Dalit theology
Encyclopedia
Dalit theology is a branch of Christian
theology
that emerged among the Dalit caste
in India
in the 1980s. It shares a number of themes with liberation theology
, which arose two decades earlier, including a self-identity as a people undergoing Exodus
. Dalit theology sees hope in the "Nazareth Manifesto" of Luke 4
, where Jesus
speaks of preaching "good news to the poor ... freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind" and of releasing "the oppressed."
(1936–95), a Dalit Christian
in the Church of North India
. Nirmal criticised Brahmin
ic dominance of Christian theology in India, and believed that the application of liberation theology to India should reflect the struggle of Dalits, who make up about 70% of Christians in India. Nirmal also criticised the Marxist element within South America
n liberation theology. Nirmal drew on the concept of the Suffering Servant in Isaiah 53
to identify Jesus
himself as a Dalit – "a waiter, a dhobi
, and bhangi
."
Dalit theologians have seen passages in the gospels, such as Jesus' sharing a common drinking vessel with the Samaritan woman in John 4
, as indicating his embracing of Dalitness. The parable of the Good Samaritan
is also seen as significant, providing a "life-giving message to the marginalized Dalits and a challenging message to the non-Dalits."
M. E. Prabhakar expanded on the Dalitness of Jesus, stating that "the God of the Dalits ... does not create others to do servile work, but does servile work Himself." He also suggested that Jesus experienced human, and especially Dalit, brokenness in his crucifixion
. Prabhakar has developed a Dalit creed
, which reads in part:
Vedanayagam Devasahayam (b. 1949) of the Church of South India
followed Nirmal as head of Dalit theology at the Gurukul Lutheran Theological College
, and further developed Nirmal's ideas, writing a number of books. Devasahayam later became bishop of the Church of South India's Madras Diocese.
Dalit theology opposes indigenization
movements within Indian Christian liturgy, since these are seen as reinforcing traditional caste hierarchies. However, the incorporation of some pre-Sanskritic Indian religious traditions is supported.
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
that emerged among the Dalit caste
Caste
Caste is an elaborate and complex social system that combines elements of endogamy, occupation, culture, social class, tribal affiliation and political power. It should not be confused with race or social class, e.g. members of different castes in one society may belong to the same race, as in India...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in the 1980s. It shares a number of themes with liberation theology
Liberation theology
Liberation theology is a Christian movement in political theology which interprets the teachings of Jesus Christ in terms of a liberation from unjust economic, political, or social conditions...
, which arose two decades earlier, including a self-identity as a people undergoing Exodus
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
. Dalit theology sees hope in the "Nazareth Manifesto" of Luke 4
Luke 4
Luke 4 is the fourth chapter of the Gospel of Luke in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It details Jesus's three temptations, his rejection at Nazareth, and the start of his mission.-Jesus's Three Temptations:...
, where Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
speaks of preaching "good news to the poor ... freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind" and of releasing "the oppressed."
Development
A major proponent of Dalit theology was Arvind P. NirmalArvind P. Nirmal
Arvind P. Nirmal, was a Dalit Christian theologian. He questioned the Christian conversion of the upper castes, especially the Brahmin.. A major proponent of Dalit theology, Nirmal argued that Jesus himself was a Dalit and that Christian theology should therefore reflect Dalit concerns..- External...
(1936–95), a Dalit Christian
Dalit Christian
In the late 1880s the Marathi word 'Dalit' was used by Mahatma Jotiba Phule for the outcasts and Untouchables who were oppressed and broken by Hindu society....
in the Church of North India
Church of North India
The Church of North India , the dominant Protestant denomination in northern India, is a united church established on 29 November 1970 by bringing together the main Protestant churches working in northern India...
. Nirmal criticised Brahmin
Brahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
ic dominance of Christian theology in India, and believed that the application of liberation theology to India should reflect the struggle of Dalits, who make up about 70% of Christians in India. Nirmal also criticised the Marxist element within South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
n liberation theology. Nirmal drew on the concept of the Suffering Servant in Isaiah 53
Isaiah 53
Isaiah 53, taken from the Book of Isaiah, is the last of the four Songs of the Suffering Servant, and tells the story of the Man of Sorrows or "The Suffering Servant", which became a common theme in medieval and later Christian art. The passage is known for its interpretation by many Christians to...
to identify Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
himself as a Dalit – "a waiter, a dhobi
Dhobi
The Dhobi are a caste group found in Pakistan and India who specialize in washing clothes. The word Dhobi is derived from Hindi word dhona, which means to wash. They are found throughout North India, Gujarat, Maharashtra as well as the Punjab province of Pakistan, where they are known as Gazar...
, and bhangi
Bhangi
Bhangi is an Indian caste or jāti traditionally treated as untouchable, and was historically restricted to three occupations: cleaning latrines, sweeping, and scavenging . They prefer to be known as Balmiki...
."
Dalit theologians have seen passages in the gospels, such as Jesus' sharing a common drinking vessel with the Samaritan woman in John 4
John 4
John 4 is the fourth chapter of the Gospel of John in the New Testament of the Christian Bible.- Jesus Surpasses John :The Pharisees learn that Jesus is baptizing more people than John the Baptist, although it says that "...in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples." Jesus learns...
, as indicating his embracing of Dalitness. The parable of the Good Samaritan
Parable of the Good Samaritan
The parable of the Good Samaritan is a parable told by Jesus and is mentioned in only one of the Canonical gospels. According to the Gospel of Luke a traveller is beaten, robbed, and left half dead along the road. First a priest and then a Levite come by, but both avoid the man. Finally, a...
is also seen as significant, providing a "life-giving message to the marginalized Dalits and a challenging message to the non-Dalits."
M. E. Prabhakar expanded on the Dalitness of Jesus, stating that "the God of the Dalits ... does not create others to do servile work, but does servile work Himself." He also suggested that Jesus experienced human, and especially Dalit, brokenness in his crucifixion
Crucifixion of Jesus
The crucifixion of Jesus and his ensuing death is an event that occurred during the 1st century AD. Jesus, who Christians believe is the Son of God as well as the Messiah, was arrested, tried, and sentenced by Pontius Pilate to be scourged, and finally executed on a cross...
. Prabhakar has developed a Dalit creed
Creed
A creed is a statement of belief—usually a statement of faith that describes the beliefs shared by a religious community—and is often recited as part of a religious service. When the statement of faith is longer and polemical, as well as didactic, it is not called a creed but a Confession of faith...
, which reads in part:
"Our cries for liberation from harsh caste-bondage
Were heard by God, who came to us in Jesus Christ
To live with us and save all people from their sins."
Vedanayagam Devasahayam (b. 1949) of the Church of South India
Church of South India
The Church of South India is the successor of the Church of England in India. It came into being in 1947 as a union of Anglican and Protestant churches in South India. With a membership of over 3.8 million, it is India's second largest Christian church after the Roman Catholic Church in India...
followed Nirmal as head of Dalit theology at the Gurukul Lutheran Theological College
Gurukul Lutheran Theological College
Gurukul Lutheran Theological College and Research Institute is an ecumenical seminary situated in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, South India. It is affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College .-Background:...
, and further developed Nirmal's ideas, writing a number of books. Devasahayam later became bishop of the Church of South India's Madras Diocese.
Dalit theology opposes indigenization
Indigenization
In anthropological terms, to "indigenize" means to force local cultures to adopt another. Most changes in original culture occur when western corporations impose their products on other economies, Westernizing. Some forms of indigenizing include: Spray painting slogans on bill-boards, interpreting...
movements within Indian Christian liturgy, since these are seen as reinforcing traditional caste hierarchies. However, the incorporation of some pre-Sanskritic Indian religious traditions is supported.
Literature
- Arvind P. Nirmal and V. Devasahayam, A Reader in Dalit Theology, Gurukul Lutheran Theological College & Research Institute, 1990, 180 pages.
- V. Devasahayam, Outside the Camp: Bible Studies in Dalit Perspective, Gurukul Lutheran Theological College & Research Institute, 1992, 54 pages.
- V. Devasahayam, Doing Dalit Theology in Biblical Key, Dept. of Research and Publications, Gurukul Lutheran Theological College and Research Institute, 1997, 75 pages.
- V. Devasahayam, Frontiers of Dalit Theology, Gurukul Lutheran Theological College & Research Institute / Indian Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1997, 501 pages.
- Masilamani Azariah, A Pastor's Search for Dalit Theology, Indian Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 2002, 211 pages.
- Peniel Rajkumar, Dalit Theology and Dalit Liberation: Problems, Paradigms and Possibilities, Ashgate, 2010, 218 pages.
- Keith Hebden, Dalit Theology and Christian Anarchism, Ashgate, 2011, 186 pages.
External links
- George Oommen, "The Emerging Dalit Theology: A Historical Appraisal," Indian Church History Review, Vol. XXXIV, no. 1, June 2000, pp. 19-37.
- Jesudas M Athyal, "New Challenges for Dalit Theology," International Consultation on ‘Dalit Theology and A Theology of the Oppressed’ at Gurukul Lutheran Theological College, Nov 2004
- K. P. Kuruvila, DALIT THEOLOGY: AN INDIAN CHRISTIAN ATTEMPT TO GIVE VOICE TO THE VOICELESS
- Site offering a summary of Dalit history