Methodological
Issues in any one Strand of Liberation Theology
Introduction:
This paper is an attempt to analyze the methodological
issues in liberation theology with special reference to Dalit theology. First
it will evaluate the liberation theology and its emergence. Then it is going to
examine the methodological issues and premises of liberation theology in
ecclesial level, in theological level. In the second part of this paper it
explores the dalit theology as a strand of liberation theology. Some of the
major concern of dalit theology like goals and usage of dalit’s experience as a
source of dalit thelogy and methodological issues of dalit theology are deal
with in detail.
Liberation
theology:
Liberation theology is a theology from the experience
of oppressed people and social classes, and it says the people are oppressed by
others. Liberation theology that was happened in Latin American society we can
know through history that is Christian faith implications for the poor.
Liberation theologians attempt to read the bible with the eyes of the poor to
help them interpret the Christian faith in a new way. Theology of liberation
involved in three areas that is human need liberation, socio, politic, economic
liberation.
But liberation theology focuses on Jesus life and
message that is according to the bible “Christ is presented as the one who
brings us liberation” and “Christ the savior liberates humankind from sin”[1]
this is the ultimate root of deliverance for injustice and oppression. Theology
of liberation challenged the church to accept the demands of the New Testament
and involve itself in the struggles of the poor. Liberation theology is a
critique of the activity of the church and of Christians from the perspective
of the poor. The Latin American church indeed faces different and acute
problems related to the process of liberation. Liberation theology is not
unique to Latin American.
Emergence
of liberation theology:
How theology of liberation has emerged from church?
The answer is found in the experience of crisis in Latin American societies in
1960’s and the impact of Vatican council II on the Catholic Church. At that
time new question have raised about the social order demanded new answers and
the church people felt a new freedom to respond. It raises the situation of the
rural parish priest. Many priests and sisters raise questions about their
activity. It has rises as Cuban revolution. Later in august 1968,130 catholic
bishops were met in medalin, Colombia for the task of concerning Vatican II to
Latin America. In this conference, the bishops were repeatedly used the word “liberation”
and similar terms. Peruvian theologian Gustavo Gutierrez gave importance for
poverty in the church that is “Theology of Liberation” and then he developed
his ideas on this topic. His major work was basically scriptures and modern
theology. It was defense of traditional catholic theology and it against the
Protestantism, the enlightenment and modernity .Theologians began to take Latin
American as their context for raising questions. Latin American theologians
found that they were not dealing with different issues but that their methods
are engaged in theology was different.Gutierrez defines theology as “critic
reflection on praxis in the light of the word of God”[2].
It is a critique of low social exploration of principles on how people should
act. Rather it is a discovery of the theological meaning of such activity. They
go on to point out the biblical and theological resonances of liberation. It is
not concern for how to struggle for injustice. It is an expression of love for
neighbor. Liberation theology anticipated the major issues that developed
later.
Methodological
Issues and premises in liberation theology:
Fundamentally, in liberation theology, these are three
major issues were emerged in universally especially in Latin America. They are
Ecclesial issue in church, theological issue in scripture.
Ecclesial
Issue:
Preferential option for the poor:
The great reflection to pastoral service in Latin
American churches regarding the liberation. In 1960 there was a great renewal
through the churches. The churches began to take their social mission
seriously; lay persons are all committed their life to work among poor. The
priests also encouraged the church to involve in the liberation the priests
also encouraged the church to involve in the liberation process. The same time
popular movement and Christian movement they both worked in liberation process
among the poor. In Latin American churches more than 200 laymen,priests,and
bishops of El savader they discussed about, the failure to work in liberation
process so, they discusses that we were failed the concept of the salvation of
man and mission of the church.
Gustavo Gutierrez say that,” In recent years it has
second move and more clear to many Christians that, if
the church wished to be faithful to the god of Jesus Christ it must become
aware of itself from underneath, from among the poor of this word, the
exploited classes, despised ethnic groups, and marginalized cultures. He
compared the faith to Jesus Christ with poor people and marginalized people.
Jesus Christ he taken care of poor and oppressed people but the next continuous
process of liberation are the church is the main source of liberation[3].
Theological
Issues:
1.
God as Liberator:
Israel people was oppressed by the king pharaoh and
the Egyptians at that time God who was hear the cry of the oppressed Israelites
and gave them deliverance. God spoken to Moses from the burning and he chose
Moses to lead Israel and deliver them from oppression, so god did several signs
in front of pharaoh to release the Israelites from the slavery. Exodus chapter
3:7-8 says that god who can hear the cry of the oppressed, who comes down, and
who leads them to liberation. In this incident we can feel that god has chosen
the Israelites, so that he has taken effort to release the Israel people from
the oppression. On other hand Israel’s special place in God’s plan of salvation
in this case here God as liberator it is not only for Israelites but it
continuing in the church today.
2.
Jesus and the Liberation:
Liberation theology mostly focuses on the mission of
Jesus and the message to the world. Jesus proclaimed the message “The kingdom
of God is at hand” this message is given important in liberation theology[4].
Segundo Gal ilea comment is the Christology of the
revolutionary Christ is the model of the struggle and liberation of the
oppressed. Luke 4:18-19 says “He has sent me to bring the good news to the
poor, to proclaim Liberty to the captives. Jesus has liberated us from sin it
is true because all the message of Jesus is a liberating word.[5]
One more point of Jesus Christ good news is for the liberation of human beings
to get deliverance. The good news that speaks about the liberation for the
oppressed, suffers, hunger, poverty, so the Christology is mainly focuses on
liberation theology. According to these views, theologians say Jesus Christ as
liberator.
Strands
in liberation Theology:
Latin American theology is not an isolated phenomenon.
Equivalent theologies like Black Theology/African Theology, Asian Theology: An
Asia Woman’s perspective (Feminist theology). Especially Dalit theology has its
own perspective and difficulties of dalits. Dalit theology is an interesting
one to criticize most of the theologies, so Iam going to deal with the Dalit
theology as one strand of Liberation theology.[6]
Dalit
Theology:
Dalit theology is not only a prophetic theology it is
for identification of oppression of Dalit’s and struggles for equality and
justice[7].
James Massey says that Dalit theology talks about the daily bread for dalit,
overcome from oppression, poverty, struggles, sufferings, injustice.
Dalit theology answered in three ways first one is
theology about the dalit’s, second one is theology for the depressed classes or
the message addressed of dipressed classes. Third one is theology from the
depressed class[8].The
Latin American Liberation Theologians comment; it is the exodus experience,
exodus liberation. Dalit theology talks about those who are outside of the
camp, oppressed through caste and society.
Dalit theology it is a peoples theology it discusses
about a particular people’s theology it is a theology of Dalits, by the Dalits,
for the Dalits. A Dalit theology talk about the dalit’s oppressed within the
church and outside of the church. Dalit theology it comes from the dalit and
produced by the Dalits. It is a story of dalit’s and struggles of Dalits[9].The
new Identity of Dalit theology is generally focused on Dalit Christology and
theology.
The
Dalit Background:
‘Dal’ means cut, split, that a person cut, split or
broken. It is mainly focuses on the group of ‘Untouchables’. The Untouchable
may not cross the line from their part because they are occupied by higher
Castes. They called by different names Panchamas, Chandalas, Scheduled Castes
and Dalits.[10]Most
of the Dalit’s they are all live in villages they are depend on Agriculture and
they are agriculture labours they don’t have houses,lands.Living in poor
conditions and another profession for dalit’s is they are doing leather works,
skinning, carrying soil on their heads. During 1920 the beginning of dalit
Movement and 1970 Movement of Dalit panther in Maharashtra came. Dalit does not
mean caste or low caste or poor our human community only created and divided
all these unwanted divisions. Majority of the Dalit’s are uneducated peoples
yet some dalit’s didn’t get the Awareness of education and the importance of
education they don’t have way to lift their life style. Dalits are rejected in
temples, religious processions, schools, public places, and also walking
through streets. In some village hotels they are still working as servants,
washing the plates, cleaning in the hotels[11].
Dalit
Christians:
Dalit Christian’s mass movement that is the conversion
of dalit’s in to Christianity is started around 1890. In 1980 Baptists
in Ongole and the united Presbyterians in the Punjab[12]
They started this mission work to the conversion of dalit’s in to
Christianity that work was finalized in 1890.missionary resources took some
effort for this conversion. First the united Presbyterians they focused the
establishment of schools in villages that was the very big achievement of
conversion. The result of this conversion work is 695 students they are
converted as a dalit’s and 470 were new Christians that was the huge conversion
of dalit Christians[13].
In Punjab north missionaries they took effort they
went to villages and established self-support activities and land allocations
in villages. In the south missionaries took effort for granting land to
dalit’s.”The root for this evangelistic work is Rev. Adam Andrew, church of
Scotland and Rev. William Goudie a Wesley Methodist. After this movement many
of the dalit peoples became Christians and they accepted baptism and they are
added to Christian community finally they became “Body of Christ”.
Caste
Discriminations within the Church:
The two different divisions in the church one are
dalit Christian families and another one is non-dalit Christian families. Basically non-dalit Christians are very well developed people
their life style is royal and rich they are all higher income groups and higher
literacy but dalit Christians people they are all basically lowest income
groups and non literacy, so non dalit Christians they keep some distance with
dalit Christians that is called Madiga Christians[14].
They are all same Christian congregation members but
there is no Inter-dining and Inter-marriage .some village dalit families they are saying the town Christians
‘look down’ to dalit Christians, now a days in the church this is only the
major problems. The non dalit Christian families they are dominating and
showing caste discrimination in the church this is very bad activities in the
church. Sometimes Christian faith mainly escapes because of caste oppression.
Dalits are not suffering in the society and they are also suffering in the
church by caste discrimination.
Caste
Discriminations within the Society:
In a terrible end to a story of love is frustrated by
caste discrimination. Dalit youth E. Ilavarasan, whose marriage to a vanniyar
girl Divya this was the Major Issue happened in Dharmapuri, Tamilnadu. In this
incident, the boy Ilavarasan and the girl Divya and married but in Divya family
they rejected this Marriage.
On 7th November 2012 Divya’s father died by
Suicide attend because his daughter Divya married a Dalit boy Ilavarasan so he
committed Suicide. After this incident there was huge quarrel between Dalits
and Vanniyars people. Vanniyars attacked three Dalit colonies and 268 houses
were destroyed and then set on fire[15].Just
focus on this incident there is no rights and freedom to take their own
decisions, so all happened the only reason of caste discrimination it is not
only in marriage and also Religious places, colleges, society. Our human body
Structure is same, running of blood inside the body is same but from where the
casteism came.
Dalit
Hermeneutics:
As a Hermeneutical Principle Christology from the
Dalit Perspective functions in a similar way in that it contextually expresses
the life of dalit’s through the paradigm of the life of Jesus Christ[16].We
can say in other words the intention of Christology with in Dalit theology is
to interpret the importance of the person hood and Message of Jesus Christ. It
also provides liberative models of Dalits and it can construct an alternative
vision of social and religious interactions, enabling them to move towards a
liberated life.
A.P.Nirmal says the dalit theology claimed that the
“suffering servant” image actualized by Jesus Christ has become the
foundational Manifestation of the Dalit God[17].Jesus
Christ Identified and participated in the oppressed Dalits experience is
primary and fundamental to express God’s plan of liberation for rejected people
from the society. Jesus Feel these Dalit experiences as the Model of all
Dalits. Jesus enters in to deepness of human experience of Pain and Pathos .It
was an experience of Sadness and loneliness, an experience of rejected by
people and God. Jesus Christ also rejected, Unloved, teased, suffered it
Identifiable with Dalits. The Dalit Christ who is the resurrected lord, but he
encountered in the dalit experience. This encounter has spoken and prepared as
Dalit theology.
In another view Jesus Christ as the messiah who
undergoes suffering to bring about salvation to marginalized members of
society, including the Dalits. Dalits are looking for Messiahs from outside,
but Jesus as one among the oppressed mutual can be more real Messiah than Jesus
who comes as an intruder in to history and as a non-oppressed person. The God
who submitted himself for the deliverance of the oppressed and poor, cross the
path of complete rejection, hatred, and ridicule, so that the Messianic trust
for dalit’s will be both meaningful and real. [18]His
life stands as a perfect reason for carryout oppression on Dalits. Dalits are
pushed to follow Christ only in his Patience, tolerance, humbleness, obedience,
forgiveness, and compassion.
Methodological
Issues in Dalit Theology:
Methodological
Exclusivism and Theological Inclusivism:
Dalit theological interpretation states that Dalit
theology is a counter theology it promotes Exclusivism in all its affairs. A.P.Nirmal
says “Dalit theology will be produced by Dalits.
It is based on their own experiences, sufferings,
aspirations and their own hope.[19]
It is the story of their Pain, Pathos and Protest against the Socio-economic
injustices. The reason of counter theology it is necessary that also exclusive
in character. Methodological Exclusivism events Dalit Subjectivity it is
pointed freedom of dalit, freedom from the fear, influence and recreated by
dominant characteristics and Principles. This will be a Methodological
Exclusivism.
On the other hand it interrelated of theological
information and the inclusive nature of the Christian community, Dalit theologies identify about discipline, it allows
understanding Pain and Pathos of the oppressed people. It has offer line
towards the universality of God and the inclusiveness of all human beings in
the function of this one creation.
Reflection:
Liberation theology Movement made great changes not
only in Latin America, but all over the world. It created the respect to poor
in society. It gave Uniqueness to poor in church and society and Liberation
theology produced great changes in church level, theological level and in the
society. It has been breaking the Oppression and poverty in the society.
Really the Dalit Movement is not fulfilled till now
this movement is going on process. When the oppression, poverty and caste based
discriminations find no place at the earth, then we can say that the task of
“Dalit Movement “has been accomplished its goal and has brought liberation to
the Dalits and Victims of Casteism.
Dalit Interpretation of the bible is making great
change in our society. Our traditions are made us to Praise God as Abraham’s
God, Isaac’s God and Jacob’s God. But Dalit theologies make us to think God as
Dalit’s God.
Some churches have accepted this Dalit theology,
Dalits welcome in church. They are giving honor to Dalits but at the same time
most of the churches do not accept the Dalit theology and Dalits. They are not
giving importance to Poverty people, oppressed people this situation should be
change and we will create equality in the church and in the society.
***********************
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Carr, Dhyanchand. “A Biblical Basis for Dalit Theology”. Indigenous
people: dalit’s issues in today’s theological debate. Edited by James Massey
Delhi: ISPCK, 1994.
Clarke, Sathianathan. “Dalit Theology: An Introductory and
Interpretive Theological Exposition,” Dalit theology in the twenty first
century, discordant voices, discerning pathways. Edited by Sathianathan Clarke
New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2010.
Devasahayam V. Review of Pollution, Poverty and Powerlessness a Dalit
perspective. NCCI 1988.
Ferm, William Deane. Third world theologies New York: Orbis
books, 1987.
Gutierrez Gustavo. Theology of Liberation. Mary
knoll: Orbis Books, 1973.
http://www.TheHindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/parties-demad-proper-probe.into-Ilavarasan/article
4884426.ece (19 July 2013).
Jeremiah, Anderson H. M. “Exploring new facts of Dalit Christology
critical Interaction with J.D.Crossan’s Portrayal of the Jesus,” Dalit
theology in the twenty first century, discordant voices, discerning pathways. Edited
by Sathianathan Clarke. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2010.
M.E. Prabhakar. “The search for a Dalit theology”,
Indigenous people: dalit’s
issues in today’s theological debate. Edited by James Massey Delhi: ISPCK,
1994.
Nirmal, Arvind P. Review of Toward
a Christian Dalit theology. NCCI Feb 1988.
Rajkumar, Peniel J.R. Dalit theology and Dalit liberation, problem
paradigms and possibilities. Bangalore: The United Theological College,
2010.
Shiri, Godwin. Dalit
Christians: A Saga of Faith and Pathos. Nagpur: NCCI, 2012.
Webster, John C. B. The Dalit Christians A History. Delhi: ISPCK,
1992.
[1]Gustavo Gutierrez, Theology of Liberation,
(Mary knoll: Orbis Books, 1973), 36-37
[2]Gustavo Gutierrez, Theology of Liberation,
(Mary knoll: Orbis Books, 1973), 36-37
[3] Ibid., 101-119.
[4]Dhyanchand Carr, “A Biblical Basis for
Dalit Theology”, Indigenous people: dalit’s issues in today’s theological
debate, edited by James Massey (Delhi: ISPCK, 1994), 236-238.
[6]
Ibid., 256-372.
[7] M.E.
Prabhakar, “The search for a Dalit theology”, Indigenous
people: dalit’s issues in today’s theological debate, edited by James Massey
(Delhi: ISPCK, 1994), 41-43.
[8]Arvind P. Nirmal, review of Toward a Christian Dalit theology,
NCCI (Feb 1988): 58-59.
[9]J.R. Peniel Rajkumar, Dalit theology and Dalit
liberation, problem paradigms and possibilities (Bangalore: The United
Theological College, 2010), 44-45.
[10]
V. Devasahayam, review of Pollution,
Poverty and Powerlessness a Dalit perspective, NCCI (1988):1-2.
[13]
John C. B. Webster, The Dalit Christians A History
(Delhi: ISPCK, 1992), 59-63.
[15]http://www.TheHindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/parties-demad-proper-probe.into-Ilavarasan/article
4884426.ece (19 July 2013).
[16]Anderson
H. M. Jeremiah, “exploring new facts of Dalit Christology critical
Interaction with J.D.Crossan’s Portrayal of the Jesus,” Dalit theology in
the twenty first century, discordant voices, discerning pathways, edited by
Sathianathan Clarke (New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2010), 151.
[19] Sathianathan
Clarke, “Dalit Theology: An Introductory and Interpretive Theological
Exposition,” Dalit theology in the twenty first century, discordant voices,
discerning pathways, edited by Sathianathan Clarke (New Delhi: Oxford
University Press, 2010), 20-21.
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