The Rev. Dr. John T. Mathew, son of Head Master T. A. Mathew (Theckekolathu) and Sosamma Mathew (Kallodikuzhil, Melukara) from a traditional Mar Thoma family in Vadaserikara, Pathanamthitta, following his studies at University and Loyola Colleges in Thiruvanthapuram, began his theological studies in Scotland at the Edinburgh Theological Seminary in 1969.

In 1974 he moved to Queen’s University Theological College, Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Following his studies at St. Paul Roman Catholic University and Ottawa University, he was ordained in The United Church of Canada where he served parishes in Kingston, Oxford Mills, Sharbot Lake, Sudbury, Canfield and Mississauga (GTA) – all in the province(state) of Ontario.

Dr. Mathew was invited to Harvard University’s Divinity School, Cambridge, Massachusetts as Merrill Fellow where he led seminars in the Divinity and Kennedy Schools, did both research and teaching. His doctoral research led to Christ Church College, University of Oxford, England following which the Graduate Theological Foundation awarded him the doctoral degree with the highest distinction (Summa Cum Laude).

He represented the church at the 100th anniversary of the Chicago Parliament of Religions held in Chicago (1993) as well as several global ecumenical and inter-faith gatherings including the 10th Assembly of the World Council of Churches held in Busan, South Korea in 2013.

The Center of Theological Inquiry at Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey appointed him as Pastor-Theologian for three years in 2004.

For two decades Mathew taught in the Department of Religious Studies, Philosophy and Ethics at Huntington and Laurentian Universities in Canada. He was ecumenical guest minister at the St. Machar’s Cathedral of The Church of Scotland in 2010 and ecumenical delegate to the Church of Scotland General Assembly held in Edinburgh. In 2015 Dr. Mathew was invited to serve St. Andrew’s Parish of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand in 2015 for two years.

Dr. Mathew will retire from his 45-year-long ordained pastoral ministry in the global church on June 30, 2020.

Rev. Dr. Mathew’s wife is Dr. Joyan Thomas, Kallyanaseril, Ayroor – a graduate of Lady Hardinge Med. College, New Delhi - of Singapore; their only son Bram following his studies in Manchester, England and Aberdeen, Scotland is teaching in Toronto.