DHARMA JYOTI VIDYA PEETH

FRIDABAD

COURSE: Dalit Theology (BTT13)

Topic: Mission and Ministry, Sacraments

Submitted To: Rev. Mathews George Submitted By: Sijo Joseph John

I. INTRODUCTION

Dalits’ discourse on their fight for freedom and the right to live with dignity is found in the Dalit
Christian ideology. To transform a Dalit into the image of God. The Dalit Christian community’s
sufferings, servitude, harsh treatment, labour, and tears make up the Dalit doctrine. These pathos-
based ideas serve as the foundation for religious beliefs, affirmations, and confessions. Dalit
theology and doctrines can be used to understand the sorrow and misery of Dalit experiences. An
allusion to the Dalit way of life is made by A. P. Nirmal in Deuteronomy 26:5–12.

“A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien,
few in number there He became a great nation, mighty and populous. When the Egyptians treated
us harshly and afflicted us by imposing hard labour on us, we cried to the Lord, the God of our
ancestors; the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil and our oppression…

In Nirmal’s opinion, Dalit Christians assert that they were “No people” despite being Dalits. The
migration from Hinduism (and its imposed caste and untouchability values) to Christ’s
humanitarian values, however, began when they became Dalit Christians. Consequently, “No
humanness” was a part of their daily lives. They contest the Indian Christian Theological
teachings, which have their roots in Brahmin tradition, through their doctrines. They were drawn
to Christianity in the beginning because they were looking for a de-casteist epistemology. As a
result of social and theological engagement, Dalit de-casteist discourse was able to access the
chapel, devotion, Bible, education, and liturgy. Dalit self-respect movements were envisioned

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 throughout India in the modern missionaries’ conception of social space and the human body. 1 In
order to combat the impact of the prevalent theological discourses,

II. DALIT CHRISTIAN IDENTITY

Dalit Christian doctrine uses a theological framework. “A Christian Dalit theology will be shaped
by the shared Dalit experience of Christian Dalits along with other Dalits.” 2 As a result, the term
“Dalit” is important to Dalit Christian theology since it preserves the vital connection of solidarity
with non-Christian Dalits. According to Franklin J. Balasundaram, Dalit Christians’ reflections on
their status as Dalits are done for the benefit of the larger Dalit community. Of course, being a
Dalit is not only a Christian thing. Dalit theology is thus not exclusively concerned with Dalit
Christians alone, but seeks to maintain the inextricable link to all Dalits. 3

III. MISSION AND MINISTRY

The Saving message of the kingdom of Jesus is central to mission and

ministry.4 The mission of the church is to proclaim the kingdom of God and ministry in the present
time. It is both a proclamatory mission and praxiological ministry.

i. PROCLAMATION AND PRAXIS OF “JUSTICE AND INCLUSIVITY OF KINGDOM OF

GOD”

At the heart of Jesus’ message to mankind is the kingdom of God. M.M Thomas says that it as
God’s ultimate purpose for the world as being inaugurated in Historical time through the life of
Jesus.5 The words and deeds of Jesus are the revelation of God’s kingdom operative in the present. 6
It implies the full scope of Jesus’ efforts to transform this planet. The weak, the underprivileged,
and the persecuted were welcomed into the kingdom. Jesus emphasized that the outcasts and

1
Y.T. Vinaya Raj, “Ecclesiology with (out) Margins: Defining Church in Context of Empire,” in
Rekindling the Divine Gifts, (Kottayam: MTTS, 2016), 95.
2
Arvind P. Nirmal, “Towards a Dalit Theology”, Heuristic Explorations, (Madras: Christian Literature
Society, 1991), 144.
3
John Mohan Razu, James Massey and S. Lourdunathan, ed., A Theology from Dalit Perspective, (New
Delhi: Centre of Dalit Studies, 2001), 34
4
Gerd Theissen & Annette Merz, The Historical Jesus: A Comprehensive Guide (London SCM Press
LTD, 1998), 242
5
M. M. Thomas, In Jesus The Kingdom of God is Near: Luke 9-19, translated by. T. M. Philip (Tiruvalla:
CSS books & BTTBPSA, 2007), 14.
6
G.R. Beasley-Murray, Jesus and The Kingdom of God (USA: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.,
1987), 83.

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 strangers make up the God’s reign. 7 The kingdom’s message also emphasizes social witness.
Christian social witness requires the liberation of the oppressed from exploitation and oppression
due to caste structure, political and priestly dominance. Then, in the face of caste injustice, the
gospel of Jesus made known via mission and ministry would serve as a source of dignity, spiritual
uplift, and social empowerment. The church should broaden its witness to include the Dalit
community’s political and cultural spheres in order for its mission to be inclusive and
comprehensive.

IV. SACRAMENTS’ IMPORTANCE IN THE DALIT CONTEXT

The Eucharist is a sacrament that celebrates unity not through
shared traits but through the healed connection to God. The characteristics of Jesus Christ in the
Gospels are Sharing, offering and Receiving. The Last Supper and the overall notion of dining
together are freeing, which is why Dalit Christian communities prefer to use these traditions. Dalit
theology can identify the kerygma of the sacraments, re-expressing them in Indian ways. Whereas
eating illustrates political boundaries in “virtually every culture” Jesus uses table fellowship to
have “the opposite effect”. Reinterpretation of the Eucharist, in the context of the oral culture of
the Dalits would potentially activate Dalit myth and symbol as well as responding to Judeo-
Christian texts. This reinterpretation would need to be done in the context of Jesus’ attitude,
though, in order to change the Indian church into an egalitarian one. By doing this, a discussion
between Dalits and caste Christians could be started thanks to the shared Christian narrative. 8 Caste
prejudice turns into blasphemy when it occurs in a house of worship or during the Eucharist. his is
despise to the Church of God and humiliate those who are weak and defenseless, and hence “sin
against the body and blood” of the Lord. Celebrating the Eucharist while dividing the community
into caste groups (body of Christ) as outcasts, during Eucharist therefore to parody the Eucharist. 9It
transforms the joyful liberation of Jesus’ Supper into a dishonest banquet and a self-righteous
celebration.

7
C. S. Song, Jesus and The Reign of God (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1993), 43.
8
Y.T. Vinaya Raj, Re-imaging Dalit Theology: Postmodern Reading, (Thiruvalla:CSS,2008),71.

9
Ibid.,273.

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V. CONCLUSION

The Dalit interpretation of Jesus’ mission and ministry offers Dalits another
perspective on the Christian message. It must be rooted in the love, life, and work of God and the
work of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Deliverance should be seen through the eyes of Jesus’ message
about the Kingdom of God. This message of the Kingdom should inspire us and the Church to
work to make it happen here and now in this world. We must be the voice of the prophet who calls
for the renewal of the society in which he is concerned.

VI. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Beasley, G.R. and Murray, Jesus and the Kingdom of God. USA: William B. Eerdmans
Publishing Co., 1987.
Nirmal, Arvind P. “Towards a Dalit Theology”, Heuristic Explorations. Madras: Christian
Literature Society, 1991.
Razu, John Mohan, James Massey and S. Lourdunathan. ed., A Theology from Dalit
Perspective. New Delhi: Centre of Dalit Studies, 2001.
Song, C. S. Jesus and The Reign of God. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1993.
Theissen, Gerd & Annette Merz, The Historical Jesus: A Comprehensive Guide. London
SCM Press LTD, 1998.
Thomas, M. M. In Jesus the Kingdom of God is Near: Luke 9-19, translated by. T. M.
Philip. Tiruvalla: CSS books & BTTBPSA, 2007.
Vinaya Raj, Y.T. “Ecclesiology with (out) Margins: Defining Church in Context of
Empire,” in Rekindling the Divine Gifts. Kottayam: MTTS, 2016.
Vinaya Raj, Y.T. Re-imaging Dalit Theology: Postmodern Reading. Thiruvalla: CSS,
2008.