Witter Theological College

Vanhkosung, Wokha, Nagaland

Paper presentation
Subject: Discerning the Signs of the Times: Theological Methodologies from the Margins
Topic: Praxiologicaly Mediation.
1. Enabling Subaltern Agency and Subjectivity 2. Public Witness in Pluralistic Communities.
Facilitator: Miss Zuchobeni Ezung
Presenters: Eyilobeni, Maokiang & Longtsubemo
Respondents: Sheangpong, Themshang, Dilip & Cheliam
INTRODUCTION:
Subaltern is marginalized groups of people in the society. They lived under the authority of others
and are bound to render their service for their masters or superior groups under whom they live.
Subaltern groups are down trodden one in the community or society. They have been deprived of so
many privileges. India is the Pluralistic society having a varieties of races, tribes, caste, community’s
religions, languages, customs and life styles. One where people of different religion Cultures and
ideological commitments of language, regions and ethnic groups live and work together in the larger
community sharing the burdens and joys of human existence. This paper we will discuss on why
there is a need to enable subaltern agency and subjectivity and how public witness in the pluralistic
community.
MEANING OF SUBALTERN:
Subaltern is a military term referring to a person of inferior rank. Italian Marxist, Antonio Gramsci
was the first one who used the term subaltern to designate the subordinate social group or subordinate
class. Subaltern groups emerged in terms of Caste, Class, gender etc. Section of people like the
Dalit’s, Tribal, Adivasis, minorities, women and other forgotten people are termed as Subaltern
groups of people. The word ‘subaltern’ generally refers to the marginalized/ subordinated/ subjected/
silenced. It includes the histories of the people of Dalit/ Tribal/ Adivasis/the minorities/ women and
the other rejected peoples of Indian social history. Designates the population which are socially,
politically, economically and geographically outside of the hegemonic power structure of the colony
and of the colonial homeland. It is a military term which means living under the authority of higher
rank. A subaltern is someone with a low ranking in a social, political or other hierarchy. It can also
mean someone who has been marginalized and oppressed. Subaltern occupy entry level jobs or lower
rank of the corporate ladder. It also describes someone who has no political or economic power such
as a poor person living under a dictatorship.1
ENABLING SUBALTERN AGENCY AND SUBJETIVITY:
The subaltern takes a secondary position from the primary to the main line position. There is always
other higher authority who commands them in performing or carrying out their duties. This is a
reality in human communities where they make higher and lowers and significant base on their rank,
birth and all kinds of advance way of life. The subaltern communities live away from the urban

1
Y.T. Vinaya Raj, Re-visiting the Other: Discourses on Postmodern Theology (Tiruvalla: CSS, 2000), 76.
1
settlers and so they are call subaltern people. We have this difference even in their railways where
they have many lines, inter-state trains as name after the subaltern trains take away passengers to the
far place that are face from the busy life style of the urban settlers. In subaltern communities we will
find limitations of a fair lifestyle the sophisticated lifestyle of the urban life is little affected in the
normal life facilities of the rulers. So the subaltern organization and people movement take the led to
represent the needs of the subaltern’s communities. Whatever the national policy has introduce for
the benefit and importance of the subaltern communities is only on the papers and little in practice is
found in India. The subaltern associations have to contact with mainline organization to get the
sanction benefit to the ruler’s communities. The fact is that the subaltern leaders are unaware of the
national policies in favour of their important it is because of lack awareness and education to the
particular and of facilities. It gives an opportunity for the subaltern members than they will surely
avail there privilege to the maximum use for this matter, there should be subaltern agencies that
should spread awareness among them and mobilize them for a better life. Besides the subaltern
community the other groups of people or organization should also support them in carrying out their
responsibility. They should be encouraged in expressing their voice and platforms should be given to
those groups of people, so that their rights will be given and they can express their views and option
which will help for the better development of the society or other words it could benefits the people
through their participation. Subaltern agency is an action or intervention of someone or something. 2
Social space, social position and subjectivity are postmodern categories. Subjectivity in postmodern
theory is a self reflexive programme through which one re-position, re-allocates himself or herself in
the current social discourses. With regard to the dalits in India, in spite of all liberalize empowerment
programme proposed by modernity they are still in the subordinate social positions which is
invariably well evident in their recent struggles. It is not because of their failure of the execution of
welfare measures of the modern nation state, rather it is because of the modern definition or
representation of Dalit subjectivity and their social agency. Therefore even though these groups of
people are marginalized they are not animals but a human being like us, they have their own cultures,
identity, religion and they should be given opportunity and treat them equally.3
PLURALISM: Pluralism is define as any doctrine that holds that there are ultimately many things or
many kinds of things. Applied to religion, then it means that there is a variety beliefs and practices
that go under the name of religion. Some authors, however, would not use the word ‘religious
pluralism’ to refer to the fact of the multiplicity of religions. Distinguishing ‘religious plurality’ from
religious pluralism they used the letter term to refer to a certain positive attitude towards religious
plurality, an attitude an evolution that consider plurality as something good and desirable and not
merely a brute fact to be grudgingly tolerated.4
CHRISTIAN WITNESS IN PLURALISTIC SOCIETY:
Christian witness is a challenge in multi-faith context of Pluralistic society. Pluralistic context
requires a new task in relation to missionary encounter with other faith which calls for a historical
evaluation in accordance with study of comparative religion. India has got a unique attempt of
comparative study in Akbar’s efforts towards Din-i-llahi. In modern times, this efforts was carried
forward by inaugural of world parliament of religion 1893 and continued by subsequent parliaments
along with this, there are numerous inter-faith organisation upholding the cause of inter-faith cordial
relationship among the people of different faiths.5
2
Y.T. Vinaya Raj, Re-visiting the Other: Discourses on Postmodern Theology (Tiruvalla: CSS, 2000), 56.
3
Y.T. Vinaya Raj, Re-visiting the Other: Discourses on Postmodern Theology (Tiruvalla: CSS, 2000), 15.
4
Paul Cornelius, Religious Pluralism and the Finality of Christ (New Delhi: Christian World Imprints, 2016),
105.
5
Georg Evers, The Churches in Asian (Delhi: ISPACK, 2005), 446.
2
MISSIONARY ENCOUNTER WITH WORLD RELIGIONS:
Christianity in India is as old as Christianity itself and a small Christian community was rooted in
India. The spread of Christianity to different parts of India occurred only after the advent of colonial
western powers. It was in 1493 that Vasco De Gama landed in India shore and this marked the arrival
of Roman Catholic Church in India. The conversation between the native Christian and the
Portuguese Christian created tension because of the colonial mindset that considered the other as
inferior. The Portuguese Missionary started the great mission of Proselytization and focuses the
newly converted Christian to give up their traditions, cultures and practices and adopt the Western
Culture. The Westerners were intolerable towards the native religion practices and Culture valves and
rejects it altogether terming it as devilish. In 1542, Frances Xavier reached Goa and during the
following three years started his very successful Missionary work among the fisher folks at the
Coromandel Coast. In 1561, the inquisition was introduced in Goa prohibited the use of force in
Missionary activities.6 In 1605, Robert De Nobile landed in Goa and this brought a paramount
change in the Missionary world view regarding the India traditions and Cultures. He was confused
because of the negative worldview of India towards Christianity and he made efforts to fine the
cause. He was placed in Maduria and he learned that local language and devoted himself to
understand the local context and accommodated to the local Hindu life and adopted Hindu lifestyle of
Sayasi. He changed his black Cassock with the saffron Sayasi dress, shaved his hair close to the
skull, put tilak on forehead and wore wooden Sandal. He wrote 40 Tamil prose work and three Tamil
poetic works besides eight in Sanskrit and three in Telugu.7
Afterwards other non- Catholic colonial power got grip on India land and protestant Missionary
activities got the prominence. The Protestant mission was inaugurated on 9 th July 1706, when two
German Missionary Ziegenbalg and Plutchau stepped in Tranquebar. 8 The Christian task for him was
to everything possible to demolish such a gigantic fabric of Idolatry and superstition. Needless to say,
such attitude prevented any position encounter between Christianity and India Culture. There is no
denial that the Missionary contributed immensely in the development of India because it leads to
India Renaissance which provided a new outlook to India Civilization. They impacted through
education, Medical mission and stood against social evils like Sati, female infanticides etc. But on the
whole the Missionary perspective towards India was marred by Colonial prejudice, therefore they
presented Christianity in western and they believed that it was impossible to a Christian to live in
their own social location consequently the converts were forced to move away from their roots and
replanted in Mission compounds. Today due to Multi- Culture Pluralistic World Christian Mission
must learn about faith. The world encounter signifies a persistent commitment to prejudice of
superiority over others and accommodation of others faith.9
PUBLIC WITNESS IN PLURALISTIC COMMUNITY:
a. For Christian it is a privilege and joy to give an accounting for the hope that is within them and to
do with gentleness and respect. (1 Peter: 3; 15).
b. Jesus is the supreme witness (John: 18; 37). Christian witness is always a sharing in his witness,
which takes the form of proclamation of the Kingdom, service to neighbour and the total gift of self
even if that act of given leads to the Cross. Just as the Father sent the Son in the power of the Holy
Spirit, so believers are sent in mission to witness in word and action to love of the Triune God.

6
Georg Evers…, 447.
7
K.M. George, Christianity in India through the Centuries (Hyderabad: Authentic, 2010), 126.
8
Arthur Mayhew, Christianity and the Government of India (New Delhi: Gian Publishers House, 1988), 27.
9
Laji Chacko, Christian Response to Multi Faith Issues (Kolkata: ESPACE, 2016), 4.
3
c. The example and teaching of Jesus Christ and of the early church must be the guides for Christian
mission .For two millennia Christians have sought to follow Christ’s way by sharing the good news
of god’s kingdom (Luke 4:16-20).
d. Christians witness in a pluralistic world includes engaging in dialogue with people of different
religions and cultures (Acts 17:22-28).
e. In some contexts, living and proclaiming the gospel is difficult ,hindered or even prohibited ,yet
Christians are commissioned by Christ to continue faithfully in solidarity with one another in their
witness to him (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:14-18;)
f. If Christians engage in inappropriate methods of exercising mission by restoring to deception and
coercive means ,they betray the gospel and may cause suffering to others .Such departures call for
repentance and remind us our need for God’s continuing grace(Romans3:23).10
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION:
When we look in the life of Israel they struggle, gone through oppression they have been deprived by
the Egyptians. At the midst of their struggle we see God’s compassion falls upon them, which infect
projects the concern of God towards the margins who are oppressed and deprived by the society
today. Jesus’s life and ministry can be understood in terms of breaking the barriers between the elite
and margins distinction in the society like the Samaritan woman, the tax collector etc. And the
suffering of Jesus on the Cross bring together all human kind without distinction as one. Today, we
can see that subaltern people are treated unequally in the society .These groups of people face many
discrimination in their lives .They have been deprived of so many privileges and their rights have
been shattered by the higher caste people or by the higher rank that they work or live. As a Christian
ministers it is our responsible to bring unity and equality in the society by proclaiming Gods equal
concern for the people. Also spreading the good news about the kingdom of God and how uniquely,
God has created us, fearfully and wonderfully, we are all equal in the eyes of God. Thus, it is the duty
of every believers to voice for the voiceless bringing together the whole of His creation with one
complete wholeness.
CONCLUSION:
From the above discussion we have learn that how subaltern people are treated unequally by the rich,
high caste and by the higher rank in the society. They are treated as inhuman and do not have the
rights to visit or even raise their voice in the society. Today societies experiencing the changes that
are unprecedented and historic. Therefore, it is important that the traditional patterns of Christian
witness be drastically review so that the freshness of the gospel will be retain at all times. Today
Christian witness the pluralistic context assumes significance in this context, such groups exist within
the churches as forums for reforms as well as outside the church as people’s movement involved in
struggle for a radical social transformation.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Chacko, Laji. Christian Response to Multi Faith Issue. Kolkata: ESPACE, 2016.
Evers, Georg. The Churches in Asia. New Delhi: ISPACH, 2005.
George, K.M. Christianity in India through the Centuries. Hyderabad: Authentic, 2010.

10
Https//www.scribd. Christian witness in Pluralistic Societies. Html. Assed on 25 July 2018, 9:30 pm.
4
Mayhew, Arthur. Christianity and Government of India. New Delhi: Gain Publishers House,
1988.
Raj, Y.T. Vinaya. Re-visiting the other: Discourse on Postmodern Theology. Tiruvalla: CSS,
2000.
WEBLIOGRAPH:
https//www.scribd. Christian witness in Pluralistic Society.html. Assed on 25 July 2018, 9:30pm.