Reading Jesus Paradigmatically into the Northeastern Indian Tribal Context

The Tribal theology[1] that is mostly emerged out of the Northeastern Indian context cannot simply be treated as a single entity; but, rather it has to be reckoned and studied as a ‘unity of plural phenomena’ as long as the tribal communities of the ‘Seven Hill-States’ are diverse in their socio-cultural ethos and pathos. The Northeasterners and the non-Northeasterners alike[2] may realize the diversified thinking patterns, philosophical outlooks, sociological lifestyles, and cultural and moral practices from tribe to tribe. From this foreknowledge one can suggest a pluriform entity called “Tribal Theologies” over against the prevailing notions and practices of analyzing it as a singular theological phenomenon. “What makes tribal theology of this region biblio-centric and at the same time contextual?” is a pertinent question to be asked in order to develop a new hermeneutical paradigm. When contextual theologies are mostly derivative of theologian/s’ own contextual realities, a paradigmatic reading can be performed only by faith-constrained readers of the scripture. This demarcation of paradigmatic reading prioritizes the scripture over against all other influences and contextual beckoning(s).

Through the means of paradigmatic reading, one, firstly, models text as a paradigm and necessitates the reader to understand it by way of various tools and means and, secondly, s/he efficaciously contextualizes the message of the text for the contemporary scenario. It is primarily a text-to-context sequential model over against the existent trends of context-to-text sequential models[3] of reading. The activity of text-reading cannot be understood as a monologic phenomenon; rather it helps the reader to connect the text to the context interactionally and conversationally. While the tribal communities are diverse in their socio-religious lives and practices, a faith-constrained paradigmatic reader shall begin from the text in order to read textual/scriptural reflections unto the context. For her/him, the text is the given norm/scripture/authority/inspired word and the contextual application is secondary to that. It inevitably requires authentic and relevant scriptural readers in order to unlock the grand narratives of the text for the sake of praxis-oriented application. The scripture has to be looked at with discipleship/missional/witnessing concerns and the message has to be channelized to the society holistically. This will help the reader both to safeguard the ontological and semantic essence of the text and its implicatory aspects.

A paradigmatic reader can be one who develops scripture-centric outlook and further intertwine that with the tribal consciousness, norms and practices relevantly. The biblical themes, like righteous/moral living, fear of God, sanctification, justification, reconciliation, liberation, discipleship and others have to be carefully scrutinized and exegeted for the purpose of hermeneutical stimulus and application. In the biblical traditions faith-communities play significant roles and, similarly, in the Northeastern contexts people live and interact in communities. The connecting links of these types have to be established for efficacious actualization of the scripture to the context. A paradigmatic reader takes initiative to interpret biblical characters, topics, and issues in a society-inclined manner and that may further help the reader for interlocking the text with the context. S/he can overview the history of biblical forefathers like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as paradigms in order to intertwine with the forefathers-conscious communities of the Northeast. The commonalities of both the biblical forefathers and the Northeastern forefathers, like the exercise of truth, integrity, and courage, have to be reaffirmed for a renewed social consciousness and living. A biblio-centric paradigmatic reading is helpful in order to bridge between the pre-Christian stage of the Northeast and its latter Christian tribal context. A paradigmatic reader of the scripture understands the importance of biblical learning in order to deal with the upcoming educated villagers of the region.

When discussing about the meaning of Tribal Theology, Thanzauva[4] who considers it as a singular entity says, “In our effort to construct tribal theology, we have been pointing out ‘what theology is not’ in Northeast India”. He says further, “Today we are confronted with a new question of ‘what tribal theology is or should be’”[5]. While Thanzauva and others follow the ‘flow of the time’ and neglect the semantic paradigm of the scripture, a paradigmatic reader proposes a scripture-based paradigm that will better suit to the Northeastern Indian context. Instead of reading the animistic and forefathers-centric context into the text and disguising its semantic paradigm, a paradigmatic reader can better choose “reading the text into the context” model and subsequently suggest sociolinguistically-inclined implications. As indicated above, a “text-to-context” sequential model can be prioritized and utilized in order to safeguard the missio dei aspects in the tribal belt areas of the Northeast.

Yangkahao Vashum’s Interpretation of Jesus

What Yangkahao Vashum says in the following paragraphs is important to notify. He uses rooster as a representative of Jesus and begins with rooster and looks unto Jesus’ sacrifice as a relational aspect from the scripture. Vashum says, “In the sacrifice of the rooster and the death of Jesus Christ, the underlying significance is that both the rooster and Jesus died so that the people might live. There are, of course, limitations in the use of the rooster as the representative of Jesus Christ. While, the rooster sacrifice is temporary and significance is limited to the particular community on whose behalf the sacrifice is made, the death of Jesus Christ is permanent and has universal appeal. However, notwithstanding the limitations, there is a great deal of significance attached to the vicarious suffering of the rooster and Jesus on whose behalf they both sacrificed their lives”[6]. Vashum, on the one hand, accepts the limitations of the use of the rooster as a representative of Jesus in the Northeastern context, but on the other, he matches Jesus and rooster in synonymous terms. On the way to connect these two in parallel terms, he has failed to locate the ontological significance of Jesus’ vicarious death in comparison to the local phenomenon of the rooster sacrifice. A paradigmatic reader may not synonymise these two divergent entities at a stretch mainly because of the ‘temporary-eternal contrast’ existent between them. Distinct from Vashum’s liberationist reading, a paradigmatic reader can begin with the text and suggest Jesus as a paradigm. The rooster sacrifice can be considered just as a contextual metaphor in order to interpret Christ contextually. Thus, the attempt of the liberationists to contextualize ‘everything’ within the text in order to apply ‘everywhere’ in their context/s reveals their mismatching composition.

When a reader finds the relevance of Christo-centric reading of the text into the context, then only s/he can show justice both to the text and to the context. Vashum continues saying that, “…the Gospel writers describe the status of Jesus as being the ‘firstborn son’ (cf. Lk. 2:7; Mt. 1:25). As firstborn son, ‘he constituted not only the continuation of the family but also the continuity and permanence of Israel’s covenant relationship with God”[7]. He further says: “Jesus Christ is truly an ‘elder brother’ whose life demonstrated the qualities that were expected of an elder brother. Jesus is the elder brother par excellence, for in him the desires and expectations of an elder brother came into its fulfilment”[8]. Again, while Vashum and others begin with the context and look back to the text for references, a paradigmatic reader finds Jesus as the starting point of interpretation due to the fact that the text provides the reader dynamics of contextual interlocking. Interpreters of the text must expertise the text and understand the story/ies first of all from its/their own context/s and also from the overall framework of the text. In her book, Wisdom Ways: Introducing Feminist Biblical Interpretation, Biblical scholar Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza discusses about the necessity to pay attention on “meaning-making” conventions. Though I am inclined to many of her paradigmatic discussions[9], I would rather argue for an interpretation that shall be exegetically-acquainted, semantically-concerned, and ontologically-implied in nature and function. A reading aloof from the ontological-rhythm and original-contextual framework of the text might suffer from serious semantic and conceptual distortions.

Vashum’s talk continues as he interprets the ancestors in similar line to Jesus: “The ancestor and the elder brother exercised a critical role of being mediators. The elder brother being the eldest son in the family was charged with religious duties including offering sacrifices to the Supreme Being on behalf of the family. On the death of the father the eldest was expected to carry out all family ceremonies and sacrifices. On the other hand, the ancestor played a mediating role between the spiritual world and the living”[10]. Vashum says further that: “In adapting the role of Jesus to the tribal cultural context, one can substitute Jesus as the Ancestor who represents the mystery of the invisible God”[11]. Again, one can amply prove the mediatorship of Jesus on the basis of scriptural evidences. From there a reader can go ahead to the contextual beckoning(s). In Vashum’s interpretations, one can notice that he is seemingly trapped between the context and the text and interprets the text for the sake of contextual needs and aspirations. In this juncture, before someone moves ahead to liberate people from the clutches of oppression, one needs to liberate the scripture from the non-ontological and non-semantic interpreters and their distortive paradigms.

Recapitulation

It is not only the relational aspects but also ontological aspects decide the meaning of the text. When one relates the contextual aspects like rooster, elder brother, and ancestors with the biblical characters/norms/principles, s/he needs to pay special attention on the semantic and ontological paradigms of the text. While biblical characters and themes are functioning within the textual horizon with a sole purpose, readers need to unlock the text in order to understand its revelatory aspects. The principle of ‘accommodation and disruption’ can be used as a tool in order to channelize the text authentically to the contemporary contextual realms. The biblical concept that ‘God is spirit’ can be well adjusted to the tribal aspirations of the Northeasterners. The Creator God of the Bible can be an all-inclusive reality who can encompass the tribal spirits. Jesus the healer and possessor of the spirit of God can replace the role of all the local spirits. The Biblical concept of the ‘Good God’ can be relevantly emphasized in a context in which God is viewed as Lijaba[12]. Only a paradigmatic reader can bridge between the text and the context meaning-friendly. Instead of allowing the plural contexts of the people groups interpret the text, a paradigmatic reader allows the authoritative text, which has potential meaning, interpret the context/s. A text-to-context interpretative journey will largely help the reader/s in the process of meaning-making. It happens only when interpreters allow the text converse with the context. Let the text speak to the context; let the potential meaning interlock the community/ies.

Notes:

[1] I gathered ideas toward this post while I visited Kohima and Dipapur for internship visit. Thanks to Jonathan Mesen, Vito Chishi, Asienuo Rio, Zuchong Ovung, Enoch Newmei, Alogel Jajo, Keyigumpeule Thou, and Meren Imchen for their valuable sharing/s toward this endeavour.

[2] I. e., those who are in constant touch with the North-Eastern contexts and people groups.

[3] Cf. B. J. Syiemlieh, “Contextual Interpretation of The New Testament in Northeast India: A Search for Principles and Methods”, Tribal Theology and the Bible: A Search for Contextual Relevance, Ed. Yangkahao Yashum (Rajabai, Jorhat: Tribal Study Centre/Eastern Theological College, 2011), pp. 39-56.

[4] One who proposed a “Synthetic-Praxis” methodology for developing Tribal Theology in the North-Eastern India.

[5] K. Thanzauva, “Issues in Tribal Theology”. Tribal Theology: A Reader. Ed. Shimreingam Shimray. Jorhat: Tribal Study Centre, ETC, July-Dec., 2008. Vol. XIII. No. 2., p. 17. Also see K. Thanzauva, “Tribal/Indigenous Interpretation of the Bible: A Keynote Address”, Tribal Theology and the Bible: A Search for Contextual Relevance, Ed. Yangkahao Yashum (Rajabai, Jorhat: Tribal Study Centre/Eastern Theological College, 2011), pp. 13-25.

[6] Yangkahao Vashum, “Jesus Christ as the Ancestor and Elder Brother: Constructing a Relevant Indigenous/Tribal Christology of North East India”. Tribal Theology: A Reader. Ed. Shimreingam Shimray. Jorhat: Tribal Study Centre, ETC, July-Dec., 2008. Vol. XIII. No. 2, pp. 21-22. Also read Yangkahao Vashum, “The Bible as a Story Book: Tribals Reading the Bible as Stories”, Tribal Theology and the Bible: A Search for Contextual Relevance (Rajabai, Jorhat: Tribal Study Centre/Eastern Theological College, 2011), pp. 1-9.

[7] Vashum, “Jesus Christ as the Ancestor and Elder Brother”, p. 30. Cf. Peter C. Phan, Christianity with an Asian Face: Asian American Theology in the Making. Maryknoll: Orbis Books, 2003, p. 136. Also read Syiemlieh, “Contextual Interpretations of The New Testament in Northeast India”, pp. 39-56.

[8] Vashum, “Jesus Christ as the Ancestor and Elder Brother”, p. 30-31. Cf. François Kabasélé, “Christ as Ancestor and Elder Brother” in Robert J. Schreiter, ed., Faces of Jesus in Africa. Maryknoll: Orbis Books, 2000, p. 122.

[9] She suggests various paradigms like “doctrinal-revelatory”, “‘scientific’-positivist”, “hermeneutic-cultural”, and “rhetorical-emancipatory”. Also see Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza, But She Said: Feminist Practices of Biblical Interpretation (Boston: Beacon Press: 1992).

[10] Vashum further says, “In the worldview of the tribals, the notion of the community encompassed not only the living but also the dead and the spiritual beings; the ancestors were an integral part of the community. Additionally, as a life giving source in the sense that through the ancestors generations of human societies have come to exist, the ancestors were closer to the Source”. Vashum, “Jesus Christ as the Ancestor and Elder Brother”, p. 31.

[11] Vashum, “Jesus Christ as the Ancestor and Elder Brother”, p. 31-32.

[12] In the Ao tribal context Lijaba means ‘Good God’.

By Johnson Thomaskutty, Union Biblical Seminary, Pune, India

From Indian Public Administration to Comparative Religious Studies and Christian Thought: Dr. L. Shanthakumari Sunder Speaks…

[L. Shanthakumari Sunder completed her Masters in Zoology from Madras University and worked for a year at Lady Doak College in Madurai, Tamil Nadu before joining the IAS. She belongs to the 1974 batch allotted to the Karnataka cadre. She retired in 2009 as the Additional Chief Secretary and Development Commissioner, Karnataka. While serving, she obtained a Masters in Social Sciences from Birmingham University, England and yet another Masters in Economics from Mysore University. She was awarded PhD in 2008 by Mysore University. She is an active Christian with a keen interest in Comparative Religion. She lives in Bangalore, Karnataka, India.]
Recently, I attended a lecture of Dr. L. Shanthakumari at UBS Faculty Room, organized for the interested Bachelors, Masters, and Doctoral students. Her talk at that juncture inspired me to have a personal interview with her. This interview is the outcome of our back and forth verbal exchange.

Read the interview here…

Question: Dr. Shanthakumari Sundar, I think, your newly published book “Values and Influence of Religion in Public Administration” (SAGE Publications, 2011) is a grand new attempt by an Indian Christian Civil Service officer. Its cover page says, “This book is a study of the influence of religion on the values and ethics of the ‘steel frame of India’—the Indian Civil Service (ICS) and its successor, the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). Examining pertinent subjects like the historical origins of IAS, colonial ethics, codes of conduct and Hindu ethics, the book presents a socio-religious analysis of corruption in India”. Can you share briefly with us the factors those prompted you to write a book of this sort?

Dr. Shanthakumari: When I joined the Service (Indian Administrative Service-IAS) in 1974, the Service was still known for its up-righteousness, integrity, honesty, fair-play and sense of justice. However after 1980s the scenario changed remarkably and corruption seeped into IAS too, which was the successor to Indian Civil Service (ICS of British Raj), the ‘Steel Frame of India.’ This was a rude shock to many of us, including me and I set myself to delve deep to find out the reasons for the degradation in the values of the Service that had set in. In the process I examined the religious values of the Service members, for religion lays down the foundations for developing values in a person, whether through church, or Mosque or temple discourses; also through Bible, Koran, Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagavad-Gita. The values of Indian politicians, who are ruling the country under democracy, were scrutinized and that of society at large, who elect such politicians with their votes. This was my thesis for my PhD, awarded in 2008. The main motivation was to find out the deep reasons for the Service, the politicians and society in India being ridden with corruption from the context of socio-religious background.

Question: Thanks galore for your description. May you outline the central tenets of the book for us especially the theological students and educators in India and elsewhere?

Dr. Shanthakumari: Starting the study of IAS from the very beginning of ICS, a very interesting history of the Service unfolded. The incorruptible ICS started as a corruptible service of Writers under East India Company after 1757, but within 50 years or so, the Parliament in London sensed the dilutions of morals in England, due to corrupt ‘nabobs’ returning with loots from India. They started sending the cleanest hands as Governor-Generals, starting with Cornwallis and with strict rules that were implemented, brought the Service to order and it went on to gain the admiration of the world as the most incorruptible Service at that time. It was interesting to note that this desire to maintain a Service with integrity was a result of moral cleansing that was passing through England in 18^th century under the leadership of William Wilberforce of Clapham sect, which itself was the result of Protestantism, Puritanism, and Wesley’s evangelization of England. These factors have been described under ‘colonial ethics.’ Despite the plundering of the country under colonialism, the morals of an average bureaucrat under British Raj were quite high. Enlightenment and the Secular Rationalist Humanitarianism that developed in England during that time were the major reasons along with Christianity touched by Enlightenment. Definitely Corruption was considered a crime punishable under law during the British rule.

The code of conduct prescribed for the Service after independence was a reflection of this morality of ICS and values like honesty, integrity, political neutrality, equality before law and justice were given utmost importance. Recruitment to the Service itself was thrown open to all Indians through an impartial All India Written Examination and interview conducted by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). However after the 1980s, when the Kothari Committee recommendations were implemented, the examination was thrown open to all candidates both rural and urban with subjects like MBBS and Engineering also admitted in a large manner, with centers to write the exam opened even in rural areas and all the national languages made as media of writing the exam. While this achieved broadening of the base for representation of all communities in the country’s administration, it did dilute the standards of values as the new recrutees, especially from the rural areas, were not exposed to the liberal education that is available in the urban area. They came with all the baggage like caste system, dowry demands and corruption as a way of life.

A survey and interview of the serving IAS officers in Karnataka conducted, exposed that neither the recruitment nor the training or the molding by the senior officers was to be blamed for the increase in corruption in the Service, but the political system that is there as a result of democracy. Politicians as well as the bureaucrats come from society and hence the factors that influence society are suspect. So I took up the detailed study of Hindu tenets (because Hinduism covers 85% of the Indian population), as seen in Upanishads, Bhagavad-Gita, Manusmriti (Indian social law code) and Arthasastra (Ancient Indian economic treatise). This showed the origin of all the known values and disvalues in Indian society, like caste system and the injustice, preference for boys over girls, suppression of women, mukti restricted to Brahmins and world viewed as maya and hence not of much value, corruption as a way of life, etc., emanating from these treatises.

Question: As a retired Indian Public Administrator and, right now, as a New Testament reader and learner, can you share your thoughts about the way we can integrate Christian religious thoughts and social norms efficaciously?

Dr. Shanthakumari: My study provided ample proof for the fact that the moral teachings of Jesus in the New Testament and the life he led as per these morals, leaving behind an example for us to follow, need to be instilled in our education system from the very first class for the children, so that a new generation with the right morals will come about. God created both men and women equally and that everyone is equal before God and that there could be no discrimination before God, have to be stressed, so that caste system and its unjust practices die fully. Inheriting the Kingdom of God means to live a life of moral up righteousness has to be stressed upon, as something that is demanded of us from Jesus Christ and God, whom Jesus called as his Father. There is no room for telling lies, or corruption or bribery or dishonest ways in the Kingdom of God. Our churches have to take up an active part in disseminating the message, both for salvation and for a moral living which is the result of salvation.

Question: Do you think that the message of the New Testament can be a ‘paradigm’ in the contemporary socio-religious and politico-cultural context of India-How and why?

Dr. Shanthakumari: The New Testament message is basically that forgiveness of sins on repentance is available to humans through faith in Jesus Christ and thus gains salvation of our souls so that we can enter eternal life. It also speaks of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, abiding in such believers enabling them to live a godly life as witnesses to Christ’s message. This is the religious context of the New Testament. Once the morals which flow as a result of knowing Christ as Lord and not just as a moral teacher are imbibed and the help of the Holy Spirit starts to direct the path, the political and cultural aspect of a community also will transform. Towards this goal we, especially those of us who call ourselves as Christians, must move relentlessly. We can definitely build on what is good in our existing culture.

Question: I know that right now you are reading and learning Paul’s First Epistle to the Corinthians. How you would apply the message of the book to the contemporary Indian ecclesiastical context?

Dr. Shanthakumari: The main problem with Christianity in India is its divisions which not only confuse the Hindus, but also amuse them. Such divisions were found in Corinthian church also, which is the result of giving importance to human personalities more than Christ himself. Unless we of the various denominations forget our differences and unite in the name of Christ, we are a divided house and cannot make any impact. In spite of the highly demanding moral teachings of Christ, the example of Jesus Christ and the available help of the Holy Spirit that we indulge in such despicable habits is amazing. Unless we Christians can live a life reflecting the values taught and cherished by Christ, we can never be the salt on earth and light of the world.

Interviewed by Johnson Thomaskutty, Union Biblical Seminary, Pune, India

Magazine Release - 2011-12

Magazine Cover

We just came back for our annual Cultural Programme (conducted by SARAC) at the Pentagon of the UBS campus where our committee was allotted some time to release the annual magazine of the college. The theme of this year's magazine is "Coram Deo" which is the Final Year's theme. Our adviser Dr. Paulson released a copy of it and presented it to the Principal, Dr. Shekhar Singh, who then prayed over it.

A big thank you to all who contribute towards the publishing of the magazine, God bless you!