Loves Grandeur in Scholarship - H.G. Dr.

Yakoob Mar Irenios Metropolitan Louis Fischer, the American biographer of Mahatma Gandhi notes that while leader s like Hitler and Stalin had an oura of formidableness about them, Gandhi was si mple and approachable and had no air of terror about him. Nonetheless, Gandhi was a world leader of a high, morale stature, in many ways greater than many world le aders whom Fischer considered and juxtaposed with Gandhi. The humanness of Gandhi , and simple determination in the dealings are only too well known to our countr ymen who call him Father of the Nation. Rev.Dr.V.C.Samuel was a rare radiance in Christology, church History, Greek and Syriac languages. However despite his vast scholarship and varied interests, he never assumed airs and was much lovable and approachable personality. Though he was rightly conscious of his exemplary ability resources, he never boasted about his rare endowments, but would come down from the heights of his excellence and he was dare to venture down the ivory heights of academics but Dr.V.C.Samuel Ac hen would never be snobbish to be one among them. There is an adage in English that the ideal teacher and the ideal student are th e same person. Dr.Samuel Achen was a life long researcher after knowledge and tr uth a student researcher, a teacher, a research guide, and all rolled in one. He was the perfect GURU, who keeps on learning, divinely discontent with the avail able theories on many theological and historical issues. His Theological, Christ ological and Historical interests continued to be live and functioning till his last days, that he even believed that he had many more truths regarding Church His tory and Christology in his custody to be impressed on the Church politic and th e international community. There was grandeur and authenticity which everything that he touched upon. When he writes or speaks there is an authority and authenticity in his words. This is not just an assumed air of hollow authenticity, but the real fruit of genuine s earch after truth, the fruit of hard labour. This was the very reason why when D r.V.C.Samuel Achen spoke or wrote no one would negate his arguments and viewpoin ts. A rare gleans of his authoritative words was seen whenever he spoke about th e history and the status of Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch and its relation w ith Malankara Church. He would never make an observation, based on conjecture, b ut would rather study and verify every thread of an issue before arriving at mea ningful surmise, and it is rather risky to attempt to refute him! It is very int eresting to recall that some young enthusiasts of the neo-Antiochean movement be came the butts of his wrath, when they made half baked imaginary statement before him regarding the autocephaly of the Malankara Orthodox Church. It should be mentioned to his credit that even when he speaks about his tormentor s or tormentors of his Church, he is rather too careful not to use even a single derogatory word against anyone. The gentleman in him will excel in decency and r espect for the opposition while handling the hard task of exposing the intrigues i n church history. Our admiration for Dr.Samuel Achen is tremendously augmented as we skim through the pages of his autobiographical piece, SWANUBHAVAVEDIYIL. Usually people tent to document only their pleasant experience in their autobiography. However Dr.Samu el Achen would never be hypocritical in his account of himself. There in black a nd white, he shares his joys and sorrows, hopes and anxieties, dreams and disapp ointments with us. Two immediate parallels in autobiographical sincerity is Gand hijis "The Story of My Experiments with Truth" and K.P.S.Menons "My Worlds". There is absolutely no attempt to hide things, or to take the reader for ride with th e assistance of masalas of language and diction. The commendable element of autobi ographical sincerity was native to him and he could not be otherwise. This is su bstantially reflected in his life and ministry, even to its details. Even when h e felt hurt by unscrupulous behavior of some one around him, or overcome by ungr

atefulness close quarters, he feels bitter, but expresses it only in a mild and fo rgive tones! As a Theologian, Father V.C.Samuel was giant and he stored in unique manner in t o areas so far uncharted. His theological pursuits were not of an armchair theolo gical nature. He was a Theologian with a purpose he deemed it a mission to prove and interpret many a historical and christological concepts before a band of aca demic theologians and those who would like the boarders of status quo not to be disturbed. Thus the greatest contribution of Dr.V.C.Samuel Achen is acknowledged in relation to the Chalcedonian Christological controversy. He dared to challen ge established misconceptions and commented prejudices and delve deep in to soci o political and historical aspects of the Council of Chalcedon which have not be en properly analyzed and appreciated for centuries. It is mainly on the issue of the Council of Chalcedon, that the Byzantine and the Oriental families of the Ortho dox tradition stand segregated with mutual condemnation and lots of mistrust.. T he revisit dispel of Chalcedon by the dispassionate and orthodox oriented, Fr.Samue l could dispel much of the darkness of misunderstanding around the proceeding at Chalcedon. It is rather easy to call each other monophysites or diophysites and dis cuss each other of heresy, but rather extremely difficult to sift truth from mis understandings especially after centuries. But this was exactly Father Samuels ve nture, and he came of the guagmair unscathed with the green of reconciliation di spelling the harshness of almost all-baseless mutual allegations. The moral cour age he evinces in this rare attempt is astounding and the total lack of bias whe n deals with the claims of the Orientals of the Byzantine makes him acceptable t o both the blocks without much difficulty. Father Samuels reinterpretation of the total procedure of the Chalcedonian Counci l and his explanations of the political and circumstantial factors which went to make the Chalcedonian effect have few parallel in church history. And christologi cal reinterpretations. This re-discovery of the meeting points common to Byzanti ne and Oriental Orthodox families through an unbiased and proper interpretation of the Cahlcedonian formula has done more towards Orthodox ecumenism than simila r attempts through the centuries. In any Byzantine-Oriental-Catholic dialogue ah ead, Father Samuels findings would certainly serve as the basis and beacon light for any fruitful transactions. When Dr.Samuel Achen makes certain considered observations, he is forthright and genuinely assertive. Sometimes this assertiveness may be interpreted as arrogan ce or obstinancy. But he was none of these. The assertive tone of his theologica l formulations only evinces his strong conviction based on foolproof research an d balanced judgement. Father Samuel was an authority in Syriac language and lite rature and also knew firsthand the present and historical stature of the Syrian Orthodox Church. On this count, he stands on par with Catholicose Augen I, who a lso had long contact with the Syrian Orthodox Church and the Syrian language. Th ese two luminaries could make authentic assessment of the situations in both the Churches; and at times some people were troubled at heart when they made public some hard and unpalatable truths regarding the Antiochene connection. Their sch olarship in Syriac language was so deep that they would delve deep in to Syriac originals in any historical or theological area of study. Thus it was hard to co ntradict their erudite observations in Church matters. In spite of his great sch olarship and high-caliber interests, Father Samuel was simple and accessible per son. His student who is at his feet as he elucidated the mystery of the Holy Trini ty before them would vouchsafe this! One and all loved him; there was not a ting e of arrogance which rather possible with men of his stature in his manner of de alings. Seminarians who were his students recall the sweetness and sincerity of Samuelachen while he was their "GURU". The writer of this article too had the op portunities to taste the love and magnanimity of this great lover of humanity. While being a great scholar in versatile subjects, Father Samuel was a great buil der of our Church - especially in Bangalore. Most parishes of Bangalore have tast ed the care and initiative of Dr.V.C.Samuel Achen. The last on the line is the n

ew parish in Rajaji Nagar in Bangalore. Now that is a full-fledged parish, Samue l Achen can rejoice from the shore! He was like a GURU and a GRAND FATHER to the clergy and laymen not only in Bangalore, but also where ever he had been. He wo uld never step in to any controversy, but was benign to all. He could only exten d love care for all. Even when he was weak with the age and ailments, Samuel Ach en spoke enthusiastically about his valuable experience in his obsession with the G regorios of the first of the Diptychs. According to him, this was an ingenue refe rence and had no place in the Diptychs. Another case in point is the proof he pr ovides to show that the Ahodabooi - Komesu story of Bar Hebraeus a sham! The history of Christianity, especially the Indian Church and particularly Malan kara Orthodox church would be incomplete without a detailed reference to Fr.Dr.V .C.Samuel, and much poorer but of his solid contributions. Men of his stature do rarely appear and let us be grateful to God for this great servant of the Lords Church that two great towering personalities served her at the same period Rev.D r.VC.Samuel and Metropolitan Poulose Mar Gregorios. The Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kottayam and the Orthodox community as a whol e and especially in Bangalore would think of establishing suitable monuments for Dr.V.C.Samuel Achen, the great visionary, the grand GURU and erudite scholar wh ose heart was ever for his dear Church and undying interest.