Indian contextual Hermeneutical Method
Hermeneutics
focuses on a network of topics including understanding, explanation, analysis,
meaning, meaningfulness, interpretation, experience, textuality, appropriation,
language and historicity. In this sense hermeneutics is seen as responsible for
the cognitive, ontological, historical and linguistic problems involved in the
entire field of systematic theology. So hermeneutics is a dynamic process
leading to interpretation.
Hermeneutical
studies take two main directions: one concerned with the methods and
conditions of valid interpretations and the other concerned with understanding
as the fundamental way of human being. The first drift deals with the
issues like clarification of an author’s intent, methods of linguistic, compositional
and symbolic analysis, specification of procedural criteria and clarification
of the conditions for understanding. The second movement engages in the
discussion of historicity, the role of imagination, dialogue as a model of
textual interaction, the relation of truth to textuality and the like which
bring reflective awareness regarding the conditions for and possibilities of
understanding.
Hermeneutical Method in
Developing
a hermeneutical method in order to understand the Indian and Asian problems to
respond from a Christian perspective is indispensable. Let’s look into a deeper
hermeneutical method in Indian context.
1. Exegetical method:
This
method was proposed by Soares-Prabhu as Indian approach to the Bible. He
was well aware of the contribution of the historical method to the study of the
Bible. However, he was very critical of this method. He judged it irrelevant,
for its jargons kept for itself a preserve of a small community. Hence, he
proposed an exegetical method of the New Testament comprising of three
integral and mutually contemporary readings: a religious reading, a social
reading and an inter-textual reading.
1.1
Religious Reading of the Bible
This reading is influenced by the ‘aim’
of the Bible in terms of historical criticism. At the same time, it brings to
the text a pre-understanding informed by India’s rich religious tradition. It argued that
every religious tradition begins with an ordinary experience of the Absolute
mystery that we name God. Two aspects, Jesus’ experience of God as
unconditionally loving parent and his central message, the Kingdom of God,
form the basis of the religious reading. This method considered the religions
of India as treasure lenses, which can contribute substantially to decoding the
sings of our time. It always sought to have appreciative of attempts that made
these riches accessible to Christians. To find the re-interpretation of
non-Christian faith traditions as liberative.
1.2. A Social Reading of the Bible
This
method shares similar features with South American liberation theology in terms
of socio-economic concerns.
But
it is dissimilar in terms of the Indian stress on personal (not just
structural) liberation from aggression, fantasy and greed (dvesa, moha,
lobha) as well as the recognition of the prophetic elements found in the
Indian religious traditions. This will helps us read the Bible in the light of
liberating praxis among the socially oppressed and this method of reading of
the scriptures emphasizes; liberation of the very structure of society from its
oppressive moorings. A social reading is extremely significant, as salvation
for Christians is conditioned by his/her effective concern for the poor and
needy. It comprises of two steps. 1) By “poor” Jesus understood the economically
and socially oppressed section of the society and that they are “blessed”
precisely because eradication of poverty is a key concern of Jesus. The rich
are, on the contrary, “cursed” because they are heartless to the needy and
godless to the creator. 2) The imperative stemming from God’s
unconditional love consists in loving one’s neighbor in need with effective
concern.
1.3. An Inter-Textual Reading of the
Bible
This
method is an outstanding method of Indian hermeneutical field, it adds an
Indian dimension to Jesus stilling the storm (Mk. 4:35-41) by applying the dhvani
theory of Indian poetics. It evokes deeper meaning in the hearers because
of the reasoning effect of a word which otherwise would not be perceived at
all. By comparing the context and content of the mission command of Jesus (Mt.
28:16-20) and that of Buddha (Mahavagga 1,10-11,1), it shows how they are Complementary and how a richer meaning is
possible by such a comparison. It delves a contrast between Decalogue (Ex.
20: 1-7) with the kula-jati-dharma of Hindusim, the former respects the
sacredness of every human being because, humankind has been created in the
image of God (Gen. 1:26-27) whereas, according to Manu (the ancient Indian
codifier of Law), persons are not equal before law. The Decalogue thus
functions as a corrective to the law of Manu.
2. Dalit
Reading of the Bible
The
proponent of this method was Maria Arul Raja. Dalit
hermeneutics is not merely for understanding but for transformation. It seeks
to move away from the present order of caste hierarchy to new world order of
egalitarianism. As a contextualized liberative hermeneutics with the social
option of promoting the political agenda of the Dalits, it seeks to enable them
to emancipate themselves from the clutches of untouchability. Dalit Biblical
heremeneutics, therefore, can never be elitist, authoritarian and
individualistic but subaltern, participatory and communitarian. The
interpretative key of the Dalit hermeneutics consists in a ‘rejection’ and at
the same time in an affirmation. Dalit heremeneutics rejects exclusion (the
imposed identity) and affirms inclusion (the identity of being co-human with
other humans). Dalit hermeneutics tends to become more socio-critical (actual
conflicts) than socio-pragmatic (apparent harmony). Dalit hermeneutics is free
from ‘excessive textualism, disparagement of both major and popular religions,
and homogenization of the poor’.
Dalit
hermeneutics transcends the binary notions of Christian and non-Christian, and
sees religious pluralism not as an exception but as a norm. It is able to draw
on a larger theological pool, and is not confined to a particular religious
source. Those whose faith understands the Bible as ‘inspired’ could attempt at
deploying its text for emancipating the Dalits. The common heritage of the
Dalits like popular tales, legends, fold dramas (kuthu), riddles, lullaby,
lamentations, songs, sung during collective labour, are to be placed along with
the texts to be hermeneutised. This method strongly focus on the image of
God. Dalit experience of divinity could be characterized as the agrarian
pluralism of deities and the value of mankind regardless of their status.
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