JESUS IS THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE
Reflections on John 14:1-14
Greetings to you all in the name of the Father, and of the Son Jesus Christ and of the Holy Spirit. Indeed I am privileged to minister the Word of God this morning on the fourth Sunday after Easter and the second before Pentecost. This Sunday is the middle Sunday in between the Resurrection event of Jesus Christ and the down pouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, and therefore sets the perfect tone and setting in challenging the Church to reinvigorate itself with the power of resurrection and to rededicate itself for the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
A man returned home on morning, carrying a parcel, a present to his wife, and was greeted by his differently able daughter with blindness, who asked his dad that she might have the pleasure of taking it to where her mother was. “But you know dear, you cannot carry it”, he said thinking of her disability. “Give it to me dad and see”, she challenged him. So the gift was handed to her, then she said, “Now I will carry the gift, and you carry me, for you know the way!” Dear friends, so it is with us, “we may not be able to see, but Christ carries us, for he knows the way, and He is the Way”.
It was said that, “Christ’s way was so narrow that when it ran up against a Cross there was no room for him to pass round that Cross. He had to hang on it.” But with the resurrection of Christ, the way continued and continues for he is alive. The theme for this Sunday has been the most popular verse and theme from our Scriptures recorded in John 14: 6, “ Jesus answered, I am the way, the truth and the life”. Time and again we as a Church have been reflecting on this saying of Jesus, and have drawn several important implications in our faith journey. This theme is part of the seven ‘I Am’ sayings of Jesus Christ recorded in the John’s gospel.
The Gospel lesson that has been read out to us from John 14:1-14 is part of the longer discourse of Jesus Christ with his disciples and is at the back drop of his prediction of death and suffering. 13th Chapter is Jesus’ washing the feet of the disciples, the last supper episode and Jesus’ prediction of Peter’s denial of Christ. Then when the disciples are disturbed and their hearts were troubled; Jesus comforts his disciples through these verses in John 14. Therefore as we meditate these verses now, the Word comes alive to all of us who are disturbed and troubled at heart, to all who pledged to be faithful to the values of Jesus Christ in our Baptismal and Eucharistic sacraments but fall short of our promises, to all whose ways are perplexed and to all who are caught up in falsehood and death. To all of us Jesus is the way, the life and the truth.
Our reflection today is divided into three sub-sections for our spiritual nourishment.
1. The Essentials of Jesus’ way
2. The Enquiry for Jesus’ way
3. The Eminence of Jesus’ way
1. The Essentials of Jesus’ Way ( 1-4 v)
In these first four verses, Jesus gives brief details of his journey, his route, his destination and his companions in his way. To all those troubled in heart, Jesus prescribes a way out, by being a way himself. He gives four important essentials in his way.
a. Faith in God as a ticket to his way
In verse 1 Jesus says ‘Trust in God and Trust in him’ as the key in his way. Trust in God is the ticket to travel Jesus’ way. It is not a ticket to Hollywood but a ticket to life, truth and liberation. Such ticket is available to all free of cost and a joy ride is rest assured. There are no waiting lists, no travel agents, no long queues in buying a ticket to Jesus’ way. Always available, in all seasons only with a simple trust and faith in God. Friends, let us all avail such a facility to travel in Jesus’ way.
b. Father’s house as the destination
The destination for Jesus’ way is nothing but the Father’s house, the oikos of Father, where it has several rooms and places in it. Father’s house is not an illusionary, imaginative, high class resort, but a realistic house which has space for all who come, irrespective of any class, caste, region, religion, gender and ethnicity. This is the only destination available to all and is open to all. Father’s house is the destination of Jesus’ way, which was originally the point of origin for Jesus. Friends, let us not miss this destination, once we will miss, we may have to miss it forever, so try out Jesus’ way to reach the destination of Father’s house.
c. Five-liner lanes as the connectivity
Jesus’ way has a five-liner lanes connectivity. From this model I suppose today’s roads are developed for faster and safer travel. The first lane in Jesus’ way is the connecting road of Father to son Jesus Christ, where Father reveals his will in the plan of salvation and liberation with Jesus Christ. The second lane is the connecting road of Jesus Christ to his Father, where Jesus seeks his Father’s help and guidance. The third lane is Jesus going to his Father’s house to prepare rooms and place for all his people. The fourth lane is Jesus coming back from the Father’s house to the peoples place. The fifth lane in Jesus’ way is Jesus taking his people with him to his Father’s house, a house of total freedom and liberation. Friends, the fifth lane is open and is ready for all who choose Jesus’ way, the way of life and truth and lets rush to get connected to that lane.
d. Fellowship as the comfort
Jesus as the way, when he promises to take with him the people to his Father’s house, the desire of Jesus was that the people would be with him equally in his Father’s house for fellowship and as joint heirs with him in the reign of God. Jesus as the begotten and only son of God came to his people and when he goes back to his Father’s house, he does not want to lose the friendship of the humanity and wants the fellowship of the people to continue in his Father’s house. Jesus wants us to be together with him. Therefore friends, as we choose Jesus’ way today, let us be reminded that Jesus is seeking the fellowship of you and me, but are we willing to be in fellowship with Jesus Christ, if willing lets start living to be in total coherence with Jesus life style and his value system.
2. The Enquiry for Jesus’ way (5 v)
After giving a glimpse of the essentials of Jesus’ way in the first four verses, and particularly in verse 4 Jesus says, “You know the way to the place where I am going.” Jesus explained about his way assuming that the disciples with their association and affinity with Jesus for the last three years would surely know what he was talking to them about, his way. But surprisingly Thomas, one of the disciples, be it out of innocence or ignorance again asks Jesus in 5 v “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Thomas represents the voice of the disciples of Jesus then, and also the voice of the Church today, for he puts his question in a plural tone ‘we don’t know’.
a. An Apprehensive Enquiry
Probably Thomas would have thought that Jesus goes to places like Mt. Olives (Jn8:1) on his own to pray, and some times withdraws to a mountain by himself and appears again walking on the waters (Jn6: 15-19), so his goings and comings were unknown and uncertain; so also when Jesus said about going to his Father’s house, Thomas expressed his apprehensions that they are not sure of where he is going, and how is it possible to trace his way then.
b. An Appealing Enquiry
Thomas, in all sincerity would have asked Jesus to really throw some more light on his going and his way, and therefore makes an appealing enquiring to Jesus by asking this question. If it were a rude quizzing, Thomas would not have called Jesus as Lord in his asking the question. He would straight away asked the question in all arrogance. The thirst for knowing the way of Jesus and the curiosity of knowing the destiny of Jesus’ journey played an important role in Thomas asking this question.
As Church and individuals are we interested in enquiring the way of Jesus? Have we ever expressed our genuine desire to be in the way of Jesus? Quest for knowing leads to a query, and query on answered leads to the quietness in life. Thomas questions about Jesus’ way and that lead Jesus to give the quintessence of what he meant by way.
3. The Eminence of Jesus’ Way (6-7v)
As Thomas questions Jesus to get a more refined extract and estimate of Jesus’ way, Jesus immediately answers in 6 v, as “I am the way, and the truth and the life.” These first person sayings of Jesus Christ are the invaluable revelations of his self-consciousness. The usage of “I” particularly adds dignity to the statements of Jesus. It is remarkable that this usage does not sound audacious on the lips of Jesus. What would be presumptuous in others may be natural to him. In Exodus 3: 14, God names himself to Moses as “ I am who I am”, and invests in “I am” a great richness of specific divine significance. Therefore a special eminence is seen in Jesus’ way, when he says that, “ I am the way, and the truth and the life.”
a. I am the way, not way show-er
The eminence in Jesus’ way is seen when Jesus says that he is the way, and not a way shower. One can show a way, trace a way, create a way and find a way, but it is only Jesus who is the way. He is way to what? Jesus is the way to his Father’s house, the house of healing, the house of freedom, and the house of liberation. He is way for whom? Jesus is the way for the people who agree to be in the discipline of Christ’s values and principles. What is the distance of his way? Jesus is the way, and the distance it covers is the distance between him and his Father, when calculated numerically the distance may be zero, because both son and the Father are one in substance, however Jesus links the finite human beings to the infinite God.
b. I am the truth, not truth giver
Jesus to the question of Thomas, how can we know the way? Could have ended in telling “I am the way.” But he phrased his answer as “I am the way, and the truth and the life.” What is the significance of Jesus extending his answer with truth and life? I presume that Jesus meant that he is the way to truth and life or he is the true way to life. Whatever could have been the reason, for Jesus as the way; truth and life are the parameters to his way. When Jesus said “ I am the truth”, he did not mean that he is a truth giver, but rather he as the word who became flesh is truth and truth is that the word became flesh. And therefore Jesus else where in Jn8:32, says, “ You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” The eminence in Jesus’ way is his embodiment of truth is all set to free all those chained and bonded in the pangs of falsehood and darkness.
c. I am the life, not life donor
For Jesus’ way, life serves as another parameter. When Jesus said that “ I am the life”, he did not mean that he is a mere life donor, he emphatically says himself if the life. There is life in him and neither death nor grave could conquer him, because Jesus has chained death in his empty grave and broke the sting of death victoriously. A statement like “ I am the life”, makes no sense except on the lips and life of the one who gave life to this creation, offered his life for the redemption of this creation and who resurrected from the grave of death blossoming a new hope and new life to all those oppressed and chained. Therefore Jesus’ way oscillates between truth and life, and all those travelling the Jesus’ way are bound to oblige with the rules and functions of those parameters in order to reach the destination of Father’s house.
The energy for Jesus’ way is Jesus relation to his Father, all along Jesus was God-conscious and was God-centred. In 11v Jesus says, “I am in the Father and the Father is in me.” Jesus was together in mission with his Father all through his life and therefore could mediate liberation to the creation. And that God-consciousness in Jesus gave him the strength to proclaim boldly that he is the way, the truth and the life. That God’s realisation in ones self will be the basic pre-requisite in our faith journey.
Epilogue to the Church Today
My dear brothers and sisters, having heard that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, yet one more time in our life, what it is for us as a Church? Does this reflection has any relevance for our times? As a Church our calling today is that
a. Let us as Church inculcate an active faith in our God, to walk boldly in Jesus’ way. Faith in God should transform us as a way for liberation and transformation to the people in our society. Faith in God should inspire us to project Jesus’ way to many around us. If you believe in God and Jesus’ way, you will be a way yourself in driving away all falsehood, corruption and oppression in our society. Come one rise up and be a way yourself, as Jesus was.
b. The Churches connectivity to God and people is the prime need of the day. How well are we connected? Most times God wants to connect to us, but we as Church have been either switched off, or busy talking to ourselves. People outside the Church want to be connected to us, seeking a way to life and truth, and again as usual we are busy with our dogmatic conversations or petty politics within the Churches. The calling today is connect to God and people and be a way yourself. May be “get paid for your incoming” may attract many because we always expect a reward.
c. Enquire and relate Jesus’ words for our times. Develop a quest for newer life paradigms and be a way in driving away all the exploitative forces of night and day.
d. Let us live in all truth and be agents of life. There are many around us dying in falsehood and darkness, let us as Churches and Christians be truthful to our calling and speak all truth, live and let others live a life in all its fullness and be a way as Jesus was.
“We may not be able to see, but Christ carries us, for he knows the way, and He is the Way”.
To that end may the Good God grant us his strength to be the ways of life and truth as Jesus was and bring glory to God, our Father.
Jesus is the way, the truth and the life,
Calling us to be his way,
Granting us strength to overcome the strife,
And victorious will be all the day.
(Preached at CNI-All Saints Cathedral, Nagpur on 20th April 2008)
Monday, April 21, 2008
JESUS IS THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE
Friday, April 11, 2008
Devotions on YOUTH AND JESUS THE NON-CONFORMIST
Introduction
The theme for this week has been YOUTH AND JESUS THE NON-CONFORMIST. Jesus being the best young man this world ever produced, did not confirm to the evil orders of the day, rather stood for the cause of justice and has set the way towards liberation. Every devotion in this week is presented in three main sub-heads. A) The Milieu, explaining the present contextual need of the youth today. B) The Message, how Jesus dealt such a situation from the given text as a non-conformist is presented here. C) The Mission, what is that we need to do from now on has been brought out. These devotions are pastoral and contextual and are written from the perspective of young ecumenical learner.
Rev. Raj Bharath Patta,
Executive Secretary,
Commission on Mission, Evangelism, Ecumenism and Dalit Concerns,
NCCI,
Nagpur.
Devotion I
July 30 2007, Monday.
Youth and Globalization
Text: Luke 12: 15-21
Key Verse:
Luke 12: 15 & 21. “ For a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions”. “ He who lays up treasures for himself is not rich toward God.”
The Milieu
Globalisation today has been deeply creeping into all walks of life and specially youth have become the victims of it. With the rise of call centers, fat salaries (for Indian eyes, minimum wages for the western owner) are paid to young people, for they have to do a slave job for the western companies, and making them richer and richer. With the increase in money to certain youth, globalisation promotes consumerism, greed and materialistic values at the expense of Indian cultural, ethical and spiritual values.
The Message
Jesus today in the text explains that life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.
Production Unlimited. For the rich man, the production of his land was so abundant, and made him to just think about himself.
Greed Unlimited. What should I do with these riches? He could not think of the needy ones who do not have anything to eat, live and wear, but could think of only himself and self. Eat drink and be merry, and it does not care even the rest of the people go with out a square meal a day. Accumulate and accumulate for him and the future.
Life Limited. But Jesus said, if u just accumulate and think that everything is unlimited, and everything can be bought with money, o fool, life is limited and a gift of God and cannot be bought by bribes or wealth. When life is limited, better share with others who do not have rather accumulate and live in greed. Only then can one be rich towards God, otherwise however rich one is, he/she is always poor to God.
The Mission
Jesus, the non-conformist today calls us all the readers to give up the values of greed, consumerism, unethical living and materialistic values, rather live to the values of the gospel of loving to the other, sharing with the other and live a life of dignity and self-respect. Life is limited, so live the best of it.
Prayer
God of justice, grant us your strength to over come the consumerism in our lives and grant us a life to share and care for all the creation.
Reflection
How can you resist globalization as an individual and as a community?
Devotion II
31 July 2007, Tuesday (Gospel Day for AELC)
Youth and Scriptures
Luke 4:16-22
Key Verse: “Today the Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (21 V.)
The Milieu
“If you carry your Bible when you are young, it shall carry you when you are old” is a well-known old maxim. But today youth specially do not have time to spend in meditating the Word of God, for they are over burdened with their workload. For some fundamentalist groups Bible is a magic book, for it is used to keep under their pillow during nights, to avoid bad dreams and for some go to Bible as a means of astrology seeking for what happens that day and for future. By doing this, we are belittling and making a mockery of the meaning and message of Bible.
The Message
For Young Jesus, reading the Scriptures were not only customary but also was the driving force for his ministry. Jesus reveres the Scriptures, for he respects the activity of God in history, which is recorded in them, so he stood up when he reads it. (16v.) Jesus re-read the Scriptures, for he read out the passage from the book of prophet Isaiah 61:1-2, with an emphasis on proclaiming the year of the Lord and not the day of vengeance of the Lord. (18-19vs.) Jesus relates the Scriptures, for he relates the text to his own context. In the context where people are caught up in many bondages and oppressions, Jesus applies the text to the context, and makes the text as his manifesto for his ministry and works for the fulfillment of the Scriptures by liberating, healing etc. Jesus reflects the Scriptures, for he himself is the living Word, who became flesh and dwelt among people and lived out the Scriptures all along his life. He was a walking gospel, even unto the point of death he strived to show forth the God of the Bible.
The Mission
For our young people today, it is high time to make Jesus as the true example in revering, re-reading, relating and reflecting the Word of God. The activity of God recorded in the history always serves us as a good compass to seek the Lord to work in our particular context. God still continues to reveal God’s strength in our times according to his own means and ways.
Prayer
Our living and loving God, we pray that you will help us to discern your ways through your Word, and grant us the strength to relate the Word to our world.
Reflection
How can you make Bible more relevant for the youth today?
Devotion III
1 August 2007, Wednesday
Youth and HIV/AIDS
Text: Mark 3: 1-6
Key Verse: “They watched him to see whether he would heal him on the sabbath, so that they might accuse him.”(2V.)
The Milieu
The trend of increasing HIV/AIDS in India is a serious issue of the day. The youth and the women are the worst victims of it. Extensive commercial sex, drug abuse, migration, lack of awareness, etc are all the reasons for this rapid growth of HIV/AIDS in India. The infected people are looked down upon and are not given proper care and are discriminated. Thus HIV/AIDS poses a great challenge in our Indian context. The Indian National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) estimates that 5.21 million people were living with HIV in 2005, giving an adult prevalence of 0.91%.
The Message
Jesus goes against the rites and rituals for the cause of healing. We see the religious heads stressing the need for tradition at the expense of healing.
Tradition vis-à-vis Healing. For the Pharisees tradition and observing Sabbath holy was more important than the healing. A man with a withered hand was treated as outcaste because of his sickness, and would have had a trauma of pain all along physically and mentally and has been looked down by the community. Yet, for Pharisees, it was tradition at the expense of care and healing.
Healing vis-à-vis Tradition. For Jesus, care and healing is of prime importance. Person is important than the practices. What may come, he is there to care and heal anyone at any time. He is 24X7 healer and comforter. Jesus healed that person in spite of all the hurdles.
The Mission
This passage has a challenging relevance to us all. For Jesus did not confirm to the order of the day rather always tried to transform the people and the society. Let us Care for the PLWHA’s , fight all the discrimination against them. Comfort the PLWHA’s, and be with them, do not look down upon them for them. Jesus cared, comforted and healed when the rest did not want to get him healed. Let us resolve to be in tune with Jesus and his mission.
Prayer
Lord, we pray that the youth be prevented from the HIV/AIDS, and make the church to care and comfort the positives.
Reflection
Are our churches wide open to our positive friends? How as a local congregation strive to prevent and minister to the positives?
Devotion IV
2 August 2007, Thursday
Youth and Reservations
Matthew 25: 31-46
Key Verse: “If you have done to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” (40.v)
The Milieu
The word Reservations has become a buzzword today. Last year when the government decided to provide reservation to the OBC’s in the premier institutions in India, there was a hue and cry from all the upper caste people, specially the student community were on the streets against the reservations. There were several slogans at that time like ‘Don’t divide India on caste, let merit be triumphant’. Why reservations even after 60 years of independence?
The Message
Reservations are basically for empowerment. The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and other OBC’s may not have the same provisions as that of the other upper castes and rich people in their nurture. Merit is again defined and controlled by upper castes and rich people. Jesus emphasizes that if it is done to one of the least in the society it is done to him. Jesus prefers and stands for the empowerment and upliftment of the people who are starving with out any basic amenities and provisions in the society. Reservation is one of the tools of liberation and Jesus came to set at liberty all that are oppressed. Jesus always stood on the side of the oppressed at any cost and condemned the oppressor.
The Mission
Therefore, today let us encourage reservations for the Dalits and Tribals. Let us be in solidarity with all the struggles for ensuring reservations to our people. Let us also join hands out in seeking justice to the Dalit Christians to be given the SC status. Let us condemn all forces that oppress the young Dalits and Tribals.
Prayer
God of justice, let your children who are deprived of justice be given justice and we pray that there exists a good governance in our land, so that justice will be triumphant.
Further Reflection
Do you think that reservations be extended to the Dalits and Tribals even in the private sector? How best can we push this forward?
Devotion V
3 August 2007, Friday
Youth and Marriage
Mark 10:2-9
Key Verse: “But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ (6V.)
The Milieu
The bond of marriage has becoming diluted over the years. Particularly the rate of divorce among the young couples has been increasing in a greater velocity. Lot of frustrations between the couple, no consensus on issues of life, lack of mutual trust, increased materialism and consumerism, etc. have all shaken the strong bond of love in the marriage. Does marriage has any relevance to our youth today?
The Message
Jesus reinforced the creation of God telling, man and woman made equal, so both man and woman are made equal in the image of God and are equal in all respects. Let woman not be suppressed as inferior to man, and let not man curtail all the freedom of woman with his patriarchic ego. Let there be mutual respect between man and woman. Man and woman made into one flesh in marriage. In the bond of marriage, they are no more two entities, but are made as one flesh. That union of love is the main ingredient for a sustainable and happy married life. That realization of one flesh transcends all misunderstandings between man and woman in the marriage. God made them one in marriage, let no one asunder.
Jesus was emphatic in saying whom God has joined together let no one divide. Faith in God, mutual trust and respect towards each other in the marriage shall make the married life a success.
The Mission
Let the young people depend more on the Lord, and remain faithful to the life partner they have married to. Let man and woman enjoy that mutual respect, equality and dignity from one another. Let the youth over come the materialistic culture of individualism and pleasure seeking lives, and keep the sanctity of marriage. Let the young couples dedicate to keep their bond of love more meaningful and live a life in all its fullness.
Prayer
Lord, grant our young generations to be faithful to the sanctity of marriage and live a life of purity and happiness.
Reflection
Work out certain steps to make the younger generations to live a happy married life.
Devotion VI
4 August 2007, Saturday
Youth and Church
Matthew 21:12-17
Key Verse: “And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them.”(14v)
The Milieu
Churches today do not attract the young generation-X. When asked the reason for being aloof to the Church, most young people say that, they are fed up of the politics in the church. Lots of church properties today are sold by the leaders, huge amounts of offerings given by people of faith are misappropriated, corruption has crept deep into every nook and corner of the church. And the youth say, that they are not interested in such a church. Then what is the church for?
The Message
The young Jesus was bold to reform and transform the temple of God. The temple of God is not a place of commerce. He could not tolerate, when the temple of God was used as a place for commerce. He drove out all matters of selling and buying. The temple of God is not a place for corruption. Jesus boldly over turned the tables of those who cash and corrupt the temple of God. The temple of God is a place for comfort. That was the reason, he made the blind and lame people, who were not allowed to enter the temple, enter and healed them and comforted them. The temple of God is a place for communion. The temple is a place that brings in communion of God with all people, and strengthens the fellowship of people, irrespective of who they are. That was the reason, Jesus said in 15-17v. about the fellowship of the children, the blind, the lame, etc. in the temple of God singing and praising God.
The Mission
It is high time for us as young people to follow the footsteps of Jesus, who did not confirm to the order of the day, rather revolted for the cause of keeping the temple of God as a place of communion to all people with God. Let us strive in keeping our churches wide open for the rejected people by the society, the destitute people, the least, the lost and the last of the society. If our churches are not open to these people of God, I think the churches fail to exist as churches. As young people let us drive away all corruption and commercialization of ecclesia.
Prayer
Lord, make our churches wide open to the rejected people of the society, and make our churches corruption free.
Reflection
Work out an action plan to fight all corruption in your local church.
Devotion VII
5 August 2007, Sunday
Youth and Friendship
John 15:12-17
Key Verse: “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (13 Verse)
The Milieu
Over the years Friendship Day has gained much attention of the young people in celebrating it in pomp and pleasure. With the rise of consumerism, friendship is today has become commercialized. “A friend in need is a friend in deed “ has lost its flavour, rather the modern saying is “A friend with money is a friend so honey”.
The Message
Jesus here beautifully explains about the true friendship. The formula of friendship is given by Jesus in 13v, that to lay down one’s life for one’s friend is the greatest love and depicts the true friendship. The foundations of friendship is described by Jesus in 14-15 v. There is no superiority or inferiority among friends, no slave or master, no rich or poor, for in the friendship all are equal and stand on the same base. There is transparency between friends, for it is only to the friends that one can share one’s heart’s secrets. There is no fear between friends and no hidden agendas in friendship. Equality and transparency are the good foundations for any good friendship. The forerunner of true friendship is none other but, our true friend Jesus Christ. For he has lived out the formula of friendship and has laid down his life for the sake of all creation. Despite our weaknesses and unfaithfulness, Jesus makes friendship with us and wants to continue that friendship forever.
The Mission
Having learnt about the true friendship of Jesus Christ, one has to surely follow his footsteps in making friendship. Let us love all people with out any reservations and show forth the love to them. Let us try to become a good friend like Jesus, living for the cause of friendship, valuing and treasuring true friendship and win friends all along our life journey. Happy Friendship Day.
Prayer
Lord, make us to be like good friends like Jesus in loving and laying down our life for others.
Further Reflection
Bring out some practical plans to become a true friend.
The theme for this week has been YOUTH AND JESUS THE NON-CONFORMIST. Jesus being the best young man this world ever produced, did not confirm to the evil orders of the day, rather stood for the cause of justice and has set the way towards liberation. Every devotion in this week is presented in three main sub-heads. A) The Milieu, explaining the present contextual need of the youth today. B) The Message, how Jesus dealt such a situation from the given text as a non-conformist is presented here. C) The Mission, what is that we need to do from now on has been brought out. These devotions are pastoral and contextual and are written from the perspective of young ecumenical learner.
Rev. Raj Bharath Patta,
Executive Secretary,
Commission on Mission, Evangelism, Ecumenism and Dalit Concerns,
NCCI,
Nagpur.
Devotion I
July 30 2007, Monday.
Youth and Globalization
Text: Luke 12: 15-21
Key Verse:
Luke 12: 15 & 21. “ For a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions”. “ He who lays up treasures for himself is not rich toward God.”
The Milieu
Globalisation today has been deeply creeping into all walks of life and specially youth have become the victims of it. With the rise of call centers, fat salaries (for Indian eyes, minimum wages for the western owner) are paid to young people, for they have to do a slave job for the western companies, and making them richer and richer. With the increase in money to certain youth, globalisation promotes consumerism, greed and materialistic values at the expense of Indian cultural, ethical and spiritual values.
The Message
Jesus today in the text explains that life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.
Production Unlimited. For the rich man, the production of his land was so abundant, and made him to just think about himself.
Greed Unlimited. What should I do with these riches? He could not think of the needy ones who do not have anything to eat, live and wear, but could think of only himself and self. Eat drink and be merry, and it does not care even the rest of the people go with out a square meal a day. Accumulate and accumulate for him and the future.
Life Limited. But Jesus said, if u just accumulate and think that everything is unlimited, and everything can be bought with money, o fool, life is limited and a gift of God and cannot be bought by bribes or wealth. When life is limited, better share with others who do not have rather accumulate and live in greed. Only then can one be rich towards God, otherwise however rich one is, he/she is always poor to God.
The Mission
Jesus, the non-conformist today calls us all the readers to give up the values of greed, consumerism, unethical living and materialistic values, rather live to the values of the gospel of loving to the other, sharing with the other and live a life of dignity and self-respect. Life is limited, so live the best of it.
Prayer
God of justice, grant us your strength to over come the consumerism in our lives and grant us a life to share and care for all the creation.
Reflection
How can you resist globalization as an individual and as a community?
Devotion II
31 July 2007, Tuesday (Gospel Day for AELC)
Youth and Scriptures
Luke 4:16-22
Key Verse: “Today the Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (21 V.)
The Milieu
“If you carry your Bible when you are young, it shall carry you when you are old” is a well-known old maxim. But today youth specially do not have time to spend in meditating the Word of God, for they are over burdened with their workload. For some fundamentalist groups Bible is a magic book, for it is used to keep under their pillow during nights, to avoid bad dreams and for some go to Bible as a means of astrology seeking for what happens that day and for future. By doing this, we are belittling and making a mockery of the meaning and message of Bible.
The Message
For Young Jesus, reading the Scriptures were not only customary but also was the driving force for his ministry. Jesus reveres the Scriptures, for he respects the activity of God in history, which is recorded in them, so he stood up when he reads it. (16v.) Jesus re-read the Scriptures, for he read out the passage from the book of prophet Isaiah 61:1-2, with an emphasis on proclaiming the year of the Lord and not the day of vengeance of the Lord. (18-19vs.) Jesus relates the Scriptures, for he relates the text to his own context. In the context where people are caught up in many bondages and oppressions, Jesus applies the text to the context, and makes the text as his manifesto for his ministry and works for the fulfillment of the Scriptures by liberating, healing etc. Jesus reflects the Scriptures, for he himself is the living Word, who became flesh and dwelt among people and lived out the Scriptures all along his life. He was a walking gospel, even unto the point of death he strived to show forth the God of the Bible.
The Mission
For our young people today, it is high time to make Jesus as the true example in revering, re-reading, relating and reflecting the Word of God. The activity of God recorded in the history always serves us as a good compass to seek the Lord to work in our particular context. God still continues to reveal God’s strength in our times according to his own means and ways.
Prayer
Our living and loving God, we pray that you will help us to discern your ways through your Word, and grant us the strength to relate the Word to our world.
Reflection
How can you make Bible more relevant for the youth today?
Devotion III
1 August 2007, Wednesday
Youth and HIV/AIDS
Text: Mark 3: 1-6
Key Verse: “They watched him to see whether he would heal him on the sabbath, so that they might accuse him.”(2V.)
The Milieu
The trend of increasing HIV/AIDS in India is a serious issue of the day. The youth and the women are the worst victims of it. Extensive commercial sex, drug abuse, migration, lack of awareness, etc are all the reasons for this rapid growth of HIV/AIDS in India. The infected people are looked down upon and are not given proper care and are discriminated. Thus HIV/AIDS poses a great challenge in our Indian context. The Indian National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) estimates that 5.21 million people were living with HIV in 2005, giving an adult prevalence of 0.91%.
The Message
Jesus goes against the rites and rituals for the cause of healing. We see the religious heads stressing the need for tradition at the expense of healing.
Tradition vis-à-vis Healing. For the Pharisees tradition and observing Sabbath holy was more important than the healing. A man with a withered hand was treated as outcaste because of his sickness, and would have had a trauma of pain all along physically and mentally and has been looked down by the community. Yet, for Pharisees, it was tradition at the expense of care and healing.
Healing vis-à-vis Tradition. For Jesus, care and healing is of prime importance. Person is important than the practices. What may come, he is there to care and heal anyone at any time. He is 24X7 healer and comforter. Jesus healed that person in spite of all the hurdles.
The Mission
This passage has a challenging relevance to us all. For Jesus did not confirm to the order of the day rather always tried to transform the people and the society. Let us Care for the PLWHA’s , fight all the discrimination against them. Comfort the PLWHA’s, and be with them, do not look down upon them for them. Jesus cared, comforted and healed when the rest did not want to get him healed. Let us resolve to be in tune with Jesus and his mission.
Prayer
Lord, we pray that the youth be prevented from the HIV/AIDS, and make the church to care and comfort the positives.
Reflection
Are our churches wide open to our positive friends? How as a local congregation strive to prevent and minister to the positives?
Devotion IV
2 August 2007, Thursday
Youth and Reservations
Matthew 25: 31-46
Key Verse: “If you have done to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” (40.v)
The Milieu
The word Reservations has become a buzzword today. Last year when the government decided to provide reservation to the OBC’s in the premier institutions in India, there was a hue and cry from all the upper caste people, specially the student community were on the streets against the reservations. There were several slogans at that time like ‘Don’t divide India on caste, let merit be triumphant’. Why reservations even after 60 years of independence?
The Message
Reservations are basically for empowerment. The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and other OBC’s may not have the same provisions as that of the other upper castes and rich people in their nurture. Merit is again defined and controlled by upper castes and rich people. Jesus emphasizes that if it is done to one of the least in the society it is done to him. Jesus prefers and stands for the empowerment and upliftment of the people who are starving with out any basic amenities and provisions in the society. Reservation is one of the tools of liberation and Jesus came to set at liberty all that are oppressed. Jesus always stood on the side of the oppressed at any cost and condemned the oppressor.
The Mission
Therefore, today let us encourage reservations for the Dalits and Tribals. Let us be in solidarity with all the struggles for ensuring reservations to our people. Let us also join hands out in seeking justice to the Dalit Christians to be given the SC status. Let us condemn all forces that oppress the young Dalits and Tribals.
Prayer
God of justice, let your children who are deprived of justice be given justice and we pray that there exists a good governance in our land, so that justice will be triumphant.
Further Reflection
Do you think that reservations be extended to the Dalits and Tribals even in the private sector? How best can we push this forward?
Devotion V
3 August 2007, Friday
Youth and Marriage
Mark 10:2-9
Key Verse: “But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ (6V.)
The Milieu
The bond of marriage has becoming diluted over the years. Particularly the rate of divorce among the young couples has been increasing in a greater velocity. Lot of frustrations between the couple, no consensus on issues of life, lack of mutual trust, increased materialism and consumerism, etc. have all shaken the strong bond of love in the marriage. Does marriage has any relevance to our youth today?
The Message
Jesus reinforced the creation of God telling, man and woman made equal, so both man and woman are made equal in the image of God and are equal in all respects. Let woman not be suppressed as inferior to man, and let not man curtail all the freedom of woman with his patriarchic ego. Let there be mutual respect between man and woman. Man and woman made into one flesh in marriage. In the bond of marriage, they are no more two entities, but are made as one flesh. That union of love is the main ingredient for a sustainable and happy married life. That realization of one flesh transcends all misunderstandings between man and woman in the marriage. God made them one in marriage, let no one asunder.
Jesus was emphatic in saying whom God has joined together let no one divide. Faith in God, mutual trust and respect towards each other in the marriage shall make the married life a success.
The Mission
Let the young people depend more on the Lord, and remain faithful to the life partner they have married to. Let man and woman enjoy that mutual respect, equality and dignity from one another. Let the youth over come the materialistic culture of individualism and pleasure seeking lives, and keep the sanctity of marriage. Let the young couples dedicate to keep their bond of love more meaningful and live a life in all its fullness.
Prayer
Lord, grant our young generations to be faithful to the sanctity of marriage and live a life of purity and happiness.
Reflection
Work out certain steps to make the younger generations to live a happy married life.
Devotion VI
4 August 2007, Saturday
Youth and Church
Matthew 21:12-17
Key Verse: “And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them.”(14v)
The Milieu
Churches today do not attract the young generation-X. When asked the reason for being aloof to the Church, most young people say that, they are fed up of the politics in the church. Lots of church properties today are sold by the leaders, huge amounts of offerings given by people of faith are misappropriated, corruption has crept deep into every nook and corner of the church. And the youth say, that they are not interested in such a church. Then what is the church for?
The Message
The young Jesus was bold to reform and transform the temple of God. The temple of God is not a place of commerce. He could not tolerate, when the temple of God was used as a place for commerce. He drove out all matters of selling and buying. The temple of God is not a place for corruption. Jesus boldly over turned the tables of those who cash and corrupt the temple of God. The temple of God is a place for comfort. That was the reason, he made the blind and lame people, who were not allowed to enter the temple, enter and healed them and comforted them. The temple of God is a place for communion. The temple is a place that brings in communion of God with all people, and strengthens the fellowship of people, irrespective of who they are. That was the reason, Jesus said in 15-17v. about the fellowship of the children, the blind, the lame, etc. in the temple of God singing and praising God.
The Mission
It is high time for us as young people to follow the footsteps of Jesus, who did not confirm to the order of the day, rather revolted for the cause of keeping the temple of God as a place of communion to all people with God. Let us strive in keeping our churches wide open for the rejected people by the society, the destitute people, the least, the lost and the last of the society. If our churches are not open to these people of God, I think the churches fail to exist as churches. As young people let us drive away all corruption and commercialization of ecclesia.
Prayer
Lord, make our churches wide open to the rejected people of the society, and make our churches corruption free.
Reflection
Work out an action plan to fight all corruption in your local church.
Devotion VII
5 August 2007, Sunday
Youth and Friendship
John 15:12-17
Key Verse: “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (13 Verse)
The Milieu
Over the years Friendship Day has gained much attention of the young people in celebrating it in pomp and pleasure. With the rise of consumerism, friendship is today has become commercialized. “A friend in need is a friend in deed “ has lost its flavour, rather the modern saying is “A friend with money is a friend so honey”.
The Message
Jesus here beautifully explains about the true friendship. The formula of friendship is given by Jesus in 13v, that to lay down one’s life for one’s friend is the greatest love and depicts the true friendship. The foundations of friendship is described by Jesus in 14-15 v. There is no superiority or inferiority among friends, no slave or master, no rich or poor, for in the friendship all are equal and stand on the same base. There is transparency between friends, for it is only to the friends that one can share one’s heart’s secrets. There is no fear between friends and no hidden agendas in friendship. Equality and transparency are the good foundations for any good friendship. The forerunner of true friendship is none other but, our true friend Jesus Christ. For he has lived out the formula of friendship and has laid down his life for the sake of all creation. Despite our weaknesses and unfaithfulness, Jesus makes friendship with us and wants to continue that friendship forever.
The Mission
Having learnt about the true friendship of Jesus Christ, one has to surely follow his footsteps in making friendship. Let us love all people with out any reservations and show forth the love to them. Let us try to become a good friend like Jesus, living for the cause of friendship, valuing and treasuring true friendship and win friends all along our life journey. Happy Friendship Day.
Prayer
Lord, make us to be like good friends like Jesus in loving and laying down our life for others.
Further Reflection
Bring out some practical plans to become a true friend.
CAST OUT CASTE
CAST OUT CASTE
(Directions from Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s Analysis of the Traditional Socio-Religious Structures of India to the Church in India)
Rev. Raj Bharath Patta
Introduction
India is marching towards sixty years of its independence, but still the nature and substance of Indian society has not changed much specially with its caste-ridden roots. Even after 60 years of independence, the Dalits and Adivasis in India are chained and oppressed in the name of caste. The socio-religious structures are so rigid, that one is made to succumb and follow to its ideology and the way of life. Analyzing ones own context in the society always provide the method and direction in transforming the context, and therefore a critical analysis becomes an important tool towards transforming the society. Down the lane of Indian history, one courageous man analysed the socio-religious structures of his day and challenged the oppressive nature it has and strived for the liberation of the society, he is none other but the messiah of Dalits, Bharat Ratna Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar. In the recently held Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the Baba Saheb’s Dhamma Chakra Parivartan (conversion to Buddhism), there was a question that was raised ‘how relevant is Ambedkar to the life of the Church in India?’ and this question inspired me to reflect on Ambedkar’s contributions and specifically his analyzing the Indian context. “The Indian society owes a tremendous debt to Ambedkar’s radical and humanitarian approach for solution of the problems of the backward classes,” writes Mr. S.B. Chavan, the former Chief Minister of Maharashtra[1]. As a social reformer Ambedkar ushered in a new era in India’s socio-political history. At the very front page of his book What Congress and Gandhi have done to the Untouchables, Ambedkar quoted the Greek philosopher Thucydides who said, “It may be your interest to be our master, but how can it be ours to be your slaves?”[2] Ambedkar was bold in questioning the validity of Caste system and made the Dalits aware of their rights and duties. Ambedkar stood against religious oppression and embraced Buddhism so as to free his people from brahmanical subjugation. It is interesting that for him untouchability and exploitation were a violation of civil liberties, not in the conventional sense, but because of the breach of the dignity of whole communities.
This paper is an attempt to bring out Ambedkar’s analysis of socio religious structures of the then Indian society. His method of analysis was analytical, radical, reformatory and revolutionary. The Hind social order, the Caste system, the untouchability and the religion in which it was practiced were all analyzed and has been discussed here. The relevance of such an analysis to the theology of the Church’s ministries in India has also been discussed here. The paper is attempted from the perspective of young, Dalit and ecumenical learner.
1. Analysis of Indian Society
Gail Omvedt writes “It is impossible to conceptualize the Dalit movement in India in the absence of Ambedkar, it is equally difficult to imagine, sociologically, Ambedkar coming of any other region than the Marathi speaking areas of British presidency.”[3] This is one of the reasons for Ambedkar’s critical position on nationalist politics. He was a Mahar, the largest untouchable caste in Maharashtra. His actions were moulded not only by his own personal background, and achievements, and the Maharashtrian thinking of his day, but also by his status as an untouchable. This group he came from had begun social and political movements before he assumed a position of his leadership. Many communist leaders analyzed Caste in a mechanical framework and sought to override traditional identities rather than reinterpret them. Therefore a plausible explanation could be found in his own solution for liberating the Dalits. Ambedkar realized that the identification of Indian culture with Hinduism is incorrect. He saw the Caste system as a serious obstacle in the path of democracy. According to him democracy lies not in the form of government but in terms of association between the people who form that society. Because Indian society is divided and graded on the basis of the Caste system it is not democratic.[4] He was critical of the brahmanical social order and put forward the arguments based on the principle of liberal equality and distributive justice.
2. Analysis of Caste System
This devilish system is mainly responsible for the degradation of the untouchables. Dr. Ambedkar has, therefore, never spared himself to expose the vested interests and their arrogance and selfishness, which have gone into creating this barrier and the high handedness in maintaining it. In his paper Castes in India, their mechanism genesis and development, which he read before the Anthropology seminar of Dr. Goldenweiser on May 9, 1916, he has dealt with how and why the castes arose. According to him, the priestly class, to separate themselves other three classes for marriage purpose, imposed the system of endogamy among themselves. This was parceling out the racially and culturally homogeneous people. Different racial groups, that is, Dravidian, Scythenian, and Mongolians, who had come to India from different directions by living side by side, had forged cultural unity. The example of brahmins was copied by other classes. He has revealed that nobility imitates its leaders that are kings and the people of nobility. The military classes, therefore, imitated the brahmins, the highest and the vaishyas the military classes. This is how classes, in the due course of time, became castes.[5]
Dr. Ambedkar’s address, Annihilation of Caste, contains a masterly analysis of castes their weaknesses, disadvantages and harmful effects. Ambedkar says, “There is no unanimity among the Vedas on the origin of Varna Ashrama (four castes). None of the other Vedas agree with the Rig-Veda that the four Varnas were created by Prajapati. It does not mention which Prajapati, for there are so many Prajapatis in Hinduism. One says they were created by Brahman, another says they were created by Kassyaps, some say Manu. And even on the issue of how many Varnas, there is no unanimity. This chaos seems to be the result of concoction of the theory of Chathurvarna, which the Brahmins quietly singled into Rig-Veda contrary to establish traditions?”[6] Ambedkar also says “Purushasukta” of Rig-Veda is not a historical explanation. It is purely mystical. It is a fantastic dream of a troubled mind. It is probably an allegory; later brahmins converted it into a literal statement of hard fact. It does not solve the riddle, on the contrary it creates a riddle – which is why were the brahmins interested in supporting the theory of Chaturvarna”.[7]
Thus, from a position of questioning Ambedkar was very much critical of the status quo of the caste system. To Ambedkar, there is no single origin of caste, it is always plural in number. When brahmins made themselves as a caste by enclosing themselves, they created the non-brahmin caste and subsequently other social groups consolidated as closed social systems. Ambedkar criticizes the westerns scholars’ position of linking caste with the colour. He says neither colour nor race has anything to do with caste.[8]
Exposing the various defenses put forward to support caste system, Ambedkar has stated that it is not only a division of labour but also division of labourers and that too on the basis of graded inequality. “Caste divides the labourers, caste disassociates work from interest, caste disconnects intelligence from manual labour and caste prevents mobilization.”[9]
Ambedkar has also exploded Arya Samajists theory of Chaturvarnya, based on worth and not on birth, as impractical and difficult to achieve. He emphasizes the need to reorganize the Hindu society on the principles of Fraternity, Liberty and Equality in order to get away from the evil system of caste.
3. Analysis of Untouchability
Ambedkar says that, “Untouchability is the notion of defilement, pollution, contamination and the ways and means of getting rid of that defilement. It is a case of permanent, hereditary staying which nothing can cleanse.”[10] Unlike Gandhi, he firmly believes that Untouchability was the product of caste and unless it was destroyed Untouchability would not go. Ambedkar in his book The Untouchables: Who Are They? (1948), dealt in depth the origin and development of Untouchability. The outline of his thesis is that, the caste Hindus and untouchables do not belong to two different races but the only difference is that they belong to Tribesmen and Broken Men respectively and the Broken Men only came to be treated as Untouchables. Dr. P. Mohan Larbeer observed that for Ambedkar, race or occupations are not the reasons for the origin of the Untouchability. But contempt and hatred to the Broken Men as of Buddhists by the brahmins and continuation of beef eating by the Broken Men after it had been given up by others are the two reasons for the origin of Untouchability. Untouchables are outside the Varna system and so are called Avarnas. According to the understanding of Ambedkar, the Broken Men or Untouchables are those:
· Who lived ‘outside’ the village, because he is broken due to the tribal war.
· Who came for refuge (to the settled).
· Who did the watch and ward for the settled community.
· Who in return got security and food and which was not shared or and they were not allowed to participate in the life-world of the settled communities.[11]
Ambedkar analyzed that Caste and Untouchability existed even before Manu. Therefore, Manu and brahmins are not the causes for Caste and Untouchability except that they consolidated, codified, canonized and sanctified it.
Having analyzed the origin of Caste and Untouchability, Ambedkar carried on a persistent global campaign against Caste and Untouchability. In the joint memo presented to the Round Table Conference the first item was, “Equal Citizenship, and Fundamental Rights” declaring the practice of Untouchability as illegal. When the Indian Constitution of 1950 was on the way to be unveiled, Ambedkar included abolition of Untouchability under section 17 of the part III of the act dealing with Fundamental Rights. Ambedkar reacted badly to the identification of Dalits as Untouchables by the Hindu Social Order. The identity as Untouchables was imposed on individual and on the caste by the other dominant caste groups, and treated them as the agents of pollution. According to Ambedkar, “the real method of breaking up the Caste system was not to bring about inter-caste dinners and inter-caste marriages but to destroy the religious notions on which caste was founded.”[12]
4. Analysis of the Hindu Social Order
The analysis of Hind Social Order with specific reference to the problem of Caste and Untouchability was of great potential to Ambedkar in providing liberation to the Dalits. In analyzing the Hinduism he says, “If a Hindu says that he is Hindu because he worships the same God as the Hindu community does, his answer cannot be true. All Hindus do not worship one God. There is no definite creed for Hinduism.”[13] Hindus treat Vedas as eternal and infallible, and it is these Vedas, which sanctifies the Caste system. On Vedas Ambedkar says, “The Vedas has no authority, since it has the defects of falsehood, self-contradiction and tautology.” As to the philosophy, “there is nothing of it in the Rig-Veda. As Prof. Wilson observes, there is in the Rig-Veda, which is the stock of Veda scarcely any indication or doctrinal or philosophical speculation, no allusion to the later notions of the several schools, nor is there any hint of metempsychosis, or of the doctrine intimately allied to it, of the repeated renovation of the world. The Vedas may be useful as a source of information regarding the social life of the Aryans. As a picture of primitive life it is full of curiosity but there is nothing elevating. There are more vices and a few virtues.”[14] Thus Ambedkar was very critical of the Vedas, for he says that neither the subject matter, nor the contents of Vedas justify the infallibility with which they have been invested.
Dr. Larbeer again observes, for Ambedkar, the Hindu Social Order is grounded in the immorality. It is against justice, liberty, equality and fraternity. It is a cluster of closed units that enclose themselves leaving no room for relationship and social intercourse. It is an order of self-imprisonment that enslaves the human into the caste prisons. It segregates infection by imitation, which in turn affects every successive caste groups and ultimately Indian society is caste ridden. It is a system that degrades and alienates human labour and labourers. It lacks any social conscience for being in union. Spontaneity and moral freedom is alien to the system of caste social order. Participation and communication for social living is systematically prohibited in it. Its social expression is Untouchability or social exclusion whose cumulative effect is laid very heavily on the shoulders of the broken people. Therefore for Ambedkar, reconstruction of the identity of the broken people and through that restructuring Indian society on a moral basis becomes life mission.[15] Ambedkar’s criticism of the caste social order is inseparable from his criticism of Hindu religion. If he starts with evaluating the caste system inevitably he ends up with the criticism of Hindu religion. If he starts with the evaluation of Hindu religion he inevitably ends up with the criticism of caste social order. Thus Ambedkar analyses the Hindu Social Order, and provides a path towards liberating the Untouchables.
5. Brahmanism and Capitalism: The Twin Dangers
Ambedkar held that Indian society is infected with two great dangers. One is internal and the other is external. The internal danger is casteism and the external is capitalism. He says, “The two enemies are Brahmanism and Capitalism”. By Brahmanism he meant the negation of the spirit of liberty, equality and fraternity. In that sense it is rampant in all classes and is not confined to the brahmins alone though they have been the originators of it. This Brahmanism which pervades everywhere and which regulates thoughts and deeds of all classes is an incontrovertible fact.[16]
Ambedkar is against the monopoly of economy in the hands of the few and straight monopoly. While Brahmanism is antagonistic to the liberation of Dalits, Capitalism would go to strengthen this process of Caste antagonism. He held that state must play a key role in handling these two dangers and bring about economic equality and political liberty to the Dalits. He proposed state socialism and mixed economy as the guarantees of the just economic life of the oppressed sections of Indian society.
6. Analysis of Religion
Ambedkar gave paramount importance to the issue of religion. Understanding the religion for Ambedkar is vital to the understanding of the social life of the Indian society. For Ambedkar, religion is essential to humankind. He understands religion not as a means to spiritual salvation of individual souls but as a social practice for establishing righteous relations between human and human. He holds that religion is the vital force or live wire, a scheme of moral governance and foundation of human society. He regarded that religion is necessary for nationalism since religions as the essence of cultural heritage, a value system necessary for the formation of a civil and political community and a necessary factor for building a powerful nation. He criticized Hindu religion the concept of God and its allied religious principles and customs that tend to preserve the caste system intact. The untouchables were not allowed to get the same status with others in the Hindu religion. Ambedkar believed that absorption of Dalits into Hinduism meant the acceptance of Hindu leadership in the national movement. So he felt it would be wiser to take chances with a religion, which has many safeguards. At first, he tried to assert the path of radical autonomy, encouraged the Dalits to form their own organizations and to deal independently with some basic issues. It means that the Dalits themselves has to redefine their relationship with Hindu system. In fact a non-Hindu choice seems to have led him finally, to identify with Buddhism.[17]
According to Ambedkar, Buddhism was a true religion because it led to a life guided by three principles, knowledge, right path and compassion. In Buddhism he discovered a ray of hope and light for all communities. Buddhism teaches social freedom, intellectual freedom, economic freedom and political freedom and equality not between man and man only but also between man and woman. The rational criterion that Ambedkar envisaged for considering a religion to be true and authentic is that it should be based on reason, pass the test of utility and justice and should contain ethical and social content based on the principles of revolution for liberty, equality and fraternity[18]. Thus Ambedkar analyses religion and says that religion is for humans and not humans for religion.
7. Directions from Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s Social Analysis to the Church in India
Having discussed Ambedkar’s analysis of the socio-religious structures of India, one can draw relevance in theologizing today. The purpose of Ambedkar’s analysis is to provide liberation to the Dalits. Perhaps, Ambedkar is the one who has provided consistent theoretical criticism of the socio-religious structures in India. Ambedkar has a strong background of western enlightenment thought that helps him to evaluate the Indian social structure from the point of view of liberty, equality and fraternity. The Individual and the social are the two complementary vital elements in the theoretical frame of Ambedkar’s analysis. As Dr. Mohan Larbeer puts it, the purpose of Ambedkar’s analysis can be classified in two folds: On the one hand Ambedkar wanted to establish the identity of untouchables as an indigenous social religious group that resisted caste inequality from its query inception. And on the other, he ignited an on going social, educational, political movement, an action for liberation, which would continue to upsurge the cause of justice in the Indian society, irrespective of the pains and sufferings in its encounter with the orthodoxy.[19]
What is the relevance of Ambedkar’s analysis of the socio-religious structures of India? Gabriele Dietrich and Bas Wielenga in their book Towards Understanding Indian Society brings out the need for social analysis. They say:
· We cannot understand people without understanding society.
· We cannot understand society by looking at individuals only.
· We cannot change society purposefully without knowing how we are shaped by it.[20]
They also bring out the need for social analysis in theologizing today. Their propositions are:
· We cannot do God’s will in social life unless we understand in a critical way how society functions.
· We cannot serve in the ministry of the church without critical understanding of its role in society.
· All theology is contextual.
· The Bible does not lose but gains in relevance if we analyze how its messages relate to changing social situations.
· We need, not only social analysis to clarify the role of faith, but we also need faith to clarify the role of social analysis.[21]
Therefore Ambedkar’s social analysis has a challenging relevance for us today in our theologizing. Ambedkar’s analysis provides a methodological framework in analyzing our own contexts and thereby provides a space for a critical faith reflection. The three components of Ambedkar’s social analysis are:
1. Equality of opportunity for all citizens.
2. Critique of Hindu society based on liberty, equality and fraternity.
3. Establishment of a Casteless society by removing oppression and domination.
Dalit oppression has been a continuing reality today in India. Dalits have been oppressed, suppressed, marginalized and humiliated in every sphere of life. Today it is the task of the Indian church to participate, in the struggles of these people and work towards a liberation of Dalits. Dr. K.Rajaratnam has given a clarion call to the churches in India to make Dalit liberation as the agenda of the church. And therefore it is time for us to analyze the Dalit oppression, and to critique all the dominant structures of the day as Ambedkar did it in his day and set at liberty our Dalit brothers and sisters. Thus Ambedkar’s social analysis has a challenging relevance to theologize in our times.
Though there are several streams and themes that draw the attention of the Church in India, but three major themes, would be of important relevance for the theology of the Church’s ministries in India.
1. Proclaim and practice that caste is a sin
The Church in India today has been comfortable in making their campuses as “plastic free” campuses. That’s a good way of keeping the ecology, clean and green, and the church needs appreciation for it. I have heard that a certain church in India has proclaimed that using plastics is a sin. But we the Church has just remained with that, and think we have used our faith to analyse our society. But when caste system is such a dire reality in India, which is practiced even in the Church, we the Church has not come up to preach, proclaim and practice that “practicing caste is a sin.” The time has come now for the Churches, that it should rise up to the occasion and boldly proclaim that caste or caste practice is a sin. When we are all created in the equal image of God, how is it that there are caste differences and hierarchy among the people? I believe our faith helps us to boldly proclaim that caste is a deadly sin. This is where we need faith to clarify the role of social analysis. Therefore let us confront and challenge the evil caste system and be bold in doing it. Any way we have fallen short of God’s glory with all our misdeeds, but practicing caste system and oppressing people in the name of caste, I am afraid we are thrown away from the presence of God, for God affirms equality and justice.
2. Challenge globalisation, a short in the arm of caste system
Dr. Ambedkar, prophetically said that capitalism would strengthen the antagonism of caste system. It is of great relevance for us, to analyse the dangers of globalisation on our Indian society and particularly on the Dalits and the Adivasis. For globalisation have adverse affects on Dalits and Tribals. With out the access to the technical know-how, Dalits and Tribals are nowhere in the arena of globalisation. Globalisation promotes consumerism and profit values and does not value for life and life centered values. Globalisation preaches and proclaims hierarchy, and widens the gap between the rich and poor, between the have and have-nots. Therefore for the practitioners of caste in India, globalisation has come as a short in the arm, for they can use it to further suppress and marginalize the Dalits and Tribals. Globalisation does not care who is the loser, whether it is a Dalit or a Tribal, all it wants and gets is profit, and that is what exactly caste system likes and expects. So the caste system utilizes this chance of globalisation, and use it to further suppress the Dalits and Tribals.
When such a situation exists in our society, how can we the Church in India live in slumber with a touch-me not attitude? We the Church should analyse the situation, and should come out with a preferential option for the Dalits and Tribals in India. Confront caste system and globalisation, for they are the twin dangers in our society today. If justice is to roll down in our society, we the Church should be just and should analyse the society justly, with a concern and preference for the Dalits and Tribals.
3. Conversion from vis-à-vis conversion to
Time and again we the Church in India has discussed the importance of conversion, and particularly conversion of Dalits. Conversion for Dr. Ambedkar was necessary because it was a means of liberation, for he did not want to endorse to the status quo of caste system practiced by that particular religion. Dr. Ambedkar’s words of “I am born as a Hindu, but do not want to die as a Hindu” has been misinterpreted by the evangelists today that his words endorses conversion, so it is a call for us to convert people to Christianity. Dr. K. Rajaratnam has already observed that ‘conversion from’ is of prime importance for Dalits rather ‘conversion to’, and let the Dalits take their own decision in terms of choosing their religion. Let us not take Dalits for a ride, taking them for granted and go for the forced conversions. In this context, I believe we the Church should be in solidarity with the attempts of Dalits, when they prefer conversion as a means of liberation. In following the words of Jesus Christ, “setting at liberty all that are oppressed”, we the Church should strive and help the Dalits to overcome their oppression and stand by them in their struggles. We the Church should work for the Dalits per se and start implementing the agenda of the Church in our local contexts.
Conclusion:
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was a great social revolutionary and thinker of modern India. He minutely observed the fallacies of social, economic and political structures of Indian society, the ideological overtone that justified and supported them and paved the path of graded inequality and perpetual exploitations and suppressions of the have-not’s. Ambedkar vehemently opposed and fought against them throughout his life. He remains immortal by his deeds. He was very firm in telling that there should be a political partition between the Untouchables and the Hindus. He rejected the brahmanical dominance, paving the way for liberation and has become the champion of Dalits. Dr. Ambedkar’s socio-religious analysis has a great relevance in analyzing our own societies today, and let the Church be sensitive in analyzing their local contexts and start living up to the values of the Gospel. We as a Church, let us confront the evils of the society, let us preach and practice that caste is sin, let us confront globalisation and let us be in solidarity with the Dalits in their efforts for liberation. Let we the Church in India draw inspiration from the work of Dr. Ambedkar in setting at liberty all that are oppressed, particularly the Dalits. Let us unitedly and univocally cast out the caste.
[1] Vasant Moon (Ed.) Dr. BabaSaheb Ambedkar Writings and Speeches. Vol.4. Bombay: Govt. of Maharashtra, 1987, p.1
[2] Sanjay Paswan & Paramanshi Jaideva (Eds). Encyclopedia of Dalits in India. Vol.I, Delhi: Kalpaz Publications, 2002, p.221.
[3] Gail Omvedt, Dalits and The Democratic Revolution, Delhi: Sage, 1994, p.91
[4] Vidhu Varma, Colonialism and Liberation, Ambedkar’s Quest for Distributive Justice in Economic and Political weekly, Sept.25, 1999, p.2805
[5] D.K. Baisantry, Ambedkar The Total Revolutionary, New Delhi: Segment book, 1991. p.78
[6] Vasant Moon (Ed.) Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Writings and Speeches, Vol.4. Bombay: Govt. of Maharashtra, 1987, p.203-204.
[7] Vasant Moon (Ed)…p.251
[8] P.Mohan Larbeer, Ambedkar on Religion, New Delhi: ISPCK, 2003, p.25-26.
[9] R. Sangeetha Rao, Ambedkar on Varna, Caste and Class, New Delhi: Sanjivayya Institute of Socio-Economic studies, p.10.
[10] P. Mohan Larbeer… p.27
[11] P. Mohan Larbeer… p.37
[12] Vasant Moon (Ed)…Vol.1, p.21
[13] Vasant Moon (Ed)…Vol.4, p.13-14
[14] Vasant Moon (Ed)… Vol.4, p.44
[15] P. Mohan Larbeer… p.157
[16] P. Mohan Larbeer…p.71
[17] Vidhu Varma, Colonialism and Liberation, Ambedkar’s Quest for Distributive Justice in Economic and Political weekly, Sept. 25, 1999, p.2805
[18] P. Mohan Larbeer… p.185
[19] P.Mohan Larbeer…P.159
[20] Gabriele Dietrich and Bas Wielenga. Towards Understanding Indian Society, Tiruvalla:CSS, 2003. P.17-19
[21] Gabriele Dietrich and Bas Wielenga, Towards Understanding Indian Society, Tiruvalla:CSS, 2003. P.20-22.
(Directions from Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s Analysis of the Traditional Socio-Religious Structures of India to the Church in India)
Rev. Raj Bharath Patta
Introduction
India is marching towards sixty years of its independence, but still the nature and substance of Indian society has not changed much specially with its caste-ridden roots. Even after 60 years of independence, the Dalits and Adivasis in India are chained and oppressed in the name of caste. The socio-religious structures are so rigid, that one is made to succumb and follow to its ideology and the way of life. Analyzing ones own context in the society always provide the method and direction in transforming the context, and therefore a critical analysis becomes an important tool towards transforming the society. Down the lane of Indian history, one courageous man analysed the socio-religious structures of his day and challenged the oppressive nature it has and strived for the liberation of the society, he is none other but the messiah of Dalits, Bharat Ratna Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar. In the recently held Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the Baba Saheb’s Dhamma Chakra Parivartan (conversion to Buddhism), there was a question that was raised ‘how relevant is Ambedkar to the life of the Church in India?’ and this question inspired me to reflect on Ambedkar’s contributions and specifically his analyzing the Indian context. “The Indian society owes a tremendous debt to Ambedkar’s radical and humanitarian approach for solution of the problems of the backward classes,” writes Mr. S.B. Chavan, the former Chief Minister of Maharashtra[1]. As a social reformer Ambedkar ushered in a new era in India’s socio-political history. At the very front page of his book What Congress and Gandhi have done to the Untouchables, Ambedkar quoted the Greek philosopher Thucydides who said, “It may be your interest to be our master, but how can it be ours to be your slaves?”[2] Ambedkar was bold in questioning the validity of Caste system and made the Dalits aware of their rights and duties. Ambedkar stood against religious oppression and embraced Buddhism so as to free his people from brahmanical subjugation. It is interesting that for him untouchability and exploitation were a violation of civil liberties, not in the conventional sense, but because of the breach of the dignity of whole communities.
This paper is an attempt to bring out Ambedkar’s analysis of socio religious structures of the then Indian society. His method of analysis was analytical, radical, reformatory and revolutionary. The Hind social order, the Caste system, the untouchability and the religion in which it was practiced were all analyzed and has been discussed here. The relevance of such an analysis to the theology of the Church’s ministries in India has also been discussed here. The paper is attempted from the perspective of young, Dalit and ecumenical learner.
1. Analysis of Indian Society
Gail Omvedt writes “It is impossible to conceptualize the Dalit movement in India in the absence of Ambedkar, it is equally difficult to imagine, sociologically, Ambedkar coming of any other region than the Marathi speaking areas of British presidency.”[3] This is one of the reasons for Ambedkar’s critical position on nationalist politics. He was a Mahar, the largest untouchable caste in Maharashtra. His actions were moulded not only by his own personal background, and achievements, and the Maharashtrian thinking of his day, but also by his status as an untouchable. This group he came from had begun social and political movements before he assumed a position of his leadership. Many communist leaders analyzed Caste in a mechanical framework and sought to override traditional identities rather than reinterpret them. Therefore a plausible explanation could be found in his own solution for liberating the Dalits. Ambedkar realized that the identification of Indian culture with Hinduism is incorrect. He saw the Caste system as a serious obstacle in the path of democracy. According to him democracy lies not in the form of government but in terms of association between the people who form that society. Because Indian society is divided and graded on the basis of the Caste system it is not democratic.[4] He was critical of the brahmanical social order and put forward the arguments based on the principle of liberal equality and distributive justice.
2. Analysis of Caste System
This devilish system is mainly responsible for the degradation of the untouchables. Dr. Ambedkar has, therefore, never spared himself to expose the vested interests and their arrogance and selfishness, which have gone into creating this barrier and the high handedness in maintaining it. In his paper Castes in India, their mechanism genesis and development, which he read before the Anthropology seminar of Dr. Goldenweiser on May 9, 1916, he has dealt with how and why the castes arose. According to him, the priestly class, to separate themselves other three classes for marriage purpose, imposed the system of endogamy among themselves. This was parceling out the racially and culturally homogeneous people. Different racial groups, that is, Dravidian, Scythenian, and Mongolians, who had come to India from different directions by living side by side, had forged cultural unity. The example of brahmins was copied by other classes. He has revealed that nobility imitates its leaders that are kings and the people of nobility. The military classes, therefore, imitated the brahmins, the highest and the vaishyas the military classes. This is how classes, in the due course of time, became castes.[5]
Dr. Ambedkar’s address, Annihilation of Caste, contains a masterly analysis of castes their weaknesses, disadvantages and harmful effects. Ambedkar says, “There is no unanimity among the Vedas on the origin of Varna Ashrama (four castes). None of the other Vedas agree with the Rig-Veda that the four Varnas were created by Prajapati. It does not mention which Prajapati, for there are so many Prajapatis in Hinduism. One says they were created by Brahman, another says they were created by Kassyaps, some say Manu. And even on the issue of how many Varnas, there is no unanimity. This chaos seems to be the result of concoction of the theory of Chathurvarna, which the Brahmins quietly singled into Rig-Veda contrary to establish traditions?”[6] Ambedkar also says “Purushasukta” of Rig-Veda is not a historical explanation. It is purely mystical. It is a fantastic dream of a troubled mind. It is probably an allegory; later brahmins converted it into a literal statement of hard fact. It does not solve the riddle, on the contrary it creates a riddle – which is why were the brahmins interested in supporting the theory of Chaturvarna”.[7]
Thus, from a position of questioning Ambedkar was very much critical of the status quo of the caste system. To Ambedkar, there is no single origin of caste, it is always plural in number. When brahmins made themselves as a caste by enclosing themselves, they created the non-brahmin caste and subsequently other social groups consolidated as closed social systems. Ambedkar criticizes the westerns scholars’ position of linking caste with the colour. He says neither colour nor race has anything to do with caste.[8]
Exposing the various defenses put forward to support caste system, Ambedkar has stated that it is not only a division of labour but also division of labourers and that too on the basis of graded inequality. “Caste divides the labourers, caste disassociates work from interest, caste disconnects intelligence from manual labour and caste prevents mobilization.”[9]
Ambedkar has also exploded Arya Samajists theory of Chaturvarnya, based on worth and not on birth, as impractical and difficult to achieve. He emphasizes the need to reorganize the Hindu society on the principles of Fraternity, Liberty and Equality in order to get away from the evil system of caste.
3. Analysis of Untouchability
Ambedkar says that, “Untouchability is the notion of defilement, pollution, contamination and the ways and means of getting rid of that defilement. It is a case of permanent, hereditary staying which nothing can cleanse.”[10] Unlike Gandhi, he firmly believes that Untouchability was the product of caste and unless it was destroyed Untouchability would not go. Ambedkar in his book The Untouchables: Who Are They? (1948), dealt in depth the origin and development of Untouchability. The outline of his thesis is that, the caste Hindus and untouchables do not belong to two different races but the only difference is that they belong to Tribesmen and Broken Men respectively and the Broken Men only came to be treated as Untouchables. Dr. P. Mohan Larbeer observed that for Ambedkar, race or occupations are not the reasons for the origin of the Untouchability. But contempt and hatred to the Broken Men as of Buddhists by the brahmins and continuation of beef eating by the Broken Men after it had been given up by others are the two reasons for the origin of Untouchability. Untouchables are outside the Varna system and so are called Avarnas. According to the understanding of Ambedkar, the Broken Men or Untouchables are those:
· Who lived ‘outside’ the village, because he is broken due to the tribal war.
· Who came for refuge (to the settled).
· Who did the watch and ward for the settled community.
· Who in return got security and food and which was not shared or and they were not allowed to participate in the life-world of the settled communities.[11]
Ambedkar analyzed that Caste and Untouchability existed even before Manu. Therefore, Manu and brahmins are not the causes for Caste and Untouchability except that they consolidated, codified, canonized and sanctified it.
Having analyzed the origin of Caste and Untouchability, Ambedkar carried on a persistent global campaign against Caste and Untouchability. In the joint memo presented to the Round Table Conference the first item was, “Equal Citizenship, and Fundamental Rights” declaring the practice of Untouchability as illegal. When the Indian Constitution of 1950 was on the way to be unveiled, Ambedkar included abolition of Untouchability under section 17 of the part III of the act dealing with Fundamental Rights. Ambedkar reacted badly to the identification of Dalits as Untouchables by the Hindu Social Order. The identity as Untouchables was imposed on individual and on the caste by the other dominant caste groups, and treated them as the agents of pollution. According to Ambedkar, “the real method of breaking up the Caste system was not to bring about inter-caste dinners and inter-caste marriages but to destroy the religious notions on which caste was founded.”[12]
4. Analysis of the Hindu Social Order
The analysis of Hind Social Order with specific reference to the problem of Caste and Untouchability was of great potential to Ambedkar in providing liberation to the Dalits. In analyzing the Hinduism he says, “If a Hindu says that he is Hindu because he worships the same God as the Hindu community does, his answer cannot be true. All Hindus do not worship one God. There is no definite creed for Hinduism.”[13] Hindus treat Vedas as eternal and infallible, and it is these Vedas, which sanctifies the Caste system. On Vedas Ambedkar says, “The Vedas has no authority, since it has the defects of falsehood, self-contradiction and tautology.” As to the philosophy, “there is nothing of it in the Rig-Veda. As Prof. Wilson observes, there is in the Rig-Veda, which is the stock of Veda scarcely any indication or doctrinal or philosophical speculation, no allusion to the later notions of the several schools, nor is there any hint of metempsychosis, or of the doctrine intimately allied to it, of the repeated renovation of the world. The Vedas may be useful as a source of information regarding the social life of the Aryans. As a picture of primitive life it is full of curiosity but there is nothing elevating. There are more vices and a few virtues.”[14] Thus Ambedkar was very critical of the Vedas, for he says that neither the subject matter, nor the contents of Vedas justify the infallibility with which they have been invested.
Dr. Larbeer again observes, for Ambedkar, the Hindu Social Order is grounded in the immorality. It is against justice, liberty, equality and fraternity. It is a cluster of closed units that enclose themselves leaving no room for relationship and social intercourse. It is an order of self-imprisonment that enslaves the human into the caste prisons. It segregates infection by imitation, which in turn affects every successive caste groups and ultimately Indian society is caste ridden. It is a system that degrades and alienates human labour and labourers. It lacks any social conscience for being in union. Spontaneity and moral freedom is alien to the system of caste social order. Participation and communication for social living is systematically prohibited in it. Its social expression is Untouchability or social exclusion whose cumulative effect is laid very heavily on the shoulders of the broken people. Therefore for Ambedkar, reconstruction of the identity of the broken people and through that restructuring Indian society on a moral basis becomes life mission.[15] Ambedkar’s criticism of the caste social order is inseparable from his criticism of Hindu religion. If he starts with evaluating the caste system inevitably he ends up with the criticism of Hindu religion. If he starts with the evaluation of Hindu religion he inevitably ends up with the criticism of caste social order. Thus Ambedkar analyses the Hindu Social Order, and provides a path towards liberating the Untouchables.
5. Brahmanism and Capitalism: The Twin Dangers
Ambedkar held that Indian society is infected with two great dangers. One is internal and the other is external. The internal danger is casteism and the external is capitalism. He says, “The two enemies are Brahmanism and Capitalism”. By Brahmanism he meant the negation of the spirit of liberty, equality and fraternity. In that sense it is rampant in all classes and is not confined to the brahmins alone though they have been the originators of it. This Brahmanism which pervades everywhere and which regulates thoughts and deeds of all classes is an incontrovertible fact.[16]
Ambedkar is against the monopoly of economy in the hands of the few and straight monopoly. While Brahmanism is antagonistic to the liberation of Dalits, Capitalism would go to strengthen this process of Caste antagonism. He held that state must play a key role in handling these two dangers and bring about economic equality and political liberty to the Dalits. He proposed state socialism and mixed economy as the guarantees of the just economic life of the oppressed sections of Indian society.
6. Analysis of Religion
Ambedkar gave paramount importance to the issue of religion. Understanding the religion for Ambedkar is vital to the understanding of the social life of the Indian society. For Ambedkar, religion is essential to humankind. He understands religion not as a means to spiritual salvation of individual souls but as a social practice for establishing righteous relations between human and human. He holds that religion is the vital force or live wire, a scheme of moral governance and foundation of human society. He regarded that religion is necessary for nationalism since religions as the essence of cultural heritage, a value system necessary for the formation of a civil and political community and a necessary factor for building a powerful nation. He criticized Hindu religion the concept of God and its allied religious principles and customs that tend to preserve the caste system intact. The untouchables were not allowed to get the same status with others in the Hindu religion. Ambedkar believed that absorption of Dalits into Hinduism meant the acceptance of Hindu leadership in the national movement. So he felt it would be wiser to take chances with a religion, which has many safeguards. At first, he tried to assert the path of radical autonomy, encouraged the Dalits to form their own organizations and to deal independently with some basic issues. It means that the Dalits themselves has to redefine their relationship with Hindu system. In fact a non-Hindu choice seems to have led him finally, to identify with Buddhism.[17]
According to Ambedkar, Buddhism was a true religion because it led to a life guided by three principles, knowledge, right path and compassion. In Buddhism he discovered a ray of hope and light for all communities. Buddhism teaches social freedom, intellectual freedom, economic freedom and political freedom and equality not between man and man only but also between man and woman. The rational criterion that Ambedkar envisaged for considering a religion to be true and authentic is that it should be based on reason, pass the test of utility and justice and should contain ethical and social content based on the principles of revolution for liberty, equality and fraternity[18]. Thus Ambedkar analyses religion and says that religion is for humans and not humans for religion.
7. Directions from Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s Social Analysis to the Church in India
Having discussed Ambedkar’s analysis of the socio-religious structures of India, one can draw relevance in theologizing today. The purpose of Ambedkar’s analysis is to provide liberation to the Dalits. Perhaps, Ambedkar is the one who has provided consistent theoretical criticism of the socio-religious structures in India. Ambedkar has a strong background of western enlightenment thought that helps him to evaluate the Indian social structure from the point of view of liberty, equality and fraternity. The Individual and the social are the two complementary vital elements in the theoretical frame of Ambedkar’s analysis. As Dr. Mohan Larbeer puts it, the purpose of Ambedkar’s analysis can be classified in two folds: On the one hand Ambedkar wanted to establish the identity of untouchables as an indigenous social religious group that resisted caste inequality from its query inception. And on the other, he ignited an on going social, educational, political movement, an action for liberation, which would continue to upsurge the cause of justice in the Indian society, irrespective of the pains and sufferings in its encounter with the orthodoxy.[19]
What is the relevance of Ambedkar’s analysis of the socio-religious structures of India? Gabriele Dietrich and Bas Wielenga in their book Towards Understanding Indian Society brings out the need for social analysis. They say:
· We cannot understand people without understanding society.
· We cannot understand society by looking at individuals only.
· We cannot change society purposefully without knowing how we are shaped by it.[20]
They also bring out the need for social analysis in theologizing today. Their propositions are:
· We cannot do God’s will in social life unless we understand in a critical way how society functions.
· We cannot serve in the ministry of the church without critical understanding of its role in society.
· All theology is contextual.
· The Bible does not lose but gains in relevance if we analyze how its messages relate to changing social situations.
· We need, not only social analysis to clarify the role of faith, but we also need faith to clarify the role of social analysis.[21]
Therefore Ambedkar’s social analysis has a challenging relevance for us today in our theologizing. Ambedkar’s analysis provides a methodological framework in analyzing our own contexts and thereby provides a space for a critical faith reflection. The three components of Ambedkar’s social analysis are:
1. Equality of opportunity for all citizens.
2. Critique of Hindu society based on liberty, equality and fraternity.
3. Establishment of a Casteless society by removing oppression and domination.
Dalit oppression has been a continuing reality today in India. Dalits have been oppressed, suppressed, marginalized and humiliated in every sphere of life. Today it is the task of the Indian church to participate, in the struggles of these people and work towards a liberation of Dalits. Dr. K.Rajaratnam has given a clarion call to the churches in India to make Dalit liberation as the agenda of the church. And therefore it is time for us to analyze the Dalit oppression, and to critique all the dominant structures of the day as Ambedkar did it in his day and set at liberty our Dalit brothers and sisters. Thus Ambedkar’s social analysis has a challenging relevance to theologize in our times.
Though there are several streams and themes that draw the attention of the Church in India, but three major themes, would be of important relevance for the theology of the Church’s ministries in India.
1. Proclaim and practice that caste is a sin
The Church in India today has been comfortable in making their campuses as “plastic free” campuses. That’s a good way of keeping the ecology, clean and green, and the church needs appreciation for it. I have heard that a certain church in India has proclaimed that using plastics is a sin. But we the Church has just remained with that, and think we have used our faith to analyse our society. But when caste system is such a dire reality in India, which is practiced even in the Church, we the Church has not come up to preach, proclaim and practice that “practicing caste is a sin.” The time has come now for the Churches, that it should rise up to the occasion and boldly proclaim that caste or caste practice is a sin. When we are all created in the equal image of God, how is it that there are caste differences and hierarchy among the people? I believe our faith helps us to boldly proclaim that caste is a deadly sin. This is where we need faith to clarify the role of social analysis. Therefore let us confront and challenge the evil caste system and be bold in doing it. Any way we have fallen short of God’s glory with all our misdeeds, but practicing caste system and oppressing people in the name of caste, I am afraid we are thrown away from the presence of God, for God affirms equality and justice.
2. Challenge globalisation, a short in the arm of caste system
Dr. Ambedkar, prophetically said that capitalism would strengthen the antagonism of caste system. It is of great relevance for us, to analyse the dangers of globalisation on our Indian society and particularly on the Dalits and the Adivasis. For globalisation have adverse affects on Dalits and Tribals. With out the access to the technical know-how, Dalits and Tribals are nowhere in the arena of globalisation. Globalisation promotes consumerism and profit values and does not value for life and life centered values. Globalisation preaches and proclaims hierarchy, and widens the gap between the rich and poor, between the have and have-nots. Therefore for the practitioners of caste in India, globalisation has come as a short in the arm, for they can use it to further suppress and marginalize the Dalits and Tribals. Globalisation does not care who is the loser, whether it is a Dalit or a Tribal, all it wants and gets is profit, and that is what exactly caste system likes and expects. So the caste system utilizes this chance of globalisation, and use it to further suppress the Dalits and Tribals.
When such a situation exists in our society, how can we the Church in India live in slumber with a touch-me not attitude? We the Church should analyse the situation, and should come out with a preferential option for the Dalits and Tribals in India. Confront caste system and globalisation, for they are the twin dangers in our society today. If justice is to roll down in our society, we the Church should be just and should analyse the society justly, with a concern and preference for the Dalits and Tribals.
3. Conversion from vis-à-vis conversion to
Time and again we the Church in India has discussed the importance of conversion, and particularly conversion of Dalits. Conversion for Dr. Ambedkar was necessary because it was a means of liberation, for he did not want to endorse to the status quo of caste system practiced by that particular religion. Dr. Ambedkar’s words of “I am born as a Hindu, but do not want to die as a Hindu” has been misinterpreted by the evangelists today that his words endorses conversion, so it is a call for us to convert people to Christianity. Dr. K. Rajaratnam has already observed that ‘conversion from’ is of prime importance for Dalits rather ‘conversion to’, and let the Dalits take their own decision in terms of choosing their religion. Let us not take Dalits for a ride, taking them for granted and go for the forced conversions. In this context, I believe we the Church should be in solidarity with the attempts of Dalits, when they prefer conversion as a means of liberation. In following the words of Jesus Christ, “setting at liberty all that are oppressed”, we the Church should strive and help the Dalits to overcome their oppression and stand by them in their struggles. We the Church should work for the Dalits per se and start implementing the agenda of the Church in our local contexts.
Conclusion:
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was a great social revolutionary and thinker of modern India. He minutely observed the fallacies of social, economic and political structures of Indian society, the ideological overtone that justified and supported them and paved the path of graded inequality and perpetual exploitations and suppressions of the have-not’s. Ambedkar vehemently opposed and fought against them throughout his life. He remains immortal by his deeds. He was very firm in telling that there should be a political partition between the Untouchables and the Hindus. He rejected the brahmanical dominance, paving the way for liberation and has become the champion of Dalits. Dr. Ambedkar’s socio-religious analysis has a great relevance in analyzing our own societies today, and let the Church be sensitive in analyzing their local contexts and start living up to the values of the Gospel. We as a Church, let us confront the evils of the society, let us preach and practice that caste is sin, let us confront globalisation and let us be in solidarity with the Dalits in their efforts for liberation. Let we the Church in India draw inspiration from the work of Dr. Ambedkar in setting at liberty all that are oppressed, particularly the Dalits. Let us unitedly and univocally cast out the caste.
[1] Vasant Moon (Ed.) Dr. BabaSaheb Ambedkar Writings and Speeches. Vol.4. Bombay: Govt. of Maharashtra, 1987, p.1
[2] Sanjay Paswan & Paramanshi Jaideva (Eds). Encyclopedia of Dalits in India. Vol.I, Delhi: Kalpaz Publications, 2002, p.221.
[3] Gail Omvedt, Dalits and The Democratic Revolution, Delhi: Sage, 1994, p.91
[4] Vidhu Varma, Colonialism and Liberation, Ambedkar’s Quest for Distributive Justice in Economic and Political weekly, Sept.25, 1999, p.2805
[5] D.K. Baisantry, Ambedkar The Total Revolutionary, New Delhi: Segment book, 1991. p.78
[6] Vasant Moon (Ed.) Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Writings and Speeches, Vol.4. Bombay: Govt. of Maharashtra, 1987, p.203-204.
[7] Vasant Moon (Ed)…p.251
[8] P.Mohan Larbeer, Ambedkar on Religion, New Delhi: ISPCK, 2003, p.25-26.
[9] R. Sangeetha Rao, Ambedkar on Varna, Caste and Class, New Delhi: Sanjivayya Institute of Socio-Economic studies, p.10.
[10] P. Mohan Larbeer… p.27
[11] P. Mohan Larbeer… p.37
[12] Vasant Moon (Ed)…Vol.1, p.21
[13] Vasant Moon (Ed)…Vol.4, p.13-14
[14] Vasant Moon (Ed)… Vol.4, p.44
[15] P. Mohan Larbeer… p.157
[16] P. Mohan Larbeer…p.71
[17] Vidhu Varma, Colonialism and Liberation, Ambedkar’s Quest for Distributive Justice in Economic and Political weekly, Sept. 25, 1999, p.2805
[18] P. Mohan Larbeer… p.185
[19] P.Mohan Larbeer…P.159
[20] Gabriele Dietrich and Bas Wielenga. Towards Understanding Indian Society, Tiruvalla:CSS, 2003. P.17-19
[21] Gabriele Dietrich and Bas Wielenga, Towards Understanding Indian Society, Tiruvalla:CSS, 2003. P.20-22.
GOD IN YOUR GRACE TRANSFORM THE WORLD
GOD IN YOUR GRACE TRANSFORM THE WORLD
Reflections from Indian Ecumenical Perspective
Introduction
Transformation has become a catchword and a buzzword to all walks of life. Transformation is not a private entity of one single individual or community. Every section of the world is in need of transformation, for the whole world is caught up in the web of disgraceful plights and pathos. Transformation is wholistic and is the need of the day. But it is not always that God’s grace is referred to in discussing transformation. And the 9th WCC assembly was emphatic and prophetic in making God’ grace the focus and locus of transformation, thereby drawing attention of all people in the wider ecumenical movement to discuss and understand the grace of God to their own perspectives. Therefore this paper is an attempt in reflecting the theme from an Indian ecumenical perspective.
From Amsterdam to Porto Alegre, the ecumenical movement has come a long way making the Church and society to witness God’s transforming grace all along its faith journey. The 9th Assembly of the WCC held at Porto Alegre in February 2006 has set the tone for the missiological endeavour of the Church and society with its theme, “God, in your grace, transform the world.” For to our Indian context, this is the right prayer at the right time, for this prayer has a challenging relevance for our times today.
I confess that the width and depth of Indian ecumenism is unfathomable by a young man like me, yet, I dare to attempt to draw some reflections from an Indian ecumenical perspective on the theme of the 9th WCC Assembly from my own pastoral and ecumenical standing.
This paper is divided into four broad classifications. Firstly it brings out the dimensions of transformation. Secondly it discusses the grace of God as the driving force of transformation. Thirdly it explains the context of India under the broad head, discerning the signs of our times. And finally defines the grace of God to the Indian context. The Indian ecumenical reflection to the 9th WCC Assembly theme is just a beginning and has much more dimensions and contributions to be added in due course of time by different people from different contexts of the Indian ecumenical movement.
Part I
DIMENSIONS OF TRANSFORMATION
Transformation is the Divine Initiative
The theme is a prayer, prayerfully designed, so that every one, the whole oikoumene transcending all the barriers of denomination, caste, creed, region, religion, class and gender prays this prayer to God, and also makes every one praying, to pledge that he/she will strive towards making this prayer come true. It is interesting to note that 6/7th of this prayer is ascribed to God and only 1/7th to world (contrary to our individual prayers). This reveals the strength and the power of God, on whom alone the destiny of transforming the world is laid upon. For God is the beginning, the sustainer and the goal in this whole process of transformation. In our days of consumerism and fast and busy living, prayer does not have a prime priority, for people find no time even to talk to their own family members, friends and neighbours, imagine how would they find time talking to God. Even though we pause for a minute for prayer, our own unending selfish list of desires does not even give a space to think of our world today. The theme is highly evangelical, for this shows the spirit of ecumenism. Therefore this prayer, “God in your grace transform the world” gives us all a chance to think and confess the disgraceful clutches to which our world is caught up and makes us feel the necessity of God in transforming it with grace.
Leandro Bosch, an Argentinian Orthodox theologian says, “ the process of transforming and perfecting creation is necessarily closely dependent on divine providence, which rules, governs, guides and brings to fulfillment the positive process of change from what was created out of nothing at the beginning of its existence, passing through redemption in Christ, up to the second coming of Christ.”[1] Bosch emphasizes that the transformation process had already began with the creation, for God transformed the world from creating it from chaos to a splendid masterpiece. And the world in its journey had fallen short of God’s glory and had to be re-transformed by the redemption in Christ. This transforming strength of God will be with the world until the second coming of Christ. The Holy Spirit is the transforming Spirit in this pilgrimage along with the Father and the Son. Therefore transformation is from the Trinitarian God, and it is that God who initiates, sustains and accomplishes transformation to our world.
Transformation is Existential and Eschatological
Once I heard Bishop. Devasahayam telling a story, in one of his Bible studies. There was a soldier flying in a helicopter and in an emergency was asked to jump down from it with the help of his parachute. So he jumped down the helicopter, and to his dismay he was carried away by the wind and finally landed on a tree hanging to it. He did not know where he was and was anxious for some ones help to know where he was. For his anxiety, a man was passing by and the soldier immediately called that man and enquired where he was? The passer by answered, “you are on a tree.” Then the soldier said “are you a Christian?” then the passer by asked, “how did you know that?” the soldier then said “it is only you Christians who speak truth but very uncontextual and irrelevant. For I know that I am on a tree, but am enquiring in which place I am at? ”
I confess for this is true for all of us Christians, we speak truth which is irrelevant and uncontextual. When asked the question “Do you believe that God shall transform this world with grace?” the answer is “a big YES.” But again asked when is this possible, most of us Christians answer, “in the next world or after death or in eternity”. That’s how we make our affirmative response irrelevant. Therefore the ninth assembly of WCC calls us all to strive for the transformation of this world with God’s grace right here in our time and life. This prayer is both existential and eschatological, for God’s grace is always protological, existential and eschatological and so also will be the transformation of the world. With the constant accompaniment of God’s grace and the continuous collaboration of the human beings, transformation shall be completed with the new earth and new heaven formed right in our midst. Thus transformation is a synergy of both God’s grace and human participation, and also the synergy of existence and eschatology.
Part II
DRIVING FORCE OF TRANSFORMATION
Grace of God happens to be the primary ingredient and the driving force in transforming this our world. With out grace, transformation is a mere daydream. Grace of God is the cause and transformation is the effect. Therefore a brief history of the theology of grace over the years is discussed here. The various shifts and understandings it went though can be noticed here. However, the grace of God over years has been a sustained enterprise of God to the creation all along.
Theology of Grace
Grace comes from the Greek word Charis which, means kindness or favour. Grace of God in Hebrew is understood as hesed, which means to bend or stoop. Grace is the unmerited favour of God showered on all the creation of God. In St. Paul’s theology, grace happens to be the central theme. Paul emphasizes God’s gracious action in the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, the presence of God’s grace in the believers and explains that salvation is not a human endeavour but exclusively by the grace of God. The early Church Fathers had different views and perspectives on the theme grace. During their period grace was discussed in soteriological and ethical contexts, with synergism as a characteristic feature. According to Iranaeus, “in creation itself human beings receive an existence based on grace, and as the image of God they are called to a fellowship with God that they cannot attain on their own after the fall. That is why the linking of divine grace with human beings in Jesus Christ is both possible and needed.”[2] Augustine, stresses the total incapacity of human beings to turn to God on their own initiatives, and it is only grace that awakens faith, and this is the basis of freedom of the will and turns humans to good.[3]
For Martin Luther, grace happened to be the central theme of Reformation, and has made Sola gratia (by grace alone) as one of the principles of Reformation. He says, “ the gospel of Jesus Christ is grace, for it proclaims the gracious God who in Christ has mercy on sinners. God justifies humans by grace alone without any merits on their part, vesting them with righteousness of God.”[4]
Dietrich Bonhoeffer distinguishes between cheap grace and costly grace. By the phrase cheap grace, he means the intellectual assent to a doctrine without a real transformation in the sinner's life. Bonhoeffer says of cheap grace, “It is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.”[5] Real grace, in Bonhoeffer's estimation, is a grace that will cost a man his life. It is the grace made dear by the life of Christ that was sacrificed to purchase man's redemption. Cheap grace arose out of man's desire to be saved, but to do so without becoming a disciple. The doctrinal system of the church with its lists of behavioral codes becomes a substitute for the Living Christ, and this cheapens the meaning of discipleship. The true believer must resist cheap grace and enter the life of active discipleship. Faith can no longer mean sitting still and waiting; the Christian must rise and follow Christ. He writes that "only he who believes is obedient, and only he who is obedient believes."[6]
For Margot Kaessmann, “grace is the source of life, of reconciliation, of hope for peace and justice. And it is a sign of God’s vision for this world- sometimes visible even to those who do not believe.”[7]
In the Dictionary of Hinduism, the Sanskrit word for grace is Anugraha which means “to support, uphold, foster, treat kindly.” Grace in the unripe stages of the spiritual journey is experienced by the devotee as receiving gifts or boons, often unbidden, from God. The mature soul finds himself surrounded by grace. He sees all of God's actions as grace, whether they be seemingly pleasant and helpful or not. For him, his very love of God, the power to meditate or worship, and the spiritual urge which drives his life are entirely and obviously God's grace, a divine endowment, an intercession, unrelated to any deed or action he did or could perform. In Saiva Siddhanta, it is grace that awakens the love of God within the devotee, softens the intellect and inaugurates the quest for Self Realization. It descends when the soul has reached a certain level of maturity, and often comes in the form of a spiritual initiation, called shaktipata, from a satguru.[8]More broadly, grace is God's ever-flowing love and compassion, karuna, also known as kripa ("tenderness, compassion") and prasada (literally, "clearness, purity").
Thus we could see the different shifts in the understanding of God’s grace over the years. However, the direction from where grace descends is lucid, for it is from God alone to God’s creation.
Part III
DISCERNING THE SIGNS OF OUR TIMES
The context of India
Having discussed the dimensions of transformation, and grace of God as the driving force of transformation, it is time to discuss how this grace of God is applicable to our Indian context. Discerning the signs of our times is the need of the hour, therefore a few of the important Indian contextual challenges are discussed here.
1. The Challenges from Globalisation
Globalisation is a phenomenon that is multi dimensional. The market society created by globalisation poses major ethical challenges to the ecumenical movement and its theology.[9] Globalisation promotes un-ethical values and imbibes profit and money centred values. According to the logic of economic globalisation life is redundant and has no value in it self. These are the few challenges of globalisation.
· The concept of justice is alien to globalisation. It does not include two important components of development in the ecumenical understanding of development: justice and people’s participation.
· If the ecumenical movement is about the unity and liberation of humankind, globalisation poses a direct challenge to it, for it strives for uniformity and divides the gap between people.
· The ecumenical movement, which is a dialogue of cultures, faces a serious challenge from cultural globalisation through the process of homogenisation.[10]
2. The Challenge of Dalit Oppression
The three thousand year old slavery of the so called Untouchable outcastes under Brahminical Hinduism has intensified the plight and the reality of the marginalised sections of Indian citizens who number about a quarter of the total population of India.[11] They are fettered by poverty and powerlessness. They are alien to freedom of the spirit. They are oppressed in every sense of the term Dalit.[12] The oppressive and negative principle of hierarchy, naturally denies any inherent equality of status to individuals or groups of human communities, particularly to the vulnerable ethnic minorities like Dalits is against the divine imperative of creating all humans in the image and likeness of the Creator God. Thus Dalit oppression poses an important challenge to the ecumenical theology. The following statistics gives us the condition of Dalits in India. Their tears are like a never-ending flow and their humiliation knew no bounds.
· More than half (54%) of Dalit children are undernourished in India.
· 83 per 1000 live birth children born in Dalit community are probability of dying before the first birthday.
· 45 percent of Dalits do not know read and write in India
· Dalit women burden Triple discrimination (gender, caste and class) in India
· Only 27 percent of Dalit women give institutional deliveries in India
· About one third of Dalit households do not have basic facilities.[13]
3. The Challenge of Religious Fundamentalism
Religion in India today has become very close to the people, not because of the values and spirituality of it, but because of the power and identity it adhere to. Padha Yatras and Rath Yatras have been increasing. Conversions and re-conversions are on the rise. Violence in the name of religion has become a common phenomenon. The Godhra incident, the Dang incident, the Varanasi bomb blasts, persecutions on the religious minorities etc. you name it, you have it. These incidents reveal the sheer rise of religious fundamentalism among people in India. Religious fundamentalism is one of the major challenges India is facing today.
4. The Challenge of Ecological Crises
Human beings greed of accumulating is not a new story. The greed of human beings is heaping up, and with their greed they destroy and destruct the ecology. Capital-intensive patterns of development, and consumer-oriented lifestyle which they encourage, have had a disastrous effect on the natural environment, and the sustainability of life.[14] The untimely monsoons, extreme climatic conditions, natural calamities, extinction of certain species etc. are all due to the ecological imbalances caused in the eco-system. Building of huge dams affects the forests and its livelihood. Therefore ecology is also at risk in our Indian situation.
5. The Challenge of HIV/AIDS
India runs second to South Africa in the world with highest number of HIV/AIDS people. Estimates say that by 2015 India shall beat South Africa and shall stand first with highest number of HIV/AIDS infected people. (Unfortunately India cannot beat them in Cricket). The trend of increasing HIV/AIDS in India is a serious issue of the day. The youth and the women are the worst victims of it. Extensive commercial sex, drug abuse, migration, lack of awareness, etc are all the reasons for this rapid growth of HIV/AIDS in India. The infected people are looked down upon and are not given proper care. Thus HIV/AIDS poses a great challenge in our Indian context.
Part IV
DEFINING GOD’S GRACE FOR INDIAN CONTEXT
Imploring Grace of God to the Indian Context
Rt. Rev. Dr. V. Devasahayam, speaking in a Mutirao on Dalit Perspectives organized by the UELCI during the 9th Assembly of WCC in Porto Alegre, remarked that the Church talked about only grace and not about socio-ethical issues.[15]I believe that’s our confession as the Church in India. It is true for we speak in length and depth about grace in our sermons, and hardly attempted to translate the grace of God to our contexts. We, the Church in India have become hypocritical, by singing “Amazing Grace how sweet it sounds…” on the one hand and on the other, are insensitive to the issues of the day and never think that our world living in chaos and confusion is in need of that Amazing grace. Time has come now to implore the grace of God, for only the grace of God can come in rescue of our situation and heal the hurts and burns of our society.
But how is this grace of God defined, implored and applied to our Indian milieu?
Grace of God is purely divine initiative offered to the world. Grace is a universal dimension of God directed to the people of particular contexts. As we know grace is the unmerited favour of God to the people of God. Since the grace of God is over arching the whole creation, spreading every nook and corner of this world. Keeping in view the context of India, grace of God can be defined as follows.
1. Grace of God is directed towards transformation
Both globalisation and grace of God are global phenomena, and what is the difference between them? Globalisation strives for uniformity denying all plurality, where as grace of God strives for the unity in diversity, affirming diversity as the design of God. Globalisation is oppressive, for only the dominant and powerful dictate terms of the day, where as grace of God is liberating, for it bridges the gaps and liberates all that are oppressed. The purpose, goal and direction of the grace of God is to establish transformative justice in the whole world. Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia, the General Secretary of WCC in his inaugural address at the 9th WCC Assembly, said, “the goal of transformative justice is to overcome oppression and domination so as to achieve healing, reconciliation and the re-establishment of people’s relationships.” He further said, “ the good news of transformation is the proclamation of the new heaven and earth, where former things are no more. It is God’s invitation to participate in a festa da vida, to rejoice in the feast of life.” [16] Particularly for Indian context, metamorphosis is the need of the hour. The poor are looking for the alleviation of poverty, the Dalits, the Women, the Tribals are looking for liberation, the whole eco-system is looking for transformation, religions in India are awaiting transformation, the HIV/AIDS scenario is looking for healing. How are we in India can enjoy the feast of life together? Let us implore the grace of God for it is the primary agent of transformation, for it is directed towards transforming the whole creation into new creation.
2. Grace of God as Bridging the Gaps
In our Indian context, there are very many binaries within and among the creation. Though in the post-modern context, these binaries are understood as human constructs, these distinctions exist, and this is a reality. In India on the basis of class, we have the rich and the poor, on the basis of caste we have upper caste and lower caste, on the basis of gender we have male, female and transgender, on the basis of communication we have information rich and information poor, the weak and the strong, the powerful and the powerless etc. With the onset of globalisation, the gaps are increasing between these categories. The rich and poor divide has been increasing, the oppressor and oppressed divide has been increasing, human and non-human divide has been increasing. And this divide does not end there but develop as conflicts and thereby turn out to a crisis with all other ramifications like hatred, hostility, enmity etc. among the creation. For since it is the same rain, which showers upon all the earth, so also it is the same grace of God on all creation. Therefore for our Indian context, the grace of God is understood as that which bridges the gap, by removing the greed from the rich and by alleviating the poor, by making the oppressor to realize that all are created by God for fellowship and friendship and by liberating and empowering the oppressed to enjoy life in its fullness, by making the humans be responsible stewards of the creation and by making the creation to blossom and bloom with out any untimely calamity.
“Ecumenism is not just all things, by themselves belonging to the household of God. But all things interrelated to each other in this household of God.”[17] Thus by the grace of God ecumenism is aimed to bring out the interrelatedness in the household of God. An ecumenical existence demands an attitude of respect towards each other in the context of pluralism with a positive interaction for mutual enrichment. Grace of God builds partnership among creation and paves way for the transformation of the creation. Let us all therefore pray, “God in your grace, bridge the gaps and transform our world.”
3. Grace of God calls towards praxis and Solidarity
Conventionally it was understood that grace is an antonym to works. People often quote and misquote Luther, for he has professed such a theory. But for Luther in a context where the Church and its leadership were preaching that salvation can be achieved by works and salvation was for sale, he has but no other go than to confront and oppose the role of works to attain salvation. For him it was Sola gratia (grace alone) over against Sola Roma (Roman Church alone). However, in our present context, the recipients of God’s grace are called to exercise grace to actions and particularly to praxis. When God in revealing God’s grace in creation and redemption was primarily involved in doing it rather than mere speaking it. God’s creation and redemption involves praxis rather than sheer theory. Therefore grace and actions go hand in hand, they are complimentary rather than contradictory. Thus grace of God calls all of us to praxis, the oxygen of faith. To respond to this call, is to affirm life, to learn to live in true solidarity. Daisy L. Machado says, “Solidarity allows us to see the imago dei in the faces of those not like us, and it gives us the strength to reach out to those we consider foreign, to “the other”, and to attempt to build community. And it is solidarity that condemns the radical individualism that pervades the lifestyle we find today throughout those nations that enjoy wealth and power, where the value of a person is measured in how much she or he can buy.”[18] Therefore the grace of God calls us to praxis and to be solidarity with all those striving for liberation and justice. If a transformed world in God’s grace is to be possible, firstly transformation needs to take place within us. If a transformed ME is possible, then a transformed world in God’s grace is possible.
Conclusion
“God in your grace transform world”, is the univocal prayer of India for it is austerely awaiting a transformed society. Transformation is a graceful enterprise of God done in collaboration with human beings. It was said that,
Love given upwards is worship,
Love given outwards is affection,
Love given downwards is grace.
Therefore it was the grace of God that was showered downwards as the love of God towards the entire creation on God. And this is also a challenge to all the recipients of grace of God to be in partnership with God in transforming this our world. God in God’s grace requires you and me to transform our society. God is always willing to shower God’s grace for the sake of transforming the world, but human beings response to God’s call to be partners is required at a time like this.
Therefore let us all join together and implore the grace of God and transform our society. Let us join in the words Ravindranath Tagore, “Into that heaven of freedom my father, let my country awake.”
[1] Leandro Bosch, “The Assembly Theme: A Patristic Approach” in The Ecumenical Review 57/3 (July 2005) : pp.299-300.
[2] Dictionary of Ecumenical Movement, P.440.
[3] Ibid pp.440-441.
[4] Ibid P.442.
[5] Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship, trans. R.H. Fuller, rev. ed. (New York: Macmillan, 1960), P. 30.
[6] Ibid., P. 53.
[7] Margot Kaessmann, “God’s Grace A new Beginning in the Midst of the Scarsof History” in The Ecumenical Review 57/3 (July 2005) : p. 287.
[8] http://www.experiencefestival.com/anugraha
[9] Ninan Koshy, A History of the Ecumenical Movement in Asia, Vol. I, (Hong Kong : WSCF-AP/APAYMCA/CCA, 2004) p.334.
[10] Ninan Koshy, A History of the Ecumenical Movement in Asia, pp.335-336.
[11] M. Azariah, “Ecumenism from the Perspective of the Marginalised,” p.205.
[12] K. Rajaratnam, “Contemporary Reflection on Global Oppressed Communities: A Multi-faith Approach,” Gurukul Journal of theological Studies 12/1&2 (2003): pp.5-9.
[13] NSSO, Census of India and NFHS-II in http://socialjustice.ekduniya.net/
[14] Report from a Theological Roundtable on The People of God Among All God’s Peoples : Frontiers in Christian Mission Nov 11-17, 1999. P.37.
[15] Amelia Andrews, “Church Fostering Brahminic Traditions” in People’s Reporter 19/5 (March 10-25, 2006) P.5.
[16] “Be A Strong, Credible Moral Voice” in People’s Reporter 19/5 (March 10-25, 2006) P.5
[17] Chilkuri Vasantharao, “Ecumenism in a Pluralistic Context,” in Ecumenism: Prospects and Challenges, edited by Vinod Victor, Leslie Nathaneil & P.Surya Prakash (New Delhi: ISPCK, 2001) p.180.
[18] Daisy L. Machado, “James 1-5” in By Grace You Have Been Saved (WCC: Geneva, 2005) Pp. 83-84.
Reflections from Indian Ecumenical Perspective
Introduction
Transformation has become a catchword and a buzzword to all walks of life. Transformation is not a private entity of one single individual or community. Every section of the world is in need of transformation, for the whole world is caught up in the web of disgraceful plights and pathos. Transformation is wholistic and is the need of the day. But it is not always that God’s grace is referred to in discussing transformation. And the 9th WCC assembly was emphatic and prophetic in making God’ grace the focus and locus of transformation, thereby drawing attention of all people in the wider ecumenical movement to discuss and understand the grace of God to their own perspectives. Therefore this paper is an attempt in reflecting the theme from an Indian ecumenical perspective.
From Amsterdam to Porto Alegre, the ecumenical movement has come a long way making the Church and society to witness God’s transforming grace all along its faith journey. The 9th Assembly of the WCC held at Porto Alegre in February 2006 has set the tone for the missiological endeavour of the Church and society with its theme, “God, in your grace, transform the world.” For to our Indian context, this is the right prayer at the right time, for this prayer has a challenging relevance for our times today.
I confess that the width and depth of Indian ecumenism is unfathomable by a young man like me, yet, I dare to attempt to draw some reflections from an Indian ecumenical perspective on the theme of the 9th WCC Assembly from my own pastoral and ecumenical standing.
This paper is divided into four broad classifications. Firstly it brings out the dimensions of transformation. Secondly it discusses the grace of God as the driving force of transformation. Thirdly it explains the context of India under the broad head, discerning the signs of our times. And finally defines the grace of God to the Indian context. The Indian ecumenical reflection to the 9th WCC Assembly theme is just a beginning and has much more dimensions and contributions to be added in due course of time by different people from different contexts of the Indian ecumenical movement.
Part I
DIMENSIONS OF TRANSFORMATION
Transformation is the Divine Initiative
The theme is a prayer, prayerfully designed, so that every one, the whole oikoumene transcending all the barriers of denomination, caste, creed, region, religion, class and gender prays this prayer to God, and also makes every one praying, to pledge that he/she will strive towards making this prayer come true. It is interesting to note that 6/7th of this prayer is ascribed to God and only 1/7th to world (contrary to our individual prayers). This reveals the strength and the power of God, on whom alone the destiny of transforming the world is laid upon. For God is the beginning, the sustainer and the goal in this whole process of transformation. In our days of consumerism and fast and busy living, prayer does not have a prime priority, for people find no time even to talk to their own family members, friends and neighbours, imagine how would they find time talking to God. Even though we pause for a minute for prayer, our own unending selfish list of desires does not even give a space to think of our world today. The theme is highly evangelical, for this shows the spirit of ecumenism. Therefore this prayer, “God in your grace transform the world” gives us all a chance to think and confess the disgraceful clutches to which our world is caught up and makes us feel the necessity of God in transforming it with grace.
Leandro Bosch, an Argentinian Orthodox theologian says, “ the process of transforming and perfecting creation is necessarily closely dependent on divine providence, which rules, governs, guides and brings to fulfillment the positive process of change from what was created out of nothing at the beginning of its existence, passing through redemption in Christ, up to the second coming of Christ.”[1] Bosch emphasizes that the transformation process had already began with the creation, for God transformed the world from creating it from chaos to a splendid masterpiece. And the world in its journey had fallen short of God’s glory and had to be re-transformed by the redemption in Christ. This transforming strength of God will be with the world until the second coming of Christ. The Holy Spirit is the transforming Spirit in this pilgrimage along with the Father and the Son. Therefore transformation is from the Trinitarian God, and it is that God who initiates, sustains and accomplishes transformation to our world.
Transformation is Existential and Eschatological
Once I heard Bishop. Devasahayam telling a story, in one of his Bible studies. There was a soldier flying in a helicopter and in an emergency was asked to jump down from it with the help of his parachute. So he jumped down the helicopter, and to his dismay he was carried away by the wind and finally landed on a tree hanging to it. He did not know where he was and was anxious for some ones help to know where he was. For his anxiety, a man was passing by and the soldier immediately called that man and enquired where he was? The passer by answered, “you are on a tree.” Then the soldier said “are you a Christian?” then the passer by asked, “how did you know that?” the soldier then said “it is only you Christians who speak truth but very uncontextual and irrelevant. For I know that I am on a tree, but am enquiring in which place I am at? ”
I confess for this is true for all of us Christians, we speak truth which is irrelevant and uncontextual. When asked the question “Do you believe that God shall transform this world with grace?” the answer is “a big YES.” But again asked when is this possible, most of us Christians answer, “in the next world or after death or in eternity”. That’s how we make our affirmative response irrelevant. Therefore the ninth assembly of WCC calls us all to strive for the transformation of this world with God’s grace right here in our time and life. This prayer is both existential and eschatological, for God’s grace is always protological, existential and eschatological and so also will be the transformation of the world. With the constant accompaniment of God’s grace and the continuous collaboration of the human beings, transformation shall be completed with the new earth and new heaven formed right in our midst. Thus transformation is a synergy of both God’s grace and human participation, and also the synergy of existence and eschatology.
Part II
DRIVING FORCE OF TRANSFORMATION
Grace of God happens to be the primary ingredient and the driving force in transforming this our world. With out grace, transformation is a mere daydream. Grace of God is the cause and transformation is the effect. Therefore a brief history of the theology of grace over the years is discussed here. The various shifts and understandings it went though can be noticed here. However, the grace of God over years has been a sustained enterprise of God to the creation all along.
Theology of Grace
Grace comes from the Greek word Charis which, means kindness or favour. Grace of God in Hebrew is understood as hesed, which means to bend or stoop. Grace is the unmerited favour of God showered on all the creation of God. In St. Paul’s theology, grace happens to be the central theme. Paul emphasizes God’s gracious action in the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, the presence of God’s grace in the believers and explains that salvation is not a human endeavour but exclusively by the grace of God. The early Church Fathers had different views and perspectives on the theme grace. During their period grace was discussed in soteriological and ethical contexts, with synergism as a characteristic feature. According to Iranaeus, “in creation itself human beings receive an existence based on grace, and as the image of God they are called to a fellowship with God that they cannot attain on their own after the fall. That is why the linking of divine grace with human beings in Jesus Christ is both possible and needed.”[2] Augustine, stresses the total incapacity of human beings to turn to God on their own initiatives, and it is only grace that awakens faith, and this is the basis of freedom of the will and turns humans to good.[3]
For Martin Luther, grace happened to be the central theme of Reformation, and has made Sola gratia (by grace alone) as one of the principles of Reformation. He says, “ the gospel of Jesus Christ is grace, for it proclaims the gracious God who in Christ has mercy on sinners. God justifies humans by grace alone without any merits on their part, vesting them with righteousness of God.”[4]
Dietrich Bonhoeffer distinguishes between cheap grace and costly grace. By the phrase cheap grace, he means the intellectual assent to a doctrine without a real transformation in the sinner's life. Bonhoeffer says of cheap grace, “It is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.”[5] Real grace, in Bonhoeffer's estimation, is a grace that will cost a man his life. It is the grace made dear by the life of Christ that was sacrificed to purchase man's redemption. Cheap grace arose out of man's desire to be saved, but to do so without becoming a disciple. The doctrinal system of the church with its lists of behavioral codes becomes a substitute for the Living Christ, and this cheapens the meaning of discipleship. The true believer must resist cheap grace and enter the life of active discipleship. Faith can no longer mean sitting still and waiting; the Christian must rise and follow Christ. He writes that "only he who believes is obedient, and only he who is obedient believes."[6]
For Margot Kaessmann, “grace is the source of life, of reconciliation, of hope for peace and justice. And it is a sign of God’s vision for this world- sometimes visible even to those who do not believe.”[7]
In the Dictionary of Hinduism, the Sanskrit word for grace is Anugraha which means “to support, uphold, foster, treat kindly.” Grace in the unripe stages of the spiritual journey is experienced by the devotee as receiving gifts or boons, often unbidden, from God. The mature soul finds himself surrounded by grace. He sees all of God's actions as grace, whether they be seemingly pleasant and helpful or not. For him, his very love of God, the power to meditate or worship, and the spiritual urge which drives his life are entirely and obviously God's grace, a divine endowment, an intercession, unrelated to any deed or action he did or could perform. In Saiva Siddhanta, it is grace that awakens the love of God within the devotee, softens the intellect and inaugurates the quest for Self Realization. It descends when the soul has reached a certain level of maturity, and often comes in the form of a spiritual initiation, called shaktipata, from a satguru.[8]More broadly, grace is God's ever-flowing love and compassion, karuna, also known as kripa ("tenderness, compassion") and prasada (literally, "clearness, purity").
Thus we could see the different shifts in the understanding of God’s grace over the years. However, the direction from where grace descends is lucid, for it is from God alone to God’s creation.
Part III
DISCERNING THE SIGNS OF OUR TIMES
The context of India
Having discussed the dimensions of transformation, and grace of God as the driving force of transformation, it is time to discuss how this grace of God is applicable to our Indian context. Discerning the signs of our times is the need of the hour, therefore a few of the important Indian contextual challenges are discussed here.
1. The Challenges from Globalisation
Globalisation is a phenomenon that is multi dimensional. The market society created by globalisation poses major ethical challenges to the ecumenical movement and its theology.[9] Globalisation promotes un-ethical values and imbibes profit and money centred values. According to the logic of economic globalisation life is redundant and has no value in it self. These are the few challenges of globalisation.
· The concept of justice is alien to globalisation. It does not include two important components of development in the ecumenical understanding of development: justice and people’s participation.
· If the ecumenical movement is about the unity and liberation of humankind, globalisation poses a direct challenge to it, for it strives for uniformity and divides the gap between people.
· The ecumenical movement, which is a dialogue of cultures, faces a serious challenge from cultural globalisation through the process of homogenisation.[10]
2. The Challenge of Dalit Oppression
The three thousand year old slavery of the so called Untouchable outcastes under Brahminical Hinduism has intensified the plight and the reality of the marginalised sections of Indian citizens who number about a quarter of the total population of India.[11] They are fettered by poverty and powerlessness. They are alien to freedom of the spirit. They are oppressed in every sense of the term Dalit.[12] The oppressive and negative principle of hierarchy, naturally denies any inherent equality of status to individuals or groups of human communities, particularly to the vulnerable ethnic minorities like Dalits is against the divine imperative of creating all humans in the image and likeness of the Creator God. Thus Dalit oppression poses an important challenge to the ecumenical theology. The following statistics gives us the condition of Dalits in India. Their tears are like a never-ending flow and their humiliation knew no bounds.
· More than half (54%) of Dalit children are undernourished in India.
· 83 per 1000 live birth children born in Dalit community are probability of dying before the first birthday.
· 45 percent of Dalits do not know read and write in India
· Dalit women burden Triple discrimination (gender, caste and class) in India
· Only 27 percent of Dalit women give institutional deliveries in India
· About one third of Dalit households do not have basic facilities.[13]
3. The Challenge of Religious Fundamentalism
Religion in India today has become very close to the people, not because of the values and spirituality of it, but because of the power and identity it adhere to. Padha Yatras and Rath Yatras have been increasing. Conversions and re-conversions are on the rise. Violence in the name of religion has become a common phenomenon. The Godhra incident, the Dang incident, the Varanasi bomb blasts, persecutions on the religious minorities etc. you name it, you have it. These incidents reveal the sheer rise of religious fundamentalism among people in India. Religious fundamentalism is one of the major challenges India is facing today.
4. The Challenge of Ecological Crises
Human beings greed of accumulating is not a new story. The greed of human beings is heaping up, and with their greed they destroy and destruct the ecology. Capital-intensive patterns of development, and consumer-oriented lifestyle which they encourage, have had a disastrous effect on the natural environment, and the sustainability of life.[14] The untimely monsoons, extreme climatic conditions, natural calamities, extinction of certain species etc. are all due to the ecological imbalances caused in the eco-system. Building of huge dams affects the forests and its livelihood. Therefore ecology is also at risk in our Indian situation.
5. The Challenge of HIV/AIDS
India runs second to South Africa in the world with highest number of HIV/AIDS people. Estimates say that by 2015 India shall beat South Africa and shall stand first with highest number of HIV/AIDS infected people. (Unfortunately India cannot beat them in Cricket). The trend of increasing HIV/AIDS in India is a serious issue of the day. The youth and the women are the worst victims of it. Extensive commercial sex, drug abuse, migration, lack of awareness, etc are all the reasons for this rapid growth of HIV/AIDS in India. The infected people are looked down upon and are not given proper care. Thus HIV/AIDS poses a great challenge in our Indian context.
Part IV
DEFINING GOD’S GRACE FOR INDIAN CONTEXT
Imploring Grace of God to the Indian Context
Rt. Rev. Dr. V. Devasahayam, speaking in a Mutirao on Dalit Perspectives organized by the UELCI during the 9th Assembly of WCC in Porto Alegre, remarked that the Church talked about only grace and not about socio-ethical issues.[15]I believe that’s our confession as the Church in India. It is true for we speak in length and depth about grace in our sermons, and hardly attempted to translate the grace of God to our contexts. We, the Church in India have become hypocritical, by singing “Amazing Grace how sweet it sounds…” on the one hand and on the other, are insensitive to the issues of the day and never think that our world living in chaos and confusion is in need of that Amazing grace. Time has come now to implore the grace of God, for only the grace of God can come in rescue of our situation and heal the hurts and burns of our society.
But how is this grace of God defined, implored and applied to our Indian milieu?
Grace of God is purely divine initiative offered to the world. Grace is a universal dimension of God directed to the people of particular contexts. As we know grace is the unmerited favour of God to the people of God. Since the grace of God is over arching the whole creation, spreading every nook and corner of this world. Keeping in view the context of India, grace of God can be defined as follows.
1. Grace of God is directed towards transformation
Both globalisation and grace of God are global phenomena, and what is the difference between them? Globalisation strives for uniformity denying all plurality, where as grace of God strives for the unity in diversity, affirming diversity as the design of God. Globalisation is oppressive, for only the dominant and powerful dictate terms of the day, where as grace of God is liberating, for it bridges the gaps and liberates all that are oppressed. The purpose, goal and direction of the grace of God is to establish transformative justice in the whole world. Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia, the General Secretary of WCC in his inaugural address at the 9th WCC Assembly, said, “the goal of transformative justice is to overcome oppression and domination so as to achieve healing, reconciliation and the re-establishment of people’s relationships.” He further said, “ the good news of transformation is the proclamation of the new heaven and earth, where former things are no more. It is God’s invitation to participate in a festa da vida, to rejoice in the feast of life.” [16] Particularly for Indian context, metamorphosis is the need of the hour. The poor are looking for the alleviation of poverty, the Dalits, the Women, the Tribals are looking for liberation, the whole eco-system is looking for transformation, religions in India are awaiting transformation, the HIV/AIDS scenario is looking for healing. How are we in India can enjoy the feast of life together? Let us implore the grace of God for it is the primary agent of transformation, for it is directed towards transforming the whole creation into new creation.
2. Grace of God as Bridging the Gaps
In our Indian context, there are very many binaries within and among the creation. Though in the post-modern context, these binaries are understood as human constructs, these distinctions exist, and this is a reality. In India on the basis of class, we have the rich and the poor, on the basis of caste we have upper caste and lower caste, on the basis of gender we have male, female and transgender, on the basis of communication we have information rich and information poor, the weak and the strong, the powerful and the powerless etc. With the onset of globalisation, the gaps are increasing between these categories. The rich and poor divide has been increasing, the oppressor and oppressed divide has been increasing, human and non-human divide has been increasing. And this divide does not end there but develop as conflicts and thereby turn out to a crisis with all other ramifications like hatred, hostility, enmity etc. among the creation. For since it is the same rain, which showers upon all the earth, so also it is the same grace of God on all creation. Therefore for our Indian context, the grace of God is understood as that which bridges the gap, by removing the greed from the rich and by alleviating the poor, by making the oppressor to realize that all are created by God for fellowship and friendship and by liberating and empowering the oppressed to enjoy life in its fullness, by making the humans be responsible stewards of the creation and by making the creation to blossom and bloom with out any untimely calamity.
“Ecumenism is not just all things, by themselves belonging to the household of God. But all things interrelated to each other in this household of God.”[17] Thus by the grace of God ecumenism is aimed to bring out the interrelatedness in the household of God. An ecumenical existence demands an attitude of respect towards each other in the context of pluralism with a positive interaction for mutual enrichment. Grace of God builds partnership among creation and paves way for the transformation of the creation. Let us all therefore pray, “God in your grace, bridge the gaps and transform our world.”
3. Grace of God calls towards praxis and Solidarity
Conventionally it was understood that grace is an antonym to works. People often quote and misquote Luther, for he has professed such a theory. But for Luther in a context where the Church and its leadership were preaching that salvation can be achieved by works and salvation was for sale, he has but no other go than to confront and oppose the role of works to attain salvation. For him it was Sola gratia (grace alone) over against Sola Roma (Roman Church alone). However, in our present context, the recipients of God’s grace are called to exercise grace to actions and particularly to praxis. When God in revealing God’s grace in creation and redemption was primarily involved in doing it rather than mere speaking it. God’s creation and redemption involves praxis rather than sheer theory. Therefore grace and actions go hand in hand, they are complimentary rather than contradictory. Thus grace of God calls all of us to praxis, the oxygen of faith. To respond to this call, is to affirm life, to learn to live in true solidarity. Daisy L. Machado says, “Solidarity allows us to see the imago dei in the faces of those not like us, and it gives us the strength to reach out to those we consider foreign, to “the other”, and to attempt to build community. And it is solidarity that condemns the radical individualism that pervades the lifestyle we find today throughout those nations that enjoy wealth and power, where the value of a person is measured in how much she or he can buy.”[18] Therefore the grace of God calls us to praxis and to be solidarity with all those striving for liberation and justice. If a transformed world in God’s grace is to be possible, firstly transformation needs to take place within us. If a transformed ME is possible, then a transformed world in God’s grace is possible.
Conclusion
“God in your grace transform world”, is the univocal prayer of India for it is austerely awaiting a transformed society. Transformation is a graceful enterprise of God done in collaboration with human beings. It was said that,
Love given upwards is worship,
Love given outwards is affection,
Love given downwards is grace.
Therefore it was the grace of God that was showered downwards as the love of God towards the entire creation on God. And this is also a challenge to all the recipients of grace of God to be in partnership with God in transforming this our world. God in God’s grace requires you and me to transform our society. God is always willing to shower God’s grace for the sake of transforming the world, but human beings response to God’s call to be partners is required at a time like this.
Therefore let us all join together and implore the grace of God and transform our society. Let us join in the words Ravindranath Tagore, “Into that heaven of freedom my father, let my country awake.”
[1] Leandro Bosch, “The Assembly Theme: A Patristic Approach” in The Ecumenical Review 57/3 (July 2005) : pp.299-300.
[2] Dictionary of Ecumenical Movement, P.440.
[3] Ibid pp.440-441.
[4] Ibid P.442.
[5] Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship, trans. R.H. Fuller, rev. ed. (New York: Macmillan, 1960), P. 30.
[6] Ibid., P. 53.
[7] Margot Kaessmann, “God’s Grace A new Beginning in the Midst of the Scarsof History” in The Ecumenical Review 57/3 (July 2005) : p. 287.
[8] http://www.experiencefestival.com/anugraha
[9] Ninan Koshy, A History of the Ecumenical Movement in Asia, Vol. I, (Hong Kong : WSCF-AP/APAYMCA/CCA, 2004) p.334.
[10] Ninan Koshy, A History of the Ecumenical Movement in Asia, pp.335-336.
[11] M. Azariah, “Ecumenism from the Perspective of the Marginalised,” p.205.
[12] K. Rajaratnam, “Contemporary Reflection on Global Oppressed Communities: A Multi-faith Approach,” Gurukul Journal of theological Studies 12/1&2 (2003): pp.5-9.
[13] NSSO, Census of India and NFHS-II in http://socialjustice.ekduniya.net/
[14] Report from a Theological Roundtable on The People of God Among All God’s Peoples : Frontiers in Christian Mission Nov 11-17, 1999. P.37.
[15] Amelia Andrews, “Church Fostering Brahminic Traditions” in People’s Reporter 19/5 (March 10-25, 2006) P.5.
[16] “Be A Strong, Credible Moral Voice” in People’s Reporter 19/5 (March 10-25, 2006) P.5
[17] Chilkuri Vasantharao, “Ecumenism in a Pluralistic Context,” in Ecumenism: Prospects and Challenges, edited by Vinod Victor, Leslie Nathaneil & P.Surya Prakash (New Delhi: ISPCK, 2001) p.180.
[18] Daisy L. Machado, “James 1-5” in By Grace You Have Been Saved (WCC: Geneva, 2005) Pp. 83-84.
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