Rt. Rev. Dr. Joseph Mar Ivanios Episcopa

Rt. Rev. PD Dr. Joseph Mar Ivanios Episcopa was born on 19th August 1970 as the son of Karamvelimannil Sri. Thomas Daniel and Smt. Saramma Thomas of Kochukoickal Trinity Mar Thoma Parish.

He is an expert on church history. He completed  B.A. History from St. Thomas College, Kozhencherry and M.A. History from Catholicate College, Pathanamthitta, for which he secured the First Rank, for he obtained the University Gold Medal.

His theological journey began at the Mar Thoma Theological Seminary in Kottayam. He obtained his B.D. in 1998, after which he was ordained as Semmash on 19 June 1998 by Rt. Rev. Geevarghese Mar Athanasius Episcopa and Kassessa on 16 July 1998 by Rt. Rev. Euyakim Mar Coorilos Episcopa. He advanced in his theological exploration by completing an M.Th. in the History of Christianity at FFRRC, Kottayam, in 2006. He then completed his D.Th. in History of Christianity from the University of Bern, Switzerland, in 2014 and began his research as a postdoctoral (Doctor Habil) scholar in 2019. He completed the postdoctoral research in 2024 and secured Habilitation from the University of Bern, Switzerland, in Church History.

He had the opportunity to serve as Chaplain to the then Metropolitan Dr. Alexander Mar Thoma and also as a faculty member of the History of Christianity at the E.J. Institute, Kompady, and Mar Thoma Theological Seminary. He served as a Vicar in various parishes in Mylom, K.R. Puram, and Marathhalli in Bangalore, Singapore, Switzerland, Germany, and Kumbanad. He has represented the Church in various ecumenical platforms such as the WCC and CCA. He served as a member of the Policy Reference Committee of the WCC Karlsruhe Assembly in 2022. He currently serves as Privatdozent (Professor) at the Christkatholisches Institute, Department of Theology, University of Bern, Switzerland, as well as Professor at the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome. In addition, he teaches at the Mar Thoma Theological Seminary, Kottayam, and the F.F.R.C., Kottayam. He is also a Senate Member of Serampore University and a guest lecturer at various universities across Europe. He also serves in the following capacities: Member, European Society for Ecumenical Research; Executive Committee member and Council Member, United Theological College, Bangalore; Governing Board Member, Mar Thoma Theological Seminary, Kottayam; served as a member of the Mar Thoma Theological Commission; Executive Committee member of the Fellowship of Indian Denominational Churches in Malaysia and Singapore (FIDC); General Committee member of the NCCS Singapore. He is the author of various scholarly books and has published articles in prestigious journals. Some of his books are “One Family Under Heaven” (New Delhi: ISPC, 2008), 138; “Ecumenism in Praxis: A Historical Critique of the Malankara Mar Thoma Church,” Studies in the Intercultural History of Christianity, Vol. 159 (Frankfurt: Peter Lang, 2014), pg. 328; and The Mar Thoma Ecclesiology: Roots, Reforms and Reach, pg. 214.

He was installed as Ramban by Dr. Euyakim Mar Coorilos Suffragan Metropolitan on 2nd Oct 2023 at Pazhavangadikkara Immanuel Mar Thoma Church, Ranni, along with Rev. Saju C. Pappachan and Rev. Mathew K. Chandy. He was consecrated as Joseph Mar Ivanios Episcopa on 2nd Dec 2023 at the Holy Madbaha prepared at the Thiruvalla SCS ground.

He has a deep knowledge of the history of the Church and also a great vision of the mission of the Church. His writings and theological musings reflect his wide sense of the historical importance of the Church.