Dalit Christian understanding of God-Christ- Holy spirit.- Dalit Theology

Dalit Christian understanding of God-Christ- Holy spirit.

They interpret in the light of Dalit realities.

Understanding of God

Dalit Christian understanding of God is based on Exodus Event, Deuteronony Creed and suffering servant passage in Isaiah 53.

A.P.Nirmal gives two reflection

1. Biblical God is the God of liberation as in Exodus. This God liberates the Dalit life realities in India from the bondage of caste oppression. Slavery for dalit is the caste.

2. Biblical God is a servant God based on Isaiah 53. Dalit have been a servants to other people throughout the century. God as a helper, helping the needy. Bible portrayed God as a helper, so to the Dalit. God is the bhangi, dhobi, waiter.

Devasahayam argues that biblical God who revealed in Jesus Christ identified the suffering  people. This God primarily identifies with the Dalit in India. Dalit are the ones who suffers the most in India.

James Massey argues that biblical God is the God of solidarity. Biblical God is the God who takes the side of with the oppressed. Also who liberates the oppressed.

Peniel Rajkumar argues in his book, Victimization of God and victorization of God. The servant God will always care for the victims and gives them a victory from their bondage. Victorization of God always gives an insight of the successful dalit community, as God who empower the oppressed and marginalised group.

Understanding of Christ- Dalit Christology.

A.P. Nirmal

1. Jesus Christ is a dalit in every sense.

2. Jesus genealogy was not a pure genealogy in the eyes of the Jews. There were four women included in the genealogy. Also in the eyes of upper class because the panchamas are the mixed  group. The genealogy of dalit also not pure in the eyes of the higher class, in that sense Jesus experienced dalitness in his time.

3. Jesus dalitness is best symbolized by his cross.

4. Jesus statement "My lord why have you  forsaken me", this is the cry of the painful dalit.

5. The life experienced of Jesus also shows Jesus Dalitness, his contempt, humiliated, physically assaulted and most humiliated death.

6. Nazareth manifesto of Jesus Christ is the manifesto for the liberation of Dalit.

7. The son of God title basically refers to suffering Son of God and dalit.

James Massey argues that Jesus is not only Dalit but Jesus is the expression of God incarnation act. God ultimately express his solidarity with humanity.

Understanding of Holy Spirit

A.P. Nirmal took Ez.37 as a biblical text of dry bones with the Dalit and Holy spirit. Holy spirit is life giver, empowers, unifier for the liberation struggle of Indian dalit. Holy spirit is the comforter which stays with them.

P. Arokiadoss, Dalit Awakening is primarily the works of the Holy Spirit. V. Devasahayam says, inspiration to the struggles of injustice and insightful ideas that sustain their struggles can be seen the works of the holy spirit. Samson Prabhakar, argues that those are led by the spirit will denounce injustice, oppression and marginalization.