TOWARDS A LIBERATIVE ECCLESIOLOGY: A TRIBUTE TO DR. K. RAJARATNAM

INTRODUCTION

It was said of Socrates that, he has brought philosophy from the gates of heaven to the streets of Athens, so also can be said of Dr. Kunchala Rajaratnam, that he has brought the relevance of Church for our times from the gates of heaven to the streets of India and abroad. As a theologian, over the years, Doctor[1] exercised his faith in a dynamic way in our Indian economic and socio-political situation. As an economist, as an ecumenist, as an ecclesiologist, as an ethicist, as an administrator, and as a theologian he expressed his deep commitment to the Gospel and contributed to the Church and society in India and abroad. Doctor has always affirmed that his association with theological education is from the standpoint of his life in the life of the Church, and his starting point whether to development or theology is his commitment to Church. Doctor, having received the impetus to serve the community from the Gospel and the Church, thoroughly analyzed the society and brought out the theological relevance to his times. Mahatma Gandhi’s assertion that his life was his message to humankind aptly applies to the life of Dr. Kunchala Rajaratnam.[2]

On the 7^th April 2010, when he breathed his last, a saga of a legend has come to an end and an era of faith in action has come to an end. He has left a legacy so rich and challenging that we carry forward in bringing in a transformation in our communities.  In my twelve years of association with Doctor, I had the privilege of being his student and also had the rare distinction of working as the Secretary of NCCI-Commission on Dalits, for which Doctor served as its Chairperson.  He was a walking encyclopedia and a walking gospel with full of action for the cause of liberation. “You shall come to your grave in ripe old age, as a shock of grain comes up to the threshing floor in its season.” (Job 5: 26). Joining with the galaxy of friends, we thank God for the life, vision, mission and witness of Dr. Rajaratnam, for like a shock of grain he has gone to the threshing floor in its season, after living with meaning and purpose. This article is a humble tribute to Doctor, brining into light his understanding of Church, in which he believed and affirmed as a channel for change and liberation.

Doctor’s contributions contain valuable insights, covering a wide range of aspects like wider ecumenism, wider Dalit liberation, wider ecclesiology, wider feminism, bold theological education and economic equality. His writings provide a direction and method in the realm of widening ecumenical theology. However, here I shall limit my presentation to highlight five important aspects of the ecclesiology of Dr. K. Rajaratnam.

TOWARDS LIBERATIVE ECCLESIOLOGY

The Church in India has been satisfied for over years with their pietistic and visions for life after death. Doctor being committed to the Gospel and the Church, looks into the Church in India, and tries to broaden the horizons of the Church, to participate for the development of the wider society. Church as a ‘called-out’ community is not just a social and economic community, but one committed to her Lord Jesus Christ and works towards the transformation of her community. Doctor says that the Church is commissioned with a challenging and exciting task of ‘New Creation’. Much has happened through the witness and service of the Church in transforming the world into a place where God’s love is present.[3] Church is dynamic in expressing the love of God to all people. Church needs to be liberative in its vision, mission, nurture and action.

1. The Church in India becomes Static

Doctor, being a committed Churchman was bold enough to have an introspection of the Church in India and comments that she has ceased her dynamism. The Church in India has not yet come of age. He says that she has developed two layers. They are:

1.      The life of the Parish/ congregation where a two-fold ministry of worship combined with Sunday School and confirmation classes routinely exist.

2.      The Church level administrative life- Parish/congregational elections to         Synod/convention, to the Executive Councils or to other administrative bodies.[4]

Doctor further says that the materialistic dimensions of the Church with her political and economic gains are in the forefront rather than the witness and service of the Church. A mere theoretical and theological ritual assertion of the holiness of the Church, as a fellowship of forgiven sinners- in which there is neither fellowship nor forgiveness but a lot of sin, without acknowledging the reality has been a time less frustration.[5] The Church is caught up with the camouflage of corruption and court cases reflecting a negative witness to the Church. Doctor with his love for the Church, was bold in his analysis of the Church. The Church at no time is an establishment. She is a prophet and shepherd seeking to enable society to force the challenges to God’s authority and justice. Thus the Church is a process, God’s representative process for striving for Truth and Justice. This is the permanent role of the Church.[6]

2. Rediscovering the Church and her Location

Doctor says that the Church is located in the Parish/ congregation and not in the administrative and financial power structures of the Church.  The Church level administrative life is the forbidden fruit in the garden of Eden, which is the congregational life. Shift of focus requires faith and commitment of the Church. He further says unless the focus is shifted from power to socio-spiritual life of the congregation as the foundation of the life of the Church, the churches will become yet another social organizations fighting for the fish and loaves that Church leadership and vast rich properties perhaps offer.[7] The Third Assembly of the WCC in Delhi in 1961 and later the Commission on Stewardship of the LWF identified in a bid to resume the Gospel from the stranglehold of ecclesiastical structures, identified very rightly, the ‘local congregation’, as the missionary Church. The Church has established a vast network of worshipping communities throughout the country in the form of congregations. For Doctor it is this ‘local congregation’, which is not only the real Church but also the nucleus to spread the good news and serve the people.[8]  Thus in a dominant ecclesiastical structures, Doctor redefines the Church as, “a group of believers living in any place- but committed to worship, praise and service of Jesus Christ and proclaiming and living Christ’s way of life, being the salt of the community – the light of the community, and serving the rest of the community through love and suffering for the sake of truth and justice in the community.”[9]  Doctor thus widens the frontiers of the Church by making her serve the community at large for the sake of justice.

3. Widening the Frontiers of the Congregation

For Doctor the eternal task of the Church is to demonstrate the power of Cross, which is the power of God, in the variety of human life situations and through that power fight the evil, which is also eternal. He further says that her task is not to exterminate evil and sin altogether from the world, but to struggle against sin and bring about new creation by the power of Cross and Resurrection.[10] In achieving such a task Doctor, launched a four-fold ministerial aspects, which will widen the frontiers of the congregation. The congregations need to exercise all the four-fold aspects in integration and not in isolation, so that she serves the wider community and makes her the powerhouse of the Gospel. The four-fold ministerial aspects are, Worship, Nurture, Evangelism and Development.[11]

The congregation gathered together as a worshipping, learning, witnessing and serving community would surely help the wider community in its pursuit for liberation. These four-fold ministries enriches the ‘Missio Dei’. Doctor envisions if about 30,000 local congregations in India are activated in the four-fold ministry, greater power of love to all the people of the country will be released, and there will exist a transformed society. The Church then will become a strong, divine and human force for God’s peace and justice for all people and creation.[12]

4.Cleansing our Churches

Dr. K. Rajaratnam delivered a prolific Keynote address at the last Quadrennial Assembly 2008 of the NCCI at Shillong on the theme, “ Together in Mission: Empowering Local Congregations.” In his address, Doctor has analysed three models of Mission, the Gandhian model, the Pauline model and the Jesus incarnate model and blended that analysis with the nature and work of the Churches today. He has at the end brought a mission package for the Churches in NCCI, in which cleansing the Churches from the corruption of commercialization and politicization was the top priority. He explains the sacred commercialization, where the theology of prosperity and arm-chaired Christianity continue to dominate.  He also further explains the secular commercialization as bribes and corruption that are permeated into the life of the Church. Doctor said, “Unless Churches clean the life of the Church, we are forfeiting the moral right to proclaim the Gospel, thus invalidating the legal rights we possess.”[13]During Jesus’ time, Jesus was bold in cleaning the temple from the den of robbers, and such a cleansing of our Churches today becomes immanent, for the houses of prayers are dominated by values of marketization and consumerism. Transparency and accountability of our Churches is the need of the hour, and Doctor’s call has tremendous relevance for our times today.

5. The Church and the Dalits

The Church today in India is basically a Dalit Church for the majority of the Christians in the Church are Dalits. According to Doctor the Church is not an exception for its indifference towards Dalits, for the minority upper classes in the Church are dominating. However the Dalits in the Church were much better than the Dalits outside the Church, with educational opportunities thrown open to them, had better social standing and indeed they were freed from the Hindu religious and social regimentation.[14] Doctor with his passion to the gospel emphasizes that it was Christianity that was the dynamite that burst the rigidity of untouchability. He opines that it was Christianity that represented the first break through as far as untouchability is concerned.[15]

5.1.The Limited Concern of the Church

Doctor, having evaluated the Church in India and its mission felt that the concern of the Church in relation to Dalits has been rather narrow. He also says that the missiological aim of the Church was aimed at conversion bringing saved souls into the membership of the Church through baptism.[16] On the other hand the NCCI and the CBCI from1950 have been going from pillar to post seeking justice for Dalit Christians regarding the constitutional reservations, for which all their efforts are in vain. Doctor thus says that the Church was wasting its time and hope in its pursuit of justice for Dalit Christians.[17] However striving for justice to Dalit Christians is always a priority of the Church today. The Church did not look at Dalit issue beyond the interests and aims of the Church. According to Doctor the Dalit issue per se, its injustice, atrocity, cruelty, sub-humanness, its poverty, hunger and misery, did not interest the Church. For the Church outside its missiological goals the ‘Dalits’ was a non-issue.[18] Thus the Church confined to her four walls and could not have a wider ecumenical dimension in relation to Dalits.

5.2.Towards A Wider Ecumenical Liberation Paradigm

The Dalits were not in favour of extension of the constitutional privileges with the Christian Dalits who are already an enlightened and educated lot. Doctor says that the UN Conference on Racism in Durban in August 2001 was the turning point. The Dalits of India who were in Durban experienced that it was mostly the Christians that were fighting for the cause of Dalits at UN Conference. The Evangelical Christians prepared to support the Dalits even as they were prepared to embrace Buddhism following the footsteps of Ambedkar, setting aside their motive of conversion to Christianity. This approach giving priority to Dalit liberation from traditional social slavery presents altogether a new challenge to Christianity.[19] For Doctor this represents a sea change in Christian approach to Dalit issue. Dalit liberation per se, liberation of all Dalits irrespective of their regional and religious identity has become the missionary objective of Christian concern. This paradigm shift, he calls as a new agenda of the Church as a visible and active preferential ministry in India.[20] The predicament of the Dalits in India is a challenge to the Church in India, especially to the Gospel of Christ in India. He further says that, “in a dehumanizing scenario, it is mandatory that the mission of the Indian churches for the 21^st century ought to be different from retaining the Dalits and Adivasis as objects of charity and mission, to making them as subjects of history and missional agenda, enlarging the Church’s traditional mission concerns from confining to Dalit and Adivasi Christians to all Dalit and Adivasis with focus on liberating the oppressed.”[21] Thus Doctor expounded a wider ecumenical liberative paradigm for the Dalits.  The Church must accept Dalit liberation as its new agenda and join hands with all forces that enable Dalit liberation.

5.3.Rationale for Wider Ecumenical Liberative Paradigm

Doctor in widening the ecumenical liberative paradigm asks how can the Church shut its eyes at the suffering of the oppressed community? When he goes on to say the Church of Christ in its missiological endeavour as ‘liberation of Dalit per se’ receives the mandate from Christ himself. He further says that the ministry and the mission of Christ is a package of liberation of the oppressed- the good news to the poor.[22] For Doctor Jesus’ methodology of liberation of the oppressed serves as the primary rationale for wider ecumenical liberative paradigm. Jesus’ package of liberation of the oppressed according to Doctor is as follows:

1.      Jesus’ birth in a manger is a spectacular identification with the poor.

2.      The Nazareth manifesto of Jesus in Luke 4:16-19 is to set at liberty the oppressed, not just the Christian oppressed only but all oppressed- the poor, the hungry, the lame, the deaf, the dumb, the sick, the naked, the prisoners- of society, of tradition, of false religion, victims of discrimination- those denied equality, human dignity and rights, indeed those denied humanity by the power of unjustified authority and the oppressed constitute in this dear land of ours at least 25% of the total population of 1.1 billion- all these segregated in dwelling places- with no water, sanitation and left to tender mercies of the oppressor for work, food, water and dwelling, 250 to 300 millions of people.[23]

Doctor calls the Church in India to liberate India’s society as a whole by liberating the Dalits and Adivasis. The Cross of Jesus to which the Church is committed has a tryst with India’s destiny. The Church with her theological strength from the Manger, the Cross and the Empty Tomb, must commit itself to the service of the poor.[24]  Thus Doctor paves the way towards a wider ecumenical paradigm of liberation to the Dalits and Adivasis.

5.4. Acts of Apostles vis-à-vis Acts of the Church

Dr. K. Rajaratnam, as a Chairperson Commission on Dalits and Adivasis, of the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) initiated the congregational empowerment of 50 pilot congregations in India for Dalit liberation. In one of his addresses in the follow up workshop on congregational empowerment, he has asked the participants, what is their favorite book in the Bible? One answered Psalms because it has many prayers, one answered Isaiah because he speaks of justice, but Doctor said, his favorite book in the Bible is “Acts of Apostles.” The reason he said was this book contains “actions”, activities that were done. So he emphasized the need for actions, making our faith into actions, making our preaching into action. He questioned, how many of our church reports, executive committee meetings minutes, diocesan minutes, synod meetings minutes, parish church council meeting minutes match with the Acts of Apostles? May be not even one. So it is high time for the local congregations to act, record the acts of liberation of Dalits. Actions speak louder that words, and so the preaching of the church should be actions, and particularly acts of liberation to the Dalits. Jesus was all along involved in doing actions, rather speaking mere words.  The Cross is the highest act any one can do, and it was Jesus who suffered and died on the Cross for the sake of liberating us. Therefore the local congregations’ agenda should be the agenda of Jesus. In setting people at liberty, Jesus has to oppose and confront the socio-religious and political structures and hierarchies of his day. And so should be the role of all the true disciples of Jesus. Jesus did not have any reservations in healing the people; he healed all those came to him, so also should the local congregation strive for the liberation with out any reservations and boundaries. Ultimately in his struggle for justice and liberation, Jesus has to be rewarded with the brutal Cross, and so also the local congregation may receive the Cross as a reward in their work for liberation of Dalits, but let the local congregation be bold and courageous. For Jesus himself said that in your struggle for justice, you might have many false allegations laid on you, you may be persecuted, so let the local congregation make Jesus and his agenda as the agenda, and continue to work for the liberation of Dalits, said Doctor. He further emphasized, that the congregation should be ready to take up the Cross, since the means itself become the ends of the church. He said that without addressing the Dalit issue one cannot have an agenda. Today the priorities of the congregations are different, and yet times even with out a mission agenda. He stressed that Jesus’ agenda, Nazareth manifesto cannot be neglected, for it acts as an apex for Christian action and faith. He urges the local congregations to be sensitive the voice of the Dalits, not just the Christian Dalits, but Dalits per se, to form an agenda of the church, which will be in line with the Jesus ideology. He has given the clarion call for the local congregations to work both in season and off-season for the liberation of the Dalits in their particular contexts.[25]

CONCLUSION

Dr. Kunchala Rajaratnam with his adventurous faith, bold theological vision and commitment to service has contributed deeply untiringly for the cause of Church and society.  His ecclesiology surely provides a method, meaning and direction to the Church in India at this present juncture and makes the Church to commit herself to strive for liberty to all that are oppressed specially the Dalits in their contexts. Therefore according to Doctor, the Church in India has to play a prophetic role and should strive towards a just society.  The Church today needs to rise from its slumber and needs to address the challenges of Dalit oppression. The Church should give up all its petty politics aside, and need to re-look to her call and commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ. If the Church is not able to be the channel of liberation, it ceases to be a Church, and all the rituals and the activities of the Church will just be materialistic with out meaning and relevance. Three dimensions of Doctors’ ecclesiology are of prime relevance. 1. An introspection of our Church, to be bold in analyzing our Church and to accept our shortcomings in the light of the Gospel. 2. To rediscover Churches mission and witness in the context of marginalisation and exclusion. 3. To strive consistently for justice, equality and liberation of Dalits and make local congregations to be the channels of liberation in their contexts. Doctor believes that the Church is a strong enough force to confront the evils in the society. The Church should be conscious of its role, as God’s chosen instrument, to establish God’s Kingdom, undeterred by the power and might of God’s foes. The Church must become more obedient to God’s call to face suffering for God’s cause.[26] I pray our Church in India shall become vibrant in extending the Reign of God here on earth.  Men may come and men may go, men like Rajaratnam will go on forever with their imprints of rich Christian heritage and legacy.

Rev. Raj Bharath Patta,

Executive Secretary,

NCCI- Commission on Dalits

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[1] Dr. K. Rajaratnam was mostly revered and called as Doctor

[2] Prasanna Kumari, “Foreword,” in Empowering Society, edited by Prasanna Kumari Vol 2 (Chennai:GLTCRI, 1995) P.xi.

[3] K.Rajaratnam, A Missionary Congregation (Madras: UELCI, 1993), P.1.

[4] K.Rajaratnam, A Missionary Congregation (Madras: UELCI, 1993), P.1.

[5] K.Rajaratnam, “A Vision for the Church in India,” in Women in Church and Society, edited by Prasanna Kumari (Chennai: GLTCRI, 1999), P.130.

[6] K.Rajaratnam, Ethics in a New Economic Order (Madras: CRENIEO, 1995), P.41.

[7] K.Rajaratnam, A Missionary Congregation (Madras: UELCI, 1993), P.3.

[8] K.Rajaratnam, “A Vision for the Church in India,” in Women in Church and Society, edited by Prasanna Kumari (Chennai: GLTCRI, 1999), P.133.

[9] K.Rajaratnam, The Local Congregation (Madras: UELCI, n.p.), P.1.

[10] K.Rajaratnam, “A Vision for the Church in India,” in Women in Church and Society, edited by Prasanna Kumari (Chennai: GLTCRI, 1999), Pp.130-131.

[11] K.Rajaratnam, A Missionary Congregation (Madras: UELCI, 1993), Pp.4-11.

[12] K.Rajaratnam, “Foreword,” in Mission Today Challenges and Concerns, edited by Abraham P.Athyal and Dorothy Yoder Nyce (Chennai: GLTCRI, 1998), P.viii.

[13] K. Rajaratnam’s Keynote address at the XXVI Quadrennial Assembly of the NCCI held at Shillong during 30^th April to 5^th May 2008. Pg. 14

[14] K.Rajaratnam, “The Indian Christian Church and the Dalits of India- A New Agenda of the Church in India: Dalit Liberation,” NCC Review 122/3 (April, 2002):P.291.

[15] K.Rajaratnam, “Contemporary Reflection on Global Oppressed Communities: A Multi-faith Approach,” Gurukul Journal of Theological Studies 12/1&2 (2003): Pp.6-7.

[16] K.Rajaratnam, “Contemporary Reflection on Global Oppressed Communities: A Multi-faith Approach,” Gurukul Journal of Theological Studies 12/1&2 (2003): P.7.

[17] K.Rajaratnam, “The Indian Christian Church and the Dalits of India- A New Agenda of the Church in India: Dalit Liberation,” NCC Review 122/3 (April, 2002): P.294.

[18] K.Rajaratnam, “The Indian Christian Church and the Dalits of India- A New Agenda of the Church in India: Dalit Liberation,” NCC Review 122/3 (April, 2002): P.294.

[19] K.Rajaratnam, “Contemporary Reflection on Global Oppressed Communities: A Multi-faith Approach,” Gurukul Journal of Theological Studies 12/1&2 (2003): P.8.

[20] K.Rajaratnam, “Launching of Dalit Liberation Movement,” Report Presented to NCCI Executive Committee, New Delhi 25^th-26^th November 2004.

[21] Declaration and Recommendations of Pre-Assembly National Conference on Dalit and Adivasi Concerns in NCC Review126/2 (February, 2004): P.85.

[22] K.Rajaratnam, “Contemporary Reflection on Global Oppressed Communities: A Multi-faith Approach,” Gurukul Journal of Theological Studies 12/1&2 (2003): P.8.

[23] K.Rajaratnam, “Tryst of the Cross with India’s Destiny,” presented at XXV Quadrennial Assembly of NCCI, Tirunalveli, 10-13 February 2004. P.2.

[24] K.Rajaratnam, “Towards A Just Society,” NCC Review 117/7 (August, 1997): P.501.

[25] K. Rajaratnam’s Key note address at the follow up workshop on “Local Congregation as the Locus of Dalit Liberation” held at Chennai on 23-26 June 2006.

[26] K.Rajaratnam, “Communicating the Gospel in the Context of Globalisation, Religious Fundamentalism and Nationalism- the Indian Context,” in Communication of the Gospel edited by Samuel W.Meshack and Eberhard von de Heyde (Chennai: GLTCRI, 2002), P.5.