Churches study how to be 'Just and Inclusive'

The latest in a series of 'theological conversations' among church bodies in India has underscored the need to be 'Just and Inclusive' by breaking down barriers of the modern society through "sincerity, dedication and commitment to the values of Gospel."

The Third Theological Conversation among Lutheran churches, Methodist Church in India, Mar Thoma Syrian Church and Hindustani Covenant Church from 19-21 Oct. in Mumbai brought to light certain barriers that hinder the church in context of just and inclusivity and chalked out strategies to surmount the same.

"Casteism, marginalization of Dalits, Tribals and Adivasis, classism, gender discrimination, including the struggles of trans-gender, discrimination done to people with disabilities, lack of accountability, divisions among churches, attitudes of exclusivism and oppression done to the creation," were identified as few obstacles to the church's progress in modern mission.

To combat these barriers and to make it more just and inclusive, the Conversation prescribed "Transparency and Transformation, Equality and Equity, Accountability and Accompaniment (TTEEAA)" in churches.

According to Bishop Taranath Sagar, President of NCCI, churches must eschew its competitive attitude and be united to be just and inclusive. "Doctrines divide, duties unite," he says.

H.G. Dr. Yakob Mar Irenaios, Chairperson of NCCI Commission on Unity, Mission and Evangelism, who led the participants in a Bible Study, suggested the participants to "integrate justice into our faiths and practice it at any cost, for that is how the witness of our churches can be revealed."

In the second Conversation held in November, the participating church bodies came out emphatically urging churches in India to shun 'competition' among each other in areas of mission and seek consensus and collaboration among themselves.

They underlined that "although churches are of different denominational affiliations, all are parts of the same body of Jesus Christ."

The participants pledged that the concerns of the conversation shall be carried forward to their churches and to their own local contexts.

The culmination of the three Conversations' series will take place at a National Conversation to be held at NCCI Campus, Nagpur during December 8-10, 2009.