Biblical Interpretation in India from Subaltern Perspectives

India has a long tradition of interpreting the Bible. This tradition can be reduced to two kinds of theologies: i. culture and religion based inculturation, and ii. socio-economic based liberation. In the post Independent Era and the post Second Vatican Council times, the first one evolved to establ...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Baptist, Antony John (Author)
Format: Print Article
Language:English
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Published: SCM Press 2022
In: Concilium
Year: 2022, Issue: 1, Pages: 96-104
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B India / Paria / Bible / Exegesis / Oppression / Protest
IxTheo Classification:CH Christianity and Society
FD Contextual theology
HA Bible
KBM Asia
NCC Social ethics
Further subjects:B Bible
B Equality
B Native American theology
Description
Summary:India has a long tradition of interpreting the Bible. This tradition can be reduced to two kinds of theologies: i. culture and religion based inculturation, and ii. socio-economic based liberation. In the post Independent Era and the post Second Vatican Council times, the first one evolved to establish theological equality of the Eastern and Indian traditions with the West. Hindu religious texts, traditions, theologies and practices were studied or compared with the Christian ones. In the process it discarded or excluded the subaltern as 'small or little traditions'. Inculturation theology in India was selective and elitist, limited to upper middle and urbanized class of people, but presenting it as pan-Indian culture. In reaction to this, in the seventies and eighties of the last century, drawing inspiration from Liberation theology, which sees poverty as result of structural injustice, concentration to the poor became important and predominant. This article studies Biblical interpretation in India from the subaltern perspective in two parts. The first one situates Biblical interpretation in the history and context of Indian theology. The second one presents some of the trends that are found in the subaltern interpretation of Bible such as i. Victimhood to subjecthood, ii. Asserting agency and working out destiny, and iii. From being objects to subjects.
ISSN:0010-5236
Contains:Enthalten in: Concilium