Sijo George is a PhD candidate in Liturgical Studies and Sacramental Theology at the University of Vienna, Austria. His research focuses on the Liturgy of St. James and its theological and liturgical influence on the Mar Thoma Church, with particular attention to the role of liturgy as a medium for ecumenical dialogue and ecclesial reconciliation. He also examines the nineteenth-century Reformation within the Malankara Church and the subsequent renewal of liturgical development in the Malankara tradition. In addition, his work explores the development of Protestant traditions in India, especially in South India.
His broader academic interests include ecumenism, Eastern and Oriental Christian liturgical traditions, sacramental theology, church history, and early Syriac manuscript studies. He has been actively involved in ecumenical organizations, particularly initiatives supporting emerging scholars and theological dialogue.
At Yale, Sijo George will undertake research in the special collections of the Yale Divinity Library and the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library. His work will shed new light on archival materials related to the Reformation movement within the Malankara Church and the transformations that led to the formation of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church. This research will contribute to a deeper understanding of these collections and support future scholarship, exhibitions, and educational initiatives. He looks forward to deepening his understanding through collaboration with fellow scholars at Yale and to making meaningful use of the rich archival and manuscript resources available in these collections. Through this opportunity, he hopes to contribute to ongoing scholarly conversations on liturgy, ecclesial reform, and ecumenical relations within the Malankara Christian tradition and the wider global church.