Professor Arvind P. Nirmal Memorial Lecture

The fourth Professor Arvind P. Nirmal Memorial Lecture jointly conducted by the Student Christian Movement India and the Carey Society, UTC will be held tomorrow at 4:00 P.M. in the Ziegenbalg Chapel of the UTC. The lecture titled "Dalit Theology after Liberation Theology" will be delivered by Rev. Dr. Y.T. Vinayaraj, Professor, Systematic Theology, Dharmajyothi Vidyapeeth, Faridabad, India.

Rev. Dr. Y.T. Vinayaraj

Arvind P. Nirmal Memorial Lecture

The Carey Society of the United Theological College and the Student Christian Movement India (SCMI) jointly organized the Arvind P. Nirmal Memorial Lecture on 6^th March 2014 at the United Theological College. The guests and participants were welcomed with a drum beat, a unique aspect of dalit culture.

The programme began at 5.00 P.M. and was presided over by Mr. Paul Karunakar Nalla, Unit Secretary, SCMI. The opening prayer was done by Ms. Aosenla Jamir, Study Secretary, Communication Desk, SCMI. Rev. Raj Bharath Patta, General Secretary, SCMI delivered the welcome address and reminded everyone of the contribution of Prof. A. P. Nirmal towards the emergence of dalit theology as a mainstream department of study in Christian theology. He also talked about the gravity of issues of the dalit Christians of India today. The guest for the programme, Rev. Dr. Y. Moses was introduced by Mr. Inbaraj Jeyakumar, Study Secretary, Fellowship Desk, SCMI. The guest was felicitated by Rev. Dr. Evangeline Anderson Rajkumar, Professor at UTC. 

Rev. Dr. Y. Moses, presented the lecture on the issues pertaining to the Dalit Christian across India. The detailed presentation about the power sharing of dalit Christians in the church clearly reflected the state of the dalits Christians in the Indian church. The lecture helped the students and theologians to realize the oppressed state of the dalits among the Christians in India. Two students from UTC, Prashanth Babu, BD IV and Archana, BD III presented short reflections. The gust responded and clarified the queries from the floor. Vote of thanks was proposed by M. Prashanth Babu, Secretary, Carey Society. The session ended with prayer by Rev. Angela Veronica.

Paul Karunakar Nalla,

Unit Secretary, SCMI.

JK

Arvind P. Nirmal Memorial Lecture

The Arvind P. Nirmal Memorial lecture jointly organized by the Student Christian Movement of India and the Carey Society of the United Theological College will be held on March 6, 2014 at 4:30 P.M. in the Ziegenbalg chapel of the UTC. The main address will be given by Rev. Y. Moses, Director of the Ecumenical Institute for the Empowerment of Dalits.

Interaction with Dalit Christian Colony

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 24^th 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

Public Lecture in honour of Prof. Arvind P. Nirmal

The Carey Society of the United Theological College and the Student Christian Movement of India will be conducting a public lecture on March 17th at 4:30 P.M. in the Tagore Hall of the United Theological College, Bangalore to commemorate and celebrate the 31st anniversary of Prof. Arvind P. Nirmal's Carey Society address of 1981 in the UTC. The public lecture titled "Now we will have the Dalit perspective: Dissecting the Politics of Identity" will be delivered by Rev. Philip Vinod Peacock, Associate Professor of Theology, Ethics and Social Analysis, Bishop's College, Kolkata.

The now famous Carey Society lecture of 1981 by Prof. Nirmal strengthened the cause of looking at theological studies in India from a totally different view point. Dalit theology came into focus as not just a branch but a discipline in itself. UTC has over the years kept up this tradition of lectures as part of the Carey Society and this year the Carey Society co-ordination committee decided to remember the path breaking Carey Society address by Prof. Nirmal  by asking a young and promising theologian in India to speak on the occassion.