The BD students doing a course
on Dalit Theology had a meaningful exposure to a dalit colony known as
‘Christian Colony’ in Kalinayakahalli, about 60 kms from Bangalore, Karnataka
on 24th November, 2013. This was arranged as a part of the Dalit
Theology course on behalf of the Department of Theology and Ethics of
the United Theological College by Dr. George Zachariah and Rev. Raj Bharath
Patta, the course instructors. The students from the Student Christian Movement
in India also joined the exposure. The intention of this visit was to give a
wider exposure to the life and spirituality of rural Dalit Christians so as to
understand the dalit realities which would help the students in their
discourses of doing Dalit Theology from the perspective of the Dalits and Dalit
Christians.
The session began by
participating in the communion worship service in the village church followed
by group discussions about various aspects and issues of the local Dalit
Christians in general and dalits in general. Rev. Raj Bharath Patta, lead
the students through a profound exposure to the Christian dalit issues
and thus helped in understanding the importance of Dalit Christian realities in
doing Dalit Theology. Rev. Rueben Manohar, a UTC alumnus and pastor in
this congregation in Kalinayakahalli was instrumental in explaining the
life-style, Christian faith and spirituality and issues pertaining to the Dalit
Christian realities. Later the students visited the dalit colony and
interacted with the people to know better about the dalit life and
spirituality. The students discussed the issues that caught their attention and
sought clarifications and insights from Rev. Raj Bharath Patta and Rev. Rueben
Manohar. The visit was very helpful for the students in
forming and articulating theology from the dalit perspective and thus addressing the
issues of oppression, alienation, marginalization and humiliation.
The students felt that this
exposure gave a better understanding about the life realities and situations of
rural dalit Christians and expressed sincere gratitude to the course
instructors, Dr. George Zachariah and Rev. Raj Bharath Patta and to the SCMI
for organizing such a meaningful exposure. It was also suggested that more such
exposures could help in doing theology in dalit and subaltern perspectives in a
better way.
Photos and report- Paul Karunakar, BD III
JK
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