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Thesis advisor: Catherine Cornille / This dissertation offers a comparative theological reflection on Dalit Christian theology--a contextual, liberation theology rooted in the Dalit communities' experiences of caste-based oppression--and Swami Vivekananda--the late 19th c. Neo-Vedantin and founder of the Ramkrishna Math and Mission. It seeks to provide a model of Dalit liberative service that attends to the theology's objectives--identity affirmation and a liberative social vision--works to foster liberative partnerships beyond the Dalit Christian community, and responds to the critical, but constructive assessment of Dalit theology offered by its present generation of theologians. As a work in comparative theology, it does so through a close, reflective reading of Swami Vivekananda, his Practical Vedanta, and his own reworking of seva (devotional service). The intent is not to present Vivekananda as a corrective, but rather to see newly and understand differently the dimensions of liberative service that are made manifest by seeing and understanding how seva performs in Vivekananda's thought and how it there leads to spiritual and social liberation. These dimensions include recovering by uncovering the imago Dei in Dalit theology, re-presenting liberative service as representing the Kingdom of God, and service understood as doubly and mutually liberating. While Chapter Five presents the fruits of this comparative theological reflection on Dalit Christian theology and Swami Vivekananda, the preceding four chapters provide the necessary foundation for this engagement. The first and second chapters address the historical and theological development of Dalit Christian theology presenting its origins in the Modern Maharashtran Dalit Movement and the Indian Christian context, respectively. The third and fourth examine Vivekananda's development of Practical Vedanta and seva. Together they provide the content from which and through which this comparative theological reflection occurs. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2014. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Theology.

This thesis seeks to present a study of one particular rural Paraiyar Christian community in Tamil Nadu, focusing on their religious identity and theological expressions. Such people, more commonly known as Dalits, or Untouchables are a largely socially marginalised group living within a dynamic and complex social matrix dominated by the caste system and its social and religious implications. They are heavily reliant on their landlords (the high caste Hindus) for their wages, food, and access to resources. The village has two Paraiyar communities, one of which is Hindu and other Christian, with intermarriage occurring frequently between them. With one exception, all of the thirty-one Christian families in the village were once Hindu Paraiyars before converting to Christianity. The first convert to Christianity was in the beginning of 20th century as the result of the American Arcot Mission. Fieldwork highlighted various tensions and areas of creativity regarding how Paraiyar Christians negotiate their lives within a marginalised and oppressed hierarchical system. Although the study focuses on the Christian community, it can only do so by examining their wider social context, which is dominated by religious and caste structures, ascribed and achieved identity, symbols, ritual, and boundaries. Recent writing within Dalit Theology naturally discusses Paraiyar Christians, but it is a contention of this thesis that much ‘Dalit Theology’ ignores the social, ritual and basis of rural Dalit life and thought, an omission which this thesis redresses. The main body of the thesis is divided in to three parts. The first part presents a review and discussion of written works on missionary encounters with the caste system in the church history of south India, as well as Dalit Theological writings. The second section concentrates on the ethnographic information gathered from eight months’ fieldwork and analysed under four different themes: understanding Paraiyar identity, Yesusami and the religious worldview of Paraiyar Christians, the utilisation of religious symbols and performances to advance social change, and, finally, the reproduction of social hierarchies among Paraiyar Christians. The final section attempts to articulate a relevant theological understanding of Dalit Christology using Gillian Rose’s concept of ‘Broken Middle’. This thesis does not set out to provide a comprehensive ethnography of this Paraiyar Christian community, nor does it propose a completely new theological system. Rather, it attempts to allow for the research subjects themselves to articulate their own perspectives and opinions regarding what it means to be Christians and Paraiyars simultaneously. This work allows for flexibility and volatility between the two identities combined within the Paraiyar Christian community. I argue that this is only made possible by their fluidity, being able to balance their individual and communal religious identities - creatively living in the middle of their multiple belongings.

The impact of religious conversion on cultural identity is a study of conversion story of South African Indian Anglican Christians rooted in the oppressive history of casteism in India and Racism in South Africa. This study has used multi discipline approach using various schools of human sciences and broader theological framework in dealing with moral and ethical issues. This study defends the religious conversions and highlights the impact it has made on cultural identity of converts from social, economic, psychological and spiritual perspectives. While highlighting the positive impact of religious conversion on cultural identity this study has also pointed out some ambiguities attached to this process. This study looks into the possibilities of Native and Indian Christians working together to create a healing culture in South Africa. An attempt is made to point out the interrelatedness of the experiences of suffering of Native Christians and Indian Christians from indentured backgrounds in South Africa. This study does not cover disparity issues between native Africans and the Indian Community in South Africa. However, an attempt is made to encourage Indian Christians in South Africa to connect with the pain and pathos of poor communities in South Africa. This study encourages the Indian Christians hi South Africa to read Dalit theology and get involved with Black theologians in formulating appropriate mission praxis for their mission and ministry in post apartheid South Africa. This study concludes on a positive note and hope based on my eight years of ministry in Lenasia. During my ministry I had experienced that South African Anglican Indian Christians and native Christians have the developing ability and capacity to become a spiritual resource in building a transformed and transforming society in South Africa. I could see in them a reconciled 'wounded healers' and for me this is a powerful impact of religious conversion on their cultural identity, "Victims' now have the capacity to act as 'Wounded Healers'. / Religious Studies & Arabic / D.Th. (Religious Studies)

Evangelicals have an unquestionable heritage for involvement in the world and its social problems and the Bible provides a basis for a liberative gospel. For the God of the Bible is not only a God of love and peace, but also of justice and he is therefore on the side of the poor, oppressed and suffering. he has given us a spirit of engagement with the world as salt and light and not escapism. As we give serious consideration to the challenges of liberation theologies, we need to hear the voice who calls his people in every age to go out into the lost and lonely world (as he did), in order to live and love, to witness and serve like him and for him and that is what African Evangelicalism is all about. / Systematic Theology and Theological Ethics / M. Th. (Religious Studies)

Evangelicals have an unquestionable heritage for involvement in the world and its social problems and the Bible provides a basis for a liberative gospel. For the God of the Bible is not only a God of love and peace, but also of justice and he is therefore on the side of the poor, oppressed and suffering. He has given us a spirit of engagement with the world as salt and light and not escapism. As we give serious consideration to the challenges of liberation theologies, we need to hear the voice of him who calls his people in every age to go out into the lost and lonely world (as he did), in order to live and love, to witness and serve like him and for him and that is what African Evangelicalism is all about. / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Systematic Theology)

The impact of religious conversion on cultural identity is a study of conversion story of South African Indian Anglican Christians rooted in the oppressive history of casteism in India and Racism in South Africa. This study has used multi discipline approach using various schools of human sciences and broader theological framework in dealing with moral and ethical issues. This study defends the religious conversions and highlights the impact it has made on cultural identity of converts from social, economic, psychological and spiritual perspectives. While highlighting the positive impact of religious conversion on cultural identity this study has also pointed out some ambiguities attached to this process. This study looks into the possibilities of Native and Indian Christians working together to create a healing culture in South Africa. An attempt is made to point out the interrelatedness of the experiences of suffering of Native Christians and Indian Christians from indentured backgrounds in South Africa. This study does not cover disparity issues between native Africans and the Indian Community in South Africa. However, an attempt is made to encourage Indian Christians in South Africa to connect with the pain and pathos of poor communities in South Africa. This study encourages the Indian Christians hi South Africa to read Dalit theology and get involved with Black theologians in formulating appropriate mission praxis for their mission and ministry in post apartheid South Africa. This study concludes on a positive note and hope based on my eight years of ministry in Lenasia. During my ministry I had experienced that South African Anglican Indian Christians and native Christians have the developing ability and capacity to become a spiritual resource in building a transformed and transforming society in South Africa. I could see in them a reconciled 'wounded healers' and for me this is a powerful impact of religious conversion on their cultural identity, "Victims' now have the capacity to act as 'Wounded Healers'. / Religious Studies and Arabic / D.Th. (Religious Studies)

Evangelicals have an unquestionable heritage for involvement in the world and its social problems and the Bible provides a basis for a liberative gospel. For the God of the Bible is not only a God of love and peace, but also of justice and he is therefore on the side of the poor, oppressed and suffering. he has given us a spirit of engagement with the world as salt and light and not escapism. As we give serious consideration to the challenges of liberation theologies, we need to hear the voice who calls his people in every age to go out into the lost and lonely world (as he did), in order to live and love, to witness and serve like him and for him and that is what African Evangelicalism is all about. / Systematic Theology and Theological Ethics / M. Th. (Religious Studies)

Evangelicals have an unquestionable heritage for involvement in the world and its social problems and the Bible provides a basis for a liberative gospel. For the God of the Bible is not only a God of love and peace, but also of justice and he is therefore on the side of the poor, oppressed and suffering. He has given us a spirit of engagement with the world as salt and light and not escapism. As we give serious consideration to the challenges of liberation theologies, we need to hear the voice of him who calls his people in every age to go out into the lost and lonely world (as he did), in order to live and love, to witness and serve like him and for him and that is what African Evangelicalism is all about. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Systematic Theology)