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Transformative Theological Education in Post Covid-19 Era

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Transformative Theological Education in Post Covid-19 Era Publisher: India Mission Coordination Committee Issue 29, Nov 26th, 2020 TRANSFORMATIVE THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION IN POST COVID-19 ERA By Rev. Dr. Wati Longchar, Associate Missionary for Theological Education in East Asia, American Baptist International Ministries The Covid-19 pandemic has left many vulnerable people in the lurch. It has intensified untold miseries to migrant workers, daily wage earners, domestic workers (especially women), elderly, disabled, the destitute, and students. Many poor are starving to death due to an unjust economic system. Racial attack, religious fundamentalism and casteism/tribalism is on the rise. The world is also experiencing an unprecedented climate catastrophe. All these contribute to fear, anxiety, and uncertainty among the people. Instead of nurturing with words of love, compassion and care, people are threatened by misinterpreting the Bible. Prosperity theology is dominating the pulpit and Christian fundamentalism is on the rise. We tend to focus more on the wrath of God, rather than on the love of God. It is said that Covid-19 will stay with us. How do we respond to the post-pandemic? How do we address the humanitarian crisis? What kind of long-term strategies are required to help the marginalized communities? What is the role of church leaders in times of pandemic? All these questions relate to justice concerns. We need to think of Christian witness beyond charitable work and narrow evangelism. It requires long-term planning and engagement. Enhancing the leadership capacity of the church leaders to help vulnerable communities is the need of the hour. The Covid-19 pandemic also challenges us to rethink the one-sided urban development, urban consciousness, and educational system. All the development works are concentrated in urban areas. Rural areas are neglected in many countries; one will notice that even basic amenities such as medical dispensaries, power, and water supplies are not provided. There is no proper road connection and people have to walk miles in developing countries. There is a strong notion that investment in rural areas is a waste of resources. The development planners advocate for smart cities and see it as the only paradigm of civilization; moving to and settling in the urban cities should be the prime objective in one’s life; the rural area is projected as uncivilized and primitive. Due to the negligence of rural places no one is interested to work and live there. Migration from rural to urban is seen as liberation. Consequently, numerous metro cities in Asia are over-populated and the majority of the population survive by selling their labour, many of them living and working like slaves. The urban cities will stay with us, but this trend of development is unhealthy. The Covid-19 crisis challenges us to rethink population redistribution and rethink the development paradigm. Our education system, including theological education, promotes elitist urban consciousness. Curriculums are also designed and controlled by the urban elites to gather the need for urban dwellers. Graduates do not want to work in rural places. Even worse, those who cannot get an opportunity to work in an urban setting or acquire white-collar jobs are looked down upon as incapable, or unable to compete with other colleagues. This elitist paradigm of education is a serious mistake in human civilization. Many pandemics, including Covid-19, are spreading due to overcrowding and unhygienic living conditions in urban locations. 1 Reflecting on the Asian scenario of theological education, Kwok Pui-lan rightly said that “In theological education, a large part of the curriculum has been the study of the lives and thoughts of white, male, Euro-American theologians, to the exclusion of many other voices. More importantly, the theologies done by these people are considered normative, which set the standards and parameters of what `theology’ should be.” This is our reality in theological education (also in general education). Today we are confronted with many challenges. While emphasizing academic excellence, theological education is detached from the real-life experiences of the people and does not provide much scope for community transformation. Theological education in Asia is controlled by the western trained theologians and the driving force is the western paradigm. “Curriculums are prepared mostly by a few middle-class theologians trained in the West and living in the metro cities.” It produces unemployable graduates in rural places. But graduates who cannot get placement in the urban context are looked down upon as incapable. The present pattern of theological education brings a sharp division between the urban and rural, between the rich and poor, between the privileged and underprivileged people. Rural is seen as a place of punishment. Theological education gives more emphasis on cognitive development and “clerical paradigm”, especially to serve the Christian community, but not skill-oriented education for community transformation of Christian as well as the larger society. We measure the credibility of our education by western affiliation/accreditation policies. The more serious issue is: Upholding that the western university system is normative, while the other forms of education are relegated as primitive and not important for academic pursuit. It is in this context of those flaws in theological education that we need to search for an alternative. Theological education must be an agent of transformation, especially for marginalized people who are struggling for life due to injustices. A transformative curriculum is critical and we need to develop courses on Colonization and the Decolonizing Process; Social Analysis; Bible and Social Transformation; Community Bible Study Tools; Theology of Life, Land and Water; Jesus Movement and Marginalized People’s Liberation; Theology of Community Spiritual Formation; Christian Mission and Agri-production for Community Development; Christian Education for Community Transformation; The Bible and Christian Leadership in Multi-faith Context; Theology of Transformative Diakonia and Christian Spirituality; Christian Ethics, Dignity of Labour and Entrepreneurship; Market Capitalism, Commercial Tourism, Objectification of Nature and Indigenous People; Management of Care Centres and Support Mobilization; Management of Land Resources and Community Development; Peace Initiative for a Just Society and Integrated Living; Indigenous Spirituality and Eco-theology; Migration and Human Rights; Christian Social Work for Community Development, etc. These are just a few examples. We need to take a bold step to change the existing curricula. A paradigm shift from a theology-philosophy approach to a theology-social analysis-community development approach in theological studies will enhance the leadership capacity of graduates to serve not only in the church as pastor, but also create opportunities to work in diverse community development works. In this way, Christianity will become a force for the nation’s building on all social fronts, not only the exclusive Christian community. It will also provide opportunities for our graduates to impact the entire community through diverse community development, not only as priests. This reversal is possible only when theological education is located in the context of the margins. It is here that theological education should take a courageous stand and endeavour to make a difference among the people. EAST INDIA Rev. Sukamal Mohapatra and Ms. Soma Chakraborty WEST BENGAL: a) So far 4,49,131 are affected by novel Coronavirus in West Bengal and 4,15,609 people have recovered, nearing 7,950 died due to Coronavirus in West Bengal. After the last festive season there is a hike in active cases in West Bengal. Everyday about 3000 people are diagnosed with Coronavirus and the percentage of fatality is rising steadily these days. 2 b) The church service inside the building is possible maintaining the social distancing protocols but the believers are still panicked. Churches are not yet opened in the cities and they still continue with online services. c) The biggest challenge now for the believers of rural churches is managing livelihood. d) According to the reports, Schools will remain closed till the first week of December and the government will then determine and issue the detailed guidelines for reopening of schools in West Bengal. e) The children who do not have the electronic devices are suffering due to online classes. f) The farmers are preparing to harvest their crops. ORISSA: a) Odisha's Covid-19 tally rose to 3,13,323 while 3,03,897 people have recovered so far, and total 1,625 people have deceased. Now the numbers of positive cases have slowed down but there is a growth in the fatality cases. b) The believers of Ho Churches and Gudikhania Baptist church under BCCEI are going through very tough time in managing their livelihood and even it is very difficult to manage two square meals daily. Some believers of the Ho Churches are going 20 kilometres away for work and many youths from Ho churches have left their home and gone to other states for their livelihood. c) According to the reports one believer of Jharanaghati Baptist Church under BCCEI has tested Corona positive and he is under treatment at the Balasore Corona hospital. d) The state government has authorized the local authorities to permit public worship in religious places for worship with appropriate restrictions, but still the church service in the church building has not yet started. BIHAR: a) Total 2,29,969 people are so far affected in Bihar by novel Coronavirus Covid-19 and 2,23,153 have recovered. Nearing 1,215 patients have died due to coronavirus in Bihar. 5,603 patients are still in hospital and recovering. The recovery percentage in Bihar is very high. b) The Schools and other educational institutions in Bihar will be remain closed till further order. c) Reported by the Persecution Relief that a Pastor who runs a house church in Jamui district of Bihar was threatened by a local Hindu Priest not to conduct any worship in the locality, later complained against the Pastor in the local police station.
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