I am nuts!!!
Let me start with this comment so that if whatever I am saying is meaningless, you all will forgive and redirect me, and you all are the couple elder ones who have the responsibility to guide me in the right path! Below is a discussion theme, which is very hard to imagine, or even to practice but very interesting to think about! Atleast for me. My ideas are about the "Indianization" of the Indian Churches.
Eventhough this topic was of great interest to me for a while, I never expressed it that much! Today, while talking to Mins, this strange idea came to me... and I told Mins about it! For me, it is not strange, and it is not weird!
Discussion is about the Indian Church. First of all, we should think if 'The Church' which is the Body of Christ has any particular region or a particular style? The Church is Universal. It cannot be fenced in to one society/region, and one cannot claim that the whole Church should follow the culture of that particular society! By culture, I mean the lifestyle, language, dressing styles and all.
The cultures adapted Christ and Christianity, and they got renewed by the power of God. It will transfigure itself to a new creation, but is that transfiguration in outer experience? When a man is born again spiritually, he will keep all his outer attributes as it is, and will continue to be the Son of God, following Him in the spiritual direction. The dead will receive will receive their bodies back as it is said in Ezekiel 37(if I understood it correctly). therefore, is Christian Church/es claiming a Change in its materialistic appearance or spiritual appearance? Will the Church, the Body of Christ who is the Lord of all creation have the form of one society? Can it be comprehended by the dresses, appearances, and cultures of one part of people and their styles? I dont think so.
The Christian Church is accepting and adapting, and through Christ blood, the adapted portions will be cleansed and reformed. Can we say no to this? If this is the case, why should we give the most importance to the outer appearance of the Church more than to her inner appearance? the inner appearance is its doctrines, and understanding of God and Christ. The outer appearances are the factors that are collected, added from time to time from different societies, and the middle east prevails in the styles! The early Churches have adapted most of its styles from the Middle eastern Culture, and I include the culture of the Jews too in it. For example, the structure of the early parishes! Many early parishes had a semi sphere like structure on its top which is typical to todays mosques, and it is just a cultural fact and not a religious fact. We cannot consider the semi spherical structure of churches and mosques as Christian or Muslim. Its a common part of the Middle Eastern culture. Same is the case with dress and a lot of other appearance factors too.
Consider this as a guideline in analyzing the Indian Church. Majority of Indians being Hindus should not make us consider the Indian culture as a Hindu culture. Hinduism is part of that culture, similar is Christianity too. In the present generation, it seems like we appreciate the Western and other cultures much more than our own rich tradition and cultures! The pastors imitating the Western dressing style on 100degree hot days and all are examples. The Apostolic Christian Churches is also in the same situation imitating the Middle east! Eventhough the history of Christianity claims a tradition of 1950 years, we look like aliens to the society! Why are the Churches still built in the Portugese and Western styles when we have our own tradition Indian/Kerala styles, or atleast the Middle eastern styles? What are we still ignorant to aprreciate that? Why do we still consider the Classical karnatic Music as Hindu and avoid songs like that, and go behind the English translations? I felt pity on a choir which sang ONLY songs that are in ENGLISH tunes translated to malayalam on a funeral service I attended recently. Similar is the case with the Christmas Carol songs too. Why are we still ignorant to accept the goodness and richness of our own society? Is all good in West? Because West is rich does not mean they have to be imitated. We should be able to find the richness in our own societies and lives and should be able to appreciate that and adapt invent the dwelling of Christ in it.
Basically, I call for a change in the present society. Shall our bishops wear rose and red or kaavi? Why do we still need to rely on Syrian and English tunes when we have the rich resources in front of us? Are we able to understand our real identity, or are we only interested in imitations? If that is the case, how loyal are we to our own mother land and our own fore fathers and our traditions? Life is a constant journey through questions!
Let me start with this comment so that if whatever I am saying is meaningless, you all will forgive and redirect me, and you all are the couple elder ones who have the responsibility to guide me in the right path! Below is a discussion theme, which is very hard to imagine, or even to practice but very interesting to think about! Atleast for me. My ideas are about the "Indianization" of the Indian Churches.
Eventhough this topic was of great interest to me for a while, I never expressed it that much! Today, while talking to Mins, this strange idea came to me... and I told Mins about it! For me, it is not strange, and it is not weird!
Discussion is about the Indian Church. First of all, we should think if 'The Church' which is the Body of Christ has any particular region or a particular style? The Church is Universal. It cannot be fenced in to one society/region, and one cannot claim that the whole Church should follow the culture of that particular society! By culture, I mean the lifestyle, language, dressing styles and all.
The cultures adapted Christ and Christianity, and they got renewed by the power of God. It will transfigure itself to a new creation, but is that transfiguration in outer experience? When a man is born again spiritually, he will keep all his outer attributes as it is, and will continue to be the Son of God, following Him in the spiritual direction. The dead will receive will receive their bodies back as it is said in Ezekiel 37(if I understood it correctly). therefore, is Christian Church/es claiming a Change in its materialistic appearance or spiritual appearance? Will the Church, the Body of Christ who is the Lord of all creation have the form of one society? Can it be comprehended by the dresses, appearances, and cultures of one part of people and their styles? I dont think so.
The Christian Church is accepting and adapting, and through Christ blood, the adapted portions will be cleansed and reformed. Can we say no to this? If this is the case, why should we give the most importance to the outer appearance of the Church more than to her inner appearance? the inner appearance is its doctrines, and understanding of God and Christ. The outer appearances are the factors that are collected, added from time to time from different societies, and the middle east prevails in the styles! The early Churches have adapted most of its styles from the Middle eastern Culture, and I include the culture of the Jews too in it. For example, the structure of the early parishes! Many early parishes had a semi sphere like structure on its top which is typical to todays mosques, and it is just a cultural fact and not a religious fact. We cannot consider the semi spherical structure of churches and mosques as Christian or Muslim. Its a common part of the Middle Eastern culture. Same is the case with dress and a lot of other appearance factors too.
Consider this as a guideline in analyzing the Indian Church. Majority of Indians being Hindus should not make us consider the Indian culture as a Hindu culture. Hinduism is part of that culture, similar is Christianity too. In the present generation, it seems like we appreciate the Western and other cultures much more than our own rich tradition and cultures! The pastors imitating the Western dressing style on 100degree hot days and all are examples. The Apostolic Christian Churches is also in the same situation imitating the Middle east! Eventhough the history of Christianity claims a tradition of 1950 years, we look like aliens to the society! Why are the Churches still built in the Portugese and Western styles when we have our own tradition Indian/Kerala styles, or atleast the Middle eastern styles? What are we still ignorant to aprreciate that? Why do we still consider the Classical karnatic Music as Hindu and avoid songs like that, and go behind the English translations? I felt pity on a choir which sang ONLY songs that are in ENGLISH tunes translated to malayalam on a funeral service I attended recently. Similar is the case with the Christmas Carol songs too. Why are we still ignorant to accept the goodness and richness of our own society? Is all good in West? Because West is rich does not mean they have to be imitated. We should be able to find the richness in our own societies and lives and should be able to appreciate that and adapt invent the dwelling of Christ in it.
Basically, I call for a change in the present society. Shall our bishops wear rose and red or kaavi? Why do we still need to rely on Syrian and English tunes when we have the rich resources in front of us? Are we able to understand our real identity, or are we only interested in imitations? If that is the case, how loyal are we to our own mother land and our own fore fathers and our traditions? Life is a constant journey through questions!
************************************************************************************
A reply from Mathew C. Oommen, Hydrebad
I read your article...I also had a thought like this before...What I feel is that
Do you think the syrian style of worship?
The Hindu style of Minnu ketu?
The Muslim way of Prostration? -- (I dont agree to this)
The kerela style of perrunals ?
Indian style of Padayatra?
The jewish style of feasts and fasts?
The western style of Christmas Carols?
Are these all not ours..Ours is a mixed culture !!..Its a beutiful fabric made of different threads!!..
You know we are the dravidians or the true Indian Natives..Then we got influenced by the aryan way of life ..even malayalam is a mix of Tamil (Dravidian)and Sanskrit(Aryan).
Then with the coming of St thomas we Accepted christ or rather say God included us to be among his selected people!!...
Then with the syrian fathers we got our syrian liturgy and later our archetecture was influenced by portugese style .....
But we had the values of India..Joint families respect for elders ...
So what i feel is we are what we are..We are a race influenced by many factors!!..
Can u just indianize ur self?..no? Can u call urself a jew? Can u call urself a syrian...
No...hehe...
So lets be what we are a wonderful fabric woven out of many different fibers!!..
And about songs in english tune?..
Last christmas a church had songs in the tune of mantras like Om Nama Shivaayaa but words changed!!...Do u want that...That wasnt encouraged though..Even i wouldnt like to hear that on a christmas eve!!... -- (I just want Christians to appreciate the Indian Music too rather than considering all Indian music as Hindu!, and no copies!!! we have the talent to create new ones.)
In the end Is it even Important....We are all the children of the same father..All from the same parents Adam and eve!!...when u think this way..So much of time spent on culture and style will all seem to be not imp!!
**
0 comments:
Post a Comment