Towards Just and Inclusive Communities

When the NCCI was first formed in 1914, the key verse which brought all the constituent units together was John 17:21 – “That they may all be one.” The emphasis was primarily on ecclesial togetherness in bearing witness to the gospel in India. Hundred years later, the key verse of the NCCI could well be said to be Galatians 3:28, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” The emphasis is on giving expression to the several facets of togetherness: ethno-political, economic, social, and theological. Implied, within this verse from Galatians 3:28, is the concern for justice, love, and all embracing togetherness in society.

Concerns about Injustice and Exclusivity in India

The cry for justice and inclusivity arises within a context of socio-political, economic, cultural and other challenges in the country. While one cannot look at each of them in detail, a discussion of a few major ones will highlight the concern for promoting justice and inclusivity in the land.

The Evils of Caste and Ethnic Bigotry

Rohith Vemula was a Ph.D. scholar at the University of Hyderabad; he was a Dalit; he belonged to a poor family in Andhra Pradesh; he had dreams in his eyes; he loved science, stars and nature; he wanted to be a writer, a science writer. But on January 17, his life was cut short; he committed suicide. In his farewell suicide note, he lamented that “the value of a man was reduced to his immediate identity and nearest possibility. To a vote. To a number. To a thing.” (cf. Cedric Prakash, “Murder Most Foul”, Indian Currents, 25 – 31 January 2016, p.36)

Read more