Confessing our Hypocritical Silence on Caste: Rohit Vemula Turns 27

If Rohit Vemula was alive today, he would have celebrated his 27^th birthday on 30^th January, 2016, but he joined ‘the stars from shadows’ becoming a martyr, sowing his life as a seed for an uprising of a ‘Student Spring’ to defeat forces of casteism and institutional violence. Yet, Rohit today is alive even in his death, for his life in death is awakening the conscience of global communities in making institutions of higher learning as zero-tolerant zones for discrimination. If I had to send a birthday card to Rohit, I would have written on it, “Brother Rohit, Your life in death challenges us to confess our hypocritical silence on caste and such forms of discrimination.”

Rohit, a young Dalit PhD scholar in Science & Technology from Hyderabad Central University (HCU) along with his four other friends were expelled from the University after a complaint given by a student leader belonging to the student wing organisation of the ruling party at the Centre. Rohit and his friends experienced social exclusion from the University officials, where their scholarships have been discontinued and they were not allowed to enter into the hostels and the administrative buildings of the University.  Rohit and his friends lived in a tent outside the gate of the University calling it “Velivada” (Dalit Ghetto). Rohit killed himself on 17^th January, 2016 in one of his friend’s rooms in the University, leaving a powerful letter behind in which he mentions, “The value of a man was reduced to his immediate identity and nearest possibility. To a number. To a vote. To a thing… My birth is my fatal accident.” Following this incidents, the Joint Action Committee (JAC) at the HCU has been demanding justice for Rohit, and there are several student protests across India and elsewhere demanding justice for Rohit. There is a ‘Student Spring’ which is taking its ripple effect, challenging several students to fight the evil of caste and other forms of discrimination. It was unfortunate to see dominant groups suspecting Rohit’s Dalit identity and stretching forth discussions on his identity rather than the reasons that led to his death.

At this point one has to be also reminded about the ‘saffronization’ project, which has been at its zenith under the present ruling government in India, for in May 2015 the Ministry of Human Resource Development has derecognized the Ambedkar-Periyar Study Circle at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Chennai. Later from June 2015 there have been strikes by the students at the Film & Television Institute of India (FTII) for appointing saffron activist as its Chairperson. In October 2015, there has been an Occupy University Grants Commission (UGC) protesting against the government’s decisions. In January 2016, we now have the death of Rohit, a Dalit scholar at HCU, which has to be observed in light of the saffronization project. One of the demands of the JAC at HCU is to get the two ministers of the Central cabinet involved to be sacked and arrested for their involvement in Rohit’s death.

Rohit’s martyrdom has raised several challenges within me, and provoked me with anger to voice out all the more for justice and liberation in our societies. Two important questions came across me during these days, for one is How does the death of Rohit in Hyderabad affect us in UK? or Does Rohit’s death has any call for us in the West? And the second is, What is the Christian response to Rohit’s death? Allow me to briefly elaborate on these.

I.                    Does Rohit’s Death have any Message for those in the West?

As I shared about Rohit’s death to friends here in Manchester and in UK, several friends kept asking me ‘so what?’ there are so many deaths happening across the globe and if a single soul died in Hyderabad, what is it for us? In trying to answer these questions, we have organised a ‘Solidarity Vigil for Rohit’ at Manchester and there has been a mixed response to it. Here are three answers in that direction.

a.      Recognise the Systemic Oppressive Caste Practices as Discriminatory:

Dear friends in the West, Rohit’s death was not an ordinary death, but when he dreamt to become a science writer like Carl Sagan, exclusion, marginalization, discrimination in the name of caste and institutional violence has killed him, shattering his dreams and taking away his life. Many of you would not know the complexities of a systemic oppression called caste, where human beings are divided and discriminated based on their descent and occupation, Rohit’s death is a wakeup call to recognise that there is a monster called caste, at whose altar several people are slaughtered under its evil claws, just because they are born out-side of their system. Caste is practised across all religions, and has permeated into all structures and functions of Indian societies. Some have asked is caste practised in West? The answer is an affirmative yes, look at the associations of South Asian Diaspora in the West, most of them are named and based on their caste identities. Recognise the systemic oppressive practice of caste as discriminatory and as inhuman.

b.      Recognise Other Forms of Discrimination & Institutional Violence in your Contexts:

Are global institutions of higher learning safe spaces, free from discriminations? Rohit’s death in Hyderabad calls for a social audit of all institutions of higher learning to check how safe are these spaces for students? What are the forms of discriminations that exist? Discrimination in the name of class, race, gender, sexuality, disability etc. have been rampant, and it is time to address and defeat these forms of oppression from all academic institutions.  

c.       Participate in the Transnational Student Spring for Justice:

The Joint Action Committee at HCU is demanding for justice to Rohit. Our student societies are called to join with the students at HCU in making a global solidarity for student justice. The call is to create a transnational solidarity for justice, so that student issues can be addressed and networked globally and nationally cutting across territorial and other boundaries. Students are encouraged in the West to call on Indian Embassies in their respective countries and demand accountability for Rohit’s death and engage in international advocacy for justice to Rohit. Rohit’s death is a call for active student activism of students in their respective Universities. Impress upon your local MP’s on the death of Rohit so that they can see Foreign Office to demand justice for Rohit.

II.                  What is the Christian Response to Rohit’s Martyrdom?

The recent suicides of young Dalit men and women due to the unbearable torture of discrimination on the basis of caste continue to be a reality of our times. Rohit’s voice was unheard, his cry for justice went unheard and his tryst for destiny had to come to an end abruptly. Rohit’s road to death started with the day he joined these institutions, for the institutions of higher learning have become fertile crescents for caste perpetrations. The voices of the dominant continue to amplitude their power by suppressing the cries of the oppressed communities. They bring in the argument, as those that have ‘merit’ will be rewarded, and lets do away with the reservation systems. And students, who enter these educational institutions through reservations and quotas, undergo a hell lot of discrimination and humiliations. Thankfully Rohit joined the University not on reservations. Where is the space for the voices of our young Dalits to speak out and articulate? Where is the space for dialogue and mutual understanding in situations like that of this? Is the society open enough to listen to the cries of the Dalit communities? Questions concerning this go on and on, but the fact of the matter is, are the voices of Dalit youth heard or muted?

Time has now come to listen to the voices of the youth from across our Churches and societies, and more certainly the voices of our Dalit young people, whose voices have been marginalized, for being Dalit and for being young. Jesus Christ as a young man, voiced out against the injustices done in his days, and has given space for those voices that were marginalized in the society to be heard. As a Church, we need to confess that not enough space was given to the voices of young people, for always their voice was sidelined under the guise that these voices are from inexperienced and so on. On reading Rohit’s final letter, where he mentioned ‘my birth is a fatal accident,’ I was reminded of Job in Bible, who complains that ‘it was better for him to have born.’ However, in light of Rohit’s death, I wanted to read Jesus’ encounter with a Woman whose voice was finally heard, for Rohit’s voice was unheard and unattended to.

The Biblical Context

In Matthew 15: 21-28, we see a Canaanite woman, who cried to Jesus for healing her daughter who was demon possessed. Here is a voice of a woman, a Canaanite, and more over who had a daughter who was demon possessed. I assume that this woman would have been a young woman probably a single parent, who took all the courage to voice out the need of her daughter. It was at a region of Tyre & Sidon, a geography little alien, which was outside of the so-called chosen places like Jerusalem, where they believed that God dwelled. This was also the place where Elijah was fed by a widow of Zeraphat in (I kings 17:9). Here comes a woman to Jesus shouting for the healing of her daughter. Her little one’s life is threatened by forces of evil and she on her behalf cries out to Jesus Christ. Peace at home and peace to her daughter is at stake, she came in search of life and peace to Jesus Christ, recognising that Jesus affirms in life, and no matter what may come, Jesus shall stand for life and deliver peace and justice. Her prayer was a paraphrased version of our theme ‘God of life lead us into justice & peace’, “have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” Her life context projects lifelessness, peace-lessness and unjust-ness. Her shout was a prayer for life, prayer for peace and prayer for justice.

Jesus’ Silence: Unheeding the Cry

At that very instant, when the woman made her prayer, verse 23 says, ‘Jesus did not answer her a word’. Did Jesus become deaf at that point to listen to the voice of that woman? Jesus till then spoke to Pharisees who came and asked about tradition, and gave an eloquent speech on things that defile etc. Why did Jesus not answer her a word.  Was Jesus closed in making a conversation with a woman, who was from a different community? Was Jesus worried that his Jewish male identity would be maligned if he spoke to a woman in need? Was there not a space at Jesus for the voices that are in deep distress and pain? Jesus who helped at giving answers to people, is not without a word to reply. Jesus could have answered, with an yes or a no, but he was silent. Was Jesus contemplating what to answer to that woman who came in a context when her daughter’s life and subsequently her life was at risk? Whatever be the reason, Jesus’ silence and his reluctance to answer to her voice probably would have pained that woman at that moment.

Disciples Grievance: Silencing the Cry

Now enters the disciples, to add fuel to the fire and not just asked or requested Jesus, but were begging Jesus ‘to send her away, for she is crying after us.’(23b). The cry of that woman whose life and peace was at stake, was jarring to the ears of the disciples, was a disturbance to their following Jesus and the disciples were even prejudiced, thinking that the woman was crying after them. This act of the disciples is yet again to suppress the voice of that depressed woman. The yearning for life, justice and peace was a matter of no value to these disciples, who were interested in hearing to Jesus on various aspects of healing. At the behest of the disciples, Jesus gives a political answer with some shades of theology and philosophy, telling that his jurisdiction is within the house of Israel and was destined for the lost sheep within that fold. By this answer, probably Jesus thought that this woman would leave that vicinity, for his intellectual propositions cannot be challenged. The woman did not give up, until her voice was heard, and in all desperation, probably in a louder tone, she knelt and asked Jesus to help her in 25 verse. Now for the second time she makes a prayer, ‘Lord help me’. Jesus now took the occasion to interpret his theological answer from a day-to-day affair and said how just it is to take the bread from the child and throw it to the dogs? Jesus probably again would have thought, with this kind of analogy, this woman would shut up and leave.

Woman’s Resilience: Affirming her Cry

All the more the woman was more challenged and replied in all boldness to the analogy with yet another analogy, that ‘even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the masters table.’ That day she made it a point to make her voice be heard at any cost with any kind of theology. Her strong voice for healing, her cry for justice and her tongues for liberation challenged a person like Jesus and brought in a change in him. No doubt the disciple would have been dumb at the response of Jesus when he said, ‘ O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.’ The woman’s voice was finally heard. Jesus who was silent, Jesus who was diplomatic in his answers, Jesus who was philosophical in his responses, was now challenged and amazed at the faith of this woman, was impressed by her longing for life, peace and justice and was impelled to pronounce healing on the woman and her daughter. By her resilience, she made the silent Jesus speak and lead her into justice and peace. By her faith, she saw to it that there was healing that day in her house. She overcame Jesus’ silence, she overcame disciples grievance, and she overcame the torments for life that day. God of life, cannot be silent to the cries of the groaning world for peace and justice. God was accompanying her in her resilience and helped her by granting her healing through Jesus Christ.

a. Let us as Churches Listen to the Voices and Cries of Rohits:

As Church we have most times been reluctant to listen to the voices of youth like Rohit and all the more like Jesus and the disciples, our adults and elders in the Churches gave reasons to let down the voices of youth. This woman, challenged Jesus, challenged the disciples and I believe even the Church today for we need a change from within, where we can move from speaking and being a noisy church to a church where we allow the voices of youth and those in distress speak out, where we can move from preaching mode to listening mode, and where our Churches become the platforms for the varied and diverse voices of youth to be heard and attended to. The silence of Jesus, the grievance of disciples was challenged by the resilience of this woman, who spoke in all courage to voice out for her daughter’s need. The voices of youth are always kept in a mute mode, and let us give them a voice. Wake up Church to voice out the voices of young Dalit people in our contexts. Rohit is challenging our silence and is calling us to act, voice out for justice.

b.      Let us Confess as Christians for Discriminating Scheduled Caste Christians in Our Churches: 

Rohit’s death is a call for repentance to Christians for discriminating Scheduled Caste Christians in our Churches blaming them that they have compromised on their faith for the sake of reservations in education. We have consciously and unconsciously practiced discrimination in our Churches in the name of caste and it is high time we confess our superiority complex and seek God’s forgiveness.

c.       Let us as Churches Confess our Hypocritical Silence on Caste:

Felix Wilfred in one his essays on ‘Subalterns and Ethical Auditing’ explains about the ‘hypocritical silence on caste’, where he expresses that caste though is observed scrupulously by the elite upper class and caste groups, they still do not want to speak about or do want to be seen talking about caste. He goes on to explain, that, ‘like the proverbial cat that has nine lives, caste takes on ever new avatars which makes it difficult to censure and bring under ethical auditing.’ He further goes to say that, ‘the Dalits speak about caste without inhibition, because they want to exorcize this demon. On the other hand, upper castes want to be silent on caste in public and derive all the benefits and power through it.’[1] Therefore the dominant castes only enjoy the benefits of and from the caste and remain to be silent even in times of deaths of Rohit’s that continue to happen.  It is a convenient choice by all people to remain silent and thereby see that caste and its ramifications are alive igniting and inviting violence and oppression on Dalits. Bonhoeffer says, “Silence on the face of evil is sin.” Rohit’s death is a call to confess our hypocritical silence on the face of an evil practice called caste.

d.      Let us as Churches Join with Student Movements in Demanding Justice for Rohit:

Let us acknowledge that we are our brother’s and sister’s keepers, trying to be conscious of our contexts, trying to analyse and address the conflicts done in the name of caste. Christian public witness is to be the conscience keepers of our society. Our prophetic calling is to join with other student movements in demanding justice for Rohit, and see to it that we can prevent several other Rohits in not becoming victims of caste discrimination.

Allow me to conclude with a personal letter that I have written to Rohit, after his death.

Dear brother Rohit,

I know you are no more with us to receive this letter as I write to you, but I know that you from eternities, where stars reside are listening and looking to us in silence. You have been alive in your death and thereby now calling us all to awake and speak for justice. I write to you confessing my and our insensitive attitudes towards the evil forces of caste & institutional violence. You in the context of violence and violation of rights, stand as an epitome and an inspiration for commitment for justice and liberation. Your life has testified to the very fact that, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” Keep talking to us my friend Rohit. As I speak to you, we pledge that we would give up caste practices and other forms of discriminations in our Churches, institutions, communities and societies. We commit to prevent many other Rohit’s from being murdered by caste and its cruel manifestations. To us, faith communities, your life has taught us a lesson that, ‘God works through bold & courageous people like you and many others like you who are committed to become martyrs for the cause of justice and liberation.’ You live in our hearts, for your love for equality and justice will keep inspiring and influencing many generations of young people of now to the ones that are to come in future. I will become your unfinished dream for I am Rohit. You are 27 today and as you grow old, may our commitment to fight discriminations be strengthened. We shall overcome…

Raj Bharath Patta

29^th January 2016

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[1] Felix Wilfred, Asian public Theology critical Concerns in challenging Times, (New Delhi: ISPCK, 2010) Pg 30-32

If the Primates Attend the Marriage Party at Cana of Galilee: Re-imagining and Re-rereading the Story from John 2

His mother said, “Do whatever Jesus tells you.” John 2: 5

Greetings to you all in the name of our God, Our Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer.

In a space of a week the world said good bye to some of the greatest talents of our generation. The loss of the legendary musician David Bowie and the versatile actor, the fame of Snape in Harry Potter Alan Rickman was felt profoundly across the nation. As the world was still coping with these bereavements, the ecclesiastical world particularly the Anglican Communion was on the news this week for several reasons known to you. Where some sections hailed that ‘the biggest schism was prevented in the communion’ on the other hand it was reported that ‘Primates suspends Episcopal Church of USA from full participation in the Anglican Communion.’  Is unity achieved at the expense of exclusion? Or can the split within the Church be fixed temporarily by axing another Church in the name of discipline and order? How are we as a Church the universal broken body of Christ, where one particular Church is slaughtered on the altar of majoritarianism?

When we go into the detail of this week’s meeting we understand that 38 Anglican Primates from around the world gathered together at the invitation of the Archbishop of Canterbury for a week long prayer and discussion on the life and service of God in the world. It was reported that Archbishop of Uganda walked away from the meeting on the second day for not taking disciplinary action on a particular Church until they have repented of their decisions that have torn the fabric of the Anglican Communion. In light of that, hurriedly, the Primates released their leaked communiqué one day prior to actual day of release suspending this Church for three years from full participation in the Anglican Communion. All because, the Episcopal Church has brought in changes to their doctrine of Marriage.

Coincidentally and by the providence of the Spirit the text this morning that has been chosen on the common lectionary, where Anglicans and other Christians are called to preach this Sunday, after a week of hurt and pain is a text, where Jesus and his disciples attend a wedding, a marriage party at Cana from John 2: 1-11. Dear friends, allow me this morning to re-imagine and reread this given text, “Jesus at the Wedding in Cana,” as an ecumenical partner in the faith of Christ, for this week’s decisions of the Primates have huge implications to the global ecclesiology and have a deep relevance to the Christian faith in this our generation.

Taking a clue from last week’s play we watched with our children from our Church, “Ink Heart”, where the reader is captured into the text and becomes a reality into that text, so also I would want to imagine if the Primates, who represent our Christian context are captured into the text of John 2 and participate in the wedding at Cana with Jesus and his disciples, where he turns water into wine. I want to present to you this re-imagination where the Primates, Archbishop of Canterbury, Jesus, his disciples, mother Mary and the narrator engage in a conversation with one another.

Presenting to you the re-imagination and re-reading of John 2 in a narration form. A caveat to this rereading, ‘please don’t take any offences on any of the characters.’

1.On the third day there was a wedding, a marriage party in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was the first to attend, for she came to help with the logistics at the marriage party.

Jesus had also been invited to this marriage party.

Archbishop of Canterbury along with his 38 colleagues who are called as Primates also self-invited themselves and attended this marriage function.

The steward at the wedding noticed a bunch of strangers who were dressed in purple with huge crosses on their bellies lingering at the wine section of the party and asked them, “Are you ok? Who do you want to meet?”

The Archbishop of Canterbury came to the front and replied in his bass tone, “Thank you we are ok, we are disciples of Jesus and have come along with him.”

The steward gave a long look at these Bishops and murmured within himself, “Could Jesus not find any better guys than these bunch of cheeky ones. Where on earth did he found them?”

The Primate from Korea who knew lip reading angrily said, “Excuse me my friend, what did you say about us?”

The steward with a grin answered, “nothing nothing, How are you all and warm welcome to this marriage party, let me go and call Peter to come and take you to Jesus.” He quickly disappears to find Peter.

Peter then comes and says, “Hearty welcome Archbishop of Canterbury and to all the 38 Primates. So nice of you Archbishop for bringing them all to this marriage party. Come let us go and meet Jesus. I will also introduce you my other 11 colleagues as well. Mind you Archbishop, we aren’t as Biblically strong as you are all and as powerful as you are all with dioceses and parishes, for we are all very new to this mission with Jesus, in the of discipleship.”

Archbishop replies, “no worries bro, some of our Bishops are here to teach you all guys, for we are coming straight from our fasting prayers during the week.”

Jesus greets the Archbishop and the Primates and invites them all to join along with his disciples to enjoy at the marriage party.

2. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the marriage party.

3. When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.”

4. And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.”

5. His mother said to the stewards at the marriage party, “Do whatever Jesus tells you.”

As the conversation between Jesus and his mother Mary was going on in meeting to the need of the occasion, which is finding more wine, some of the Primates enquired who the wedding couple are and realised that they are a pair from the Episcopal Church of US and the presiding clergy at their wedding was one of the priests of the same Church.

Filled with fury and frustration, some of the Primates whose faith was ultra-rightist started to become uncomfortable and grumbled at each other how disgraceful it is for us to attend this marriage of a couple of this disgraceful church.

Among them, Archbishop of Uganda became vocal and called on Archbishop of Canterbury and said, “Your grace, this is highly unsolicited of us attending a marriage party of a pair from a church that altered the doctrine of marriage, will you kindly take disciplinary action on the Church for such acts or would you want a schism in our communion?”

Archbishop of Canterbury was shocked to hear this and tried to pacify him and said “Your grace, don’t be in a panic, we can address this matter, we can have a consultative process and resolve it.”

At once Archbishop of Uganda replied, “I have been hearing this from so many years, will it possible for you to take a disciplinary action on these Churches or not? Can you restore godly order in our Communion otherwise I will have to walk out of this marriage party”

Archbishop of Canterbury then said, “Since we are here in the presence of Jesus, his disciples and his mother, why don’t we ask them and seek their wisdom and advice on this matter”

Mary, mother of Jesus who was overseeing the marriage party and trying to get more wine as the wine gave out, was walking by that way and on seeing her Archbishop of Canterbury took Archbishop of Uganda and ran towards her.

Mary on seeing them, “Archbishops are you both ok, why is there so much unpleasantness on your faces, I am sorry the wine ran out, and we are trying to address it and soon our jars should be filled with wine, and I am hoping for my son Jesus to fix it for me”

Archbishop of Canterbury replied, “No worries on that mother Mary, we can wait for a long to get some wine. There is a more pressing thing than wine on us, which is bothering our communion.”

Mary asked, “What is more pressing for now than not having sufficient wine?”

Archbishop of Canterbury then shared the conversation that took place between him and Archbishop of Uganda and placed it before mother Mary asking her wisdom on to address it.

Mary smiling at the Archbishops said, “I have told the bartenders at the wedding to do whatever Jesus tells them to do, like wise I say to you both ‘Do as Jesus tells you’” She further said, “This is as simple as that, you don’t need to look for matching references in the Scriptures or don’t need to exclude anyone, but ‘do as Jesus tells you’ for I know my son, for all that he would tell is just love and celebrate love. Anyways I don’t have more time for now; all that I have to say is ‘do as Jesus tells you to do.’”Having said this, Mary ran to find whether new wine was brought forth.

Archbishop of Canterbury said, “ok lets do whatever Jesus tells us to do, what do you say?”

Archbishop of Uganda on hearing this said, “It is not convincing for me. How much of Scriptures does Mary know? In accordance with the resolution of our Provincial Assembly, it was, therefore, necessary for me to withdraw from here. It seemed that I was being manipulated into participating in a long meeting with the Episcopal Church USA and the Anglican Church of Canada without the necessary discipline being upheld.”

Archbishop of Uganda walks out of this marriage party, leaving Jesus, his disciples, Archbishop, the other Primates. Most of them thought that he left unpleasantly because there wasn’t sufficient wine for him to party and merry.

Meanwhile, Archbishop of Canterbury called for an urgent emergency meeting of the Primates and said to them, “Before the news goes to Jesus, let us resolve it ourselves, for we can’t foresee a schism in our Communion. We can slowly convince Jesus of our decision of excluding a Church for the sake of fragile unity among our Communion. Since our Church pews are highly filled in global south than in other contexts, in order to please these people let us unanimously levy sanctions on this Episcopal Church and suspend them from all our activities. Even before Archbishop of Uganda reaches his place, we shall quickly send this communiqué titled “Walking in the service of God to the world” and save our face and Communion. Mind you, let this news not go to Jesus and his disciples.”

The two Indian primates who were present there on the one hand went with Archbishop of Uganda’s perspective of disciplining the church that altered the doctrine of marriage, and on the other hand praised the Episcopal Church of US for their support to the Churches in India during Tsunami. However both of them in their diplomatic style remained neutral and went along with the majority of Primates present there and agreed to these recommendations and released the communiqué.

"Our commitment to be an inclusive church is not based on a social theory or capitulation to the ways of the culture, but on our belief that the outstretched arms of Jesus on the cross are a sign of the very love of God reaching out to us all. While I understand that many disagree with us, our decision regarding marriage is based on the belief that the words of the Apostle Paul to the Galatians are true for the church today: All who have been baptised into Christ have put on Christ. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female, for all are one in Christ.” These are the words spoken by the Primate and Presiding Bishop of the excluded Church, which are uttered out of pain and disappointment.

‘Do whatever Jesus tells you’ was reeling in the heads of Archbishop of Canterbury and the rest of the Primates there, for they knew the decision they made was not what Jesus would want them to do. By excluding a Church and suspending a Church for the sake of majoritarianism and populism, is not what Jesus would tell, yet the Bishops went against the conscious of Jesus.

Meanwhile, Jesus called on his friends to fill water in the ritual jars of purification and turned water into wine, addressing the needs of the people and the communities over there and elsewhere. At that moment, water was turned into wine, ritual jars were turned into communitarian fountains of froth, impossibilities were turned into possibilities. All because of doing whatever Jesus told them to do. The bridegroom was surprised, the stewards were surprised, the guests were surprised, mother Mary was surprised, disciples were surprised at this miracle of turning water into wine. By this Jesus’ glory was revealed and his disciples believed him.

Jesus wasn’t interested in which doctrine of marriage did this couple at the wedding at Cana was following; all he did was addressing the needs of the marriage party, its people and their communities. Later on knowing about the communiqué from the Primates of the Anglican Communion, where a Church was excluded, ‘Jesus wept.’

In light of the ongoing exclusions, marginalization, discriminations, and levying sanctions by the powerful against the powerless, the true message for us is spoken by mother Mary, “Do whatever Jesus tells you”, which is ‘love God, love one another, judge not and always embrace the excluded.’

After all of this, the Archbishop of Canterbury forgets what has happened in the week comes forward proudly to announce, “We are working for a common date to celebrate Easter and we are working along with the Vatican, with the Orthodox groups.”

Where the world is not broken into narrow domestic walls, into that heaven of freedom my father, let our Churches awake.

Do whatever Jesus tells you.

Raj Bharath Patta

(This is the text of the Sermon preached at St. Peter’s Church & Chaplaincy, Manchester on 17^th January 2016)

Cartoon Courtesy: http://www.weblogcartoons.com/cb/primates07/1.gif

Lets not be Conformed to this Galaxy, but lets Transform this our Galaxy

                                                     Sankrama Kranthi is Sankranthi

As the New Year has dawn, a new season of joy and happiness ushers every mind and thought, and life is celebrated. When Christians celebrated the “Epiphany” on the 6th of January, the manifestation of the divine light to the nations far and wide was reaffirmed. The immediate festival that arrives in the New Year and in the Indian sociological calendar is “Sankranthi”, the festival that is celebrated in all splendor and grandeur in several places and specially in my town Bhimavaram. This festival in my town is when all my childhood friends gather to celebrate the gift of friendship. Let me wish all my friends celebrating this festival a very 'Happy Sankranthi.' 

As a student of religion, when i was thinking of this festival, these are the thoughts that come into my mind. I have read that there are 'samajik samrastha' (social harmony) programmes being organised for the occasion. Social harmony is established only when 'social justice' is established. In India that is possible when caste is annihilated and equality & dignity of people is affirmed. I was thinking the call is to transform this world, but after watching 'Star Wars - The Force Awakens' i think world should be replaced by 'galaxy' for is life and life forms in the entire galaxies. 'May that Force of transformation be with you.'

The Sun’s entry into each house is called “Sankramana” and “Kranthi” means ‘transformation through light’. Therefore “Sankranthi” is the festival that brings in a change and transformation into every house irrespective of who they are, for sun belongs to all people for the Sun brings in new smiles and cheer to every household.

When our world today is caught up in several chaotic conditions and situations, which are beyond repair and cure, this festival “Sankranthi” is a challenge to bring in a transformation and change into our life situations.

· In the context of rapid climatic changes to our planet earth caused by our human greed and domination, the festival of “Sankranthi” is a challenge and a chance for safeguarding our planet with care and to bring in transformational light into our galaxies. 

· In the context of phenomenal changes in the geo-political levels, where the rich continue to become richer and the poor becoming poorer, the festival of “Sankranthi” is a challenge and a chance for breaking the inequality and inequity among the rich and the poor and to bring in transformational light into our world. 

· In the context of vigorous discriminations and oppressions in the name of caste, creed, gender, religion, region etc, the festival of “Sankranthi” is a challenge and a chance to build in just and inclusive communities, where justice & peace will flow down like never ending streams, and to bring in a transformational light into our context.

· In the context of rising intolerance, fermenting fundamentalism and fanaticism among religions, where enmity, violence and bloodshed have become the norm, the festival of “Sankranthi” is a challenge and a chance to build friendship among religions, jointly addressing issues of injustices and violation of human rights and to bring in a transformational light into our vicinity.

May this season and festival of “Sankranthi” challenge each one of us to become the beacons of light and transformation. May we be enlightened to join hands in lightening our societies, and may we be the change makers bringing in transformation. Enjoy the festival and live for transformation. 'May that Force of transformation be with you all.'

Rediscovering Human by Overcoming Forces of Marketization

Re-Reading Luke 15: 11- 32

‘The ascent of money and the descent of the human’ has been the theme chosen for the annual special issue of ‘Peoples Reporter.’ Indeed there has been an ascendency of capital or market or money and is well captured in a Telugu saying, “Dabbu lekhapothe chhachhinodutho samanam” (A person without money is a dead person). Today unfortunately it is money that determines life, and demonstrates the value of living in our contexts. With a cloud of market surrounding us, life and humanity is devalued and dehumanized. The system of marketization breeds inequality, and widens the gap between the rich and the poor. In this process, human is lost, shattered, broken, blurred, even erased and forgotten in the whole gamut of this systemic and structural violence.

The parable of two sons in Luke 15 is a parable where the younger son becomes a victim of the forces of marketization, for he demands his father to divide his ancestral estate making his spending levels to scale on a high. Consumerism has taken him captive, for he had to spend all that he had, for it was ‘easy money’, his father’s inherited money that he was forced to spend. When the markets crashed, and when economy was in a bad state with austerity and famine, he realizes and rediscovers his humanity which he enjoyed in his father’s house, for he recognizes that he has been captured by the forces of capitalism and money and repents of his consumerist attitudes. Marketization promotes inequality, individualism and complacency, and here is this parable which is read against these forces in trying to rediscover humanity, for the younger son ‘came back to his senses’ (17v), recognizing the worth of life and living. Forces of market has taken the young son captive and made him to lose his human senses. Human is rediscovered by promoting equality, communality and by overcoming complacency.

1.      Equal Bread Builds Equal Society

Occupational discrimination has been still a rampant phenomenon in India, and particularly in the name of caste and gender there has been unequal distribution of wages. Unequal treatment of workers at work, some occupations are being looked down and have been attached to caste-based works and work force has been divided and ruled by the oppressive ruling class in our society. Market and corporations thrive only on profits and are not interested in the lives of people.

The Parable of the Prodigal and his brother, when re-read in out times of hunger and food security, it is surrounded around food politics. The younger son in a distant land, when he was dying of hunger thinks of his father’s house, his memory cannot but think of the plentitude of food the workers enjoyed there (17v). The house of his father was an inclusive community where there was equal food for all at that house. No matter what the identity of a person is, what the work of a person is, if they are at father’s house, whether hired ones, temporary workers, permanent workers, day labourers, his own sons and even himself, all had the privilege of enjoying food, which was served equally and justly. Probably whatever the father and his son ate, so was it for those hired hands in that house. All sufficient food was available for all those working at father’s house. No discrimination, no exclusion, no barriers, no boundaries, no gaps and no individualism, the bread was enough and was even to spare for all those working at that house.

This parable calls us to fight against occupational discrimination in our society today. There should not be any discrimination at work. Like the father’s house in the parable our Churches and homes should be examples where equality and sufficiency is maintained to all at work. When there is equality at work, there is peace and productivity at work. Give us today our daily bread is meaningful, when there is equal bread and sufficient bread to all at work, transcending all barriers. Equal bread builds equal society and human is rediscovered in it.

2.       Feasting Together Builds Inclusive Community

Bishop VS Azariah, in 1910 Edinburgh World Missionary Conference in one of his speeches he said that ‘missionaries have always prayed for granting us thrones in heaven but have never given their chairs in their rooms to sit for us.’ This has been so, for most of the Christian mission engagements elsewhere, which is even practiced today. Most of us when people come in hunger, forget to address their hunger and have either prayed for those who are in hunger to be fed, or made hunger as the vulnerable situation for us to evangelize and show mercy and charity, and least of all have forgotten to feed them when they are hungry. By doing so, a hierarchical society is further made, with donor and receiver.

But the father in this parable, on seeing his son coming from a distant country in hunger, first of all addressed his hunger by ordering a grand feast of non-vegetarian dinner (23v). This beef-festival is of great significance in the light of today’s anti-beef campaigns. Even though the son has asked for forgiveness, and expressed his unworthiness to be called as his son, long before he forgave him, he addressed the hunger of his son. By ordering a feast, father builds an inclusive community with the others over there. The father did not order to give his hungry son some leftover food, nor did he give some snacks that were available instantly, nor took him to a restaurant for an individual private dinner. But the father organized a feast, where his hungry son was fed as well as the others in the community were also fed. I assume that every time a hungry person comes to this father, there would have been a feast for the whole of the community. By doing so, probably father was building an inclusive community, where the ethic was if one is hungry in the community, everyone needs to feel for them and when one is fed, and everyone in the community is fed.

Therefore let our Churches and houses become the places where hunger is addressed not by mere prayers, nor by charity but by inclusivity and justice. Let us as individuals feel hungry, when one in our community is hungry, and let us make feasting for when the hungry are fed along with them. Inter-dining has been one of the key efforts Dr. B.R. Ambedkar proposed in overcoming caste discrimination, and it is high time that we organize food festivals inviting people of all ethnicities and tribes to join in, for by this forces of dehumanization are defeated and human is rediscovered.

 3.      Complacency A Threat to Inclusive Community

Complacency has been one of the manifestations of self-righteousness of our times, and has been a dire reality of Christian living. The ethos of globalisation has always taught us to be self-content, self-satisfied and made us more individualistic and selfish, no matter what happens to the others in our own community.

In this parable, the younger son is projected as dying in hunger, the father as giving life out of hunger, and the elder son as depressed in anger. When the elder son saw and heard that there has been a feast at his home, he was depressed in anger for out of his complacent character, he replies his father in anger that he never has given even a young goat to celebrate with his friends (29v). What was more pressing for this elder son was, when the property was divided equally between the two sons, the property where his father was, legally speaking the elder ones portion. Therefore, when his father on the return of his younger one threw a feast, it was from the elder’s portion that he cooked some beef for the community. And probably that did not taste good to the elder one, for the father shared from his portion. Complacency makes us not to share, and therefore frustration is shown. Complacency also made the elder one to further point down the allegations of the younger one, that he being hungry was his own making. Complacency breeds greed, and makes an individual excluded from the community living. Complacency made him to grumble that the father never gave a goat to be cooked for him and his friends.

In today’s context, it is high time that we Christians need to give up complacency in our lives. Our attitudes need to change, for sharing and caring are all part of community and inclusive living. Let us give up our complacent nature, let our churches give up complacent nature and even let our missions give up exclusive and complacent attitudes. For today, complacency is the great threat of inclusivity. Complacency is the new aristocracy, a characteristic promoted by forces of market, which is a threat to inclusivity and thereby to humanity. Resisting, overcoming and defeating complacency helps us to rediscover human in the context of growing ascendency of money.

Raj Bharath Patta,