ecumenism in the context of plurality. It would provide a forum for the study of scriptures and other writings. College bursar A Benny Cherian, chaplain Fr Johny George, staff council member P Thomas Mathew and convener C M Mathew spoke.
