Book Review

Subject: Towards Inclusive Community: Disability Perspective.

Subject Code: BID05

Submitted to: Sir. Rev. A. Shyam Rao.

Date of Submission: 25th September, 2023

Book Name: Transformed Culture and Praxis: Engaging People in the Margin, Taiwan: PTCA
& YTCS, 2017. Pages: 216.

Author Name: Rev. Dr. Wati Longchar.

Purpose of this Book:

This world is Facing crisis because of Concentration and abuse of power with a few
privileged people as a result marginalized peoples are push back to more poor, so that this book
give a voice for that voiceless people as they have to bunt their ideology of institutionalized
unjust structure and system. this book give voice that, margins are having difficulties by different
layers by colonialism, oppressive culture and market culture, but when it come as theological
term of margin, it portrayed margins are structured by unjust communities, dominated by
superiors but this book shown how God is revealing through margin, theology is not alone done
by people by people in their power, but it also reveling by fait journey of God.

About the Author:

Rev. Dr. Wati Longchar is belongs to Ao tribe of Nagaland in India, He is well experience in
theological field, he has taught 15 years in Eastern theological collage, Jorhat, Assam. From
2001 to 2007, he served as a consultant of ecumenical and theological education for Asia and
Pacific as Joint program of WCC and Christian conference of Asia. From 2008-2015, he served
as dean of the extension department of the Serampore university, during this time, he took
additional responsibility as director-incharge of South Asia Theological Research institute for
two years. And he has authored four books and edited and co-edited thirty one books.

Introduction:

Culture and Practices are forming by Human being itself with that environment and Collective
heritage by throughout the generation after genaration, it is not similar with other place culture,
there culture and practices are also determined by their environment and heritage of there
generation by there racial and religious group. But modern culture and Practices are varied and
determined by market capitalism, migration and cyber theology. These all force change our
culture and to bring new cyber global culture and Practices. With is idea, first I would like to
summarize every chapter shortly and then ill bring out my understanding and view of this book.

Chapter-1

Colonization, Christianity and Indigenous people

Colonization is known as “Exercise of Power and Control over one people by another people by
behavior, ideology institution, policies and Economics. There are several methods of colonizing
certain place, firstly they colonize land and territories either by diplomatic words or forceful
eviction and take over the land. Because of colonial people occupied the place indigenous place,
now they are landless and it leads to poorer them and poverty. And second phase is colonized
there culture and social colonized, by colonized they apply there new law, it leads to change
indigenous peoples tradition is getting eradication and colonial power take out there children and
teach there method. And change there name and there language.

 Different Cultural System:

Culture is building up in differently from one culture to another culture. By there
resource, symbols, etc… “Culture is dynamic. Not static; neither inferior nor superior, there
are both oppression and liberation in all the culture. 12. Because indigenous people important
thing is priority and emphasis, there priority is protection of environment”, so that culture
and tradition is based on environment. Land. There is all for them, there temple. Hospital,
sustainer, etc… so that if land lost, there culture and tradition also become in danger. But in
western side, land is not the main thing, they consider land is the outside of God. there only
integral part of ethics is manipulation and exploitation the environment.
 Christianity and Indigenous Culture:
Christianity spread through colonization, Christianity spread there ideologist, culture to
indigenous people. Because they consider, they saw the indigenous people as primitive
culture and savage life style, indigenous people religious are portray as demonic religion,
Christian missionary even try to banned indigenous peoples banned drum-flute, song, dances
leads to makes the rootless and nameless. It shows the inferiority-superiority. Inferiority are
indigenous people posses them negative impact on their life and culture and superiority was
portrayed as westerners. There one of the ideologist is Christmas celebration.
 Diversity of God creation:
“Diversity of Culture is celebrated together as human by respect and Love”18. Need to
transform the culture by God’s spirit.mt: 5:17. Paul speak with Galatians by Transformation
is only act through spirit and faith. Paul saying “Sprit is like wind, it is blowing to everyone
without any distinction. So if you Galatians people one must follow Jesus without forcing
anyone’s own culture and faith is known as celebration of cultural diversity, faith is revealing
through action, action without faith leads curtail one’s freedom, faith in Christ brig
transformation and liberation. But not all the indigenous culture and practice are good, some
 culture and practices need to be transform. So that, “The celebration of diverse culture and
practices transformed by kingdom values”.

Chapter-2
Commercial Tourism: Objectification of Culture and Nature.

Commercial tourism is one of the way to promote globalization, it focus on Profit

oriented, so it won’t concern about marginal people, environment, worship places, etc…
desecrated by profit, pleasures and enjoyment for tourist. It’s all about small group of people
pleasure and enjoyment leads to cultural and traditional ways of life at risk. It brings injustice
against society and also contradiction with The Bible.

Myanmar is known as fast changing in all spheres of life after the political reform in the
recent past. Myanmar is magnificent place which has Buddhist temple, rich cultural heritage,
life giving rivers etc…because of that tourism becomes boom in Myanmar,Government take
it and push hard to attract tourism, that result since 1992 invite tourism to do economics
development, later military ride off and civilian power control, then touristarrival reach
1million plus, then they bring many idea to attract tourism to Myanmar. But Pre-democracy
advocate define in “Voice for Burma”, that “tourism can create more benefited that harm, as
long as tourist are fully aware of the situation and take steps to maximize their positive
impact and minimize their negative impact… raising awareness of the situation
worldwide”.23

 Tourism and Objectification of the poor:

Tourism is a tool where neo-liberal economic touches all realm of human lifenand
mother earth in order to fulfill the demands of tourist expectation. Here most negative impact
is occurring to poor people and the nature of objectification. Michalestainton reported that
“Today Mountain people are disadvantage group, because of tourism they lose there land,
collapse of traditional culture, loss of language, poverty, etc…”28. This is how poor and
indigenous peoples are objectified and commodities without respect and dignity.

 Theological Contour from the Margin:

Tourism is dominating industries and challenged to understand that the creation is
created by God and it now enjoying by investors. So as Christians we have to provide
leadership through our idea and practices. We have to give voice to when environment
under thread and poor people are commodified by thread.

Chapter-3
Culture, Church, Disabilities and Marginalization
 Person with Disability and Obvious cultural discrimination:
 In the society or in community, PwD’s are consider as second class people, they are
consider as object of Charity and their position in work place is “First to discharge and
last to Hired in any form of employment” an culturally PwD will not get any privilege
from there family inheritance, and stigmatize from the society by consider as inferior,
sinner, imperfect and sometimes PwD born child killed by his parents in order to protect
their status in the society.
 Cultural belief in the Society:
“Do Good thing to get blessing, if you do bad thing it will bring Curse”, Pwd are
understood as outcome of bad thing and curse from God, the effect is killed them in the
stage of infanticide., so that, child will go back to God and God will give perfect child.
K.C. Abraham defined, “All image of God created by abled people for the abled
people”42. As a result the disorted of God’s imagefrom disability as imperfect, unclean
unholiness, sinner not only this there are many misinterpretation and misunderstanding in
the society, so that, it brings out several understanding which mainly hit againstPwD
peoples, like sin and Disability, sin and Image of God, Suffering and Disability in Virtual
Suffering view. “Here Nancy L. EieslandStated that, “Disability is a temporary affliction
that must be endured to gain heavenly rewards.”47.
 Misinterpretation of Temple:
According to Jewish understanding, Disability is outcome of Sin, in lev 21:16-24.
There defined disability peoples are not allowed in temple service. But WalisUkan OT
Scholar stated that, PwD are not excluded but they are relieved from the temple. Even if
disabled priest are in the temple, offerings has t offer daily from early till whole, as a
disabled people cannot to do that it demands to abled people and relief disabled people
from the labourish work v.22.
 Jesus and Disability people:
Jesus mostly focus on Disability people to caring and Healing, eg: healing at Sabbath,
for Jewish day of Sabbath is more important than human life, but for Jesus Human life is
more important that Sabbath, so that he ready to break Sabbath ritual, then he defined
“the Sabbath was made for humankind and not Human kind for a Sabbath”. so that he
stood for the cared of sick and Disabled.
 Church and Disabilities:
Ecumenical Disability advocate Network draw an attention to by defined “without
include the gift of Pwd , we cannot talk about the unity of the church, if there is no Pwd
in the church, then there is no unity in the church. Because church need to understand all
peoples are with or without disabilities are created by the image of God and to called an
inclusive community. Like Jesus, He was protected, forgave, love and cared for them,
like wise church need to follow.
 Chapter-4
Culture, Christian Mission and Marginalized People:
Huang Poho says “People, especially the suffering, poor people are the subject of Christian
mission, The subject of the Gospel and Theology”55.
 Context and Subject of Mission:
Christian mission mostly need to focus on marginalized people, because the unjust global
economic system makes deeply rooted the poor, Global activity system makes eradicate the
cultural activity and resources, due to that many lost their culture, livelihood due to political
manipulation.moreover, cultural nationalism and religious fundamentalism against minority
becoming so rude, attacking by fundamentalist during special occasions in Christianity.So we
need to focus on marginalized people, those who in pain of exploitation and to address what
makes them to excluded and marginalized.
 Civilization Mission:
Civilization mission was happened in colonization period, Christian mission abandon
the culture, tradition and their tradition in order to follow Christianity. as a result there
are several military warfar activity, attacks, battle/war, campaign, crusades placed, and
started to portrait indigenous God and Goddesses and there belief as “Pagan, Heathen,
Darkness”. it leads local people abundant their own culture and betrayed their countries
in order to follow foreign mission.
 Charitable mission:
Charitable mission is approach marginalized people by giving of helping by their
needs. Just like help to poor and sick by providing cloths and food and do prison ministry
and support their family. It is known as charitable mission.
 Development mission:
Development mission began in west toreducetension betweeneast and west during
cold war and later it focus on hunger poverty development, it been 2 decades, in current
situation development mission requires to disable people and those who are affected by
HIV/AIDS and some other dieses and also focused on urban and rural poor people,
because industrialization and globalization poor people are become more poor. Here
development mission play a good role.
 Transformative Mission:
It is focused on Church. Church should take responsibility to create new social justice
structure for those who suffering by depurative and violation. So church has to be
transformative like, “Marginal People have to be subject for history not an object and
there no motivation of pity instead to justice and need to raise awareness among people.”
Because transformative mission is not just an ideal or emotion or just give some clarity, it
is a commitment for transformation from sinful social structure and liberative social
victims.
Here Charity and development alone cannot bring justice and peace. Transformative
mission also need for listening of the people’s crying in the pain.
 Chapter-5
Church, Homophobia and Marginalization

Homogeneous group of people also understood as a one of the layer of Marginalization as

like Indigenous people, Dalit, Women, etc…, most of the church and theologians strongly
oppose the homogeneous should not legalize in the society in the name of protecting culture,
tradition and religion. Here challenge is since they are homogeneous, if we explodes them or
discriminate them, it is totally against the against just and also issue of humans are image of
God. Here question is some western and eastrn side countries are demanding validation and
approval of the sexual orientation legally morally., there ideology is different sexual
orientation is a reality and it is God given, how do we then address this issue, what is the role
of the church and theological education?
 Homophobia- Heterosexual problem:
Psychiatrist defined homosexual is not a disease, and not even a criminal law, if you
add, it will comes under, mental disorder problem. But Society is not ready to accept
Homosexuality in other word LGBQT, So that society show there attitude in several way,
firstly outright denial, LGBQT is totally against nature and it is impossible to develop
inheritance of generation and it is also totally contradiction with the Bible, and also
LGBQT face harassment, rejection, isolation and exclusion.
 Reflection on Christian community:
Church was not ready to accept homosexuality in the church some incidents are, in
2000, United Church of Australia suggested that, “Don’t take any decision against
LGBQT, rather it has to be individual decision”, as a result most of the CUA congress
declare themselves as Confessing congress. And second incident which made a big
publicity, in 2008, because Anglican community consecration of gay bishop in new
hemisphere, So that Anglican members declined t attempt lambeth conference and
conduct in there own place Jerusalem itself. Any denomination is not ready to accept or
allow to legalize LGBQT in the church and in society also.
 LGBQT Sin and Punishment:
By church site, LGBQT is totally against God, For that John Crystotom State that
“Homosexual intercourse is sin worse than fornication and worse than even murder”79.
And prosperity theology defined it will bring poverty, disease, failure, etc..are cursed by
God. In the Bible, one side of group argue, mostly they quoted from Sedon – Gomora
city, with interpretation of it was destroyed because of Homosexuality, but, another side
of group argue that, not because of Homosexuality but selfishness, arrogant, unkind,
unhospitality, Jesus himself didn’t mention anything about Sodom-Gomorra was
destroyed because of this sin, Mt 10:5-15. But because of unhospitality. John Meneil state
that, “No connection between sexual orientation and sin, sickness or failure. Rather it is
gift from God to be accepted and lived out with gratitude.”80.but biblical scolars argue
 that, “Scripture did not content Homosexuality, rather lustful heterosexual, homosexual
of idolatry, prostitution, violation rape, seduction is wrong.

Chapter-6
Power and Powerless: Mission From the Margin.

 God Chose the People outside of Power Structure:

God Chose Margin community, that he was incarnate as Jesus Christ in among the
Margins of Powerless, But the Powerful people of wise men bring valuable gifts to God.
Angels said to shepherds “Peace among you”and for inaugurate his kingdom among
powerless people in the community to bring justice and peace, peace is for those who
longing for Justice and peace, identity, rights to resource.Jesus also did His ministry
among marginalized, Socially excluded people, disabled people, main source of Jesus
ministry is Nazareth manifesto of luke 4:16.
 Margin - products of unjust power structure:
Where there is poverty, then there is one side power domination rule over the
community. As like, Social structure, economic system, culture ideologies are creating by
powerful superior people, not directly but by making irrelevant ideologies in the society
like, disability and outcome of sin, dalits are untouchable, indigenous peoples are
inferiorby like this they make powerful people to dominate the community in control.
 God’s voice from Margin:
Mission from margin is having there testimonies, pains and sufferings, it is God’s
voice, in bible also we can see marginal voice, Naaman and the slave girl.she has been a
God’s voice for naaman in his criticaltime. In this present context, there are two voices,
one is from dominate peoples voice, one who taking decision and another voice is from
margin and Indigenous community, those who lost there identity, culture and being a
powerless people because of dominate superior community. So, Mission from margins
demand not only binding the wounds of victims or offering actions of compassion, but
also calls upon churches to confront and transform the forces, which cause suffering and
deprivation.

Chapter-7
Marginalized people and Asian: Liberation and Vocation of Theologians

Poverty and Poor are playing vital role to lend liberative theology, one is market
capitalism dragging economic and political poverty and in other sideexploitation of poor and
earth resources beingreach to massive scale by one sided extraction of globalization of
development process, in between sufferers and margins, it raises several questions of
liberation theology, and it can unmask between globalization, climate-justice and survival of
 the marginal communities can relocate margins through liberation theology? Is that vocation
theology is the context of continuing marginalization of people and God’s creation?
 Margin-location of Liberation theology:
In academically, Liberation theology reduces as a piece of History after the neo-
liberalism it was dislocated, as missed a God’s revelation. But again it was Re-located in
the site of margin, but in not as absolute option, but an imperative. Liberative theology
not only meant for margins, because it relocated ad an hermeneutical action, so as a result
it brings out many dimension of Liberation theology and relocated as Liberation
theology.eg: Rich man and Lazarus. Luke 16: 19-21.
 God among Margin:
In today Asian context, Poor and margins peoples are often unbearable incidents like
formers commit suicidebecause of unable to pay loan parents kill there parents by
pushing in lake because of uncertainty of future, like many millions of lazarus are
longing for fulfill there hunger stomach and poverty, but in other side superiority peoples
are like rich peoples earning millions per day and to looking to build their place to reach
the sky, as like in this situation. That our church and ecumenical movement must be
located in the point of margin, through there lives and struggles for life, they need to hold
what God wants in the world while also bring reservoir of Hope, resistance and
preservance.
 Vocation of theology:
The primary work of theologians is involved into the margin peoples suffering fir
transforming the sinful societies, by involve we need to bring radical change in the
system of oppressive by proclaiming in the name of Jesus Christ, sometimes in order to
bring iberation, we need to take risk and struggles against misuse and abuse power by
doing protest, organizing protest movement, neo-cooperation movement, etc… because
Jesus also did in his ministry, He was lived with people of suffering not with high
community and understand there pain and struggle.

Chapter-8
M.M.Thomas on Marginalized People and Contextual Theologies in Asia.

M.M.Thomas was born in 1916 and died 1996. He was a deeply influenced in socialism
and he been parted in colonialism, independence struggle and national building. Bastian
wieslang says about M.M. Thomas that “Ideologically MM was moved from Gandhian Non-
violence to Marxist Class-War to Nehruite State centered development and social justice
oriented modernization”115. And he was a radical thinker with the prophetic voice that
challenged both the church and the society.
 Theology and oppressive Structure:
M.M. Thomas context is theology through opprasive people, For that he defined,
“Theology is the living thing, having to do with our existence as Christian and as
 churches”.116. In Asian present context, Thetimes are Subaltern, untouchable, women,
poor, vulnerable section of Asian society as notion of Purity-Pollutiondichotomy. In that
situation, M.M.Thomas try to find out to locate theology within the oppressed context
and he defined “Egoism” is a root to caused unjust in the society by making hierarchy,
poor’s are object of exploitation, Legitimize the belief and practices of the religion, so
that, Christian needs to expressed in terms of “Spirituality of Combat”, which means,
called to radical departure from the power and institution and take the position to save the
life.as protection to take over the life from power.
 The Devine presence in the context:
In this context, divine presence in protection of marginalized people. For M.M.
Thomas, understanding of The Bible is God is God of Justice and Compassionate God.So
that God’s love is Paivitallove.God’s heart is aches at the pain the people. Therefore, in
the situation of widespread structural injustice of class, caste, patriarchy. God is in the
side of oppressed community.
 Looking Forward to Future:
By thinking very critical way, M.M.Thomas found there is no option to overcome
from the capitalism, because of science and technology and also on side of extractive
development and it leads to marginalization. so that he raised adequate challenges that the
danger of modern technology and the result of destruction, exploitation, commoditization
of marginal communities. This question has raised in contextual theology by continuing
marginalization and objectification of the culture. This all connected to the globalization,
climate-justice and survival of marginalization. For that he brings out five points.
1. Location of contextual theology.
2. Contextual theology without name.
3. Contextual theology disconnected from earth.
4. Methodological Re-location.
5. Mobilize solidarity justice movement.

Chapte-9

Indigenous culture and Interconnectedness of life.

Indigenous culture is interconnected with the life. The life with environment and the living
creatures and to understand the earth in the home for all, the fitness of life the peace, justice by
interrelated and interconnectedness, “Justice to the marginalized people is impossible without
justice to the God by vice versa”.

 Science and Disconnected of Life:

Technology is one of the main source to science revolutionary in the world. Many
scientist put a basement to develop the science and technology in order to destroy the nature,
Bacon says that “Goal of the science is conquest if nature” as “Knowledge is power”.128. as
 mathematician Descartes said,” Humanities are lords and masters to nature”128. As the
world could be understood as a group of independent, separated, competitive object rather
than interconnectedness and independence, for strengthening this ideology they defined that
the only difference between human and other creature is mind and ability to think.

 Theology and Disconnected of Life:

Theology also promoting disconnectedness of life which contributes to the

exploitation and abuse of mother earth, as Aquinas defined that, in the creation was created
as hierarchy superior creation in angel and he defined “imperfect creation is for the use of
perfect”130.imperfect creation of human apart from human nature also placed as imperfect.
So nature and human cannot be interconnected. Nature is inferior and to use for superior
human being. And martin Luther said that “Whole creation of God as something which exist
for the benefits of human and nature and nature is springboard of grace”131. and berth
further argue that Salvation of Jesus Christ is not from the nature. but process theologians
adopted unified perspective of “It is through interaction and interconnectedness, that the
world becomes the body of God, each organism touches and change it and it influenced it”
by attended to west to dissolve dualistic view of creation and history and redemption. It is an
effort to develop and pattern that builds humanity and creation as whole.

 Indigenous Spirituality of Interconnectedness of life:

Land is the Big mother for indigenous people, thus have a spiritual connection with
land, everything is organically related to each other, nothing to neglect either supreme being
of spirit, interconnectedness of Indigenous people not only by God and also to mother land,
they take utmost care on land with special occasion day to celebrate 3-6 days and there
culture and beliefs are maintaining towards between human and ecological needs by balance
was maintained through practices of taboo and totem, it is legitimize religious basis through
myth.

Chapter – 10

The Creator God: An Explanation of Indigenous resources.

Domination people consider God is Success oriented God, SoIndigenous people don’t experience
God, Because God is mystery, sometime God defined as personal image of God even the Bible
defines as Patriarchy, hierarchy image of God.

 Domineering image of God:

Hierarchy: Hebrew and Greek people defined God in Hierarchy way, and give the
structure to God as He is male and old man and give thenature of God as omnipotent and
omnipresent and omniscience and even create the hierarchy in God’s creation as angel in
 high and inferior peoples are low. And dualism of human relationship also bring out that
lack-white, Body-Soul, less value inferior-high value superior, heaven-earth.

 Patriarchy image of God

Christian was influenced by the concept of construct image of God as male, because
God in terms of power, authority, ruler, lord of almighty, father etc…, here military power
oriented image of god as portray, such metaphorical image of man and woman as subordinate
role model, Sallie Mcfaghu says that “Content of Judea – Christian tradition, which project
domineering God as absolute, transcendent and omnipotent as patriarchal concept. It permits
no sense of mutuality, shared responsibility, reciprocity and love in terms of relationship with
God, human and the world.”148.

 Life giving image of God:

The Bible speaks even about non-personal relationship with God, like creator,
sustainer, rock, fortress, etc… but it is hardly used in Christian theology, but need to
experience of God for marginalized people and non-personal images of God are also
important and need to be explored to enrich God-World-human relationship. Indigenous
people believes that God is inseparable related to the sacred land, but transcendental believes
God is from above, but for the blooming flower, bearing fruits and rich signifies the presence
of God as creator. They see the God in creation, but it is more relevant in constructing
Christian theology. The affirmation of earthly spirit ishelp us to reconstruct divine
relationship with the world in a new way.

Chapter-11

Re-thinking theological education for people in the Margin.

Theological education playing key role in life of church and society. For that many theological
movement, seminaries comes forward and bring new face for the challenges by giving
variousoffers of studies, workshop, consultation, through that various theological reflections
coming out, mainly from subaltern, women, margin, now disabilities and people with
HIV/AIDS, But How do we integrate margins choices in theological education? Do we broaden
out theological education and integrate with secular studies? Do Asian theological seminaries
collaborate with organization and movement? Many challenging questions makesensuring
quality of theological education today.

 Ministerial formation and margin:

Missionary movements were began at 16th century by martin Luther to gave rise to
protestant theological education in global south, that time mission was meant for engage in
community for socio-economic and cultural transformation. Mainly Serampore trio, they
involved multi-community transformative work. But common understanding of theology or
 religious studies are only meant for priest. This narrow orientation bring unhealthy
theological competition, mistrust and violence. Mainly current situation theological study
mostly defined ecclesiastical position of priest/pastor. Not to give sufficient scope for
community development, inter-religious engagement and cultural research to bringout social
transformation and change.

 The need of people in the Margin:

Marginalized community need a community oriented and theological education of

academically, passionately, emotionally, practically, etc… they need to ready to face
violence, oppressed community, gender discrimination, poverty stagnation, lack of
development, etc… so that theological education also need to focus to not contribute
economic self-reliance, political justice instead of power consciousness, so collages,
institutions needs to focus on theological truthful, courageous, skillful community organizer
and spiritual leader in other word, we need trained leader from the margin dominated
perspective is the need of the hour in indigenous perspective of the hour in indigenous tribal
context.

Chapter-12

War, Conflicts and Marginalization of India

 War, Conflict and Armless people.

This world experienced and experiencing ruthless role of imperialism, killing and
Genocide. eg, over 6 million Germans were killed by Adolf Hitler, Hiroshima-Nagasaki
nuclear test made more than 209 thousand Americans and Indian were killed and made
thousands of people disabled. Like many heart rending stories of genocide and mass
destruction and unequal distribution of resources in the world today. The reality of today
world is that the value of human beings, especially the poor and marginalized once aretreaed
like a commodity and beast. Power, military, economic and social benefits are so unevenly
shared and used vast majority of the world’s population in left excluded and abused.

 Role of Religious communities in Justice-Peace:

Today’s world, where we are living is filled with contradiction, violence and injustice
and unluckily in the name of religious and religious identity there are violence are committed
to the poor and marginalized. But we need to bring the values of cooperate, respect and
reconciliation one another in the spirit of serving, healing, working and sharing together with
love and forgiveness affirming some principles like Dialogue, development, people-centered
Government, Human Dignity, justice, forgiveness, repentance, simplicity of life and
solidarity with the Human family.
 Chapter-13

Culture of Justice-Peace Praxis for Building Inclusive Community

 Salted Praxis Life for building Inclusive Community. Mark 8:27-10:52.

This passage is a Self-contained unit dealing with Peter’s Christological confession, this
passage concludes that, which states “Be at peace with one another” it implies that the
community of Disciples should be constantly be engaged in peace building for all.
o Kingdom of God and Marginalized People:
The reflection from the Bible to concern fo building community of peace for all, it
is imperatively draw to the proclamination about kingdom of God and it demonstrate
from the Life of Jesus.The Kingdom of God is expression of symbol of God’s sovernity
to all.like there are different way to of biblical notion of peace according to its situation
an context and peace of biblical notion that implies a right relationship with God, which
entails forgiveness, reconciliation and union.it is the gift God leading the oppressed and
marginalized people in freedom. Salt praxis life is oriented and preservation, Healing,
purification.
 Justice-Peace Praxis in agricultural Field and Market Places. Mathew 13:44-46.
This passage talking about two parables, one is the parable of hidden treasure and another
one is the pearl. The importance of this parable which was elaborated by Jesus, it is
commonusing in household conversation, but both parables carrying deep theological
meanings about God’s reign and the responsibility of the peace makers. These parables
are presented two contexts.
The first parable is presented in the context of field. During that time agriculture
is the most occupied by the people. People work whole day in a land for earning money,
but powerful people tries to take away the land from poor and fooled by colonizers. The
same situation we can se in present indigenous people.But God’s reign is to be
experienced amidst of daily activities of the people in the present context.
The second parable presented in the context of busy market place, like in present
context, market also the place where lot of cheating, exploitation, manipulation and
corruption takes place. Because the place makes to think only money, profit and gain
again the affirmation of God’s reign is here and it is to be experienced in the daily life.
 Justice-Peace Praxis Amidst storm. Mark 4:35-41.
This passage context was Jesus and his disciples traveling on the Boat on the sea of
Galilee, there Jesus was sleeping and sudden violence storm makes disciples afraid so
disciples shouted to Jesus, and HE woke up and rebuked the wind and said to sea, “Peace, be
still”, anfd then it was stopped. Here the boat is consider as strong theological significance of
Ecumenical movements. And the storms are consider as Life of Journey, so when we are I
midst of Storm, we need to need to remember the word, “Peace, Be still” because the biblical
understanding of Justice-Peace is not just absence of war, conflict but it means to Justice.
 o Four Values of Justice-Peace Praxis:
1. Cultivate the Value of respect others.
2. Cultivate the spirit of working together.
3. Cultivate the Value of Spirit.
4. Promote the Value of forgiving.

Book Review:

The Book, Transforming Cultures and Praxis: Engaging People in the Marginscontain 13
chapter in 216 pages. But one of the notable thing in this book is, it’s not just a book from one
site. It’s an collection of paper from athor, which a author did various semeninor papers, even he
dismantle the repetative content,we can see some repetition,but author already ackonow about
that as, that repetitive content is for clarification. Even thoughIt is the challenging book for
theologians and Christians, in this book author brings our many dimensions about Marginal
People and brings out different layers of marginal groups and brings out there oppression,
challenges from colonialism and market capitalism, and since author focused on marginalized
group of people, he began his chapter from the heart of the cause and problem of issues of who
are marginalized and why they are marginalized and what caused them to as marginalized
community, in this book author vailed that the margins are not born, instead they portrait as
margin by so called superior group of people, for strengthening his idea, Author brings out
various scholars idea of approaches in certain problem and there solution, in some chapters he
brings out two authors of different ideas and brings out his idea or objection of certain issue and
solution, for e.g. in Chapter 5, topic of Sin and punishment, Crystotom said, “Homosexuality is
worse than punishment” and striate opposite john Mcnail defined “it is Gift from God”, like he
strengthen his idea by adding scholars and theologians ideas and there concept. And most
probably author brings out the most of the problem’s solution from the bible, and even
author.Mainly this book focused on marginalized people engagements in doing theology of
God’s mission in Justice-Peace. Moreover throughout this book, author show his consistency of
his concerns about margins, indigenous and oppressed people’s problems and challenges in this
books. As per my opinion, this book is very useful and very informative and also challenging
book for us, this books makes us think and also to understand about margins communities deep
understanding.

Mr. S. AnbarasanAnbarasan, BD-II.

Students of MBCBC

Shamshabad, Hyderabad.