1.
Introduction:
Leadership Counts.
It is indeed a
great privilege to share my reflections on RSS and Church’s response. I would
like to congratulate all of you for your leadership and ability to shepherd
your flock in trying situations. I would like to place on record our
appreciation and gratitude for carrying the burden of the Church and the
congregation day after day. Most of you have gone through stressful times,
humiliation, mental torture, physical assault and even witnessed death. In this
year dedicated to St. Paul
let us continue to repeat his words of encouragement, “Who shall separate us
from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or
famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, “For thy sake we
are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Rom
8: 35 -37).
Jesus
envisaged 3 S leadership - Shepherd, Servant and Steward - and embodied all the
aspects in himself. It has been said, “A leader knows the way, shows the way
and goes the way.” And that is what
Jesus did. There was no dichotomy between his personal life and public life. In
the National Bestseller, Jesus, CEO by
Laurie Beth Jones showed us how Jesus is a model leader for all those who are
in leadership in one form or the other.1 In just three years time he
could train and empower his apostles who could withstand persecution and death
and effectively spread the good news of salvation. We are privileged to
continue his mission today in the midst of trying circumstances but nothing
compared to what the early church went through.
2.
India
In his
post-synodal apostolic exhortation, Pope John Paul II said: “In Asia today the
political panorama is highly complex, displaying an array of ideologies ranging
from democratic forms of the government to theocratic ones…..Other states,
though not explicitly theocratic reduce minorities to second-class citizens
with little safeguard for their fundamental human rights….. They are persecuted
and denied their rightful place in the society.” 2
As Indians we
took pride in many religions, many languages, diverse cultures and regions, but
one nation. We in India
claim that ours is a secular nation, the largest democracy in the world, but
the words of the Pope are in some way a description also of what now is
happening in our country. More and more we see forces of intolerance and
fundamentalist groups very active in our public life, at times even violent.
Members of minority groups are not only given what is due to them but are even
abused, manhandled and at times killed. Their places of worship are vandalized,
their sacred texts desecrated, and the dignity of persons, who have consecrated
their lives to the service of God and their sisters and brothers, is violated.
Religious pluralism, once considered the pride of Indian culture, has come to
cause divisions and disunity in the fabric of Indian democracy. Ours is a
civilization which welcomed all religions and diverse cultures and languages. We
took pride in “Vasudhaiva kudumbakam.”
The cohesive character of the country has been slowly replaced by aggressive
and violent approaches to resolve differences in perception of each others
religion. Thus, the secular character of our nation seems to be gradually
eroding. There are reasons to think that as a hegemonic attitude Hindutva has
been active, but in a very subtle way, in Indian history for over two thousand
years, but in the last fifty years it has become much more vocal and organized.
In more recent decades it has not hesitated to restore to undemocratic and even
violent means to achieve its agenda.
This study
tries to trace the historical development of the trend of thought, today known
as Hindutava. We shall analyze some of the historical events, political
compulsions, social changes, economic mutations and religious fears that
explain the emergence of Hindutava. While there are legitimate grievances, not
everything that advocates of Hindutava claim or do is correct. Following the instruction of Jesus (Mt. 16:3)
the second Vatican Council reminds us that “the Church has always had the duty
of scrutinizing the signs of the times, and of interpreting them in the light
of the gospel.” 3 The Synod of Asian Bishops that met from April 18
to May 14, 1998
in Vatican
was one very important moment in the life of the Asian Church
3. Genesis of the Revivalist Agenda of Hindutva
The history of
Hinduism is very complex. It has been shaped by many events of history, but the
impact of the West, however, is perhaps the most important challenge and
stimulus it has encountered. The reaction to this impact effected changes of
the most radical kind, and many contemporary forms of Hinduism can only be
understood in the light of this historic encounter. 4
3.1. Dayanand Saraswati: Aggressive and
Logical Confrontation
Since many
“missionaries questioned the validity of Hinduism and denounced it as a mass of
superstitions,”9 it should not surprise us that some reacted very
aggressively. Dayanand Saraswati (1824-1883) was one such thinker. With him
“rationalism gave birth to faith, equivalence to superiority, tolerance to
militancy. Aggressive and uncompromising, Dayanand’s faith fitted the
mid-Victorian atmosphere of dogmatic Christianity and imperial arrogance.”
5 He even “proclaimed the
right of everybody to study the Vedas, including women and Sudras …. “ 6 He accepted only the Vedas, that too,
only the Samhitas, for these did not sanction murti-puja (veneration of statues), but allowed widow remarriage.
He “set up Vedic infallibility and authority to match and to counteract the
infallibility of the Christian Bible and the Muslim Quran.” 7The
Veda was the one and only source of truth. From this arises the need to preach
the truth of the Vedas and to bring all people to accept it. Only persons who
knew the Vedas can rule well. Even the decision of one sanyasi who is fully conversant with all the four Vedas … should be considered of the
highest authority.” It was believed, “Those men are alone fit to fill such high
offices, as of President or a member of the Political Assembly, who have learnt
the three kinds of knowledge …. From the scholars of the four Vedas…..” 8 Already, here we have the linking up of
religion and politics. Even if we have a democratic structure, only the knower
of the Vedas would have the right to vote and to be elected, for all the others
would be ignorant people. It founded the Arya Updeshak Mandali “with the
special object of dealing a death blow to Christianity with weapons of reason
and fair argument.” 9Dayanand found the Arya Samaj in 1875.
It is a paradox of history that the “Arya Samaj represents the militant strand
from which, in particular, Hindu nationalism (Hindutva) would spring forth.”
10
The
revivalistic trend of Dayanand found a sympathetic echo in Bengal .
As far as my knowledge goes, it was in Bengal
that the word hindutva was first used by Chandranath Basu (1844-1910) as the
title of his “largest and most polemical work”11: Hindutawa- Hindu prokritto itihas (An
Authentic History of the Hindus, 1892).”12
3.2 Vinayak Damodar Savarker and Hindu
Nationalism
The word Hindutava is once
again brought to prominence by Vinayak Damodar Savarker (1883-1966), as the
title of one of his books.15This book was written as an
answer to a very crucial problem. “There was perfect chaos raging in India at that
time (during 1906-10, while Savarkar was in England ) as regards this problem “who
is a Hindu?” which, owing to the controversy in connection with communal
representation assumed an acutely political aspect.” 16 For
him “Hindutva is not a word but a history….. Hinduism is only a derivative, a
friction, a part of Hindutva.” 17As such, “Hindutva embraces
all the departments of thought and activity of the whole being of our Hindu
race.” 18 Savarkar maintains that the Hindus are one nation
(rastra), one race (jati), one culture (samskrti) mediated by one language (
samskrta). 19 Thus, Hindutva indicates the state of mind only
of that person who considers this land not only as his fatherland but also as
his holy land. Savarkar’s understanding of Hindutva has its roots in the
militant nationalism that emerged in Bengal in
the second half of the 19th century. The name of Bankimchandra
Chatterji (1838-94) “stands foremost in this connection.”20 He
has been considered as the ‘prophet of nationalism’.21 In his
novel Anandamath (1882) , we find the
famous hymn Vande Mataram, in which
the Goddess Kali and our country are identified.22 This
makes it very clear “that Bankimchandra’s nationalism was Hindu rather than
Indian.”23 Aurobindo Ghose, another great Bengali,
carried the message of Vande Mataram far
beyond the borders of Bengal .
Addressing
the nineteenth session held at Ahmedabad in 1937, Savarkar said: The National
body of Hindus (Hindu Mahasabha) aims at the all-round regeneration of the
Hindu people. But the absolute political independence of Hindustan
is a sine qua non for that all-round
regeneration of the Hindus. The fortunes of the Hindus are more inextricably
and more closely bound up with India
than that of any other non-Hindu section of our countrymen. After all the
Hindus are the bedrock on which an Indian independent state could be built.13
Savarkar’s logic is perfect: if the future of India is primarily in
the hands of Hindus, and if their well being depends most on the well being of
India, then authentic nationalism cannot but be Hindu nationalism. He is aware
that the Christian community in India
is more at home here than the Muslims, but sounds a warning against ‘a
proselytizing Church’, and hence Hindus should ‘give the missionaries no blind
latitude to carry on their activities beyond voluntary and legitimate
conversion.” 14
3.3 Keshav Baliram Hedgewar and RSS
Keshav Baliram Hedgewar
(1889-1940) founded the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh(RSS) in 1925. 24 To
understand the Hindutva of the Sangh Parivar, we need to understand the factors
that prompted Hedgewar to found the RSS. He was trying to find answer to two
questions that were disturbing him. (1) How do we explain the fact that India ,
which has had “many radiant epochs of spiritual glory, many golden periods of
vast empires and many individual noble souls” was born and again invaded and
defeated by people who were “poor in art , thought and man-power?” and, (2)
What is it that has enabled this nation to prevent its ancient civilization, in
spite of “long periods of subjugations and humiliations, of pain and
suffering,” while many equally ancient civilizations” have all gone into the
dustbin of history?”25 The invaders succeeded
because they played one native ruler against another. 26 They could do this because
of “the absence of collective consciousness on the part of the Hindu Rajas in
particular and the Hindu society in general.”27
4.
Religion and Politics
One of
the outcomes of the British Policy of “divide and rule”, and its granting of
separate electorates to Muslims, was the promotion of the religious
nationalism. This found concrete expression in the foundation of the India
Muslim League,28 and
partly as a reaction to this, the formation of the Hindu Mahasabha in 1915.
29 The later reflects the “greatly heightened
Hindu anxieties” of that period.30 The Mahasabha hoped to
unite the various Hindu
denominations into an organic whole, to make them politically more conscious,
to promote their all-round welfare, to protect Hindu interests as and when
necessary, and to generate cordial relations between the Hindus and the other
religious communities of India.31 Addressing the
Punjab Provincial Hindu Conference 1926, the then President of the Mahasabha,
Lajpat Rai, spelt out a few more concerns of the Mahasabha: legitimization of
the need to unite all Hindus (sangathana),
restoration of the original spirit of the varnaasrama-dharma,
removal of untouchability and uplift of the Shudras, amelioration of the lot of
Hindus into conflicting political parties.32 At first
Mahasabha members were also members of the National Congress. But already in
1926 Bhai Parmanand had suggested that the Mahasabha fight the forthcoming
elections independently of the Indian National Congress .33
The leadership of two able presidents, Bhai Parmanand (1933-37) and Savarkar
(1937-44), “brought to an end the ideological ambiguity of the Mahasabha
because it was a movement of explicit Hindu nationalism that opposed both the
Indian National Congress and the Muslim League.” 34 In the
early thirties the Mahasabha emerged as an independent political party.35 Addressing the session held at Ajmer in 1933,
Parmanand “is reported to have said: ‘Hindustan is the land of the Hindus
alone, and Musalmans and Christians and other nations living in India are only
our guests. They can live here as long as they wish to remain as guests.” 36This
is what was said about Urdu at the session: “Urdu is a foreign language which
is living monument to our slavery. It must be eradicated from the page of
existence. Urdu is the language of the Malecchas
(barbarian, outcast, and sinner) which has done great harm to our nation ends
by attaining popularity in India .”37
4.1 Niyogi Committee Report.
This
committee, officially known as the Christian Missionary Activities Enquiry
Committee of Madhya Pradesh, reported that conversions are largely the result
of unfair means; that missionaries are indirectly involved in politics; that
the converts are alienated from their society; that missionaries engage in
vilifying the Hindus; that helpless tribals and dalits are the primary targets
of missionaries primarily engaged in evangelization and such people should be asked to leave the country; that Indian
churches be free of foreign funds; that institutions such as schools,
hospitals, orphanages and other forms of inducements to conversion be prohibited;
that the existing institutions be taken over by the Government ; and that only
Indians be given the right to propagate their faith.38 The
Jana Sangh also hurt the sentiments of the Muslims advocating a total ban on
cow-slaughtering.39 The
‘Dharma Swatantra Act’ in 1968 sought “to outlaw conversions of Christianity
which had not passed a strict test guaranteeing that they had been entirely
voluntary.”40 The party also “campaigned for the suspension
of Government aid to educational institutions run by missionaries in the tribal
zone, where Christian proselytisation was most rife.” 41 In
1978, during the Janata central government after the Emergency, O. P. Tyagi,
once the president of the Janata Sangh, introduced the ‘Freedom of Religion
Bill’, which had the same aim as the ‘Dharma Swantantra Act’. 42
4.2 A Pampered Minority
An RSS booklet complains that while in Islamic
countries the minorities are second-class citizens and while in Communist and
democratic nations all the citizens are equal, “It is only in our country that
we see the strange topsy-turvy situation of the minorities enjoying more rights
and privileges than the majority,” 43 Another RSS
Spokesperson states: “While Christians dominate the world, and Muslims rule
some two dozen countries, the Hindus who number almost as many as they, find
themselves run down even in Hindustan.” 44 Father Jerome D”Souza announced in the
Constituent Assembly Christians must give up minority tights. This was done
with the intention that we must be part of the main stream of the country.
The pioneering work of Christian missionaries
in alleviating the lot of the exploited
and the marginalized is lauded even by Hindu anthropologists: The British
policy of isolating the tribes resulted in large scale exploitation by….
landlords, money-lenders and contractors adding to their already strained life
in fighting the onslaughts of nature. It was the Christian Missionaries who
first went among them with various welfare schemes. They were also pioneers in
the field of education. They opened the first hospitals in the tribal areas and
some of them even set ideal examples by their care of lepers. 45
“Conversion meant disruption in the village economy. For instance, conversion
to Christianity helped the untouchables who were tied up to serfdom, to
partially liberate themselves from illiteracy and social disabilities.” 46
5. Encountering Hindutva
Fr. A. T.
Thomas and Sr. Maria Rani were killed because they were trying to bring justice
to the oppressed dalits and tribals of their area. Graham Stein and his son
were burnt alive for doing good to lepers. So many of you have faced untold
violence, atrocities, humiliation and persecution just because you stood for Jesus
and his message. The physical violence faced by Christians in India including
the violation of their personal dignity, the vandalization and even total
destruction of places dedicated to worship, and other forms of oppression that
we have witnessed in the wake of Hindutva make us ask ourselves a question: “Is
the good Lord trying to tell us something through all this?” Is He inviting us
to reflect on our mission in this context?
Church History professor remarked: “When the Church fails to sweep
itself, then God gets others to sweep, to make it clean.” I believe we are once
again in the midst of kairos, a
moment of grace, inviting us not only to correct wrong perspectives and ways of
life, but also to be more creative in our evangelical and prophetical presence
in this land - and without this presence the Church of Jesus ceases to exist in this land (Mt. 5:13-16).
5.1 An Indian Church: Enculturation of Life and Liturgy
Savarkar
defines a Hindu as one who considers this land not only as his fatherland but
also his holy land. Hence, he concludes, Muslims and Christians are not Hindus:
“Their holy land is far off in Arabia and Palestine .” 47 This
attitude of Savarkar should challenge us to rethink our commitment to our
country. We noted that the popular image of the urban Christian is that they
like goods of foreign origin easily imitate Western behavior pattern, are eager
to get a job abroad, patronize Western music, etc. This image is based on
facts: “Christianity has provided the first model of Westernization to the
tribals in the shape of Church organization, Western education and above all,
Western values and morals.”48 The early missionaries
were rather ignorant of Hindu religion and culture and in some cases in order
to protect the new Christians they isolated them from their relatives and
environment.49
In such a
situation enculturation becomes a call to a prophetical critique of culture.
This prophetical critique will become more effective if our way of life too is
inculturated. The Asian people are known for their love of silence and
contemplation, simplicity, harmony, detachment, non-violence, the spirit of
hard work, discipline, frugal living, the thirst for learning and philosophical
inquiry…. respect for life, compassion for all beings, closeness to nature,
filial piety towards parents…. And a highly developed sense of community. 50
In fact, if the process of
enculturation has made very little progress in our land, then I am inclined to
think that the main reason is we began with liturgy- for that is easy, when we
ought to have begun with our way of life – but this is demanding. Our attitude and outlook should have the
bearing of our rich cultural heritage.
Even today “the Christian community is by and large an introvert one.”
51 They tend to remain the
‘obscure marginals’.52 When our personnel and institutions
are attacked we begin to wake up and agitate, hence, the question: Where were
we, the official Church and the Christian community, when other minorities were
under attack? Do we recall any official response or protest at the time of
anti-Sikh riots of 1984, or when the Babri Masjid was demolished and Muslims
slaughtered in Mumbai (1992-93)? 53 Our struggle for the
rights of the minorities and the marginalized must take us beyond our churches
and make us cooperate with all people for good will - whatever be their caste,
religion, language or gender. The problems of this land must be our problems.
5.2 The Conversion Debate.
Conversion by
conviction or allurement? Is it for the increase of numbers or making his
kingdom come true? North East has been
the main example for the RSS. It is quite normal for a group of community to
feel concerned when for some reason its number being to dwindle. The Catholic
pastors have been quite disturbed by the fact that some Neo-Pentecostals are
attracting Catholics away from their church. That this was a matter of grave
concern for the Catholic bishops is clear from the fact “that the Doctrinal
Commission of the CBCI and NBCLC, Bangalore, jointly commissioned a scientific
study to investigate why more and more believers feel attracted to this
movement.” 56 I am also inclined to think that one reason , inter alia, why Latin bishops in the
North resist the creation of Oriental diocese in their region is that they will
loose a substantial number of educated members, who make a significant
contribution to the activities of the Parish , not only in terms of leadership
but also financially. Hence, we can all the more understand the feelings of
Hindus when their companions abandon the ancestral faith and convert to a
totally alien religion. This is how Hindu expresses her apprehensions, in the
conversion debate in India ,
the standard missionary argument is: ‘But there are only 2.3 percent Christians
in India .
Why do Hindus feel threatened by such a minuscule minority?’……. The agenda of
the Church is to stop at a certain level. They aim for the whole (100 percent).
The time to stop this demographic aggression and manipulation is now. 57
During the
discussion on the draft text of the Decree on Missions, bishops from Muslim
countries explained to the others the difficulties they face in directly
proclaiming Jesus and his message. In response to their plea, the Decree on
Missions has this to say: “the circumstances may sometimes be such that the
direct and immediate preaching of the Gospel may be impossible. In such cases
the missionaries can and must at least bear witness to the love and goodness of
Christ with patience, prudence, and great confidence.” 58
This call to proclaim Jesus by our very life is more important than
direct evangelization, and without it the latter has no credibility.
5.3
A Servant Church
In our
critique of Hindutava, we have emphasized its hegemonic character. But both
Islam and Christianity have appeared in India as hegemonic religions. This
was a triumphalistic missiology. In this milieu the numerical expansion of the
missionizing Church or the political or economic advancement of its patrons can
become more important than the welfare of the ‘evangelized’ people. Mission then ceases to be
an act of service and becomes a selfish and thereof sinful exercise of
institutional survival and expansion of power.59 The
triumphalistic mentality continues to shape the Church even today. We could
make our own the humble confession of Cardinal Kim of Seoul . Speaking about the preparation for the
bicentenary of the arrival of Christianity to Korea , he says: In our preparation
we are stressing spiritual revival, and the love of Jesus, saying that we must
love one another as Jesus loved us. But sometimes I have the nagging suspicion
that what we want most of all is to have a successful celebration and show the
whole world how beautiful and prosperous the Korean Catholic Church is, instead
of gearing all the efforts to present the image of Jesus, Incarnated Love, who
became the Brother of brothers, the Brother of all people. 60
If we are to
be truly creditable, we need to shift from a royal Christology to the servant
Christology: Jesus who came to serve, especially the poor, the outcast and the
exploited.61 “Jesus is known and experienced not in what he
differs from people, but what he is in solidarity with them.” 62
In this
context we, the Christians in India ,
need to ask ourselves: “Has our acceptance of the Gospel improved the quality
of our life so as to enable us to be the salt of the earth, the light of the
world? Do the Christians in India
have greater moral integrity than others?”
Jesus was a
secular person. He lived in the heart of the world, but his life was so
different that he became a question mark to his companions. His spirituality
was not the ‘pietistic’ type, but a commitment to human integrity, integrity
expressed in love for neighbor, truth and justice. He was not interested in
constructing costly temples for his God or in conducting solemn liturgies in
his honor, but in making human hearts the dwelling of his Abba and love of
neighbor as the highest liturgy. This is also the challenge for the Church in
Asia and India .
There can be
no true proclamation of the Gospel unless Christians also offer the witness of
lives in harmony with the message they preach…. This is certainly true in the
Asian context, where people are more persuaded by holiness of life than by
intellectual argument. The experience of faith and of the gifts of the Holy
Spirit thus becomes the basis of all missionary work, in towns or villages, in
schools or hospitals, among the handicapped, migrants or tribals, or in the
pursuit of justice and human rights. Every situation is an opportunity for
Christians to show forth the power which the truth of Christ has become in
their lives 63 India needs the Gospel only if we Christians,
by our life, help in promoting human integration. Otherwise it will sound
hollow. Ours must be a secular spirituality: a world-transforming vision and
way of life.
5.4 A Contemplative and Contrite Church
In the calendar of the Jubilee Year, March 12, 2000 was marked ‘The
Day of Pardon’ the day when the Church publicly asks forgiveness for the
failures of Christians to live out message of Jesus in his spirit’.64 This
is an invitation not only to individuals as individuals but also to the
Christian community as a whole, with all its structures and institutions. The
Pope “created history on 12 March, 2000 when he apologized for ‘the use of
violence in the name of truth, and for the difference and hostility engaged
against followers of other religions.’” 65 The post- Synodal
document Ecclesia in Asia is emphatic on the need of contemplation in
order to be the effective presence of Jesus in Asia
today. Asia is a home to great religions where
individuals and entire people are thirsting for the divine, the Church is
called to be a praying Church, deeply spiritual even as she engages in immediate
human and social concerns. All Christians need a true spirituality of prayer
and contemplation. 66
In an early document Pope John Paul II stated:
“My contact with representatives of the non-Christian spiritual traditions,
particularly those of Asia , has confirmed me
in the view that the future of mission depends to a great extent on
contemplation.”67 Now he is even more precise: “Mission is contemplative
action and active contemplation.” 68 The call of
contemplative life is addressed to all Christians, because “the Christian of
the future will be a mystic or he will not exist at all.” 69 Authentic contemplation will enable us to
broaden our horizon, so that we see not merely atrocities against Christians
but also all problems related to human rights as our problems. It will provide
us the wisdom we need to re-read our ancient texts and make them our scripture.
It will give us the spirit of austerity and simplicity to enable us to live by
resources from within our land. It will provide us with discernment, courage,
and credibility we so much need to exercise our prophetical ministry.
Authentic contemplation will fill us with the
compassion of Jesus, who came not to be served, but to serve, to bring back the
lost, to heal the wounded. It will make us humble so that we accept our
mistakes. It will give us the strength we need to live out commitment to Jesus
without any governmental protection - as did the Christians of the first three
centuries. It will make us salt of the earth and light of the world. This
emphasis on contemplation as the foundation of mission is what does justice to
our land, because our land has given birth to many people who have ‘seen God
with their eyes’ (saksi).70
6. Laity’s Participation in Politics
Today’s
politics of India
is the result of a gradual evolution of secular nationalism starting from the
freedom struggle that ended up with formulation of our Constitution. When
Mahatma Gandhi entered the struggle he introduced high moral principles in
political affairs. He was indeed a political saint. His entry into politics was
meant to be a means precisely “to see God face to face”.71 Hence
he introduced lot of highly moral principles and spiritual approach to
politics.
The lay
Christians may be abhorred by dismal picture of politics. Untrained as they
are, they even feel helpless at the sight of deteriorated and disoriented
politics of the nation. Their usual response run like this: “The present day
politics is too rotten to change it. Moreover, we are a miniscule minority. Even
if we try, therefore, we never succeed. Let us, then, practice our faith in
seclusion from political life of the country.” The numerous atrocities
inflicted upon them by the Hindutva forces seem to reconfirm the laity’s
response. Even otherwise, they consider that politics is a field reserved to
some professional men. As such therefore, there is no role for the ordinary
Christians to play in politics.
Such reactions
of helplessness and isolationism are but natural and spontaneous, if it is
assumed that politics means ‘just elections’ or ‘political parties’. However,
if we know what politics really means, we cannot but be challenged to
participate in politics. It is good to remember that politics is the process by
which groups of people in a given society (be it city/village) make decisions
for their common welfare, abiding under an authority which regulates their
behavior, using methods and tactics to formulate and apply a policy so as to
fulfill the interests of the competing groups in an ordered way. The modern
nation-state has the same features on a macro level. It is at this level that
there might have come about the narrow definition of politics as “the
activities carried out by persons or groups or parties in order to attain and
preserve the power of governing in a given society; 72 or
to put it differently, “the activity by which differing interests within a
given unit of rule are conciliated by giving them a share in power
proportionate to their importance to the welfare and survival of the whole community.”
73 The political activity in the understanding covers wide range
of activities from voting, active involvement in a party, exercising party
leadership, to holding public offices on various levels and finally working for
the welfare of the general public. We need more of Christian presence,
Christian leaders involved in the affairs of the country even for our own
survival.
The integral
nature of the message of Christ demands that any one who believes in it must
enter into political activity. To put it in the words of Puebla Document: “The
integral message of Christ …… takes in the concrete, personal and social life
of the human being. It is a liberative message because it saves us from the
bondage of sin which is the root and source of all oppression, injustice, and
discrimination….. So, being present in this field it can enlighten consciences
and to proclaim a message that is capable of transforming society.”74
7. Need for Revisiting and Redefining the Teachings
of Jesus Christ.
May I invite this
august assembly to let the Bible speak and rekindle the gift of God entrusted
to the Church?
7.1 Kingdom of God
Jesus said
that he has come to proclaim and establish the kingdom of God Galilee ,
teaching in their Synagogues and preaching the gospel of the Kingdom and
healing every disease and every infirmity among the people (Mt 4:23). The
centrality that Jesus has given to the kingdom of God Kingdom of God St. Paul ,
we could take the study of kingdom and kingdom values seriously and plan out to
bear witness to that.
7.2. Fatherhood of God and
Brotherhood/Sisterhood of Humankind.
Another focus
of Jesus’ teachings is on making people understand the unconditional love of
the Father. Jesus’ obsession to spread his Father’s love is evident in all the
gospels. “Father himself loves you” (Jn 16:22). “Be perfect as your heavenly
Father is perfect” (Mt 5:48). “The Father who looks after the birds of the air
and lilies of the field…” (Mt 10:29-31). Jesus said, “I have made known your
name” (Jn 17:26). People of our country easily understand Jesus and the
relevance of his teaching on Abba Father and this would help us to work hand in
hand to establish the brotherhood and sisterhood of humankind in a more
acceptable way. To the world full of stress and stress related sickness, how
relevant is the message of Father’s love. This is a recurring common theme of
all those who promote true spirituality. How relevant and significant is the
message of Jesus, if only we could make use of it?
7.3 More Dependence on the Fruits and Gifts
of the Holy Spirit (1Cor 12; Gal
5:22-23)
When we study
the early Christian communities we see how the Church was constantly led by the
Holy Spirit ( Acts 2:4; 4:8, 31; 5:3,9; 6:3; 7:51; 8:15, 29,39; 8:18-20). We
need to depend more on the power of the Holy Spirit and less on our
institutional and hierarchical power. As Lord Acton says, “Power corrupts and
absolute power corrupts absolutely.” When the Church got more and more involved
in political and secular power, the Holy Spirit took a back seat and the rest
is History. People of other religions should feel the spiritual power in each
one of us. As leaders committed to spiritual life our attitudes, words and
actions should reflect our commitment to contemplation and action. For this we
need to re-dedicate ourselves to prayer and the ministry of the word (Acts 6:4). Authentic commitment to the Word of
God and Sacraments will strengthen the Christian communities. Jesus said, “True
worshipper will worship the Father in Spirit and Truth” (Jn 4:23). Again Jesus
says, “In vain do these people honor me with their lips because their hearts
are far away from me” (Mt 15:8). From a purely cultic and ritualistic worship
we must give the people of God a true experience of God through meaningful
proclamation of the Scripture and celebrations of the Sacraments which would
build the Christian community from within and will be able to withstand the
onslaught of religious persecution and social isolation.
7.5. Christian Identity, not in Buildings
but in Relationships
Often we
identify Christians by the sign of a cross, names, churches and outward
expressions. But if you let the Bible speak, we will see that they are known by
two main characteristic features: 1. “By this all men will know that you are my
disciples, if you have love for one another” (Jn 13:35). Our trade mark is not
buildings, churches, names, statues, even wearing of the cross, but love. Often
I wonder whether we have given heed to the primacy of love, “not in word or
speech, but in deed and in truth”
(1 Jn 3:18).
Christianity is loving and living relationship in action. If there is no love,
there is no use as clearly shown by St.
Paul in his letter to the Corinthians (1Cor 13). Our
communities and churches should be known for caring relationships. 2. “By this
my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my
disciples” (Jn 15:8). To be a genuine disciple one has to bear fruits that are
visible. Our life should bear the fruits of the Spirit as given in the letter
of St. Paul to
the Galatians. Just by going to the church or by wearing a cross, or
receiving/celebrating sacraments one would not become his disciple.
Before we
confront RSS we need to introspect and see how strong our churches have become?
How developed our people have become? What is the quality enhancement brought about
by our being a Christian? Often we have gone for numerical development but the
quality of living, sincerity of our relationships, our sense of belongingness,
our solidarity with the poor and needy and the deprived sections of the society
need to be qualitatively improved. We need to strengthen our own Catholic
community.
7.6 Christian Unity: Need of the Hour
As the saying
goes, “Unity is strength.” “United we stand, divided we fall.” Christian churches are divided within and
without on the basis of caste, rites, languages and on personal and
professional differences. The Catholic Church is itself divided in India on the
basis of rites, caste and other considerations.
No one can keep track of the different denominations at work in India . We need to project a united front if others
have to take our community seriously. Hence, we have to go beyond the differences
and focus on one Lord, one baptism, one faith and our experience of Jesus as
Saviour and Lord. May be we can learn from Sikhs, Muslims, Hindus and many
others. “That they may be one”, Jesus prayed (Jn17:31). Let us make this prayer
come true. In democracy and in a country like ours where we have many religions
and continuous conflicts between majority and minority community’s numbers
would matter. We must have sizeable number to bargain with the government and
other groups. We cannot remain isolated and scattered. As the coalition governments
have common minimum programme, let us also have common ecumenical
programmes. Let us sincerely work and
pray for this unity among Christians. In the Old Testament there were many
daring prophets who could guide and lead the Israelites. Let us welcome and
promote and discern prophetic messages for the betterment of the Church.
7.7 Inter-religious Dialogue
The Catholic
Church has always taken keen interest and promoted inter-religious dialogue.
But at the grass root level, I feel we fail miserably as hardly any one got
time to reach out and build communities of love and look for common grounds to
promote spirituality, prayer, fellowship and true seeking of the Divine. We
have so many people in other religions who had mystical experience and whose
life is equally committed and exemplary. It is vital to get the local
communities involved in our activities and elicit their good will and
co-operation. Building bridges and human communities would pay rich dividends
in due course. We must give up our indifference and self-sufficiency and learn
to respect other religions and be part of the Indian ethos.
Premanand, the
great Christian who was once a wealthy and high-cast Christian, says in his
autobiography, “As in the days of old, so now our message to the non-Christian
world has to be the same that God cares.”
If that be so, we must never be too busy for people, and we must never even
seem to find them a trouble and a nuisance. Premanand writes, “My own
experience has been that when I or any other missionary or Indian priest showed
signs of restlessness or impatience towards any educated and thoughtful
Christian or non-Christian visitor, and gave them to understand that we were
hard-pressed for time, or that it was our lunch or tea-time and that we could
not wait, then at once such enquirers were lost, and never returned again.” We
must never deal with people with one eye on the clock, and, as if we were
anxious to be rid of them as soon as we decently could be. Premanand goes on to
relate an incident which, it is not too much to say, may quite possibly have
changed the whole course of the spread of Christianity in Bengal .
“There is an account somewhere of how the first Metropolitan Bishop of India
failed to meet the late Pandit Iswar ChandraVidyasagar of Bengal
through official formality. The Pandit had been sent as spokesman of the Hindu
community in Calcutta ,
to establish friendly relations with the Bishop and with the Church.
Vidyasagar, who was the founder of a Hindu educationalist of repute, returned
disappointed without an interview, and formed a strong party of educated and
wealthy citizens of Calcutta
to oppose the Church and the Bishop, and to guard against the spread of
Christianity. The formality observed by one known to be an official of the
Christian Church turned a friend into a foe.” What an opportunity for Christ
was lost because someone’s privacy could not be invaded, except through
official channels.75
It would be
important for the Church to dialogue with the RSS cadre and make them
understand the positive contributions made by the Church in the development of
the nation and how strongly we are patriotic.
7.8 Promote Lay Leadership
We need to
work for the empowerment of the laity and get our lay leaders to take active
participation in the social and political activities of the country. I would
like to place on record the initiative and the work done by Fr. Anand Muttungal
and his team. We should make use of the print and electronic media to propagate
the great work done by the Church in educational, social and medical fields. No
other community must have done so much of selfless service in the country than
the Catholic Church. And yet, we are not getting the public attention we ought
to get probably because of our own in-fights and personality conflicts. It
would be good to hold consultation of our Catholic professionals to reflect on
the issues and challenges faced by the Church and get them involved in the
affairs of the Church. (I have always appreciated the Sikh community and their
leadership). As proposed, the formation of a Catholic/ Christian Mahasabha
would help the Church to make the Christian presence felt in the country. But
we should not be identified as another militant group which could cause further
polarization, isolation, alienation and retaliation. In M.P. we are only 4% and
we need to understand that we will never be able to face “challenges” of the
majority community. The present problem in Jammu Kashmir is very relevant.
Hence, we need to be prudent and realistic in today’s context.
7.9 Promote Professional Studies and Make
Use of Our Educational Institutions.
Christian
presence in the civil administration can act as the light, leaven and salt of
the earth which will make a world of difference in all our apostolate.
Empowering the ST/SC/OBC and the general category of Catholics could be taken
up as part of our strategic planning. RSS cadre has infiltrated into every
system of our country. Be it French
Revolution, abolition of Slavery in U.S.A, Independence Struggle of India or
other countries, are all done because of leaders who could propagate ideals,
thoughts and concepts for a better tomorrow, for a better world and quality
enhancement. Refocusing on the dialectics of quantity and quality could be an
eye opener. Every opportunity should be made use of to disseminate gospel and
kingdom values in the context of Indian ethos. Better strategies could be used
to make Jesus and his profound teachings more acceptable to the general public.
Most of the management books and books on leadership are using the teachings of
Jesus. We must make use of our potential to present Jesus and his kingdom
values in a strategic manner. We must
make use of all our educational, medical and social institutions to widen the
circle of influence and disseminate kingdom values and the rich cultural
heritage of the nation.
7.10 Image of the Church Counts
Political
parties always took great care to project the correct image of their party
ideals and manifesto. Bishop Theophane at one time was much concerned about the
image of the Church. Reflecting on his interventions and critical comments,
though did not elicit much popular acclaim, did focus on certain essential issues
and major concerns of the Church as an institution. It may be good to reflect
and see whether we need to review the image Church is projecting in the
society. Inadvertently we become insensitive to this significant aspect of the
presence of the Church in the country which has great spiritual traditions. Let
us project that we treasure and value Indian traditions more than western
traditions. Let us project that we take pride in the country’s achievements.
Let us project that we are Indians first and Indians last; that we are
sincerely concerned about all that happens to the people of this country; that
we are patriotic and interested in the here and now of the country and not in
eternal life alone which often becomes an excuse for our inaction. Let us
project that we are an interdependent community and not a self sufficient
island of comfort and luxury mainly because of foreign funds. Let us project
that we are earning our livelihood and we are living within our means. Let us
project that we are interested to build human communities and not just Catholic
community alone.
8. Conclusion
The Church has
to focus on two strategic areas; one of consolidating and strengthening its own
members - Priests, Religious and Laity and improve the quality of life of each
constituent. Secondly, reaching out to the world with kingdom values, to be its
light, leaven and salt and, there by, building bridges and breaking down walls
and being a proactive part of the emerging India - a developed nation. Let us keep eyes open to the fact, “The new
world into which we are madly rushing, no single factor in life will be more
important than the composition and incidence of political power, and no task
more urgent than the understanding and utilization of a force whose mastery may
mean light or darkness for individuals and for civilizations.” 76 Let us consciously
promote our lay leaders to get involved in the political process of the country
and claim their rightful position. “My life is my message” 77 Gandhi wrote in 1947, a few months before his death.
His total identification with the masses in their ethos and pathos of life with
no dichotomy between his words and deeds gave him unparalleled authority and
power, though he did not hold any formal position.78 If we, as leaders can strive for this and promote
this, we would soon be identified as significant part of the nation. Let us
imitate Jesus our leader who never took shelter in political power, rather with
integrity of life and authority from above he combined in himself the power of
God which gave him unusual authority.
There was no dichotomy, no difference between his person and office.
The
Catholic Church has done great service in Madhya Pradesh. Let us pay our homage
and tributes to the great missionaries who worked in our mission stations,
parishes and institutions to proclaim the message of salvation in villages and
cities. It is incumbent on us who have been called and entrusted with the
mission of Christ to find our strength in Jesus and the people whom we serve.
He will continue to be our Shepherd and Saviour. At trying situations let us
strengthen each other and take courage and find strength in Joshua 1:9; “Be
strong and of good courage; be not frightened, neither be dismayed; for the
Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Dr. Fr. Davis George, Principal, St. Aloysius College,
(Autonomous), Accredited A+ by NAAC, College with Potential for excellence, Jabalpur
NOTES:
1. Laurie Beth Jones, Jesus, CEO,
Using Ancient Wisdom For Visionary Leadership, 1995, Hyperion, New York.
2. Ecclesia in Asia, no. 8.Eng. tr.: John Paul II, Ecclesia in Asia,
Mumbai: Pauline Sisters Bombay
Society, 2000, p. 20.
3. Gaudium et Spes, no.4.Eng.tr.: The documents of Vatican II, Bombay , St. Paul
Pb.,1966,p.174
4. A.RAMBACHAN, “Swami Vivekananda’s Use of Science as an Analogy for
the attainment of Moksa”, Philosophy East
& West, 40/3 (July 1990), pp.331-42 p.331.
5. K.W.JONES, Arya Dharma: Hindu
Consciousness in 19th century Punjab, New Delhi :
Manohar Book Service, 1975, p.30.
6. Ibid., pp. 24-25
7. SEUNARINE, Recon version to
Hinduism through Suddhi, p.25
8. SARASWATI, Light of Truth,
p. 167.
9. Regenerator of Arya Varta,
1/7 (20 August 1883), p. 3: qt. by JONES, Arya
Dharma, p. 47.
10. JAFFRELOT, The Hindu
Nationalist Movement and Indian Politics, p. 14
11. A. P. SEN, Hindu Revivalism in Bengal 1872- 1905: Some essays in
Interpretation, Delhi :
Oxford University Press, 1993, p.216.
12. Ibid., p. 210.
13. V. D. SAVARKAR, Hindu Rashtra
Darshan ( A collection of the presidential speeches delivered from the
Hindu Mahasabha platform), Bombay :
K. G. Kare, 1949, p. 13.
14. Ibid., p. 69.
15. V. D. SAVARKAR, Hindutva: Who is a Hindu?, Poona : S. R. Date, 2nd ed., 1942.
16. Ibid., S. R. Date, in his preface, p. 1.
17. Ibid., p. 3.
18. Ibid., p. 4.
19. Ibid., p.81.
20. MAJUMDAR, British Paramountcy
and Indian Renaissance, pt. 2,. P. 478
21. R. K. NATH, The New Hindu Movement – 1886-1911, Calcutta : Minerva, 1981, p. 202.
22. The importance of this hymn in our freedom struggle becomes clear
from that fact that last year there was a celebration in Pune to mark its 125th
anniversary. “Function held to mark 125th anniversary of Vande
Mataram”, The Indian Express (Pune edition, unless indicated otherwise), 18
November 1999, p.3.
23. MAJUMDAR, British Paramountcy
and Indian Renaissance, pt. 2, p.479.
24. K. R. MALKANI, The RSS Story,
New Delhi : Vikas, 1999, p.ix.
25. Ibid., p. 37.
27. HINGLE, Hindutva Reawakened,
p. 44.
28. MAJUMDAR, Struggle for
Freedom, p. 150.
29. K.W.JONES, “Politicilized Hinduism: The Ideology and Programm of
the Hindu Mahasabha”, in R. D. BAIRD (ed) Religion
in Modern India, New Delhi :
Manohar, 1981, 3rd ed., 1995, rep. 1998, pp.241-73, here p.245.
Baxter says that the Hindu Mahasabha was founded in 1914. See C. BAXTER, The Jana Sangh: A Biography of an Indian Political Party, Bombay :
Oxford University
30. JONES, “Politicized Hinduism” , p. 243.
31. Ibid., p. 245.
32. Ibid., pp. 251-52.
33. Ibid., p. 252.
34. Ibid., p. 255.
35. BAXTER, The Jana Sangh,
pp. 16-17.
36. Ibid., p.19. Here Baxter is quoting from A. B. RAJPUT, The Muslim League, Yesterday and Today Lahore : Ashraf, 1948, p.
54.
37. Ibid., pp. 19-20; quoting Rajput, pp. 54-55.
38. Ibid., p.143-44.
39. Ibid., p. 149-50.
40. Jaffelot, The Painful
Transition: Bourgeois Democracy in India ,
London : Verso,
1990, p.147.
41. Idem.
42. Ibid., p. 287.
43. RSS: Spearheading National
Renaissance, Bangalore :
Prakashan Vibhag, RSS Karnatak, 1985, p. 40.
44. MALKANI, The RSS Story,
p. 180.
45. K.N. SAHAY, “ Christianity as an Agency of Tribal Welfare in
India”, in L.P.VIDYARTHI (ED), Applied
Anthropology in India, Allahabad: Kitab Mahal, 1968, pp. 316-48, here pp.
316-17.
46. V.T.R.SHETTY, Dalit Movement
in Karnataka, Madras :
Christian Lit. Soc., 1978, pp. 118-19.
47. SAVARKAR, Hindutva, p. 92.
48. VIDYARTHI & RAI, The
Tribal Culture of India
49. SAHAY, “Christianity as an Agency of Tribal Welfare in India ”,
pp. 317-18.
50. EA, 6/14.
51. DEGREZ, “Targeting the Minorities”, p.6.
52. R.A. SCHERMERHORN, Ethnic Plurality in India ,
Tucson (Arizona ):
University of Arizona
53. DEGREZ, “Targeting the Minorities”, p.5.
54. Ibid., p.6.
55. S. ANAND, “ The Asian Synod
and Inculturation”, Mission Today , 2 920000, pp 332-40, here. 335-40.
56. P. PARATHAZHAM, “ The
Challenge of Neo-Pentecostalism”, Vidyajyoti Journal of Theological Reflection,
61 (1997), pp. 307-20, here, p. 307.
57. S. KHANNA, “ The conversion
debate goes on “ (Letter), The Asian Age, 6 February 2000, p.12.
58. Ad. Gentes, no. 6. Eng. Tr. The
Documents of Vatican II, Bombay : St. Paul , 1966, p.490.
59. G.M.SOARES-PRABHU, Biblical
Themes for a Contextual Thelogy Today, ed. I.PADINJAREKUTTU (Collected Works of
George M. Soares Prabhu, S.J.,VOL I) Pune: Jana-deep Vidyapeet, 1999, p. 17.
Emphasis added.
60. S.KIM, “ Reflections on
Being a Bishop ,” FABC Papers, 35, (1983), pp. 13-20, here p. 17.
61. See also S, ANAND,”
University Unique and Uniquely Universal”, Vidyajyoti Journal of Theological
Reflection, 55 (1991), pp. 393-424, here pp.416-24.
62. F. WILFRED, “Some Tentative
Reflections on the Language of Christian Uniqueness: An Indian Perspective,” Vidyajyoti Journal of Theological Reflection,
57(1993), pp. 652072, here p.670.
63. EA, 42/116-17. Emphasis
added.
64. “The Day of Pardon”
(editorial), Vidyajyoti Journal of
Theological Reflection, 64 (2000), pp.81-84, here p. 81.
65. “Sins of the Father”
(editorial), The Times of India, 14 March
2000, p.12.
66. EA, 23/69.
67. Redemptoris Missio, no. 91. Eng. Tr. On the Permanent Validity of the Church’s Missionary Mandate, Bombay : St. Paul ,
1991, p. 150.
68. EA, 23/68. The emphasis in the original text.
69. K. RAHNER, Theological Investigations, vol. 20, tr.
E. QUINN, London :
Darton, Longman & Todd, 1981, p.149.
70. The word saksi ,
originally Sanskrit, is commonly used in many of our regional languages to mean
‘a witness’. It is formed by adding the prefix sa (having) to the noun aksa
(eye).
71. One may fruitfully remember these words which he wrote in young India : “I count
on sacrifice too great for the sake of seeking God face to face…. And I know
that God is found more often in the lowliest of His creature than in the high
and mighty …. I cannot do so without their service. Hence may passion for the
service of the suppressed classes. And I cannot render th is service without
entering politics” (Y. I. 1.9.1924 P. 297 and 298). For easy reference, vide V.
B. Kher Ed. Political and Natural Life
and Affairs, Ahmedabad: Navajivan Publishing House Vol.1.1967, p. 15.
72. FABC Papers 63, p.3
73. As quote in Roger Scruton, A Dictionary of Political Thought, London : Pan Books, 1983 p.
361.
74. Ibid, Nos. 517-518
75. William Barclay, D.D, The Daily Study Bible. The Gospel of Matthew,
(Vol.2, - Chapter XI to XXIII. 1st Edition 1957) The Saint Andrew
Press, Edinburgh.
76. Merriam E. Charles, Political Power (London: Collier-Macmillan
Limited, 1934) p.27.
77. Raghven Iyer, ed., The Moral and Political Writings of Mahatma
Gandhi (Oxford: Clarendom Press 1986-87) 3: 609. (Hereinafter referred to as
MPWMG). \
78. Davis
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