Christian
Education and Dalit/Tribal/Adivasi Liberation
Introduction
The socio-economic and political reality of the subalterns as well as
Paulo Friere’s perspective on the liberative role of Christian education will
be examined. Further, the biblical basis and theological paradigm of Christian
education’s liberative role on the marginalized will be delved painstakingly.
1.
Understanding the Terms
Subaltern
In his The Modern
Prince and The Prison Notebooks, Gramsci
defines the subaltern as those classes subordinated by hegemony and excluded
from any meaningful role in a regime of power.[1] Antonio
Gramsci, who coined the term Subaltern defines it as ‘The subaltern have no independent
space from which to articulate their voice because hegemony conditions them to believe
in the dominant values. Gramsci believed that the intellectual has the
responsibility to “search out signs of subaltern initiative and class
consciousness and effective political
action”.[2]
2.
Contextual Realities the Subalterns
The concept
of empowerment is crucial for the subalterns. This is so because their development
and their future is centred on their agency with revolutionary implications.[3] A lot of
effort has been made to make the subaltern people to speak and break their
silence. In Indian context unfortunately, although such efforts has been made,
they never found a respectful place within the societal structure, especially
the oppressive structure of Hinduism.[4] Subaltern
history captured the pain and suffering of the subordinate group of people. It
is the history of the oppressed and the marginalized. It is the history of the sons/daughters
of the soil, the working class, and the less fortunate ones. However, as their history
get the attention, now they are started moving from the periphery to the
centre. The Tribal
and Dalit are the most misinterpreted groups of people in India and this misunderstanding continues even now they
are often regarded as unsophisticated, backward and illiterate, and even
uncivilized, although today these groups challenge such perspectives and
prejudice.[5]
2.1.Issues of the Subaltern Group
2.1.1. The Land Alienation
The history of land alienation among the
tribes began during British colonial rule in India when the British interfered
in the tribal region for the purpose of exploiting the tribal natural resources.
Land is the source of sustainable livelihood and food for almost half the
world’s population. An estimated 45% of the world’s population still makes its
living from land (Rural Development Institute, 2001). Coupled with this tribal
and Dalit lands were occupied by moneylenders, zamindars, and traders by
advancing them loans, etc. over and above the land of tribals and Dalits are
being taken away for setting up development projects, industrial concerns,
forests conservation, etc. Opening of mines in the heart of the people habitat
and although factories provided wage labor and employment opportunity to
certain extend.[6] However as
a result of this, in fact, has brought increasing destitution, displacement and the
tribal ecology and tribal life of the people was greatly disturbed.[7]
2.1.2. Social Alienation
The very root cause of the social
alienation of the subaltern is from the strictly hierarchized varna system
whereby they are considered the lowest and/or the panchamas or the non-castes group.
The very nature of the social classification in the hierarchy of the caste system
alienates them from dignified and equal social transactions. By virtue of their
social status, they are deprived of many socio-economic opportunities and
privileges. The idea of purity and pollution debars them from mingling freely
with the higher caste group members, and also the non-castes are
looked down upon and discriminated. There are significant incidences and events
in the society that speaks volumes about the unspeakable deplorable social
condition of the subalterns in India.
2.1.3. Poverty
The majority of the subaltern groups live
under the poverty line. Most of the occupation falls into the primary occupations
such as hunting, gathering, and agriculture. Poverty is a state or condition in
which a person or community lacks the financial resources and essentials to enjoy
a minimum standard of life and well-being. Land reform may affect production
directly by influencing the incentives and motivations of farmers and,
indirectly, by influencing the distribution of income power in the rural
sector. The indirect effects of land reform will be felt much later than the
direct effects.[8] Most of them live under abject poverty and are in debt because they are under
the control of the local moneylenders and Zamindars. In order to repay their
debts, they often mortgage or sell their land to the moneylenders. As a consequence
indebtedness is almost inevitable since heavy interest had to be paid to these moneylenders.[9]
2.1.4. Education
Educationally the subaltern population
was lacking, this had always been a matter of great concern for the society as
it had a negative impact on the development of the people. Earlier Government
had no direct programme for their education. But in the subsequent years, the reservation
policy has made some changes. There are many reasons for the low level of education
among the people such as; the poor socio-economic condition, and it is not easy
for the families to send their children to schools, as they are considered
extra helping hands. Lack of political will and administrative commitment
to provide adequate primary and secondary education. The formal schools do not
hold any special interest for the children. Most of the tribes are located in the interior and remote areas where teachers would not like to go from outside. Besides
these probable superstitions and their world view too can play an important
role in rejecting education as they might see that education is not necessary
for them.[10]
3. Liberative role of Christian Education[11]
We shall here look into Paulo Frere’s
perspective on the liberative role of Christian
education. After
closely studying and observing his Pedagogy of the Oppressed some of his few
commendations can be made as follows:
1. Christian education should address the concrete historical situation of persons. It is concerned with contextualizing
education and theology by drawing out the
implications of our
faith and the need for a response.
2. It should emphasize a
service-oriented salvation and education.
3. It should provide insights for
Christian educators, and how to educate for advocacy and social action and how
to raise the social consciousness of Christians to the realities that needs of
persons in other cultural contexts.
4. It should take seriously the need to
demonstrate an incarnational theology, one that is lived out. It seeks to
relate faith to life.
5. It affirms the Biblical emphasis on the poor and the oppressed in Christian ministry.
6. It focuses on the the humanity of Christ in reaction to an exclusive emphasis on his deity.
7. It encourages a
critical awareness that the western world is part of the global problem of
oppression and injustice.
8. It emphasizes that Christian education is prophetic education, challenging oppressive social structures by questioning those programmes and techniques of education that neither social and corporate implication of the gospel nor question the status quo nor developing Christian consciousness of the global context of oppression while leading Christians to construct new and faithful lifestyles.
9. It stresses the need
for structural and social transformation as well as the personal transformation/redemption
inherent in the gospel.
To bring about
transformation means of a practical application which includes reflection and action
upon the world is necessary.[12] The correct method for a revolutionary leadership to employ in the
task of liberation lies in dialogue. The conviction of the oppressed that they must
fight for their liberation is not a gift bestowed by the revolutionary
leadership, but the result of their own conscientization. The revolutionary
leaders must realize that their own conviction of the necessity for the struggle
was not given to them by anyone else- if it is authentic.[13]
4.1. Biblical Paradigm
Jose Severino Croatto presented the Exodus from Egypt as a paradigm of liberation from slavery. Exodus is read both on a symbolic level and in social and political dimensions. The text speaks of slaves who cried out to God in pain and were liberated, which speaks loud of God of the Bible and His project for humanity. The exodus event installs hope for the afflicted.[14] God embraces each one of us and the whole of creation with unquenchable, intimate , and inconceivable overflowing and ever-flowing love. Humanity is invited into the realm of overflowing and ever-flowing love by expressing with God who seeks creation’s liberation from all forms of oppression, exploitation, and exclusion. They are assured of redemption from the life-negating forces breathing into them emancipating, life-transforming, and liberative spirit. The God of the bible has a special kind of caring for all and is present with the most vulnerable and the excluded. Jesus of Nazareth embodies this God whose righteousness is visible and known in history which is ongoing, flourishing, and sustaining for the present and future generation. This vision entails a radical challenge to current socioeconomic disequilibria and barriers.[15]
The valley of bones in
Ezekiel 37:1-14, where Ezekiel sees piles of bones who were crushed, mutilated,
and murdered (Subaltern) in exile. This image parallels the context of
Subalterns who undergo pains and pathos inflicted by the caste system continue to linger. The valley of bones and the terrains of subaltern show
equally same imageries. Ezekiel 37:1-14 also is otherwise called as “the valley
of vision.” The fact is that the setting shows no more doom, but hope, so that
everyone will have life in full. The spirit of God comes and the dry bones come back to
life. This passage is indeed hoping generating and empowerment oriented.
It instills hope for the Subaltern to
continue over and against all odds with an assurance of liberation from
exploitation and oppression. Likewise, John 10:10 says, “I have come to say that
you may have life and life in full.” For the subalterns, this is yet another
assurance that the coming of Jesus in human form extends all the possibilities
that those who have been treated as a sub and lesser humans shall have life in
full. It is all-inclusive and all-embracing as it takes into consideration both
the qualitative and quantitative dimensions.[16]
4.2.Theological Paradigm
The question that confronts liberation
theologians is how to live a good Christian life in the midst of oppression and
suffering of the people? Can we be the true follower of Jesus Christ when we
ignore and pass by the poor and marginalized of the society as a priest and
Levite did (Luke 10:29-32)? In this sense following of Jesus Christ means a commitment
to accomplishing his mission of liberation. Guiterrez has expressed that, “a
spirituality of liberation will centre on a conversion to the neighbor, the
oppressed person, the exploited class, the despised class, the dominated
country.” But they do not fail to see the interconnectedness of action and meditation.
A. F. McGovern rightly explains that liberation spirituality involves both a
call to follow Jesus in working for and with the poor, but also a profound
reflection on what all Christians can learn about God from the poor. For
liberation theologians, liberating commitment corresponds to an authentic spiritual experience in the original, biblical sense of the term: it is living
in the spirit who causes us to acknowledge ourselves in a free and creative way
to be sons and daughters of the Father and brothers and sisters to each other. Commitment
to liberation arises from the deep spiritual experience, for such commitment is possible only in the
encounter with God. It is sad that Christians are in some way divided into two
camps: those who emphasize social action and those who emphasize contemplation.
An authentic integration needs to occur because Christian actions should be inspired
and governed by the love of God. Sobrino rightly said, “We are called upon not
just to imitate the liberating praxis of Jesus Christ, but also to discover and
to take on the Spirit of his praxis.”[17]
Sebastian Kappen specifically has articulated a Dalit Christology in which
Jesus’ liberative actions among the
marginalized of Galilee continue with the quest for the Dalit’s liberation in India.
For Kappen, Jesus is a prophet who models the “praxis of subversion” that
liberates the Dalits from oppression by the upper caste, as well as
exploitation by global capitalism.[18]
5. Reflection and conclusion
Subalterns are a historically wronged group of people who have
been suffering social alienation, injustice, and oppression; economic
deprivation and marginalization; political oppression and exploitation; and
educational discrimination, and so on. They are at the receiving end of the
social system and structure and the system itself perpetuates this deplorable
and unjust condition. Christianity with its gospel of salvation at the core of
its message needs to play a key role in redeeming humanity in its entirety
holistically- not just the soul but the body and it's needs. We need to practice
not just meditative Christianity but also an action-oriented
Christianity. In doing so, the role of Christian education becomes very significant.
It needs to go deep down to the historical context and reality of the community
it is serving, and bring about conscientization of the people. Recognizing the
realities and struggles of the historical and cultural context, Christian
education needs to constantly work for the progressive transformation of society. It is biblically an imperative and theologically a necessity.
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2007.
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Andinash, Edts. The Bible and the Hermeneutics of Liberation. Atlanta:
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Oppressed. New York: The Seabury Press, 1974.
Ghosh, Amrita, ed.. Subaltern
Vision: A Study in Postcolonial Indian English Text.
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[1] Touraj Atabaki, Subaltern:
Modernization Society and the State. (New York: I. B. Tauris Publishers,
2007),
26.
[2] Touraj Atabaki, Subaltern:
Modernization Society and the State. (New York: I. B. Tauris Publishers,
2007),
26.
[3] Felix Wilfred, Dalit Empowerment (Delhi: ISPCK, 2007), 1.
[4] V.V. Thomas, Dalit
and Tribal Christians of India: Issues and Challenges (Kerala: Focus India
Trust, 2014),
195.
[5] V.V. Thomas, Understanding Subaltern History: Theoritical Tools (Bangalore: BTESSC/Sathri, 2006), 14,16
[6] Gnana
Prakasham,“Tribal and Their Right to Livelihood,” Tribal Issues in India, edited
by D.C. Sah &
Yatindra
Singh Sisodia (New Delhi: Rawat Publication, 2004), 71, 72,80.
[7] Gnana
Prakasham,“Tribal and Their Right to Livelihood,” Tribal Issues in India, edited
by D.C. Sah &
Yatindra
Singh Sisodia (New Delhi: Rawat Publication, 2004), 71, 72,80.
[8] Gnana Prakasham,“Tribal
and Their Right to Livelihood,” Tribal Issues in India, edited by D.C.
Sah &
Yatindra
Singh Sisodia (New Delhi: Rawat Publication, 2004), 71, 72,80.
[9] A.S. Dasan, “Poverty and Inequality in India Today,” Journal of Dharma 20 (Jan-March, 1995), 80-81.
[10] Neeti Mahanti,
“Access to Education in the Tribal Areas: A Challenge,” Tribal Issues in
India, edited by D.C.
Sah
& Yatindra Singh Sisodia (New Delhi: Rawat Publication, 2004), 139-143.
[11] Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed (New York: The Seabury Press, January 1974) p-31-35.
[12] Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed ...36.
[13] Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed ...53-54.
[14] Alejandro F Botta
& Pablo R Andinash, The Bible and the Hermeneutics of Liberation,
(Atlanta: SBL,
2009) 4.
[15] Kondasingu
Jesurathnam et. al., Liberation Hermeneutics in the Indian Interpretation of
the Bible,
(Bangalore:
SBSI, 2012) 92.
[16] Kondasingu
Jesurathnam et. al., Liberation Hermeneutics in the Indian Interpretation of
the Bible,
(Bangalore:
SBSI, 2012) 93-95
[17] K Thanzauva, Transforming Theology, (Bangalore: ATC, 2002) 264
[18] Miguel A Torre, Introducing Liberative Theologies, (Maryknoll: Orbis Books, 2015) 215
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