Abstract
Dalit Christians’ identity has been layered into several strands in today’s socio-political and religious India. The social identity of Dalits of any religion for that matter is critical. From the perspective of other castes, Dalits continue to be Dalits no matter which religion they adhere to. So even with conversion from their religion, their caste identity never changes. Dalit Christians, who are converted to Christianity, as citizens of India face several challenges in their journey towards liberation. It is in this context of conversion that some theological engagements on baptism and discipleship come to the fore. How is living out baptism understood as discipleship? And what are the implications for citizenship for Dalit Christians in such a context? In attempting to answer these questions a Dalit public engagement with the theology of Bonhoeffer becomes immanent, for Bonhoeffer wrestled with these questions of baptism and discipleship in a context of an oppressive regime, and paved ways for public theological articulations. This chapter brings out Bonhoeffer’s understanding of discipleship as living out baptism, and draws out public relevance for our context in India. Discipleship therefore calls for a public kerygma, public ecclesia and a public baptism. A relevance of such an understanding is drawn towards Dalit Christians in India.
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Notes
- 1.
Ashok M. Kumar and Rowena Robinson, 2010, “Legally Hindu: Dalits Lutheran Christians of Coastal Andhra Pradesh.” In Robinson, Rowena & Kujur, Joseph Marianus (eds), Margins of Faith, Dalits & Tribal Christianity in India. New Delhi: Sage Publications, p. 150.
- 2.
Rienhold Niebuhr, “The Death of a Martyr,” Christianity and Crisis, June 25, 1945, p. 6, as cited in Geffrey B. Kelly & F. Burton Nelson. 2003. The Cost of Moral Leadership: The Spirituality of Bonhoeffer, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, p. 1.
- 3.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer. 1973. Letters and Papers from Prison, London: SCM Press, pp. 299–300.
- 4.
Frits De Lange, “Waiting for the Word: The Churches Embarrassment in Speaking about God,” in John W. de Gruchy. 1997. Bonhoeffer for a New Day, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans, p. 99.
- 5.
Geffrey B. Kelly, “Prayer and Action for Justice: Bonhoeffer’s Spirituality” in John W. de Gruchy (ed.) 1999. The Cambridge Companion to Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, p. 261.
- 6.
Geffrey B. Kelly & F. Burton Nelson. 2003. The Cost of Moral Leadership: The Spirituality of Bonhoeffer, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, p. 42.
- 7.
Peter Selby, “Christianity in a World Come of Age,” in John W. de Gruchy (ed.) 1999. The Cambridge Companion to Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, p. 243.
- 8.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer. 1948. The Cost of Discipleship, London: SCM Press, pp. 37–38.
- 9.
Ibid., p. 39.
- 10.
Ibid., pp. 51–52.
- 11.
Ibid., p. 74.
- 12.
Ibid., pp. 74–75.
- 13.
Ibid., p. 84.
- 14.
Ibid., p. 139.
- 15.
Ibid., p. 175.
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Patta, R.B. (2019). Discipleship as Living Out Baptism: A Dalit Public Engagement with Theology of Bonhoeffer. In: Dunn, J., Joziasse, H., Patta, R., Duggan, J. (eds) Multiple Faiths in Postcolonial Cities. Postcolonialism and Religions. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-17144-5_7
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