Magazine of Church of South India April 2021 Volume XIX | Issue 04 | Rs. 150/Annum “We can’t Breathe!” www.csi1947.com 1 www.csi1947.com 2 2 April 2021 Cover Digital Art By: Mr. Eby Mathew Second Wave of Coronavirus Challenges us to Care for the Vulnerable EDITORIAL Dear brothers and sisters, with cases. Hospitals across India are experiencing oxygen shortages. s children of God living through The country now has the greatest Athis pandemic, even though we demand for oxygen. Patients are are naturally anxious and unsure, we waiting in streets, autorikshaws, cars, know that God is with us. We trust ambulances outside the hospitals to that His Spirit is active. We affirm that be admitted and to avail treatments. our Lord Jesus Christ is our Hope. He Sports halls, stadiums and institutions is our Salvation. He is our Guide. It have also been converted into make- is only through the eyes of this “great shift treatment centres to ease the hope” that we can look at ourselves pressure on hospitals. Hospitals and and our world and not despair. He is crematoriums have run out of space. our inspiration in this life. As India’s healthcare system continues COVID 19 Second-wave and our to reel under a raging second wave of responsibilities Covid-19 infections, we are called upon As the country is struggling to combat to open our institutions and hospitals the second wave of coronavirus to support the government’s initiatives pandemic, medical experts are to curb the spread to the virus. spreading awareness about Covid-19 and vaccines against the viral disease. A genuine concern for the vulnerable Covid has challenged health care was obvious and beautiful. Revealing systems and the economy. The our sacrificial love, we all willingly second wave has now set-in with all came to a consensus about protecting its fury, we need to be very careful. the vulnerable. The Covid-19 crisis India’s deadly Covid-19 second wave now offers us a unique opportunity has devastated various cities and its to rebuild our society by fostering now firmly gripped many smaller these values. Care for the vulnerable cities, towns and villages where the has shaped every area of life and I devastation is largely under-reported. encourage this development. The tragedy created by the pandemic has The coronavirus disease (Covid-19) awakened us to the value of all human has taken more than two lakh lives life. We take this rare opportunity in India but the massive hike in the to commit ourselves to protect and rate of infections in the last two support all our people. This crisis months led the nation to gasp for has made us know the dignity of breath as hospitals are overwhelmed every human lives and rediscover www.csi1947.com 3 that, our society can be rebuilt. Like Let us collaborate to respond the Good Samaritan, we can create a effectively to the virus and work better society by recognising even the together for a better future as we most vulnerable as our neighbour. rebuild after the pandemic. Let us not Hence, I urge you to go the extra be afraid. The Lord is with us and can mile and spend quality time with the calm every storm and bring light to the infected and affected by using the darkness. communication technologies so as their minds and souls may be soothed With prayers, and alleviated. C. Fernandas Rathina Raja COVID 19 vaccination and our General Secretary, CSI responsibility Amid surge in Covid-19 cases in the country, India has crossed the mark of 100 days of vaccination. At this critical time, I prayerfully write to you on a matter of grave importance. We ask all of you to get the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as you are eligible. Many lives hang in the balance, the vaccine will only be effective if a majority of people receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Therefore, I feel it as my duty and responsibility to speak publicly, and strongly encourage everyone to get the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it is available and offered. Our Lord tells us very plainly that the greatest commandment is to love God, and love our neighbour as ourselves. COVID-19 has imposed death and destruction throughout the world, but God has not abandoned us. In so many ways, God has brought us closer together, and the expressions of love, neighbourliness, and faith have been extraordinary. We are called to perform our moral obligation by participating in God’s healing love, which includes getting the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible. The only exception to getting the COVID-19 vaccine should be for health reasons. Though, it is, indeed, a personal choice to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, we must always remember that this personal choice can have a great impact on others’ lives. At this juncture, I call-upon all the Churches and Dioceses to support our Mission Hospitals so that the vaccine is made available and administered to the poor and needy in our area. 4 April 2021 Article What St Luke talks about God to the Protesting Sikh Farmers …The BJP onslaught is also very world presupposed in Luke-Acts was “different and even more damaging an advanced agrarian society, and to whatever remains of democracy agriculture was the primary base of its in India” – these were the words of economy. As per census 2011, nearly Gyan Prakash, a professor of history at 10% of the Indian population counted Princeton University. In line with him, farming as their primary occupation, many critics call the reaction of the and 46% of the workforce is working Central Government, “an undeclared full-time in farmlands. Furthermore, emergency.” Justin Trudeau, the Prime agriculture and allied sectors like Minister of Canada, comments that forestry, logging and fishing accounted “The news coming out of India about for 23% of GDP and employed 59% of farmers protest is concerning and we are its total workforce in 2016. 1 Hence, it is all worried about family and friends… appropriate to assimilate Lucan theology Canada will always be there to defend to the context of present India to achieve the rights of peaceful protests.” What are the purpose of using Luke-Acts for the these celebrities talking about? issue of Farm Bills and livelihood threat. Post-pandemic India is witnessing i. Act on Agri Market vs Liberation people of all faiths going forward and for a Dignified Livelihood exemplifying their solidarity in their The first ordinance in the Farm Bills, protest. For months, farmers in India, Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce especially Sikh farmers, have raised their (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, voice against the Indian agriculture acts claims that generalisation will reduce of 2020, often referred to as the Farm competition. It proposes expanding Bills instituted in September 2020. the trade area’s scope to any place of The local agitation started in the region production, collection, aggregation of Punjab has taken a new shape as a and encourages electronic trading. protest in November 2020 by blocking Here we can observe a sharp shift in all the roads to New Delhi. Though the economic system. This ordinance these protests are primarily leaderless, promotes Globalization and the so- millions of farmers are united in their called market economy, which instigates struggle for their livelihood, human making money with money. The absence rights, and dignity. Support for the of Minimum Support Price (MSP) in this farmers’ protest has been gaining day ordinance foreshadows the possibility by day around the world. However, it of the farmers selling their produce is highly heartbreaking that the Indian even below the MSP. A majority of the Church acts as if it has nothing to do farmer population (more than 55% of with this farmers’ protest. There is no the population) already suffers from significant response or action that the economic disparity. Such a transition Revd Gideon Sam S P MA, Indian Church has initiated, and Indian to a monetary economy was likely to BD, MTh is an ordained theologians are keeping their mouth bring conflicts and disproportion within minister in the Diocese of shut. The raised questions are: why do society and reinforced the distinction Madurai-Ramnad. He has the Indian farmers protest against the between urban and rural, rich and recently submitted his PhD Farm Bills? What does biblical theology destitute. dissertation to the University of convey to this farmers protest? What can Gloucestershire, Cheltenham, we learn from the protesting farmers? The value system presented in Luke- the UK which reads Lucan male Acts contrasted with an elite-centred narrations using social-scientific Farm Bills and Lucan Theology market economy was one that allowed models and methods focussing The common consensus is that the for generalised reciprocity. Concerning food justice and hospitality (email: SamSimeonPaulraj@ 1 “Benchmark Report 2017.” World Travel and Tourism Council. Archived from the connect.glos.ac.uk). original (PDF) on 12 April 2018. Retrieved 13 March 2021. www.csi1947.com 5 reciprocal relations, it is appropriate weaker players in terms of their ability like droughts and inconsistent rainfall to recall Lk 6:36-38, which illustrates to negotiate and be in danger of losing forced peasants to make loans for seed God’s compassionate identity in their land to the sponsor due to crop in order to exist. The small Roman Jesus’ encouragement of generosity: failure. Already India is witnessing elite and its provincial allies controlled “Be merciful … Give … Good measure that over a third of the rural Dalit the primary resource of land and its pressed down, shaken together, population (29.97% about 53.7 production; many lost their land and running over, will be put into your million) are landless labourers, and were forced into debt and slavery lap.” The Lucan schematic location 67.27% of the rural Dalit households (Lk7:41-42; 12:58-59).