A 19th Century Scottish Theologian and the Syrian Orthodox Church

Claudius Buchanan, a Scottish missionary, is best remembered in Kerala for getting the first four books of the Bible’s New Testament translated into Malayalam.

He moved to India in the late 18th century, and being a member of the Church of England, served as a chaplain in Bengal for a number of years. As a part of his missionary zeal, Buchanan attempted to translate the Bible into Indian languages.

In 1806, the Scottish Theologian’s travels took him to Kerala, where he had several interactions with Syrian Orthodox Christians. Although some people in India and other parts of the world were familiar with the origins of Kerala’s Syrian Christians, many of the community’s cultural aspects remained largely unknown.

During a visit to Angamaly, Buchanan met Mar Thoma VI (Mar Dionysius), and convinced the head of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church to let him translate parts of the Bible used by the community to Malayalam.

After spending a significant amount of time in Kerala, Buchanan also attempted to share his newfound knowledge about Syrian Orthodox Christians with the British Resident in Cochin.

“By the last letters from the resident at Cochin, we learn that considerable progress has been made in further investigating the history and literature of the Jews and Christians in the east,” a wired report that was published by several newspapers in Britain in January 1808 said.

The writer said Buchanan was engaged in “indefatigable labour” and “crowned with peculiar success.”

When the Scottish missionary was attempting to know more about the Syrian Christians, he approached the Maharaja of Travancore, who enjoyed a good relationship with the British at that time.

The Travancore ruler reportedly provided Buchanan with a set of catalogues and assisted him with his large set of enquiries.

“The Doctor [Buchanan] has visited most of the ancient Syrian churches, along what is called the Cowhill-country at the foot of the Ghauts, which divide the Carnatic from the Malayala,” the wired report said.

A random online search for the term “Cowhill country” leads to mentions of Munnar, which as we all know is nowhere near Karnataka. Also, the mountains wedged between Wayanad and Coorg do not have Syrian Christian Churches, so something was lost in the communication between Buchanan, the Resident in Cochin and the newspaper article.

The report added, “In this sequestered spot he has found churches in the style of some of the parish churches in this country [Britain], some of which had never been before visited by a European, and their number is far greater than had ever been supposed.” Again, there seems to be some inaccuracies here, given the fact that most of the churches were closer to the coast and not in the hills.

“In one church in the mountains, had been found the volumes of the Old and New Testament, in the Estrangelo Syriac character, engrossed on strong vellum, richly illuminated, and beautifully written; some parts of it are in a state of decay, but the greater portion is still legible,” the report said. “It is said to have been concealed during the Romish Inquisition, 1599, and it is supposed to be of very high antiquity.”

It is no secret that the Portuguese colonisers clashed with the St Thomas Christians, deeming them heretics. The Syrian Christians would have found it wise to hide their sacred texts from the Portuguese, who had little tolerance for anything other than the version of Christianity that they practised.

“There are many other very old and valuable Syriac manuscripts, some of which are in very high preservation; these, together with some of the ancient tablets, containing particular grants have been recovered at Travancore, by Col. [Colin] Macaulay, and farther discoveries are expected to be made,” the article added.

The Bible, written in “the Estrangelo Syriac character” is now in the possession of the University of Cambridge, and one could make a serious case for it to be returned to India along with other cultural artefacts that are in Britain.

The wired article made a passing mention of Mar Dionysius, calling him a “pious, learned and venerable man of Syrian extraction.”

The report, which also appeared in the American press, created a greater awareness globally about Kerala’s Syrian Christian community. “The Doctrine of the Syrian Church is very similar to those of the present Church of England,” it added. “Their liturgy is derived from the ancient Church of Antioch.”

Like with any Malayali community, Syrian Orthodox Christians have settled in different parts of the world, and the contribution of their clergy and members is recognised far and wide.

In 2024, the Russian government awarded the Order of Friendship to Baselios Marthoma Mathews III, the Supreme Head of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. The award is given to people who strengthen international friendship, cultural cooperation and economic ties between their country and Russia.