As we prepare to celebrate the 60th anniversary of our nation’s independence this poem by Rabindranath Tagore could perhaps remind us of some of the ideals for the nation expressed by its founding fathers. Written at a time of grave crisis this poem articulated a hope for freedom that was not locked by the region’s immediate need – political freedom. Tagore’s wisdom saw beyond that particular, however urgent, need and astutely articulated that freedom from foreign rule was not an end in itself, but indeed was to yield to freedom for a higher quality of life.
Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;
Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls;
Where words come out from the depth of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead
habit;
Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action,
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.
Tagore identified two enemies of freedom: fear and fragmentation. The first as he conveys hinders us from holding our head high. We are cowed down by it as we fail to recognize our own worth and identity. The force of colonialism may have been partly behind the fear that was evident in his day and hence his desire to defeat that particular enemy. Though it could be motivated by a desire to protect and guard, the second and related enemy of fragmentation Tagore goes on to assert, actually brakes down the world and its people.
Fear and fragmentation are still as real as they were in Tagore’s day. Today among the many things we fear is the onslaught of globalization. Since we often respond with knee jerk reactions to those fears and retreat into our own narrow domestic walls, it leads to a fragmentation of society. Instructive though is the fact that although Tagore also lived at a time of acute rupture he did not succumb to the stranglehold of fear that the forceful onslaught of colonialism issued in. Instead in his literary flourish he ably expressed his worth and identity in creative and liberative ways. The numerous poems, plays and essays that he produced are testimony to the fact that in him India had a visionary leader, wise as he was fearless. It is for no insignificant reason that he was awarded the Nobel Prize and also Knighted (though he relinquished that honour after the ruthless Jallianwallah Bagh Massacre).
Looking back over the past 60 years it is not difficult to recognise that such ideals have at times been achieved and yet at others we have made a mockery of them. Sadly more recently it appears that some are loosing their nerve as they succumb to fear and descend into fragmentation. It is as if confidence their in history, culture and ability to cope with global economic and cultural forces is ebbing away. They seem to be driven by a fear of the unknown into the safe arms of tradition, or at least their version of tradition. This destination, they often fail to realise, is not tradition that existed but in fact is an invented tradition, a golden age which exists only as the figment of their imagination. That journey they embark on neither takes them back to the past nor moves them forward. The only result it achieves is to break the world down by locking them into fear filled locations. This then issues in suspicion which in turn leads to communalism and eventually violence and destruction. One need not enumerate details of that descent here, for they are well known. Suffice to say that the enemies Tagore identified are real and present dangers we face today.
In response Tagore suggests hard work aimed at excellence and creativity as two strategies that could help us out of this malaise. These, he suggests, may lead us into the freedom of ever widening thought and action, constructive as it is creative. He personified that in his own life. He imbibed what was good from many different cultures, indeed he claimed he was a product of the confluence of three cultures; Hindu, Muslim and Christian. Far from arresting his growth this heritage served to catapult him into a global orbit from where he influenced the world with his thought and writing. In contrast to fear that leads to fragmentation, hard work and creativity he demonstrated may actually fortify us to such an extent that not only our small corner may benefit but the world at large may stand to gain.
I am reminded of the bravery of Esther and her uncle Mordecai in the face of extreme vulnerability. Note particularly in Esther 5:9 how Mordecai is not perturbed by the evil designs of Haman, rather his confidence lies in God’s purposes for his people. Such a recognition then enables him advice Esther who goes on to serve as a distinguished ambassador for her people. Their brave and creative hard work, in the case of Esther it was up front and in the case of Mordecai it was behind the scenes, brought about immense good for the Jewish people. Such examples I believe stand as valuable models for us, the Christian community, in our role as citizens of our mother land. While there is every excuse to succumb to fear and recoil into our narrow domestic walls, we simply cannot afford to do so. This is not merely for strategic reasons but more importantly for theological ones. That is to say it is not merely for the sake of our community’s fortunes that we are to display creativity and expend hard work, but our faith in the Triune God commissions us to do so. We are called to be salt and light in society. But, how can salt exert its influence if it remains in the saltshaker? How can light perform its function if it remains hidden under a bush? The nation at large is the milieu in which our hard work and creativity is to be pursued.
Salt and Light are fecund metaphors for an engaged and constructive discipleship within the culture we inhabit. Salt preserves and light illuminates. As disciples of Jesus Christ how can we be S&L within the context of the 60th anniversary of our nation’s independence?
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Friday, July 6, 2007
Caste Identity & Conflict
Rajasthan Burns! cried one newspaper, and how it did! The entire region was brought to a standstill as the Gujjars demonstrated and the Meenas retaliated. Instigating these events are actions that go back to 1999 when the BJP government, for allegedly political reasons, included the Jat caste in the OBC list. They then climbed the economic ladder at the expense of other OBC castes, such as the Gujjars. Disgruntled at their loss the Gujjars now desire to 'step down' to the SC/ST list hoping that they will garner some success as a result of reservations SC/ST's receive. The BJP, they claim, has reneged on promises to that end made prior to elections and hence their demand for privileges. Sensing that a similar fate would befall them, the Meena caste, who were previously OBC's but since 1954 are considered SC/ST, reacted violently. Unfortunately about 26 people paid with their lives and industry suffered a 10K crore or so loss, in Rajasthan alone.
Events such as these have put paid to the notion that caste politics is no longer a reality in India. In fact politicisation of caste has come to haunt those who have sadly chose recourse to it. In order to woo voters politicians have unashamedly exploited caste feelings. Now, society at large suffers their misdemeanors. But, another question arises: is politicking alone to blame for this malaise? I suspect not. It appears that along with the politics of caste, economics is integrally tied to these emotive issues. Benefits that one community receives do not seem to be equally apportioned to others. Added to that, in this particular case, a 'lower' caste seems to be enjoying a larger slice of the increasingly attractive economic pie. So, it appears that alongside the politician's short sightedness the nexus between social structure and economic power has precipitated unrest which in turn resulted in widespread violence.
What shocks me however is that in the land of Mahatma Gandhi political protests takes on such violent overtones! While the world lauds Gandhi's ahimsa his own political progeny prefer destruction to dialogue. More immediately, it must be said that such indiscriminate damage to property and life, on both sides of the law, cannot be condoned. Over the long term, alarming is the recourse to violence that we see becoming ever so common. From small scale, yet no less heinous, events such as the lynching of Pastors (like the ones that occurred in Rajasthan and Maharastra recently) to large scale vandalism, violence appears a far more effective a tool than the democratic process. For a civilization that boasts of a history of over 3000 years, including in its pages Mahatma Gandhi, is it not rather ironic that it's imagination has been so clouded by violence?
The dumbing down of the Indian imagination, courtesy of fundamentalists forces that seeks to lock everyone into a single monochrome frame, has yielded in part to this malaise. Characterisation of people based solely on religion and caste seems to be creating a society that is increasingly polarized along those very lines. Besides the harm perpetrated on other religious groupings, now we are witnessing its effects even within the Hindu fold itself (another case in point is the recent incident at the Fine Arts Faculty of M.S. University, Vadodara). All this affirms that fundamentalist tendencies neither do good for others nor for those who propagate them. Furthermore, this widespread recourse to violence as a means to affect social engineering proves the utter bankruptcy of such an ideology for social good.
For a national imagination to flower social pluralism and economic equity among other things, is of utmost importance. Further, violence will have to be eschewed in favour of mature and open dialogue. The process of seeking SC/ST status legitimate as it may be, cannot be achieved by violence nor can it be exclusive to one caste alone. What about those OBCs who are less well off than the Gujjars, but not as numerous? While they cannot speak so loudly, theirs is nevertheless as legitimate a claim as that of the Gujjars. If our economy is supposedly growing at breakneck speed why should one group feel threatened at the desires of another? Why should it be a 'them versus us' frame that dictates the debate? Can we not all grow together?
For us Christians, this has implications for our effort to persuade the government include Christians who hail from Dalit backgrounds into the SC/ST list. Establishing an identity for ourselves cannot proceed along the 'them versus us' trajectory, apparently prevalent in Rajasthan. On the contrary, we will need to display maturity and create an inclusive strategy that works for the benefit of other communities as well as ours. Magnanimity in these deliberations will stand as a testimony to the servanthood we are called to by our Lord (Mat 20.28 & Mark 10.45). If he came to serve, rather than lord it over others, should it not be the template for our societal presence as well? Perhaps if we adopt such an approach we could create a fresh model of democratic participation for the nation at large. Such a Christ stamped imagination can assist us immensely.
Salt and Light are fecund metaphors for an engaged and constructive discipleship within the culture we inhabit. Salt preserves and light illuminates. As disciples of Jesus Christ how can we be S&L within the context of the violent struggle for caste identity in our nation?
Events such as these have put paid to the notion that caste politics is no longer a reality in India. In fact politicisation of caste has come to haunt those who have sadly chose recourse to it. In order to woo voters politicians have unashamedly exploited caste feelings. Now, society at large suffers their misdemeanors. But, another question arises: is politicking alone to blame for this malaise? I suspect not. It appears that along with the politics of caste, economics is integrally tied to these emotive issues. Benefits that one community receives do not seem to be equally apportioned to others. Added to that, in this particular case, a 'lower' caste seems to be enjoying a larger slice of the increasingly attractive economic pie. So, it appears that alongside the politician's short sightedness the nexus between social structure and economic power has precipitated unrest which in turn resulted in widespread violence.
What shocks me however is that in the land of Mahatma Gandhi political protests takes on such violent overtones! While the world lauds Gandhi's ahimsa his own political progeny prefer destruction to dialogue. More immediately, it must be said that such indiscriminate damage to property and life, on both sides of the law, cannot be condoned. Over the long term, alarming is the recourse to violence that we see becoming ever so common. From small scale, yet no less heinous, events such as the lynching of Pastors (like the ones that occurred in Rajasthan and Maharastra recently) to large scale vandalism, violence appears a far more effective a tool than the democratic process. For a civilization that boasts of a history of over 3000 years, including in its pages Mahatma Gandhi, is it not rather ironic that it's imagination has been so clouded by violence?
The dumbing down of the Indian imagination, courtesy of fundamentalists forces that seeks to lock everyone into a single monochrome frame, has yielded in part to this malaise. Characterisation of people based solely on religion and caste seems to be creating a society that is increasingly polarized along those very lines. Besides the harm perpetrated on other religious groupings, now we are witnessing its effects even within the Hindu fold itself (another case in point is the recent incident at the Fine Arts Faculty of M.S. University, Vadodara). All this affirms that fundamentalist tendencies neither do good for others nor for those who propagate them. Furthermore, this widespread recourse to violence as a means to affect social engineering proves the utter bankruptcy of such an ideology for social good.
For a national imagination to flower social pluralism and economic equity among other things, is of utmost importance. Further, violence will have to be eschewed in favour of mature and open dialogue. The process of seeking SC/ST status legitimate as it may be, cannot be achieved by violence nor can it be exclusive to one caste alone. What about those OBCs who are less well off than the Gujjars, but not as numerous? While they cannot speak so loudly, theirs is nevertheless as legitimate a claim as that of the Gujjars. If our economy is supposedly growing at breakneck speed why should one group feel threatened at the desires of another? Why should it be a 'them versus us' frame that dictates the debate? Can we not all grow together?
For us Christians, this has implications for our effort to persuade the government include Christians who hail from Dalit backgrounds into the SC/ST list. Establishing an identity for ourselves cannot proceed along the 'them versus us' trajectory, apparently prevalent in Rajasthan. On the contrary, we will need to display maturity and create an inclusive strategy that works for the benefit of other communities as well as ours. Magnanimity in these deliberations will stand as a testimony to the servanthood we are called to by our Lord (Mat 20.28 & Mark 10.45). If he came to serve, rather than lord it over others, should it not be the template for our societal presence as well? Perhaps if we adopt such an approach we could create a fresh model of democratic participation for the nation at large. Such a Christ stamped imagination can assist us immensely.
Salt and Light are fecund metaphors for an engaged and constructive discipleship within the culture we inhabit. Salt preserves and light illuminates. As disciples of Jesus Christ how can we be S&L within the context of the violent struggle for caste identity in our nation?
Friday, June 8, 2007
Innocence Lost but Izzath Procured
Our hearts stopped beating momentarily and our jaws dropped to the ground as we gazed in speechless wonder and sweaty excitement at the little screen which displayed the image of our tiny baby wriggling away in her mother’s womb. All we could muster up was the ability to hold each other and shed tears of joy at seeing God’s gift to us. Though it transpired about eleven years ago, that unforgettable moment has been etched permanently in our memory, so much so that even today I can feel a tingle run down my spine at the very thought of that moment. Now, that little baby has grown as tall as her mother and can do much more than just wriggle around. Yet, she is as special to us as she was at that moment we set eyes on her. We happened to live in a part of the world that did not place restrictions on medical personnel revealing the gender of the baby, so we knew that we were to have a girl, an awareness which, I must confess, introduced a sparkle in my eye. Subsequently we were blessed with a second daughter and a son, who also remain as special and precious to us as the first one was and is.
We often contrast our unbounded joy with a family we met a few years previously at a village in south India. My wife and I were on a team, that lived in the village for a week, assisting the local residents in the building a multi-purpose community hall. During our time there, a pregnant woman went into labour. Keen to witness this special event, the women in our team went over to the pregnant woman’s home only to be invited in. No sooner than the little infant was born and the gender determined, she was with, little hesitation, offered right then and there to any of the women on our team who would be willing to take her off their hands. Hardly two seconds into her life and that precious little child was already considered a liability, so severe that her parents were ready and willing to give her away.
That the girl child faces prejudice is not a fresh revelation to us in India. As despicable as it is, we have known of that for decades, if not centuries. However, what is equally shocking is the recent revelation that both girls and boys in our land have been at the receiving end of, not just prejudice, but abuse as well. Formed in 2006, the Ministry of Women and Child Development of the Government of India has been established to work for the uplift of women and children. To achieve that goal along with other NGOs they undertook a massive study that covered 13 states, involved sampling 12447 children, 2324 young adults and 2449 stakeholders. The recently released Study on Child Abuse: India 2007 (see http://wcd.nic.in/childabuse.pdf ) reveals that:
69% of India’s children face physical abuse, of which 54.68% were boys and 45.32% were girls.
53.22 % of India’s children endure sexual abuse and for 50 % of them the abusers were known to the child and were in places in positions of trust and responsibility.
50 % faced emotional abuse and for 83% of them it was meted out by parents.
Even a cursory glance such as this reveals that the study is a damning report on the plight of the children in our nation. A measure of innocence that characterizes childhood stands violated, not just for a brief period but indeed for the entire lifespan. Psychological trauma that accompanies abuse dwarfs children for life and at times even perpetuates that on to the following generations.
For long we have prided ourselves in a culture that places high premium on the family and holds family values as sacrosanct. We often contrast our supposedly stable family oriented society with the west where marriage is often taken very lightly. Indeed the low rate of divorce becomes our trump card over a decadent west. This illuminating report however seems to burst some of those myths. If a culture that prides itself in family harbours such attitudes and perpetuates such actions against its children, is there then much to speak for our family values? If we allow 69 % of the children to be physically abused, 53% to be sexually abused and over 50% to be emotionally abused, then what purchase is there for our family oriented culture? We have recently been celebrating India’s success in the world of Information Technology, Space Technology and other fields of human endeavour and that, I must say, is fine and indeed has its place. However, my question is: if we possess the potential to ride cyberspace and even conquer outer space so ably, why are we not able to surmount obstacles that are erected within social space?
Particularly for the girl child, why do we find it simpler to resort to infanticide and other forms of killing, which is done ostensibly to avoid massive wedding expenses, rather than alter our customs surrounding the wedding? Is it not a convoluted system of logic that prefers infanticide and other forms of killing to instituting a change in socio-religious customs? Is murder more conducive to our society than social change?
By the same token, abuse that children endure, as the Government’s study reveals, is often hidden by social norms and family ‘izzath’. It seems we do not mind if innocence is lost but we are willing to go that extra mile to preserve our ‘izzath’. Why is it that the individual, and in this case it is a minor individual, is called upon to pay such a high price for the welfare of the group? Why is it that ‘izzath’ seems to be more precious than life?
The response of Jesus to his own disciples when they tried to keep children away from Him is most pertinent here. Matthew records those incidents in Ch18 & 19, explaining how Jesus rebuked his disciples for their heartlessness. Jesus did not camouflage his displeasure on the contrary it was expressed emphatically. For Him even neglect of a child, let alone active abuse, attracts the wrath of God. Significantly though, He did not stop there. Jesus then went on to place that child right in the midst of this group and thus affirmed, not only that the child was important but, that a child-like disposition indeed became the criteria for kingdom citizenship. In Jesus' hands the child was not merely used as a visual aid for the teaching of a greater lesson, but rather in His hands the child was the lesson. He/she became the model of a kingdom citizen. Entry into heaven was based on following the 'immaturity' of a child not on adherence to the 'wisdom' of an adult. From obscurity even invisibility the child becomes a paradigmatic figure. In this one act of Jesus we see that kingdom agendas promotes the child from the margins to the centre of kingdom life. The last becomes the first and the first becomes last.
On that special day we saw my daughter’s tiny image on the visual display it was a profound learning experience. Matthew 18 & 19 took on a fresh new meaning for us. Even before she was born our daughter began teaching us among other things what it means to be a child of God, the extent of His creativity and the shape of His Father’s heart. That heart of God I believe suffers excruciating pains when Indian children, as this study shows, are abused and killed, for as Jesus expounded, that heart has a special place for children. According to Jesus these 'little ones' are at the heart of Kingdom life.
Salt and Light are fecund metaphors for an engaged and constructive discipleship within the culture we inhabit. Salt preserves and light illuminates. As disciples of Jesus Christ how can we be S&L within the context of the child abuse scandal that has hit our nation?
We often contrast our unbounded joy with a family we met a few years previously at a village in south India. My wife and I were on a team, that lived in the village for a week, assisting the local residents in the building a multi-purpose community hall. During our time there, a pregnant woman went into labour. Keen to witness this special event, the women in our team went over to the pregnant woman’s home only to be invited in. No sooner than the little infant was born and the gender determined, she was with, little hesitation, offered right then and there to any of the women on our team who would be willing to take her off their hands. Hardly two seconds into her life and that precious little child was already considered a liability, so severe that her parents were ready and willing to give her away.
That the girl child faces prejudice is not a fresh revelation to us in India. As despicable as it is, we have known of that for decades, if not centuries. However, what is equally shocking is the recent revelation that both girls and boys in our land have been at the receiving end of, not just prejudice, but abuse as well. Formed in 2006, the Ministry of Women and Child Development of the Government of India has been established to work for the uplift of women and children. To achieve that goal along with other NGOs they undertook a massive study that covered 13 states, involved sampling 12447 children, 2324 young adults and 2449 stakeholders. The recently released Study on Child Abuse: India 2007 (see http://wcd.nic.in/childabuse.pdf ) reveals that:
69% of India’s children face physical abuse, of which 54.68% were boys and 45.32% were girls.
53.22 % of India’s children endure sexual abuse and for 50 % of them the abusers were known to the child and were in places in positions of trust and responsibility.
50 % faced emotional abuse and for 83% of them it was meted out by parents.
Even a cursory glance such as this reveals that the study is a damning report on the plight of the children in our nation. A measure of innocence that characterizes childhood stands violated, not just for a brief period but indeed for the entire lifespan. Psychological trauma that accompanies abuse dwarfs children for life and at times even perpetuates that on to the following generations.
For long we have prided ourselves in a culture that places high premium on the family and holds family values as sacrosanct. We often contrast our supposedly stable family oriented society with the west where marriage is often taken very lightly. Indeed the low rate of divorce becomes our trump card over a decadent west. This illuminating report however seems to burst some of those myths. If a culture that prides itself in family harbours such attitudes and perpetuates such actions against its children, is there then much to speak for our family values? If we allow 69 % of the children to be physically abused, 53% to be sexually abused and over 50% to be emotionally abused, then what purchase is there for our family oriented culture? We have recently been celebrating India’s success in the world of Information Technology, Space Technology and other fields of human endeavour and that, I must say, is fine and indeed has its place. However, my question is: if we possess the potential to ride cyberspace and even conquer outer space so ably, why are we not able to surmount obstacles that are erected within social space?
Particularly for the girl child, why do we find it simpler to resort to infanticide and other forms of killing, which is done ostensibly to avoid massive wedding expenses, rather than alter our customs surrounding the wedding? Is it not a convoluted system of logic that prefers infanticide and other forms of killing to instituting a change in socio-religious customs? Is murder more conducive to our society than social change?
By the same token, abuse that children endure, as the Government’s study reveals, is often hidden by social norms and family ‘izzath’. It seems we do not mind if innocence is lost but we are willing to go that extra mile to preserve our ‘izzath’. Why is it that the individual, and in this case it is a minor individual, is called upon to pay such a high price for the welfare of the group? Why is it that ‘izzath’ seems to be more precious than life?
The response of Jesus to his own disciples when they tried to keep children away from Him is most pertinent here. Matthew records those incidents in Ch18 & 19, explaining how Jesus rebuked his disciples for their heartlessness. Jesus did not camouflage his displeasure on the contrary it was expressed emphatically. For Him even neglect of a child, let alone active abuse, attracts the wrath of God. Significantly though, He did not stop there. Jesus then went on to place that child right in the midst of this group and thus affirmed, not only that the child was important but, that a child-like disposition indeed became the criteria for kingdom citizenship. In Jesus' hands the child was not merely used as a visual aid for the teaching of a greater lesson, but rather in His hands the child was the lesson. He/she became the model of a kingdom citizen. Entry into heaven was based on following the 'immaturity' of a child not on adherence to the 'wisdom' of an adult. From obscurity even invisibility the child becomes a paradigmatic figure. In this one act of Jesus we see that kingdom agendas promotes the child from the margins to the centre of kingdom life. The last becomes the first and the first becomes last.
On that special day we saw my daughter’s tiny image on the visual display it was a profound learning experience. Matthew 18 & 19 took on a fresh new meaning for us. Even before she was born our daughter began teaching us among other things what it means to be a child of God, the extent of His creativity and the shape of His Father’s heart. That heart of God I believe suffers excruciating pains when Indian children, as this study shows, are abused and killed, for as Jesus expounded, that heart has a special place for children. According to Jesus these 'little ones' are at the heart of Kingdom life.
Salt and Light are fecund metaphors for an engaged and constructive discipleship within the culture we inhabit. Salt preserves and light illuminates. As disciples of Jesus Christ how can we be S&L within the context of the child abuse scandal that has hit our nation?
Monday, May 7, 2007
I Shop Therefore I Am?
Few of us would have failed to hear of and experience the impact of the IT revolution that swept our society. Now barely a decade or so after that began we are on the verge of yet another revolution that is about to sweep our nation. While IT may be present here also serving as its backbone, this however is a revolution of a different sort. Not resident in the lines of code that engineers write creating software applications that run business but rather one that stares us in the face as we go out and about in our towns and cities and is present even in our homes as we watch television. Ubiquitous, glitzy and promising, with unbridled pretentions, a taste of first world, this is a revolution that will not only facilitate, at least supposedly, a sophisticated lifestyle but more significantly will shape our lives in more ways than one. This is the retail revolution.
Recently when we heard news that the American giant WalMart and India’s Bharti Enterprises (promoters of Airtel) signed a deal to create a mammoth retail chain store, and again when we were informed that Mukesh Ambani of Reliance Industries unveiled his mega plan to establish a similar chain, it was clear that the retail revolution was underway. Research shows that together big corporations like them plan to invest US $ 10 billion over the next five years. So when market analysts say that retail is the next sunrise sector (growth for the organized retail sector is estimated at 15-20%) they are not far from the truth.
One reason this retail revolution is feasible is because of the growing middle class. Rise in personal final consumption expenditure (which it is said has grown by about 11% over the last three years) supplemented by easily available credit facilitates this new found purchasing power and thus drives the demand side of the equation. On the supply side institutional investors on the lookout for fresh markets provide ready capital inflow for inventory as well as retail space in the form of malls.
On the other hand is the psychological driver. Since the 1980’s our nation has been gradually ushered into the world of consumerism. The popularity of colour television nursed a generation of young people on ‘choice’. The monochrome of the staple of consumer goods was infused with the colour of choice. Growing up on such a diet, choice came to be seen as good and valued. Today this ‘choice generation’ of the 80’s are now the ones that people the corporate offices of our land. As they earn unprecedented salaries their desire for ‘choice’ has now grown to be rather insatiable. It is not sufficient to get by with what works, on the contrary the latest brands, even the ones that currently are on offer in the west, and the most advanced technology are the objects of desire. Cost is no bar, image is the criteria. Exuding a view on life that believes, if-you’ve-got-it-flaunt-it, they live life, as they say, XL size.
Now sooner rather than later, if it has not already caught up, other sections of society are liable to follow suit. Visit any B grade city and you will find the trappings of consumerism as evident there as in any upwardly mobile urban home. This abundance of material goods is not necessarily value neutral. On the contrary it actually goes hand in hand with a distinct change in attitude toward those goods. Such consumerism suggests that for many significance is not derived from ‘being’ rather it obtains from ‘possessing’. The car becomes, not a means to get from point A to B, but statement of one’s status, one’s purchasing power and one’s preferential style. A watch becomes, not an instrument to tell time, but to tell people who one wants to be and when one has arrived. The French philosopher Rene Decartes’ statement, Cogito, ergo sum, I think therefore I am, could be reworked to describe this influential philosophy to say, ‘I shop therefore I am’!
As members of society Christians are not necessarily immune from this view on life, in fact many of us are as prone to exhibit this view as blatantly others are. Sadly the church often becomes a stage on which we display our spoils from the local mall. Further not only do we succumb to its beguiling charms we often import it into the way we even perceive and practice our faith. Consider how many of us ‘shop around’ for a church that appeals to our sense of ‘uplifting’ spirituality, piously saying that we really feel the presence of God in that place. Consider how we flock to those who preach a safe and comfy gospel, rather than to those who, like Jesus, do not mince their words. We pick and choose a church or a spiritual guru based on what they have to offer us rather than on the call for sacrificial discipleship that the scriptures issue.
On the face of it, the retail revolution may seem to be a rather innocuous change in the way society is ordered, and to be sure there are many benefits that it will usher in. Jobs and enhanced services are but only two of many. However when one stops to ponder the issue the deformation that consumerism causes on human persons is a powerful force that is increasingly and alarmingly evident in society. Human life and meaning is marred, human agency is trivialized, and goods that hitherto possessed intrinsic utility are now endowed with a transcendent value quite separate from what it exists for in the first place. Such trivialization of humanity and the divinizing of commodities holds serious implications for church and society.
Salt and Light are fecund metaphors for an engaged and constructive discipleship within the culture we inhabit. Salt preserves and light illuminates. As disciples of Jesus Christ how can we be S&L within the context of the retail revolution that is sweeping through our nation?
Recently when we heard news that the American giant WalMart and India’s Bharti Enterprises (promoters of Airtel) signed a deal to create a mammoth retail chain store, and again when we were informed that Mukesh Ambani of Reliance Industries unveiled his mega plan to establish a similar chain, it was clear that the retail revolution was underway. Research shows that together big corporations like them plan to invest US $ 10 billion over the next five years. So when market analysts say that retail is the next sunrise sector (growth for the organized retail sector is estimated at 15-20%) they are not far from the truth.
One reason this retail revolution is feasible is because of the growing middle class. Rise in personal final consumption expenditure (which it is said has grown by about 11% over the last three years) supplemented by easily available credit facilitates this new found purchasing power and thus drives the demand side of the equation. On the supply side institutional investors on the lookout for fresh markets provide ready capital inflow for inventory as well as retail space in the form of malls.
On the other hand is the psychological driver. Since the 1980’s our nation has been gradually ushered into the world of consumerism. The popularity of colour television nursed a generation of young people on ‘choice’. The monochrome of the staple of consumer goods was infused with the colour of choice. Growing up on such a diet, choice came to be seen as good and valued. Today this ‘choice generation’ of the 80’s are now the ones that people the corporate offices of our land. As they earn unprecedented salaries their desire for ‘choice’ has now grown to be rather insatiable. It is not sufficient to get by with what works, on the contrary the latest brands, even the ones that currently are on offer in the west, and the most advanced technology are the objects of desire. Cost is no bar, image is the criteria. Exuding a view on life that believes, if-you’ve-got-it-flaunt-it, they live life, as they say, XL size.
Now sooner rather than later, if it has not already caught up, other sections of society are liable to follow suit. Visit any B grade city and you will find the trappings of consumerism as evident there as in any upwardly mobile urban home. This abundance of material goods is not necessarily value neutral. On the contrary it actually goes hand in hand with a distinct change in attitude toward those goods. Such consumerism suggests that for many significance is not derived from ‘being’ rather it obtains from ‘possessing’. The car becomes, not a means to get from point A to B, but statement of one’s status, one’s purchasing power and one’s preferential style. A watch becomes, not an instrument to tell time, but to tell people who one wants to be and when one has arrived. The French philosopher Rene Decartes’ statement, Cogito, ergo sum, I think therefore I am, could be reworked to describe this influential philosophy to say, ‘I shop therefore I am’!
As members of society Christians are not necessarily immune from this view on life, in fact many of us are as prone to exhibit this view as blatantly others are. Sadly the church often becomes a stage on which we display our spoils from the local mall. Further not only do we succumb to its beguiling charms we often import it into the way we even perceive and practice our faith. Consider how many of us ‘shop around’ for a church that appeals to our sense of ‘uplifting’ spirituality, piously saying that we really feel the presence of God in that place. Consider how we flock to those who preach a safe and comfy gospel, rather than to those who, like Jesus, do not mince their words. We pick and choose a church or a spiritual guru based on what they have to offer us rather than on the call for sacrificial discipleship that the scriptures issue.
On the face of it, the retail revolution may seem to be a rather innocuous change in the way society is ordered, and to be sure there are many benefits that it will usher in. Jobs and enhanced services are but only two of many. However when one stops to ponder the issue the deformation that consumerism causes on human persons is a powerful force that is increasingly and alarmingly evident in society. Human life and meaning is marred, human agency is trivialized, and goods that hitherto possessed intrinsic utility are now endowed with a transcendent value quite separate from what it exists for in the first place. Such trivialization of humanity and the divinizing of commodities holds serious implications for church and society.
Salt and Light are fecund metaphors for an engaged and constructive discipleship within the culture we inhabit. Salt preserves and light illuminates. As disciples of Jesus Christ how can we be S&L within the context of the retail revolution that is sweeping through our nation?
Monday, April 16, 2007
India Poised….but for what?
By now many of us will have become accustomed to reading about the exploits of India Inc. On the back of steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal’s successful takeover of Arcelor, Tata Steel’s noteworthy acquisition of Corus, the Anglo-Dutch corporation formerly called British Steel, heralded that India was firmly in the limelight. This time however India was the focus of attention not for its cultural contribution but rather for its economic might. While a ‘mystical land’ may have been the image that was conjured up in the western mind just a little while ago, now its her enviable economic growth that comes to mind when India is the topic of discussion.
With such stories becoming commonplace it is not surprising some economists suggest that we are close to a double figure economic growth rate. All other considerations aside and whatever may be the actual figures this is a significant achievement. To me what is impressive here is the fact that numerous sectors, not just one, seems to be driving this boom. The IT industry, the star performer up until recently has come to realise that other contenders are vying for the coveted spot on the economic stage. To be sure that is welcome news for it spells a more broad based pattern of growth which clearly augurs well for the nation.
Impressive economic growth is also undoubtedly a major boost to the collective psyche. This has not been lost on journalists nor some sections of the populace. Palpable is the self-confidence and entrepreneurial spirit that one meets whether in glass walled corporate offices or on the street. Indeed, the nations hottest destination is not so much South Block in Delhi as it is Dalal Street in Mumbai. Or to put it differently, the tiger that was weighed down by the ills of the License Raj and tied to bureaucratic socialists policies is now flexing its muscles and even breaking free from those chains.
All this and more has prompted marketing gurus to coin the catchy phrase, ‘India Poised’, both to draw attention to that development and perhaps encourage it further. The impression created is that India is on the cusp of a major breakthrough, if not already riding that wave. And the strategy seems to have worked. For example, FDI is growing and IPO’s are now being launched even in real estate ventures. In about twenty five years or so, some predict, India will become the third largest economy in the world. Our Minister of Commerce Kamal Nath, captured that spirit well when he said: “We no longer talk about the future of India, the future is India!
All this euphoria however must not blind us to the other side of the coin. While it is true that the economy has done remarkably well, sadly over seven hundred million of the nations population has not experienced its benefits. In this glowing success story being scripted the rural masses and the urban poor of our nation seem to find no place, indeed they are rendered invisible. Take for example the short film ‘India Poised’, featuring Amitabh Bachchan, that The Times of India produced. In it he narrates: “There are two Indias in this country. One India is straining at the leash, eager to spring forth and live up to all the adjectives that the world has been recently showering upon us. The other India is the leash….One India lives in the optimism of our hearts. The other India lurks in the scepticism of our minds”. Undoubtedly this is a stirring film, but unfortunately at no point does it reflect on nor address the deeper systemic issues of poverty, illiteracy, caste and corruption for example, that plague our nation. That inconvenient underbelly of our society seems to be conveniently brushed aside in favour of a sanitised version of the state of the nation. As I watched that film I wondered whether the millions, who stumble and stagger under the heavy burden of poverty, illiteracy and exploitation, ever ponder the meaning and relevance of that phrase, ‘India Poised’?
India maybe poised, but my question, is for what? To put it differently, if about three hundred million Indians are optimistically poised for global advance but over seven hundred million others are perched over a mighty precipice that only promises despair and death, to what end is all this excitement? Can that one India, moving forward with determination and resolve, afford the luxury to celebrate yet not spare a thought for the other India which is mired in the deadly quicksand of, to name only a few, casteism, poverty and illiteracy?
I do not desire to be a party popper or kill joy for I do understand that India’s recent economic growth is reason for optimism. But my point is that when we are so caught up in that euphoric moment sadly many of us forget that while only thirty out of every hundred people are at the party there are over seventy outside who haven’t a clue what a party is let alone being aware that one is underway. Can the elite and privileged thirty, at this jubilant moment when anthems of ‘India Poised’ fill the air, really speak for and represent the rest? If one India is poised, as they believe for greatness, what about the other India? What are they poised for?
This is where I believe that Jesus’ teaching is so very pertinent. In Matthew 25:40 he clarifies that only those who have tended to the ’little ones’ will find entry into His kingdom. It is not so much our loud preaching or effective mission strategies that will fit us to be part of His kingdom but rather it’s the time and effort expended on these ‘little ones’ that will fit us to live with Him. This is because when give up the privilege of partying with the rich and self-satisfied but instead stand with the poor and outcaste we meet Christ Himself there. It is in that precise act of going ‘outside the gate’ that we astonishingly find Christ Himself ‘outside the gate’ bearing shame and contempt that the poor and outcaste face every day. It will do us well to recognise that being ‘in Christ’ (e.g. Rom 6:11;23) ought to translate into being ‘with Christ’ outside the gate (Heb 12:12-13).
Salt and Light are fecund metaphors for an engaged and constructive discipleship within the culture we inhabit. Salt preserves and light illuminates. As disciples of Jesus Christ how can we be S&L within the context of an India Poised campaign?
With such stories becoming commonplace it is not surprising some economists suggest that we are close to a double figure economic growth rate. All other considerations aside and whatever may be the actual figures this is a significant achievement. To me what is impressive here is the fact that numerous sectors, not just one, seems to be driving this boom. The IT industry, the star performer up until recently has come to realise that other contenders are vying for the coveted spot on the economic stage. To be sure that is welcome news for it spells a more broad based pattern of growth which clearly augurs well for the nation.
Impressive economic growth is also undoubtedly a major boost to the collective psyche. This has not been lost on journalists nor some sections of the populace. Palpable is the self-confidence and entrepreneurial spirit that one meets whether in glass walled corporate offices or on the street. Indeed, the nations hottest destination is not so much South Block in Delhi as it is Dalal Street in Mumbai. Or to put it differently, the tiger that was weighed down by the ills of the License Raj and tied to bureaucratic socialists policies is now flexing its muscles and even breaking free from those chains.
All this and more has prompted marketing gurus to coin the catchy phrase, ‘India Poised’, both to draw attention to that development and perhaps encourage it further. The impression created is that India is on the cusp of a major breakthrough, if not already riding that wave. And the strategy seems to have worked. For example, FDI is growing and IPO’s are now being launched even in real estate ventures. In about twenty five years or so, some predict, India will become the third largest economy in the world. Our Minister of Commerce Kamal Nath, captured that spirit well when he said: “We no longer talk about the future of India, the future is India!
All this euphoria however must not blind us to the other side of the coin. While it is true that the economy has done remarkably well, sadly over seven hundred million of the nations population has not experienced its benefits. In this glowing success story being scripted the rural masses and the urban poor of our nation seem to find no place, indeed they are rendered invisible. Take for example the short film ‘India Poised’, featuring Amitabh Bachchan, that The Times of India produced. In it he narrates: “There are two Indias in this country. One India is straining at the leash, eager to spring forth and live up to all the adjectives that the world has been recently showering upon us. The other India is the leash….One India lives in the optimism of our hearts. The other India lurks in the scepticism of our minds”. Undoubtedly this is a stirring film, but unfortunately at no point does it reflect on nor address the deeper systemic issues of poverty, illiteracy, caste and corruption for example, that plague our nation. That inconvenient underbelly of our society seems to be conveniently brushed aside in favour of a sanitised version of the state of the nation. As I watched that film I wondered whether the millions, who stumble and stagger under the heavy burden of poverty, illiteracy and exploitation, ever ponder the meaning and relevance of that phrase, ‘India Poised’?
India maybe poised, but my question, is for what? To put it differently, if about three hundred million Indians are optimistically poised for global advance but over seven hundred million others are perched over a mighty precipice that only promises despair and death, to what end is all this excitement? Can that one India, moving forward with determination and resolve, afford the luxury to celebrate yet not spare a thought for the other India which is mired in the deadly quicksand of, to name only a few, casteism, poverty and illiteracy?
I do not desire to be a party popper or kill joy for I do understand that India’s recent economic growth is reason for optimism. But my point is that when we are so caught up in that euphoric moment sadly many of us forget that while only thirty out of every hundred people are at the party there are over seventy outside who haven’t a clue what a party is let alone being aware that one is underway. Can the elite and privileged thirty, at this jubilant moment when anthems of ‘India Poised’ fill the air, really speak for and represent the rest? If one India is poised, as they believe for greatness, what about the other India? What are they poised for?
This is where I believe that Jesus’ teaching is so very pertinent. In Matthew 25:40 he clarifies that only those who have tended to the ’little ones’ will find entry into His kingdom. It is not so much our loud preaching or effective mission strategies that will fit us to be part of His kingdom but rather it’s the time and effort expended on these ‘little ones’ that will fit us to live with Him. This is because when give up the privilege of partying with the rich and self-satisfied but instead stand with the poor and outcaste we meet Christ Himself there. It is in that precise act of going ‘outside the gate’ that we astonishingly find Christ Himself ‘outside the gate’ bearing shame and contempt that the poor and outcaste face every day. It will do us well to recognise that being ‘in Christ’ (e.g. Rom 6:11;23) ought to translate into being ‘with Christ’ outside the gate (Heb 12:12-13).
Salt and Light are fecund metaphors for an engaged and constructive discipleship within the culture we inhabit. Salt preserves and light illuminates. As disciples of Jesus Christ how can we be S&L within the context of an India Poised campaign?
Saturday, March 3, 2007
What does Climate Change have to do with Spirituality?
It was in 1988 that the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) set up the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to, as their website puts it, “assess on a comprehensive, objective, open and transparent basis the scientific, technical and socio-economic information relevant to understanding the scientific basis of risk of human-induced climate change, its potential impacts and options for adaptation and mitigation”. As with most intergovernmental initiatives the IPCC was not immune to political pressure from various quarters rendering its work less than persuasive to those who weren’t keen to listen. But a few days ago (2nd Feb 2007) in Paris the IPCC released a 20 page summary of a forthcoming report that seems to have garnered support from most if not all corners of the scientific and political communities – no small feat in and of itself.
The soon to be published four volume ‘Climate Change 2007: The IPCC 4th Assessment Report’ is reviewed by 2500 scientific experts, has 800 contributing authors, 450 lead authors from 130 countries and has taken 6 years to compile. This comprehensive report lays the blame for the alarming climate change we are experiencing at humanity’s door. With more than 90% certainty, the summary attributes this change to the harmful emissions from use of fossil fuels, namely oil and natural gas and to a lesser extent to the destruction of large tracts of forests. Scientists affirm that carbon dioxide levels today are nearly 30% more than they were before the Industrial Revolution; the polar ice cap is now melting at the rate of 9% every decade; ice thickness in the Artic has decreased 40% since the 1960s; the rise in sea-levels is about three times the previous rate; category 4 and 5 hurricanes have almost doubled in the last 30 years. If greenhouse gasses continue to be emitted at this rate, average temperatures could rise from 2 to 4 degrees C. As IPCC Chairman and former director of The Energy and Resources Institute, Delhi, Dr Rajendra Pachauri clarified, we have “already reached the level of dangerous concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere”. Pachauri went on to urge that if humanity is to survive, “immediate and very deep” cuts in pollution are necessary.
In India we have been riding a wave of euphoria driven by winds of impressive economic growth – now said to be close to 10%. Such economic growth is characterised by increased production and increasing consumption, both of which rely almost exclusively on fossil fuels. While it is true in our case that the services sector leads the way, yet it does not mean that our reliance on fossil fuels is any less crucial. For example the growth of the automobile industry, which is directly dependant on fossil fuels, is spawned in large part by the success of the services sector. The hard fact is that chain reactions set off by growth invariably implicate our treatment of the environment. Yet another argument is that India’s contribution to present state of affairs is miniscule compared to other developed nations. While it is true that present levels of greenhouse gasses are the result of emissions of western nations 20-30 years ago, what prospect do we have, if we desire to maintain double digit growth, of doing any different? If the damage in the past is the making of the west, will the future be yet more unmaking by the east?
So what are the alternatives? Obviously it would be foolhardy to expect one to go back to the days of the bullock cart. To be sure one cannot entirely abandon reliance on fossil fuels for economic activity must go on. But if Pachauri words are to be taken seriously how can we cut emissions immediately and drastically? Wasteful use, for one, can be avoided. What are the areas you recognise wasteful use of energy? How could you alter those habits? That, you may say, is only a drop in the ocean! But isn’t the ocean made up of droplets of water? If large numbers do take action then we will most certainly make a difference. Besides acting we can also advocate greener lifestyles. What are the practical ways in which you could encourage your local church to promote greener lifestyles? As IPCC scientists emphasise though matters are rather serious we can begin to reverse the slide. But, they hasten to add, there is no substitute for stern and quick action.
For those who find that unconvincing another pertinent question remains: why do we need to think and act green? What does climate change have to do with spirituality? Right from the word go Biblical teaching underlines that creation was God’s handiwork and He considered it good! Stewardship of that good creation is then a divine mandate. In Gen 2:15 we see that Adam and Eve were given the task of working with God in tending creation. But as a result of sin we also recognise that creation groans in pain (Rom 8:22). The call issued to Adam to work with God is a call that is just as relevant to us here today. We are called to tend and care for creation and help usher in God’s shalom into this fractured world. This is God’s world and His desire is that His children will be good stewards not only of their time and talents and treasures, which are essentially His gifts to us, but also of the world, another valuable gift of His. In that reckoning climate change has everything to do with spirituality. An unengaged spirituality that has nothing to say about climate change will neither be faithful to Biblical teaching nor fit for this world. In contrast a Biblically based spirituality will empower us be salt and light in this world being destroyed among other things by uncontrolled emission of greenhouse gasses.
Salt and Light are fecund metaphors for an engaged and constructive discipleship within the culture we inhabit. Salt preserves and light illuminates. As disciples of Jesus Christ how can we be S&L within the context of the grave threat that we human beings have posed to the environment?
The soon to be published four volume ‘Climate Change 2007: The IPCC 4th Assessment Report’ is reviewed by 2500 scientific experts, has 800 contributing authors, 450 lead authors from 130 countries and has taken 6 years to compile. This comprehensive report lays the blame for the alarming climate change we are experiencing at humanity’s door. With more than 90% certainty, the summary attributes this change to the harmful emissions from use of fossil fuels, namely oil and natural gas and to a lesser extent to the destruction of large tracts of forests. Scientists affirm that carbon dioxide levels today are nearly 30% more than they were before the Industrial Revolution; the polar ice cap is now melting at the rate of 9% every decade; ice thickness in the Artic has decreased 40% since the 1960s; the rise in sea-levels is about three times the previous rate; category 4 and 5 hurricanes have almost doubled in the last 30 years. If greenhouse gasses continue to be emitted at this rate, average temperatures could rise from 2 to 4 degrees C. As IPCC Chairman and former director of The Energy and Resources Institute, Delhi, Dr Rajendra Pachauri clarified, we have “already reached the level of dangerous concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere”. Pachauri went on to urge that if humanity is to survive, “immediate and very deep” cuts in pollution are necessary.
In India we have been riding a wave of euphoria driven by winds of impressive economic growth – now said to be close to 10%. Such economic growth is characterised by increased production and increasing consumption, both of which rely almost exclusively on fossil fuels. While it is true in our case that the services sector leads the way, yet it does not mean that our reliance on fossil fuels is any less crucial. For example the growth of the automobile industry, which is directly dependant on fossil fuels, is spawned in large part by the success of the services sector. The hard fact is that chain reactions set off by growth invariably implicate our treatment of the environment. Yet another argument is that India’s contribution to present state of affairs is miniscule compared to other developed nations. While it is true that present levels of greenhouse gasses are the result of emissions of western nations 20-30 years ago, what prospect do we have, if we desire to maintain double digit growth, of doing any different? If the damage in the past is the making of the west, will the future be yet more unmaking by the east?
So what are the alternatives? Obviously it would be foolhardy to expect one to go back to the days of the bullock cart. To be sure one cannot entirely abandon reliance on fossil fuels for economic activity must go on. But if Pachauri words are to be taken seriously how can we cut emissions immediately and drastically? Wasteful use, for one, can be avoided. What are the areas you recognise wasteful use of energy? How could you alter those habits? That, you may say, is only a drop in the ocean! But isn’t the ocean made up of droplets of water? If large numbers do take action then we will most certainly make a difference. Besides acting we can also advocate greener lifestyles. What are the practical ways in which you could encourage your local church to promote greener lifestyles? As IPCC scientists emphasise though matters are rather serious we can begin to reverse the slide. But, they hasten to add, there is no substitute for stern and quick action.
For those who find that unconvincing another pertinent question remains: why do we need to think and act green? What does climate change have to do with spirituality? Right from the word go Biblical teaching underlines that creation was God’s handiwork and He considered it good! Stewardship of that good creation is then a divine mandate. In Gen 2:15 we see that Adam and Eve were given the task of working with God in tending creation. But as a result of sin we also recognise that creation groans in pain (Rom 8:22). The call issued to Adam to work with God is a call that is just as relevant to us here today. We are called to tend and care for creation and help usher in God’s shalom into this fractured world. This is God’s world and His desire is that His children will be good stewards not only of their time and talents and treasures, which are essentially His gifts to us, but also of the world, another valuable gift of His. In that reckoning climate change has everything to do with spirituality. An unengaged spirituality that has nothing to say about climate change will neither be faithful to Biblical teaching nor fit for this world. In contrast a Biblically based spirituality will empower us be salt and light in this world being destroyed among other things by uncontrolled emission of greenhouse gasses.
Salt and Light are fecund metaphors for an engaged and constructive discipleship within the culture we inhabit. Salt preserves and light illuminates. As disciples of Jesus Christ how can we be S&L within the context of the grave threat that we human beings have posed to the environment?
Monday, February 5, 2007
Whither the Dalit Quest?
Few would have failed to hear of the riots in Maharasthra in late November. The alleged reason for this furor was the damage done to a statue of Dr.Ambedkar in Kanpur
One has to do with the continued oppression that Dalits face day after day. Official infrastructure they find does not endow them with equal opportunities, nor provides adequate succor when they meet discrimination. Even though legislation has been passed to ensure they receive a fair share of the bounty of the nation, reality speaks a far different language. For the most part their lot in life remains unchanged, even worse of in many cases. While on the one hand India Inc maybe accomplishing exploits hitherto unheard of, on the other hand millions do not see a shining
What does all this mean for the church? For some time now we have come to realise that ministry among the Dalits has met with positive response. More recently we have also witnessed large scale conversion movements among them, exciting and urging many of us. Responsive people group philosophy has further encouraged us to concentrate on reaching more of them. Perhaps for some others Christ’s example and the biblical mandate that follows from that, to serve the most vulnerable has also figured as motivations for mission. Whatever our motivation, it is clear that ministry among the Dalits has come to feature as a central plank in the church’s ministry.
Many of those efforts have rightly been in the field of education. We have realised that education is one of the most effective means to empower people. In keeping with a long history of Christian involvement in education the church has and is therefore effectively contributing to the empowerment of the disenfranchised. Many of us are also involved in facilitating spiritual empowerment whereby Dalit families and groups are offered opportunities to migrate to the centre of personal spiritual experience in the worship of Jesus Christ. It may not be amiss to say then that the gospel, among other things, has urged and facilitated a search within this community. The intended message of empowerment through education and spiritual teaching has been received loud and clear. The gospel has facilitated a profound Dalit quest for a higher quality of life.
So far so good! The rest however harbours some significant questions, many of which we seem quite oblivious to. In our enthusiasm for ministry among Dalits are we sufficiently aware of the profound dynamics of this quest? Do we recognise that this quest, which Christian mission along with other factors has initiated, has over time morphed into movement that possesses profound implications for Indian society? In our focus on short term goals have we failed to catch a glimpse of the larger picture being drawn here? Is ours a myopic vision that fails to see, let alone appreciate, beyond the immediate? Can we honestly answer the question: whither the Dalit quest?
If anything, recent riots have alerted us to the fact that Dalit rage simmers underneath what seems a calm surface. A community that was at the receiving end of centuries of oppression is rising from its slumber, venting its anger and in due course will usher in tremendous change. Dalits are on a quest for dignity, humanity and equal opportunity which has been denied to them. If not already at work, Dalits are emerging to sculpt their own emancipation. While educational and spiritual resources figure prominently in our ministry, and to be sure are employed extensively by the Dalits, theirs however is a greater quest than we have perhaps recognized. For all intents and purposes it seems that though many of us are closely involved with Dalit communities, few of us have a clue as to the profound dynamics at work here.
The challenge before us is first, to understand the signs of the times. That will only come with patient and prayerful study and reflection. Mere activism alone, which many of us are adept at, will not suffice. Critical engagement with history, politics, society and religion is the base on which one can build a vision for ministry among Dalit communities. Second and based on the first, is to refashion our vision for ministry. Many of us have been content to focus on short term goals rather than see things from the larger perspective of what God is doing in all of these movements and how the gospel can impact the nation at large. If the latter is our concern perhaps our language and actions will be radically different. Perhaps our philosophy for ministry will adhere to alternative norms. Third and finally, our methodology will accordingly undergo a major overhaul. For example creative and constructive engagement with the political process, whether at the grassroots level or the state and national level, maybe one area that will attract sustained attention.
Salt and Light are fecund metaphors for an engaged and constructive discipleship within the culture we inhabit. Salt preserves and light illuminates. As disciples of Jesus Christ how can we be S&L within the context of the Dalit Quest?
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