April 2016 | Pentecost Volume XIV | Issue 4 | Rs.150 Per Annum "The Truth Shall Set You Free" Short Film Festival - YaAA 2 Towards understanding Human dignity… Probably the oldest grounding of relationship within the human they also have space, time, opportunity, human dignity comes from the Genesis community and the created world. It is their human worth and choose their narratives of the creation of humans in an invitation to go beyond and own history, guided by the spirit of life. the image of God, the imago dei. It is transcend mere existence and become argued that dignity comes from two open to God, the creator and open to Thus we are called to work towards the sources: the origin of humans in a fellow humans and the whole created formation and consolidation of new special act of creation by God and from order. alliances of the excluded, marginalized their configuration in the image of God. and rejected. Jesus' Nazareth manifesto Since intellect and freedom both However, in the context of poverty and envisages the formation of a formidable distinguished humans from other exclusion caused by discrimination, and new alliance of the poor, blind, captives, creatures and mirrored what were marginalisation, it has often been oppressed, as the goal and essence of his significant attributes of God, these acknowledged that all of us are victims ministry “The Spirit of the Lord is upon became the primary locus of the image a n d p e r p e t r a t o r s, s o m e t i m e s me, because he has anointed me to bring of God in the human. It is also argued simultaneously, we find persons who are good news to the poor. He has sent me to that human dignity is also located in excluded and barred from all areas of proclaim release to the captives and humans being a reconciliation of life; economic, political, social, cultural recovery of sight to the blind, to let the opposites in that humans are both spirit and religious. The excluded, whose oppressed go free, to proclaim the year and matter in one person. This human worth is denied and, who are of the Lord's favor.” (Lk.4:18,19). It represents a manifestation of the negated and annulled by society's logic envisions the emergence of the new wisdom of God and mirrors the of separation and alienation and its people of God. standard of credentials for acceptance. ultimate reconciliation of opposites - The purpose and goal of formation of a the divine and the human - in the person The logic seems inevitable like the law that enslaves and alienates the new alliance is to empower and equip of Jesus of Nazareth. From this the marginalized. In the beatitudes - perspective, humans are at the centre of consciousness of the human beings. They are not allowed mere existence, let Lk.6:20b-21; the poor, the hungry, and creation because they unite both the the weeping, those in dire straits and material and immaterial. alone the luxury of transcending and going beyond to understand the nuances oppressed become God's people and Another argument based much more in of human dignity. They are condemned experience the reign of God. In the the Scriptures is that human dignity is a not to choose for themselves a logic same category, the Gospel writers gift of God, not something we claim on guided by the spirit of life which leads to include tax collectors, sinners, the sick, our own or something we deserve. God's justice and peace. If we believe that God the possessed, the naked, the strangers graciousness is the basis of our dignity. raised from the dead the innocent as the ones who had till then not been Nevertheless, human dignity cannot be crucified one; the excluded, and rejected considered worthy to be God's people, defined by probing deep into the nature person par excellence, we might be able as enjoying God's reign. The powerful of human, it is not just located in our to trust in a new logic of life in which the expressions found in “the blind will being, but in our becoming; it manifests excluded, marginalised and rejected are receive sight, the lame walk, those who in the relationship of acknowledging renewed and rendered worthy through have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, and serving God, and in being in right the justice and grace of God, so that the dead are raised and the good news is April 2016 03 preached to the poor” are symbolic were to stop, saying 'O you poor, you reign of God?” Jesus gives his disciples a ways of informing about the will have the eternal joy in the world to demonstrative lesson by calling a child empowering and equipping of the come', then the whole story would have into their midst – 'greatest in the reign of marginalized. (Lk.7:22/Matt.11:5). It is done a gross injustice to Jesus' concept God is a child' (Matt.18:1-4). When his important to note that the Gospel of God's reign. But in the end Lazarus disciples asked for a place of writers see the fulfilment of prophetic becomes the conscience of the society; prominence, he says: 'whoever wants to texts (Isa.26:19; 29:18; 35:5f; 61:1f). “The rich man begs Abraham to send become greatest among you must be Jesus' ministry, subsequently a ministry Lazarus to his father's house, that he your servant and whoever wants to be of those who follow Jesus, should work may warn them so that they may not first must be slave (Matt.20:26). And towards an eschatological new creation come to this place of torment”. Jesus himself did what he said: “Then of the remnant: God's new people. The Abraham's words are clear: “they have he poured water into a basin and began symbolic enactment of Jesus' Moses and the prophets - they should to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe appointment and designating of the listen to them”. This is not just pointing them with the towel that was tied twelve (Mk.3:14) is the representative of towards the Law and the Prophets, it around him” (Jn.13: 4) and gave his the eschatological new people; the points to the message of social justice disciples a command to fulfil: “So if I, beginning of a new alliance of the and social involvement; Lazarus your Lord and Teacher, have washed marginalized. becomes the conscience of society - his your feet, you also ought to wash one very presence is a call for social justice. another's feet. For I have set you an Christian ministry should recognise the example, that you also should do as I 'new people' in men and women Therefore, the involvement and have done to you.” (Jn.13:14-15) oppressed, exploited and marginalized participation of communities in social in body and in spirit, persons treated action for human dignity should also The praxis of new standards becomes inhumanely and against whom injustice portray an overturning of the normal both an opportunity and occasion to is done. It should strive hard to make world standards: the parables of the participation and involvement for the people 'see', 'hear' and 'rise up' to growing seed (Mk.4:26-29), the parable excluded, marginalized, and rejected, experience human worth and dignity. of the mustard seed (Mk.4:30-32), which will enable and empower not Jesus says in no uncertain terms that parable of the yeast metaphorically only them, but also the whole God's reign belongs to the poor, the suggest what speech cannot possibly community to learn to live with human hungry, the weeping: 'reign of God is describe: the unknown, unnoticeable dignity and worth that has been given as yours.' They are the reign of God in processes of growth and changes, the a gracious gift and in the process discern action! The task of Christian ministry is contrast between small and big indeed and manifest God's own image. to join in and interpret the action of God challenges readers to a critique of the breaking through in our midst, calling existing socio-cultural standards. The all to be part of the movement for enacted parable of Jesus cleansing the human worth and dignity and thereby temples as recorded in Matthew brings understand the image of God that out a major perspective on the ministry dwells in us. of the culture of protest. After Jesus cleanses the temple, the blind, the lame, Rev. Dr. D. Rathnakara Sadananda In the Gospels, the ministry of the reign the deaf come to him. Those who were General Secretary, CSI of God entails the element of protest: in the margins could come to the centre Luke probably being most emphatic to get healing and wholeness. A when he poses a startling contrast ministry as culture of protest should between blessings and woes (Lk.6:20). have healing and wholeness as its goal. While he says that the reign of God belongs to the poor, the hungry and the The traditional security and belief weeping, he reinforces the opposite systems, and compromises we make through his 'woe to the rich who create should give way for a radically new and propagate injustice through their beginning that is clearly stated in Jesus' selfishness'. The Lukan beatitudes are parable - “No one sews a piece of filled with the power of protest. One unshrunk cloth on an old cloak, for the should also remember that the social patch pulls away from the cloak, and a systems that condone and encourage worse tear is made.