Report of the National Theological Conversation Among Churches in India held at NCCI Nagpur during 8-10 Dec., 2009

The culmination of the series of Theological Conversations held at Trivandrum, Kolkata and Mumbai took place at a National Theological Conversation held at NCCI Campus during 8-10 December 2009. The National Theological Conversation conversed and discussed around the theme of 'Churches becoming and effecting as Just and Inclusive Communities’ that has been evolved from the earlier Conversations. It has been reiterated that Conversations among churches and among people will help to recognize the leaven among each other which shall ultimately lead towards building all communities as just and inclusive. This National Conversation has also helped the Churches to position where we are regarding the concerns of justice and inclusivity and helped the participants to openly confess on issues that have been barriers to our Churches in becoming and effecting as just and inclusive communities. It has also been echoed in this National Theological Conversation that concurrence among Churches and the constituents of the National Council in terms of mission engagements can lead towards continuing the reign of God here on earth.

Around thirty participants from different churches attended this National Conversation and univocally affirmed that unless we attempt to address issues of Justice as Churches, we as a Church will fail to live up to the nature and mission of our calling as a Church. H.G. Dr. Yakob Mar Irenaios, Chairperson, COU, NCCI in his Opening Address challenged the participants to draw inspiration from the latent strength within each of the Churches and reminded that the justice of God will include judgment on the Church of God for not being effective as just and inclusive communities. Rt. Rev. Dr. B.S. Devamani, Chairperson, COD, NCCI reminded the journey from Trivandrum to Nagpur and expressed his thankfulness to the Churches in India  for being open and receptive in discussing and addressing the issues of justice and inclusivity. Bishop D.K. Sahu, General Secretary of NCCI expressed that the Conversations among Churches should not be just limited to ecu-speak or an ecumenical club spending time on the rhetoric rather to get involved on the practice of justice. Rev. Dr. P.B.M. Basaiawmoit, Vice President of NCCI presented a position paper on the theological audit on Transparency and Accountability and stressed the need for stewardship among the Church leadership in dealing with power and resources. Ms. Sushma Ramswami, Vice President of NCCI moderated the panel on theological audit on gender and urged the Churches to be gender sensitive in the actions and preaching of the Church, for there has been a wide gap between the two, she further emphasized. Mr. Angelious Michael, Vice Presidents of NCCI, moderated the panel on theological audit on disability and sought the Churches to address issues of disability as matters of justice and not as issues of symphathy. Rev. Dr. Wati Longchar, Director, SCEPTRE delivered a vibrant Keynote Address and called on the participants to move ahead from parochial theologies to collective resistance theologies where together as a community the Churches can respond to every act of injustice in a collective and collaborative spirit of friendship. He further reverberated that Churches can no longer include any exclusions in their life and witness and if our Churches continue discrimination, exclusion and injustice, the savour and flavour of the Church will be lost.

The module of this National Theological Conversation included four theological audits on four pertinent, relevant and challenging issues that have been major obstacles in our Churches to become and affect as just and inclusive communities. Theological Audit on Transparency and Accountability brought into light the issues of power, lack of stewardship and unaccountability of our lives and resources in the Church as a major confession from the part of the Church. A Theological Audit on Caste has challenged the Churches for falling short in affirming and practicing the values of the Gospel of equality and for becoming the perpetrators of Caste within our Church and tradition. A Theological Audit on Gender had also brought into light the oppression of women in the Church, the oppression of more than half the body of Christ within the Church, and therefore called on for Gender Justice and partnerships among men and women. A Theological Audit on Disability had countered the idea of charity towards people of disability and resolved that complete disabilities are the disfigured and disabled crucified Christ.

All these audits were presented in a panel and in depth conversation took place during the group activities among the participants. A Statement portraying the position of our churches today in addressing these issues of injustice was brought out. It was further suggested to carry forward these Theological Conversations on specific issues and to work out a Statement to discuss the nature and mission of the Church from the perspective of justice and inclusive communities. Besides the participants from the Indian churches, the participants of the World Council of Churches under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Deenabandhu Manchala Programme Executive of WCC-Unity, Mission & Spirituality, attending the meeting of the Core Group of the Just and Inclusive Communities of WCC participated in this Theological Conversation. In the afternoon of the last day, commemorating International Human Rights Day, an ecumenical observance of Dalit Liberation Sunday was held where participants from the local churches of Nagpur also attended. During this observance the NCCI Commission on Dalits launched a Campaign to eliminate Manual Scavenging by 2010 as accompaniment of the Churches. Symbolically a brick was passed on each of the participant reminding everyone to participate in eliminating manual Scavenging 2010.  Thanks to the WCC for their partnership in these conversations, and thanks to all the churches, participants and all the colleagues at NCCI for their support and encouragement. Special thanks to Rev. Dr. Solomon Rongpi, Executive Secretary of NCCI-COU for his co-operation in organizing this conversation. 

Pictures can be viewed on: http://picasaweb.google.co.in/nccimission 

Rev. Raj Bharath Patta,
Commission on Dalits