CHRISTIANITY AND DALIT LIBERATION
From: Yogi Sikand
Subject: Interview: Fr. Ambrose Pinto on Christianity and Dalit Liberation
Q: What is the theology that undergrids the work of Catholic organizations, such as the Indian Social Institute, that are working in the field of social transformation?
A: At the root of our theological understanding is the realization that there is actually no difference between theology as such and anthropology. The science of God and the science of humanity are one and the same. Our theological mandate also entails the full humanization of humanity, because, as the Bible says, God made humans in His own image. Hence, according to us, there is no difference between a true person of God and a true person of the world.
Now, this theological project of the full humanization of human beings forces one to actively intervene in the affairs of the world, to combat obstacles that stand in the path of realizing the fullest potential of all humans. In a context of massive poverty and galling inequalities, as we have in our country, this project necessarily means exercising the option for the poor. We believe that you cannot call yourself a true follower of God if you do not choose to exercise this option. For us, this option is a necessary part of our theology.
Q: But, the Catholic Church has itself been accused of having historically sided with the forces of domination and oppression. What about the continued marginalisation of Dalits within the Catholic Church in India?
A: You do have a point there. In fact, in India the Church structures are, in large measure, still very Brahminical, steeply hierarchical and highly bureaucratic. Because of this, the Church has begun to lose contact with the Dalit masses. In the name of ‘Indianising?the Church a subtle process of Brahminisation has been promoted, which is a total negation of the Dalit ethos and the Dalit identity. The Brahminisation of the. Church has meant that the symbols and culture of the Dalits have completely ignored, although the Dalits and the Tribals constitute the vast majority among the Indian Catholics. However, in recent years, many Dalit and tribal Christians have begun demanding that they should be allowed to articulate their own symbols, and should not be forced to denigrate or deny their own rich cultures.
The marginalisation of the Dalits has been particularly noticeable with regard to Catholic schools. There is a great measure of truth in the accusation that elite Catholic schools have actually been giving quality education to dominant social groups rather than to the most needy. But, in recent years there has been some change in our policies. Recently, the heads of various Jesuit colleges in India got together for a meeting and we decided that we should now devote far more attention than we have so far been doing to Dalit education.
Q: There is much talk now in Catholic circles of what is called ‘Dalit theology? What do you understand by this term?
A: Dalit theology is theological reflection rooted in the understanding that God is struggling with the Dalits for their liberation, that He is on their side. It seeks to instill a sense of pride in their identity, because a theology that does not provide them a sense of pride is, for all purposes, a useless one.
Q: But is it not the case that many Dalits would rather seek to escape from their inherited Dalit identity? In that case, how could Dalit theology help them take pride in that very identity?
A: Yes, there is a problem here, but that is because the religious, cultural, educational and social system within which the Dalits find themselves insists that the Dalits are ‘impure? are ‘lesser?beings and so on. On the other hand, what Dalit theology says is that for the Dalits to liberate themselves from the shackles of the caste system, they must learn to take pride in their identity, their heroes, their role in the productive process and their history. Only on that basis can a solid foundation for the Dalit liberation movement be constructed.
Q: How does Dalit theology see the issue of conflict?
A: When a historically marginalised and oppressed community like the Dalits begins to organise and assert itself for its rights, there is bound to be conflict, especially since this will obviously not be to the liking of groups who have developed vested interests in keeping the Dalits enslaved for centuries. And this is what is happening today. But it is really strange that when the Dalits were kept oppressed for centuries as victims of structural violence no one talked about violence as an issue, but now that the Dalits have started demanding their rights people accuse them of fomenting violence and hatred. As I see it, there can be no change without conflict. There is no running away from it.
Q: According to the Bible, if someone slaps you on one cheek, you should not retaliate but, rather, offer him the other. How, as a Christian, do you reconcile this with what you have just said?
A: You need to see what Jesus said in the context of his times. In any case, we are not tied down to a scripture or a person. You see, Jesus himself was a revolutionary, who fought for the rights of the poor and the oppressed of his times. In actual fact, Jesus was killed—brutally murdered—just because he exercised the option for the poor and challenged the powers of oppression.
The second part of this interview will appear in our next e-newsletter, the editor
Posted on 2005-02-28
Back to [Vol. 07 No. 09 February 28, 2005]
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