FOREWORD

By Cherian Jacob

Christian history occasionally produces a voice that does more than preach—it awakens. A voice that resonates across traditions, heals divisions, and points us back toward the truth we were meant to inherit. For me, one such voice belongs to Br. Shibu Peediyekkal, whose life and journey have inspired the pages of this remarkable work. I write this foreword not simply as a friend, but as a witness to the depth, honesty, and boldness with which he has pursued God.

Br. Shibu was born into the ancient Syrian Orthodox Church, baptized into a living apostolic tradition that has carried the wisdom of the early centuries. Yet, like many of us, he drifted. His path led him through seasons of agnosticism, intense Pentecostal revivalism, years of evangelical teaching, and decades of preaching within the Western Christian framework. For twenty-five years he sought truth with sincerity and passion, giving everything he had to ministry. And yet, he reached a point where the answers he longed for—cosmic clarity, theological depth, spiritual coherence—remained just beyond reach.

What moved me deeply was his humility. Few people have the courage to turn around, re-examine their entire theological worldview, and openly admit that something essential was missing. Br. Shibu did exactly that. He dared to walk back. He dared to question what he preached for decades. He dared to look again at the faith of his ancestors. And in doing so, he made the most important discovery of his life: the treasure he was seeking had always been hidden in the very Church where he was born, nurtured, and baptized. The cosmic wisdom, sacramental depth, and Trinitarian clarity of Orthodoxy had been waiting for him all along.

This book is the fruit of that journey. It is a map for those seeking Orthodoxy, a guide for those confused by modern expressions of Christianity, and a warning to those who have unintentionally traded authentic faith for imitation versions. Today, as the Western world grows increasingly hungry for ancient wisdom, as Protestant and evangelical minds search for depth, and as Catholics rediscover Eastern traditions, the time is ripe for a theological work that restores the original Christian vision. This book does exactly that.

It presents the cosmic Christ—the One who holds all worlds together. It restores the Trinity to the center of theology. It explains creation, the fall, salvation, sacraments, life after death, and new creation with clarity rarely found in modern writing. It unites science and spirituality, reason and revelation, Scripture and tradition. It speaks to people who have outgrown shallow religion and long for a faith that makes sense of the universe.

On a personal level, I have seen how Br. Shibu lives what he teaches. Supported by his loving wife, Dr. Swapna, and blessed with five exceptional daughters, his home in Houston has become a place of prayer, study, and rediscovery. His openness to dialogue and his relentless pursuit of truth are qualities that shaped this book into a masterpiece. He is Orthodox not by accident, but by conviction—resting not on cultural identity but on cosmic revelation.

This book arrives at a time when Christianity is fractured—between East and West, between Orthodox and Catholic, between Protestant and traditional, between Jacobite and Indian Orthodox, between denominations across the world. The divisions weaken us. The world is watching. And the future of Christian witness depends on rediscovering unity grounded in truth. Br. Shibu’s vision speaks boldly into this moment. He reminds us that it is time to walk back to the original intention of Christ and the apostles. Time to recover what was lost. Time to build bridges, not barriers. Time for the global Church to walk toward a future where one day we may again share the same bread and the same cup.

If you approach this book with an open heart, you will find clarity where there was confusion, depth where there was uncertainty, and beauty where there was brokenness. You will discover Orthodoxy not as an institution, but as life—the life Christ intended His followers to experience. And heaven, I believe, will be proud of your search.

It is my honor to commend this book to you.
May it strengthen your journey, deepen your faith, and lead you into the treasure God has always desired you to inherit.

— Cherian Jacob