Methodological Issues in Indian Christian Theologies (ICT)
1. The Nature and necessity of Indian Christian Theologies
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Christian Theology deals with- (a) Search for deeper understanding
(b) It raised Questions (c) It prompts an Enquiry. Christian Theology is a
discipline that seeks to reflect and interpret God’s revelation in Jesus
Christ, and this interpretation is based on and for the faith community. It
tries to determine truth and this message of truth is conveying through symbols
because adherents understanding is based on symbols available in their life
situation. Theology cannot be detached from the life situation of the community
even though it is reflection of God. In 4th and 5th
Century, Augustine of Hippo said “I believed in order to understand”, for him
knowledge of God comes from faith and this faith doesn’t rest in one place but
restlessly moves. Theology is about believing and it is restless. In 11th
century, Anselm of Canterbury said “Faith seeking understanding” with this
rooted ideology but more force expression developed in 21st century
by Daniel Migliore who says “Faith continuously seeking Understanding.” The
task of Indian Christian theology is to provide clear and comprehensive
understanding of Christian Theology.
Robin
Wescott believes that the most profound commentary on the fourth gospel is
not written yet, it will probably be written by Indians in India. He also
observes that the Madras re-thinking group has to be re-considered as they did
not respect theology emerging from the context. Robin Boyd in his book “An introduction to Indian Christian
Theology” clearly states that ‘The Church in India seems to be dominated by
Western attitudes and modes of thought. In Church architecture, Church organization,
church services, church music and church publications, western forms and
attitudes seems to predominant, even in it theological thought tends to wear a
western aspect. Also, the teaching given in theological colleges throughout
India has been, and still is, dominated by western theology; the preaching of
the average Indian Minister or evangelist reflects the western theological
categories in which he has been trained. All these de-nationalized Indian
Christianity and its man and uproots him from the cultural heritage which is
his by right. Many efforts and attempt have been made to make the Church
indigenous in its life and worship, churches built in Indian architecture
styles, Christian ashrams or religious communities, Indian Christian ascetic sadhus
and so on. All these help to mould the pattern of Indian Christian life and
have found many opportunities of expressing their Christian faith in truly
Indian ways. Yet the question remains- is there a truly Indian expression of
theological thought?
Some Indian theologian have tried to avoid dogmatic theology. They
felt the need to develop new theology in the context of India. Indian theology
draws insight from Anubhava (experience-how
people experience God). Experience is important for Indian.
The theology coming from outside does not help the Indian people much. And
therefore, Indian theologians brings out the understanding of God from the
experience of the people. Two concerns:
1) one is to
remain faithful to knowledge and experience of Jesus Christ; and
2) to interpret
and proclaim this experience in the way Indian people will understand.
MM
Thomas. (He wrote forward for Robin Boyd)
MM Thomas says, Indian Christian theologians so far have studied
and understood theology under the guidance of the western theologians. Recently
we have realized that our story must be from our own story, independent
story, which was not there before, we need to develop them. We need to
articulate Christian message in our own context. If Indian mission is
understood as part of the western mission, then we become only an appendix of
the western mission.
Can theology be Independent? No. the concern here is not isolation;
it should be based on Christ. The concern is the contextual relevance of the
society. No theology can be independent.
Now that we are beginning to discover the Indian Christian has its
own history, now we should have theology of our own.
From the first entry of Christianity in the 52 AD till the 18
century, MM Thomas says, these years’ experience of the Indian Christians was
not considered. The theology began only in the 18th century by the
coming of the western missions.
Indian theology has to have its own identity. India theology must
be judged in the light of the mission of church in India and need not be brought
to the Western thinking for judgment. No theology can be isolated because it is
not possible to isolate theology. Isolation is impossible and undesirable. No
Theology is isolated but interconnected and in this connection; identification of
sound theology and biblically grounded is indispensable- an acid test is
requisite parameters. The criterion might not be Western ideology but should
connect in some way instead of isolation. It should be tested and proved in the
light of Western supremacy. There is a
living theology in India, accept and embrace it and he counter to those who
said “India doesn’t produce even a heresy”.
O V
Jathanna. He
points out three things. Until 16th century all the ‘Preached
Christianity’ was to protect the purity of the inherited doctrines. They
did not encourage the development of context related to Christian theology in
India.
Preached Christianity was to
jealously protect the received doctrine. They did not bother about people’s
experience.
Early Christian missionaries have negative attitude towards
Hinduism and Indian Culture. They even forbid in their presentation of the
message thinking that they would destroy the meaning of the gospel or dilute
its purity. Churches like Syrian orthodox and Roman Catholic used Syriac and
Latin as official language. While doing so, they have alienated their culture
and tradition/ alienated from Indian Culture.
Kristeen Kim has observed few things about ICT.
Kristeen K is the wife of a Korean theologian. She observed three main things.
ICT have dealt with:
1.
The
position of Christian faith in the pluralistic context.
2.
The
relationship between Christian and the dominant tradition of Hinduism.
3.
Indian
Christian theology with the socio-economic oppression in India.
[Kim book, “Introduction to Third world Theology” edited by
John Pirate, 2004.]
The
limitation of Western Theology. (Foundation
for ICT)
1. Western Theology is dogmatic and abstract in nature. While ICT is real life theology.
2. Western Theology is rational, scientific and intellectual. Interested in ideas. So,
it is less interest and less practical
3. Western Theology
is imperialistic. It support
colonization and imposes Western ideas and philosophy.
4. Western Theology is Arm-Chair
theology- Theology developed for others.
5. Western Theology is
from ‘above approach’- View from above- God perspective not expressing from
life situations.
6. Western Theology is Individualistic-
emphasize individual instead of communitarian.
7. Western Theology is Other worldly
pietistic- Emphasizing the idea of theology.
Theology
needs to be Indian and the life
situation of Indian context.
Therefore, we need Indian Christian Theologies. This means changing
the paradigm in ICT.
2. Methodological shifts in Indian Christian Theologies.
Thomas
Kuhn, catholic
theologian, talks about paradigm shift. Paradigm shift came into
discussion. Concept of paradigm shift is associated on the development of
Scientific knowledge. He defines paradigm shift as, the term paradigm stand for
the entire constellation of belief, values, techniques and so on shared by
members of independent community. The paradigm shift is the change of those
beliefs, values, etc.
In 1946, Kazoh Kitamori wrote a book on, “The pain of God.”
Written from the lens of Nagasaki and Hirosima bombing attacked during WWII. Kitamori
attempted to reorient the Christian account of God to the cross of Jesus Christ
shared by the Japanese victims. From the core beliefs and values of their
suffering he began to developed his own theology based on Jurgen Moltmann
idealogy.
MM Thomas prepares the ground for the emergence of Dalit theology in India.
He wrote a book on “Risking Christ for Christ’s sake.”
India is a vast culture, diverse community, so the Indian scenario
in Paradigm Shift is very important.
Important Methodological Issues in ICT are-
2.1 Religious Reality
According to K. Pathil, Tribal faith is the most ancient one. The
Tribals constitute 8% of Indian population.11They are not part of Hindu
religion but the fundamental Hindu movements are presently trying to bring the
Tribals under Hinduism. Hinduism, the main religion, has plurality of thoughts
within itself and likewise there are plural ways to attain liberation (jnana
marga, karma marga and bhakti marga). Religious pluralism is one of
the most pressing topics of contemporary societies. Exploring the role of
religions in India confronts a paradox. There is a mutual relationship between
faiths. It is precisely here that one needs to journey into exploring umpteen
possibilities of formulating a consistent and relevant paradigm for religious
pluralism which could provide practical guidelines for interaction,
co-operation and dialogue among the people of different faith.
2.2. Dialogue
Faith
as a symbolic system that gives meaning and value to our worldview is playing a
violent role. It is dividing people based on their faith. Conflict based on
faith is a curse for democracy. These reality challenges Indian Christian
Theology to move towards inter and intra faith dialogue and thereby utilizing
all means to establish peace and harmony between different faiths.
But
then there are others factors that disturb the faith- harmony. If we analyse
these conflicts, one thing is clear, faiths sometimes are twisted by forces
that are non-religious, political, economic and even geo-political. The
increasing gap between the rich and the poor will continue to breed ground for
conflicts. Religious conflicts are not about doctrines and beliefs; they are
triggered by social and economic factors. A theology of religions pursued from
a life sustaining pluralistic perspective is committed to friendship and
co-operation among religions without interfering in the personal religious interest
of the individual. It is committed to life and its realities. It seeks friendly
co-operation between religion to pool their resources to sustain life at all
levels to protect and enhance life. All religion needs to work together without
losing their individual identity and difference. Precisely, for this reason
dialogue should emerge from the life situation of different communities.
2.3.
Socio-Economic Reality
According
to Somen Das, we cannot hide our poverty, 30% to 40% of our population are below
the poverty line. This context requires theology to affirm the “preferential
option for the least. Critical theology is open to the world and to all of
human history, with the result that it will always be changing and constantly
in a process of renewal. Indian liberation theology took this premise and
offers a hermeneutics of praxis by recognizing the sensitivity of the social
location thereby commitment to the poor becomes the foundation of theology.
Theology here emerges in solidarity with the suffering masses, those who are
dehumanized. Theology is committed towards the broken dalits, exploited
tribals, subjugated women etc., and tries to identify in their struggles
against the oppressive forces and thereby creating a new order relevant to
their struggles.
2.4.
Contextualization
Contextualization
is the process by which the gospel tries to deeply root in the life situation
of the community expressed through its socio-cultural and religious expression.
According to Stephen Bevans, “in reality there is no reality as such –
no ‘universal theology’ – there are only contextual theologies”. He further
argues, “there is no such theology as theology; there is only contextual
theology: feminist theology, black theology, liberation theology, Filipino
theology, Asian American theology, African theology and so forth. Doing
theology contextually is not an option, nor is it something that should
interest people from the third world, missionaries who work there, or ethnic
communities within dominant cultures. The contextualization of theology is
an attempt to understand Christian faith in terms of particular context and it
is really a theological imperative. As we have come to understand theology
today, it is a process that is part of very nature of theology itself.”
Contextualization
is method through which the gospel tries to be authentic in every community,
place, culture, tradition, language etc.
2.5.
Christology
Indian
religious plurality proposes different gods and thus the Christian theology
tries to answer the basic questions like Who Christ is? What is the uniqueness
of Christ? How to present Christ in an acceptable manner to Indians? Jacob
Parappally raises three important questions for Indian Christology-
a. Is it the supra-personalistic
understanding of the Absolute, as expressed in Advaitic tradition of Sankara,
which can provide categories of thought and vision for the development of
Indian Christology?
b. Do the counter-cultural movements
like Buddhism and Bhakti movements with their ethical religiosity of
love, justice and humanhood accommodate Jesus of Nazareth as the one who
identified himself with these values and offered his life for the same?
c. Does the situation of social, economic and political oppression
and dehumanization call for a relevant interpretation
of Jesus Christ in India?
Christological
formulation should occur from the living experience of the community whereby
the community can encounter Christ within their own experience and as the
experience differs from community to community it invites for plurality of
Christological discourses.
2.6.
Ecology
Nature
is created by God and it reflects God’s goodness, beauty, love and concern for
the humanity. Therefore, it is appropriate to respect the nature. George
Nalunnakkal says, “Against an alarming ecological scenario and the
perplexing theological context in India, there is an urgent need to find an
alternative theology of ecology which can assimilate and synthesize the related
concerns of ecology, the poor, womenfolk, dalits and the tribals.” Eco-
theology is responding to the eco-crisis and shaping theology based on care and
stewardship.
Indian
Christian Theology is Christian theological activity carried in India and thus
connected to the religio-cultural and socio-political realities. The task of
Indian Christian theology is to present theology relevant to the Indian
context. It aims to communicate the self-disclosure of God in the particular
context and commitment to renew the context thereby the life of God should be
manifested. India context has a close affinity with nature. The majority of
people depends on farming- agriculture where jal, jungle and jameen are
important to the lives of Indian.
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