S1-Day 12: God in dirty places: Drug Abuse

“I understood myself only after I destroyed myself. And only in the process of fixing myself, did I know who I really was” (Unknown). 

These are words of a person who recovered from drug addiction. It only shows how a recovered person is in search of life after drug abuse/addiction. Drug Abuse in India is a common term. I am very particular about Drug Abuse, because this topic contains many things to retrospect from various angles, and not all sides have the same conclusion. This proves, how important a topic it is for today’s society. How do I view Drug Abuse? What sort of connection does it have to the present situation? Want to know more? Let us read through.

As a chaplain I have heard many women's voices from gardeners, housekeeping staff, canteen staff etc. This is one of the teary-cry of a woman whom I encountered. 

One night, I was waiting for my husband, expecting him to be back soon. Late in the night her came home drunk. He started beating me for more money to buy liquor again. In my struggle and tears I could only search for God from this situation. In search for a God from my very own dirty place asking for strength to protect my children and myself. Though, I waited to have dinner with him, he would just eat everything and sleep, even without looking at me or inquiring if we had eaten. At that point, I wished atleast God would look at me. In the midst of the smell of his vomit, I searched for God, praying, when will you change this, O God, and make my life into a pleasant fragrance? In my loneliness I searched if God would atleast listen to my loud silence. When the lights of our house are switched off I sleep with a pitiful hope that one day my God will save me and my daughter from here.

According to my understanding, I have viewed Drug abuse in two ways, firstly, as the over usage of drugs to get addictive by using cocaine, tobacco, ganja, heroin, even alcohol to s major extent etc. These types of drugs will keep the person in a trance. Secondly, Drug abuse is also over using tablets and medications. It can be with the advice of doctor or it can be taken by self. On the whole it is all about using legal or illegal substances in ways one shouldn’t be using. We may think that only a certain age group of people are targeted and only they are addicted to drugs. But the truth is we are all involved in one or the other way. Knowingly or unknowingly we have become a part and parcel of drug abuse in our society. Now the question is how do we get out of it? I think short illustrations about various situations might help us.

I heard a news that a kidney failure patient who used to go for dialysis regularly for a couple of years. But once when he visited the doctor for checkup, he complained of uneasiness and discomfort. When the doctor asked for his other prescription it was found that the tablets he is consuming is a higher dosage for sugar, it was mistakenly given to him in pharmacy and his sugar level dropped very low which led to death.

The other side not only the adults, today many students are illegally getting drugs. They are consuming it excessively just for the sake of pleasure/pressure. On one side the lack of understanding and knowledge of drugs throws people into blindly following the prescription as per the advice of a physician. And on the other side many students, youngsters even adults use drug as a norm and as a pride of student’s community.

The other situation: when recently the liquor shops opened we could hear many voices of women and children crying out from their houses. This too is a type of drug abuse  that results in domestic violence in many cases. The person may have spent the money on liquor, instead of buying food materials for a day’s meal for the whole family. the queues in front of shops to purchase liquor ignored social distancing and other guidelines of COVID-19. Who is to be held responsible? Is is the government or the ones who want to satisfy their addiction/pleasure? When a person does not have money to buy milk or bread for their children, but stands in the queue to buy alcohol, how then can the family afford to buy costlier medicines for those in need in their respective homes? In the midst of such addictions and abuse, how one will find God? How are they going to search for God in their own Dirty places? At least before quarantine on Sundays the family members had an opportunity to cry out everything to God. But now everything has changed, their own places became as a place of finding God in the midst of hunger and drug abuse.

Drugs keep a person away from normal and decent life. They are to realize what they are doing and get out of their addiction. At the same time we as member of the church and society ought not send them away but rather embrace them in love and correction to help them realize their responsibility towards their family, church and society. Let us look around, and be sensitive to those who suffer and listen to their cries. This issue is a reality in many families. Excluding such people is never an answer. As a Church let us join hands, to embrace them all. Remember 1 John 4:10, 11 God is love, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. May God guide us forward, especially in guiding those from such abuses towards their liberation.

Prayer: Our Gracious God, as we come before you from our dirty place, hear our cry. Help us to overcome the temptations, addictions, abuses which we come across in our lives. Help us to find our paths to be connected with you all the time. Be with us guiding us in your path. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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Author: G. Christinal Nesa Preethi

About the Author: Christina belongs to the Indian Evangelical Lutheran Church, Ambur. She completed her Bachelor of Divinity from the United Theological College, Bangalore. At present she is working as the Chaplain of Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS). She ministers with the patients, students and staff community of PIMS, Pondicherry.

S1-Day 11: God in Dirty Places: The Disgusting Menstruation

Menstruation has been a tabooed topic to talk about for centuries especially in Indian churches and societies. There is seldom a sermon, a Bible study, a speech or a talk and so on, on this topic in the church. It is a himalyan task for a male priest to talk about it from church alter/pulpit or even in women’s fellowship. If at all there is a talk, only a woman is asked to speak. Sigh! At times I wonder, why it disgusts men to even utter about it? Moreover, why is the notion of “purity and pollution” attached to this natural process of women’s bodies? However, women themselves are not open to express it to others especially to men at home, work place, or any other public places. And yes, most of them (us) are silent, shy or hesitant because of their upbringing, where a girl is asked to restrict her expressions about it.

When I started menstruating, I was asked not to express/expose it to men but when I grew up, I wondered why? Is it not strange that you are asked not to express about it to your own father or brother in the family living under one roof? I constantly question, if it is a biological/natural process every woman/girl goes through, “why wouldn’t women and men be expressive without hesitation”? Why is there a gap? Perhaps, this is how the society perceives it, “as disgusted and dirty.” In most Indian religious traditions, women are not given access to enter temples or to participate in religious rituals. Menstruating women are considered unholy, dirty, disgusting, filthy, sickening, nauseating, and messed up. They are further isolated from religious rituals (sacraments) or holding a religious position. Thus, women are isolated from socio-cultural and religious activities during their menstruating period. Significantly, COVID-19 has quarantined people just for days/months this year, but sadly, women have been going through an “enforced quarantine” from time immemorial.

This is one of the pivotal reasons for denial of women’s ordination/ priesthood/leadership in the church/society particularly in India. Along with other religious traditions, the church has also played a discriminatory role by preventing women’s participation just because, “women bleed and men don’t.” Quite often, menstruation is considered a norm to oppose women in position, worshipping in church, participating in sacraments especially Holy Communion services and so on. Most people in church do not like to receive Holy Communion from the hand of a woman priest who is considered to be impure or dirty during her menstrual cycle. In my opinion, this is a serious matter of the “dirt” in human beings’ minds/ attitudes and not the “dirt” in the menstrual cycle.

Being a woman, I wonder, “if God would discriminate me and my ministry because I menstruate”? The answer I get is a big “NO” because God created women (along with men) in God’s own image and likeness. Why would God give a dirty cycle to a woman, who was seen as good as other God-created beings (Genesis: 1:31)? God blessed women with the “cycle of menstruation” to be co-creators with God to create Life. It is a blessing / boon given to women to be a source of life. Therefore, “Bleeding” cannot be considered as impure/dirty because it is the process to “life.” Bleeding is “life-giving,” which is one of the attributes of God. Thus, the process of menstruation becomes the process of life, where God is found. The bleeding Christ and the bleeding Cross symbolize that bleeding is the process of salvation and so is the bleeding of women. Thus, the Women-Christs demand reverence and dignity as they bleed to liberate humanity.

Prayer

O Liberating God, forgive us that we have discriminated menstruating women from ministry and other responsibilities. Help us to understand the mysteries of your creation, like menstruation in women so that women participate and lead the church with dignity. This we pray in the name of the Bleeding Christ. Amen.

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Author: B. Silpa Rani

About the Author: Silpa completed her B.D. from Bishop’s College, Kolkata and Master of Theology from the United Theological College, Bangalore. She is presently working as the Assistant Professor in the Department of Biblical Studies (Old Testament) and also serving as the Dean of Studies in Bishop’s College Kolkata.

S1-Day 10: God in Dirty Places: Imago Dei and Human Dignity

God in a Dirty place? Yes, a God who is an all possible God chose to make human beings out of the mud- dirt. But though God created them out of dirt, and choose to make them in God’s own likeness “imago Dei” (Genesis 1:26). This means, we bear the image of our creator. This is the reason of all the religions, none insists on the dignity of the human person more than Christianity because everyone is perfectly and uniquely created according to God’s image. However, we fail God by becoming the slaves to sin, by dwelling in one’s own flesh.  God in dirty places? Yes, God sent Jesus, the son, to the dirtiest place, to save the dirtiest people who were the slaves to sin. Thus, through the salvific act of Christ we are saved.

 These two aspects- imago Dei and the salvific act of Christ compels us to live a dignified life- a life that has the sense of self-worth, a sense of pride in oneself. When we have this sense for the self and for others, we will respect and honor others around. This reminds us with the second greatest commandment ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Mark 12: 31). Every human being pursues for respect and honor which is supplemented by acceptance and compliments, love and affection, care and concern etc. Therefore, “one cannot follow Christ and ignore neighbor’s crucifixion-sufferings.” Human dignity also promotes a high level of social interaction which is the fabric for mutual growth, development and change. Thus, social interaction should not be exclusive but inclusive of all in the society-the poor, the orphans, the widows, the weak, the differently abled, the other categories of people, because God has honored humankind with God’s great love. Hence, human beings should also respond in the same manner and show their love and respect for their fellow beings.

The Son of God honors the dignity of all human kind and this is the reason we see Christ outside the city gate to give dignity to the lepers, the blind, the outcaste etc. (Hebrews 13:12, Acts 3:1-26; 7:58), who were thrown out of the city gates by their fellow beings. For Jesus, every human being has the right to dignity, this is the reason he has shown these examples of restoring their dignity by breaking the barriers created by humans. In other words, if we understand imago Dei and the salvific act of Christ, we will understand the right to dignity of every human being. Owing to the fact that Jesus offered his life as a ransom for sin and the sinful nature of human beings, human dignity was lifted at its best, hence it should be respected. The Bible also asserts that life according to the desires of the flesh do not withstand ‘respect for other human beings’ which is a loss and abuse of human dignity. Every human being must understand that dignity is not earned by the meritorious conduct but it is an absolute expression of the favor and grace of God towards human beings. It is from this basis we can deduce that the human nature deserves an inherent dignity.

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Author: Ms. Moakumla Longkumer

About the Author: Moakumla is a faculty at Allahabad Bible Seminary in the Dept. of Christian Ministry and a Ph. D. candidate in the Dept. of Psychology under the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, SHUATS, Naini, UP. 

S1-Day 9: God in dirty places: Suffering with the Migrants

Reflecting Verses: Matthew 25: 34-40

It’s been more than a month since the lockdown was in place to contain the spread of the novel corona virus. Social media is flooded with various news and issues related to Covid-19. One such issue which held my attention is that of the migrants - stranded without food, deprived of wages, and in pathetic living conditions. Some committed suicide; others died due to starvation and exhaustion from having to walk all the way to reach their hometowns; some were abused and attacked along the way.

While chatting with a neighbor, I was taken by surprise when she commented about the situation of the migrants in a way that criticized their decision to travel back home. According to her, there is no need for them to go home because lockdown was going to be relaxed and their work will restart in few days’ time. While I countered her comments in support of the migrants’ right to freedom of choice and decision, and condemned the mistreatment meted out to them by the government, I wondered if her comments reflected the views of many others too.

As I pondered on the theme ‘God in dirty places’ in the context of the migrants in India and across the world, I wondered what Jesus would have done. Matthew 25: 34-40 comes to mind. This is a familiar passage about care and hospitality shown to “one of the least of these”. The Greek word used for “least of these” is “adelphon mou” which refers to any person in need. It is clear from the passage that the hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, prisoners and strangers are identified as the “least”. They are considered least not because they are any less human but because they are vulnerable. They are the socially and economically disadvantaged.

While hospitality and care for the migrants is in fact needed, it should not stop there. Works of mercy should not be limited to acts of charity. Even the Pharisees performed acts of charity but Jesus condemned their actions, “but woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and herbs of all kinds, and neglect justice and the love of God; it is these you ought to have practiced, without neglecting the others.” (Luke 11:42). Note that Jesus like other prophets in the Bible regard justice as equal to the love of God. This means that we cannot claim to love God if we do not practice justice. Love for God is measured by acts of justice.

Many of those migrants in our midst are the ones who do the dirty job that many of us are not ready to do. In spite of that, they are mistreated, left unprotected, and stopped from going home. Whereas the rich privileged class stranded in other countries are flown back safely. Now isn’t this pure injustice?

Situations like these should not only make us angry but also determined to fight against such injustices. Jesus’ life and ministry are marked by standing with the least and the oppressed, fighting for their cause in order that they may experience life in all its fullness. Here is God in dirty places identifying with and fighting for the “least of these”. Are we ready to be his followers?

Prayer

Lord, help me live out my faith by reaching out to all who are suffering due to injustices. Help me practice more of your love and justice. Amen.

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Author: Dakerlin Mukhim

About the Author: Dakerlin completed her Bachelor of Divinity from the United Theological College, Bangalore (2005-2008) and Master of Arts in Theology from the Protestant Theological University, Groningen (2012-13). She is presently working with Student Christian Movement of India, Bangalore as the Executive Secretary for Faith, Formation and Praxis desk.

S1-Day 8: God at Dirty places: I, the Corrupted Temple of God

The newspapers reported, in pictures, the protests of agitated migrants who found hell between their hunger and asylum. On the other hand, media sensationalizes attention of the government over the request of the emigrated people abroad. Do these two similar yet contrasting stories have any connection with corruption? What does it mean to be corrupted here? Can corruption be seen as resistance in this context? Does God dwell in such a corrupted place?

Corruption, as the abuse of power for the personal gain, that affects public office is predominantly known as a negative term for ages. In other words, corruption is defined as the use of any power, through which one violates the established standardized law that affects the common people and forces them to get things done.

Consistently in the history of state, politics and religion, corruption with official power is unnoticed, justified, forgotten and given the preferable places as affluent VIPs. The corruption of the people at the periphery is branded as anti-social, law/constitutional violators. They are ex-communicated from the social, political and religious participation which in turn makes them silent. Thus, the colonial power criminalizes the offences of such dispossessed people, who stand up to fight for their survival. They are made silent. Such is the case of protesters in India in the recent past. 

However, the ‘gang-power’ of the migrants with their uncertain future before eyes started marching back towards the womb in search of ‘rebirth’. The left discerns the impossibility in the march, that heads to the grave rather than to the womb, as the womb is also ejecting to accept back. In this context they gather their labour power to confront colonial powers and challenged them to grab their right to survival. Such powers labelled protesters as: corrupted criminals, anti-social elements and so on. Those in power assumed that the protest affected the public office, violating standardized law (section 144) as they dared to take ‘lathis’ against them. Thus, such 'corruption' of such migrants utilizing their ‘gang-power’ by breaking the law can be seen as resistance; as a place where God dwells and struggles along with them to give them life.

Jesus too, was accused and condemned for failing to follow the religious law (Torah) of Moses, as he facilitated the survival of the hungry in Matthew 12: 1- 8. He even overturned tables and questioned corruption as he entered the temple of Jerusalem (Matthew 21:12) and was branded a corrupt. Here the ‘corrupted Jesus Christ’ confronted the religious bureaucracy challenging the Pharisees with the constructive breaking of the law.

Thus, this ‘corrupted' Jesus Christ’ is with the 'corrupted' people who violated the 'law' using their power to grab their rights. The affirmation of every migrant who fights for his/her right would just say "Yes, I am corrupted, with my struggle for my rights. Yes, I am the temple of God."

Prayer:

God of the law breakers, who constructs a meaningful communion of humanity, bless the corrupted in their struggles for their rights, to experience your reign in this world. Amen.

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Author: Jenifa Rani

Jenifa Rani pursued BD from UTC, Bangalore and worked with the CSI Diocese of Tirunelveli, Pastorally Ministering with Persons with Hearing Impairment. She later interned at NCCI with the National Programme Commission on Unity and Mission, the Indian Ecumenical Disability Accompaniment and the National Ecumenical Forum of Gender and Sexual Diversities.

S1-Day 7: “God in Dirty Places: Casteism, The Dirt”

It is a beautiful place, clean and tidy. I was baptized there and was also confirmed there, yes you guessed right! It is the Church. As I witnessed, the sanctity maintained and silence observed in this place, I believed, ‘God dwells here indeed!' It was the priest in the Church who grabbed my attention the most. The Attire was amazing, 'holy-white', I thought.

As I was exclaiming the beauty of the Church and priest, I saw a young chap sitting in the pews, weeping and crying hard. I resisted but could not stop myself, but inquired why he was crying. His response gave me a shock of my life! He Cried, “Anna, I desired to do pastoral ministry through church and when I approached my presbyter, he too encouraged me. He took me to the committee one day, and you know what they told the presbyter? "Why do you encourage such kind of people, Ayyah?" Anna, at that time, I did not know what they meant, but later I came to know that they spoke about my caste. My caste had become a hindrance for me to do God’s Ministry”

I ran out of words to console my young friend, it is no more a beautiful place, I said to myself. As I started learning more and more about caste and its impact on the Church, I felt like the filth has filled the “Holy” place. The Body of Christ was being butchered in the name of the body of Brahma. This is no more a “Holy” place. How can God dwell in such a dirty place where ‘caste-graded-inequality’ was practiced? But Hey! Wait a minute; is this not the same Church which I was praising minutes ago? Was there no practice of caste then? Was God not present in the Church then? Were the intersessions unanswered, because there was no God to listen to it? No, surely not! 

I believe, God was there and is still there in this place which is made dirty with the practice of casteism. But those who accepted Christ did not forsake Caste; they did not realize that ‘If anyone is in Christ, he/she is a New Creation’. The filth in the heart forced them to have separate chapels, separate worships, separate cemeteries, separate seating arrangements, separate queues for communion, separate procession on Palm Sunday and the list goes on.

The place has become dirtier and it is worsening day by day. There is not even an iota of space, in my mind to think of God in such a place. I started confronting people who were arrogant about the dirt, conscientized people who were ignorant about the dirt and consoled people who were tormented by the dirt. As I was grappling with these concerns and also struggling with people, I saw a woman entering the church rushing towards the altar with tears rolling down her cheek. Her little son followed her, crying. She was pouring her heart-out at the altar for a long time. Then, when she was done, she rose up, grabbed her child and walked out of the Church. I saw her face, she was not crying anymore, but her face reflected the peace and comfort that she received from God. Dirty place it is, but God is there, I affirmed to myself!

However, a serious question rose in my mind. If the woman who came to this dirty place was comforted, why did the youth’s situation not changed? Then I found out that, this dirt which has entered the Church, since its inception, has predominantly affected not the devotion but the institutional aspects of the Church and consequently tarnished the God-factor in it. 

“Think of a hospital,” Kierkegaard writes, “The patients are dying like flies. Every method is tried to make things better. It is no use. Where does the sickness come from? It comes from the building; the whole building is full of poison. So, it is with the religious sphere.” This dirt, through the centuries has spread faster than Corona and is now affecting all the aspects of the Church and thereby trying to completely tarnish the God factor. Many, like my friend have suffered. It is time for some cleaning activity. Therefore, let us not just stand and watch silently, or listen to these cries aimlessly. Let us all take the broom and sweep off this dirt before it pulls the Church into the abyss. Let us all, join hands to confront, conscientize and console. 

Prayer

God of the tormented, we pray that you grant us your courage not only to comfort the disturbed, but also to rebel against injustices and confront the arrogant. May your church become caste-less and live as an inclusive community of your creation. Amen. 

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Author: Rev. Simon Samuel 

About the Author: Simon belongs to the CSI- Diocese of Madras. He completed his Bachelor of Divinity from United Theological College, Bangalore. He is an ordained minister of the Church of South India – Diocese of Madras. His interests are music, reading and creative writing.

S1-Day 6: “God in Dirty Places and God’s Delegates, the So-Called Dirty People”

Anything that relates to religion or religious activity is expected to be Holy/Sacred. There is no middle path in it, but in reality, that is not the case. Life experiences has always been challenged by various situations that offend or questions the sacredness of God, Church, and Worship. Thus, reflection revolves around, "God in dirty places in the midst of ‘drunkards’ the so-called dirty people." 

De(O)ffending the Sacredness

Alcohol drinkers may have various reasons to drink, could be emotions, situations, party, win/lose, culture, society, status, pleasure, work and so on. This is deemed a sin and makes the alcoholic person unworthy of the kingdom of God. Quoting verses 1 Corinthians 6:10; Galatians 5:21; 1 Corinthians 5:11 which teaches not to associate with the drunkard. Based on verses like these, the church either gets offended by presence of the drunkard or believers defend the sacredness of church to exclude them. 

The Drunkard, God's Delegates

Both the Old and New Testament teachings literally stood against alcoholism and drunkard. However, verse like Ecclesiastic 9:7 ‘Go, eat your bread with enjoyment and drink your wine with Merry heart….,’ gives respite. Biblically wine is used both in positive and negative terms depending on the context. But for Jews, drinking wine is a cultural practice. Most people drank fermented juice because of the absence of refrigeration. 

In contradiction to our notions on alcohol, Jesus was referred to as, “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘look a glutton and a Drunkard, a Friend of tax collector and sinners!’” in Matthew 11:19. This shows that Jesus never felt bad identifying himself in the midst of dirty places with the so-called dirty people. Instead of avoiding them, like we do today, in order to protect or defend his Sacredness or Holiness, Jesus is seen, being a delegate or a representative of the drunkard and sinners (in the eyes of the people). 

Dissolve Methyphobia 

Methyphobia is Greek word that means, an irrational fear to drink alcohol or to the drunkard. The Christian community suffers from this Methyphobia. We do not want to identify ourselves with these drunkards or include them because we have fear to relate or fall into their practice or be branded by the society. Once a pastor was preaching a sermon referring to Matthew 15:17 & 18 “Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out into the sewer? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles.” Immediately a drunk person raised a question if that is the case, what’s wrong in drinking alcohol or chewing pan masalas? Pastor by quoting many verses preached getting intoxicated is against biblical teachings, and is sinful. But the argument is still alive so the congregation asked the drunk person to walk out. Methyphobia results in avoiding the alcoholic person forever. However, Jesus being a role model delegates the drunkard saying that they are loved by God. The only cure from Methyphobia can come when the church represents them and includes them. 

The church is called to reach-out to such dirty places, to be a part and clean it. But the church is only willing to judge and exclude the drunk person. Rehabilitation from such habits has not been the church’s option. To overcome alcoholism is not to shun the person away but to embrace, rehabilitate and be inclusive. We also need to interact with persons addicted to alcohol and help them overcome and make them realize their responsibility towards health, economy, family and church. It is true that God never left anyone without opportunities to taste God’s grace. It is time to question, as a Church, are we reflecting the same? Let us not defend God’s Holiness by avoiding someone into the church rather demonstrate Holiness through our life in embracing people who are left-out or excluded. 

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Author: Rev. M. Manoj 

About the Author: Manoj is an ordained presbyter in the Diocese of Madras. He earned his Bachelor of Divinity from the United Theological College, Bangalore in 2016. He currently serves as the Presbyter in the Madavaram Pastorate, Andhra Pradesh. His interests are in theatre, music, effective-communication and creative writing.

S1-Day 5: God in Dirty Places: Discerning God in and with 'Disability'

If you can celebrate the disability of God, why not mine? 

The discussions on “Disability” are wide in range in the realm of theological fraternity. However, the perspectives on disability continue to evolve and emerge from the experiences of the people. People with disabilities or People who are otherwise abled, often seen with a stigma in/by the society. In this context, Church is also not an exception, that often remain insensitive and unfriendly to the people with disabilities. Nancy Eiesland categorically suggests this reality of Church as “for many people with disabilities, the church has been a ‘city on a hill’-physically inaccessible and socially inhospitable -”. This calls us for a radical discernment to see the realities around us and renew our perspectives on disability. I feel, to enrich the perspectives on disabilities, we need to move from the physical comfort-ability to the zone of distortion and discomfort. This in fact demands our radical commitment to shed lights on the distorted image and characteristics of God and to see not only the power of God, but also the weaknesses of God. Yes! No more as a God of disability but ‘a disabled God’. I guess, for most of us, this would be a disturbing image to comprehend and visualize our God talk. Yet, this can bring wide range of perspectives to read the scriptures from the light of people with disabilities. 

God with disability was not seen different in Greek mythology. The ancient Greek god of fire and metallurgy, Hephaistos, was a kind and lovable God, who was the son of Zeus, the king of Gods. However, Hephaistos, according to the myths, was physically ‘ugly and lame’. Beyond his deformity he was seen as brilliant among the Olympian gods. This myth pushes us forward to see and celebrate people with their so called ‘ugliness, weaknesses and disabilities’. God in Dirty Places helps us to re-imagine the presence and omniscience of God. Our existing ideologies and theologies often become disabled because of our prejudice, hostility and uncritical suspicion towards people with disabilities. Even our traditions, practices and liturgies in the church also exclude and discriminate people with disabilities. Most of our church buildings are also not so friendly to these people and thus, the Church becomes systematically ‘unwelcoming’. This systematic stigmatization does confine people with disabilities to reach the sacred places and the ordained ministry in the church also needs a physical fitness. I feel, if at all the Church has to think about a priesthood with disabilities it must also affirm the God with disability. 

The Levitical codes in the Hebrew Bible, strongly communicates the message that physical disability is a distortion of the divine image and an inherent desecration of all things holy. It is the uncritical reading of the scriptures that makes us narrow and confines us within the boundaries. Often Church also upholds these biased views and forgets to celebrate the impotence and differences. Nancy Eiesland, in her book, The Disabled God: Toward a Liberatory Theology of Disability challenges our existing perspectives and enables us to see the disabled God, the one we encounter in our eucharistic experience. Eiesland contends that “in the Eucharist, Christians encounter the disabled God and may participate in new imaginations of wholeness and new embodiments of justice”. Therefore, the cross and Christ manifest the symbol of God’s disability and the broken body of Christ becomes the source where people are united and strengthened. 

It is vivid that the sacramental unity of the Church itself a celebration of the broken body of Christ, in other words, it is a celebration of the disability of God. To make this perspective meaningful, our hermeneutics must involve the experiences of the people with disabilities. Our God talk must be centered not only on the omnipotence and ability but also in the disability of God. Theologies advocating for accessibility and hospitality must move beyond to listen and incorporate the stories, voices and experiences emerge from the so called ‘deformities’ of the people. Thus, the ecclesial experience of the faith communities shall become the embodied manifestations of not just perfections but imperfections too. 

Prayer: 

God of love, we thank you for giving us the discernment to understand and celebrate life with its fullness through everything and everyone. Give us the courage and ability to witness you and your presence in the dirty places. Help us to celebrate your deformities and disabilities and make us more sensitive to the people with disabilities. May our theologies and praxis shall become emancipatory in nature to celebrate life in this world. We ask these in the name of the one, who is vulnerable, broken and disabled yet powerful, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. 

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Author: J. Andrews Christopher 

About the Author: Andrews belongs to the CSI Thoothukudi – Nazareth Diocese. He earned Bachelor of Divinity from The United Theological College, Bangalore in 2015. At present pursuing M. Th in the Department of Biblical Studies (Old Testament) from Gurukul Lutheran Theological College & Research Institute, Chennai.

 

S1-Day 4: God in Dirty Places: Witness of the (Un)recognised Domesticated Woman

Intriguing Verse/ line: “Battling through life’s struggles, the pain and trauma it leaves behind, hindering not the bond but there is a funeral in my brain.”

These words were penned down on the night of International Women’s Day when I chose to live away from my parents. My dad coerced me into staying away from home because I questioned his drinking habits and the abuse he constantly inflicted on my mother. The violence was layered and cyclical and was always reciprocated with submission by my mother.

I hail from a Christian family, whose mother was born a Hindu Brahmin but converted to Christianity due to marriage. It happened against the wishes of her family. This inter-religious and inter-caste marriage did not bring in a blissful experience for her. The man she loved and more over trusted failed to recognize her as a human being. He was socialized with toxic masculine temperaments which made him inflict physical, economic, emotional and psychological violence on her. She was denied of a sense of belonging, her own earnings and her dignity.

I often wondered, what could have been the crucial reason for this non recognition? There was a reason my mother once mentioned “I came away from my home with nothing.” It got me thinking that this nothing-ness was not seen as a problem when marriage talks were discussed, but when difficulties arose my mother was blamed. She was asked to bring money for a new house as one of the compensations for not "bringing" money when she should have! When my mother went back to her family she was never recognized there too, she was an “outcaste” now. She was served food in a plastic plate, made to sit separately, not allowed to cook in the kitchen let alone even enter that space and was constantly tormented for her decision of marrying my father. But the money was given because she happened to be a woman and had no place in her own ancestral home. Where does she belong then? She remains invisible and vulnerable throughout. She internalized her status of being nowhere.

So my mother played the expected role of being a woman – a dutiful wife, a self-sacrificial mother, an obedient daughter-in-law and no role was appreciated. Giving in to sex with my dad was always a given and never consensual. Marital rape never existed in their dictionary. My mother does not enjoy hugs and is traumatized by any kind of touch even today because of her traumatic encounters.

As I listen to these stories, I stand up to resist. Wondering if my education has “ruined” my thinking because it was breaking my family’s functioning. But I realized, I had to do so as one’s story has the power to malign lives or humanize. It could break the dignity of people but it could also bring back that dignity. It is in this brokenness and vulnerability where God chose to reveal the most.

I resisted, I spoke up. Pandora’s box, of troubles, was unraveled and both my mother and I sensed a kind of relief in and through that resistance. I’ve wondered, if God had to mould a bold voice in me through the silent voicelessness of my mother? I do not have a complete answer but I believe as 2^nd Corinthians 12. 10 says “for when I am weak, then I am strong”, God has met us in many ways through our lived vulnerabilities. God has equipped me to resist and has fought the battle for my mother and me. This has made me a resilient individual who witnessed the working of faith through love. The idea of picking up myself and moving on has made me believe I can influence and empower many more lives acknowledging that the power of Christ will be revealed through my weakness. Through a renewed identity in Christ I hope and believe that you would acknowledge how God recognizes us in our vulnerabilities, teaches resistance and nurtures resilience in our lives.  

Prayer:

Dear God, we pray that you may give us the strength to face our weaknesses. Help us to acknowledge that you are a God who recognizes us in our vulnerabilities, teaches us to resist and nurtures us to be resilient individuals with a renewed identity in you. Grant us the wisdom and understanding to live lives pleasing to your purpose. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.

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Author: Remains Anonymous

S1-Day 3: God in Dirty Places: Right to dignity

The spread of corona has changed all of our life style. The celebrations, gatherings, expensive shopping, hotel foods, entertainments, outings, etc. is paused for a while. This pause is extended to spiritual gathering too. The spiritual space which is always associated with reverence, purity and cleanliness found itself locked up for days. Prayers are offered in houses, near sewage pits, in hospitals, near garbage and even in toilets. The so called ‘clean’ and modest outfits are forgotten while praying in these places. In this pandemic situation, there is a silent cry for the right to dignity among the people, suffering due to the effect of lock down and quarantine. These cries remain unheard due to the loud quarrels between politicians, alarming economic drift and so on. 

Until few days before I believed that every day brings new hope to the lives of human beings. But does it really work that way?? 

No, it does not. 

Looking at the plight of scavengers, beggars, migrant workers, rape victims, spouses of alcoholics and workers on daily wages during this quarantine period, has pushed me to question the theodicy. These people lost everything and dignity is not at all in their list. They don’t have freedom to move, eat or even dress up properly as it may end up in preventing the help from the government, churches and from the NGO’s. I am reminded of a definition that says so, “Dignity is the right of a person to be valued and respected for their own sake to be treated ethically”. Dignity has become a super imposed word or rather a word which is expected to be owned by those with well-settled background. The truth is, dignity is the right of every individual irrespective of their roles, position and gender. But how it has evolved itself into a word which demands certain grades, ranks and positions is a shameful thing. 

The activities done by some people during this pandemic are worse. One activity among them is gaining publicity through relief work. The inability of the poor to get a meal is used by the so called “volunteers” who project themselves to be super heroes. They are least bothered about the respect and dignity of the poor. By this I see that the poor are humiliated and their self-worth is diminished. Another incident which traumatized me tremendously is the train accident which happened a few days ago. It is reported that a goods rail ran over people who were sleeping on the rail track. How comfortable would it be to fall asleep on rail track?? The migrant workers who did not have money to find transport to reach their homes walked miles together without food and water. They might have struggled both physically and psychologically during the journey. With the only aim of reaching a place to survive, they forced themselves to stoop down from their dignity, costing their lives as the reward. 

According to Gewirth, “Dignity imposed on human moral requirement is not only to avoid harming but to actively assist one another in achieving and maintaining a state of well-being”. This dignity not only calls us to act morally, but also to lead a life which will help us to live for the well-being of others. It is not a call for a self-centered life but a call for a community centered life. God is not pleased with the outward cleanliness but a heart which is filled with love to help others even while the situation is not pleasing. Let us go to the dirty, shabby, and unclean people to help and feed them because that is where God dwells.

Prayer:

Dear Parent God, we come before you with a hope that you love us in spite of our dirtiness, unclean environment and unpleasant smell. Continue to love us irrespective of our situation for that love will push us further to a promising life. Help us to find our self-worth through that. May we not fall into temptation of selfish behavior but live for the goodness of the others. We pray in the name of the co-sufferer Jesus Christ our friend, Amen. 

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Author: Rev. Dn. Esther Sandhya K 

About the Author: Esther hails from Chennai. She serves the Lord as a Deacon belonging to CSI Madras diocese. She finished schooling in Chennai. After graduating from Women’s Christian College Chennai in the year 2014, she committed to full time ministry and was selected for the same by the Madras Diocese. She pursued Theological Education at UTC, Bangalore and is now ministering as a Deacon in Iruguvai Pastorate, Andhra Pradesh.

S1-Day 2: God in Dirty Places: A Dirty Dalit Reflection

I was looking for a right theme to reflect on, but I delayed to choose. However, the right theme left alone for me was, ‘Dalit.’ Not everything is dirty everywhere, the idea of dirtiness differs according to context. I believe I have chosen the dirtiest theme for the Indian context. Let me begin my reflection with the words of Aquinas, "the Christological question begins not with who is the Christ or what is the Christ; it begins with where is Christ." God is in dirty places; I would say searching for historical or biblical proofs for God’s choice to be in dirty places is not my intention. However, I write this because God in dirty places isn’t a new theme anyway, Christmas is God in a dirty place and Crucifixion is God in a dirty place. Therefore, I would go with God becoming dirty with those who are in dirty places. 

I went back to Jesus of Nazareth to understand his comfort in being in a dirty place or being with those who belong to the dirty place, but the identity as Jesus of Nazareth itself is an answer. “Can anything good comes from Nazareth?” is not an innocent question. Jesus’ interest towards Galilee and his decision to pick his disciples from Galilean background was not an accident. Dr. Dhayanchand Carr explains about the dirtiness connected with Galilee and how those people living in Galilee were treated as low and impure by the dominant Jews. The question, ‘Can anything good comes from the Nazareth?’ is the reflection of that dominant mentality. God in dirty place is itself a liberating hum, yet, it does not finish within that, it is about the dirtiness becoming the factor of liberation of all. In His entire journey, Jesus of Nazareth did not distance Himself from the so called “dirty places and dirty people.” However, the crucifixion is the culmination here. 

Let me share a fascinating incident I have come across. I was part of a conversation, where the participants were asked to choose a picture in which they actually see God. So, on the one side it was a beautiful picture of Jesus Christ with white sparkling dress, surrounded by angels and on the other side was "Piss Christ." Many did not know what the picture "Piss Christ" was all about! Piss Christ (Immersion) is a 1987 photograph by the American artist and photographer Andres Serrano. It depicts a small plastic crucifix submerged in a small glass tank of the artist’s urine and blood. When many called this art a blasphemy, Andres Serrano said, “What it symbolizes is the way Christ died: the blood came out of him but so did the piss and the shit. Maybe if Piss Christ upsets you, it's because it gives some sense of what the crucifixion actually was like...” I was left there with tears. It was the moment when Jesus of Nazareth turn to be my Christ through His bloody, torn up and smelly body. His dirty smelly body was the beginning of my liberation. 

The so called ‘dirtiness’ surrounded the lives of Dalit people is the dirtiness gained through the historical oppression, the long political rejection and through the failure of humanity. It is the dirtiness of the hunted bodies of Dalit women and the bodies of Dalit men submerged in the sewage water. As the dirtiness cannot be separated from the crucified body of Jesus Christ, the divine identity of Jesus Christ cannot be separated from the dirtiness that surrounds the lives of the Dalit people. This so called ‘dirty’ people who live in the ‘dirty’ places carry the essence of crucifixion. The crucified dirty body of Jesus Christ is the identity of Dalit people. And this so called ‘dirtiness’ of Dalit people is the beginning of liberation and the liberation of all…! 

Prayer:

Dear God, we thank you for making us from the dirt of the earth and living with us, the dirty people and dirtying yourself with your own blood, like all of us Dalits. Grant us the strength to expose the dirtiness in those so-called clean ones, so that all of us, as dirty as we are, become one in you. This we pray in the name of Jesus the Christ who dirtied himself in his own blood, urine and sweat on the cross. Amen.

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Author: Benedict I R 

About the Author: Benedict belongs to the CSI Trichy-Tanjore Diocese. He completed his Bachelor of Divinity from the United Theological College, Bangalore. He worked with the Student Christian Movement of India, Bangalore in the Communication Desk. He is presently working as a church worker, waiting for his ordination.

S1-Day 1: God in Dirty Places: Now, So What?

The word Urban usually brings to our mind all the luxurious facilities with big bright lights. But under each of those fancy imageries lies a hidden fact that every urban place has a dark space where the least or so called “the urban poor”: the migrants, the homeless, platform dwellers, slum dwellers, beggars live. The title ‘urban poor’ is not an identity but a phenomenon embossed on people, though it is not their choice. Every human being wishes to live a luxurious life and not a poor life. We feel okay to look down at people and we never shy away from boasting over charity or claiming pride over a ‘generous-person’ identity. But have we ever thought that we the “educated, elite, “cultured”, “kind-hearted” people have fixed them in our minds as ugly, rebellious, uncultured, rowdies, criminals and low-level laborers who should work with mere wages? We remain ignorant about the fact that most of them cannot even afford a decent home, proof or identity for themselves not because they cannot, but because they are busy toiling with duties of the “urban rich”. 

The recent Tamil movies like “kaala” and “Velaikaran” portray the plight of the Urban poor. Even the Oscar Winning Korean movie “Parasite” shows how the urban poor are exploited and left un-cared with worst living conditions. Through their rebelling and struggling to speak out, they are silenced and exploited by the rich-weapon, ‘the oppressive attitude of the owners’, ‘faithfulness to bosses’ which affects their job and their source of income. Jesus questioned such practices even in his time. 

2000 years back: Luke 19: 12-27 

In verse one Jesus with his disciples enters the urban city of Jericho, and later he starts with a parable (v.12), where he speaks about ten urban slaves of those days, who worked for a harsh noble. This parable has a greater significance with history and similarities with events of Judean history. This noble man is said to be either King Archelaus or Tetrarch Antipas or Agrippa or Herod the Great because every time repeatedly in history when the small kings went to acquire power from Rome, the same event happened. 

We traditionally understand parables as a call for preparation for the second coming of Jesus or soul-winning activity. But how many of us read the deep economic violence, where a rebellious slave with just one talent (urban poor) stands alone in sarcasm against the ruthless noble man who ‘reaps what he doesn’t sow’. Here the word ‘talent’ mentioned is the currency of Judea and not to literally meant as human talent or gift. The climax is sad and raw. The slave is punished for his rebellious sarcasm. This is exactly what happens even now. In order to silence the voices of the poor, the ruthless bosses portray themselves to be generous by giving Rs. 1000 as wages from their Rs. 10 Billion profit. Isn’t this an irrational justice-denial?? 

Place for the “True believers” 

Often, the church boasts of charity and soul saving acts done among these urban poor. But most of the time, space for the poor is either at the gate as beggars or as silent worshipers who sit at the back and leave before the worship ends. During our lavish festivals like Christmas, Easter or Harvest we hardly see them because they can hardly afford to participate rather, they please the God with their humble whole-hearted offertory. Mostly in the Urban churches it is the rich who decide and take responsibility and stand proudly in front-line for any church activities. The only place we can see the poor is during the Spiritual Meetings where they are displayed as disabled or weak and poor to be touched by the Preacher or Miracle worker for prosperity and healing because we the elite are slow to accept our weakness and loss. But it is easy to pinpoint another poor with difficulties. This is the finest business today as depicted in the Malayalam movie “Trance”. Aren’t we ashamed of it? We knowingly or unknowingly exploit the urban poor since they are easily available to be used as objects of sympathy and repent because we call them weak, ugly, Rowdy, Rebellious and criminals of the society hiding all the evils inside us with proud white collars. 

What would happen if one fine Sunday morning you enter your church to find the altar and the cross missing? Then you find that it has vanished into the slum nearby and is kept on the dirty platform on the other side of the slum. A beggar sitting next to the cross is using the chalice to drink his unclean water and is eating from the wafer bowl. When questioned he points to a man sleeping next who gave the cross and the altar items in exchange for a worn-out bed sheet and a plastic cover. 

Now what would you do if the person sleeping is Christ himself?

Do we have the courage to accept that God dwells only among the least?

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Author: Rev. P. Eunice Rajamathi

About the Author: Eunice hails from Chennai, a member of the CSI Diocese of Madras. She has completed her Bachelor of Divinity from the United Theological College, Bangalore in 2015. She a talented singer and a social thinker. She is presently preparing herself for higher theological studies.