Event Title
Location
Virtual Conference
Start Date
19-5-2021 12:00 AM
End Date
21-5-2021 12:00 AM
Description
The caste system is deeply rooted in the socio-religious structure of the society in India (Mendelsohn and Vicziany 1998, 5-6). Casteism in India is associated primarily with Hinduism but not limited to it, but both Indian Muslims and Christians also have differences based on castes (Purthi 2004, 161). In India, society is shriveled by the caste system that has created a social division that has been a challenge to the social reformers in the past. The caste system creates a social deprivation that has its effect on the spirituality of the church. Humans are born with a desire to belong, and the church must fulfill this community's desire by making them feel belonged (Putman and Stetzer 2008, 71). Unfortunately, this social disease of castism has metastasized in the SDA church.
This presentation offers empirical research utilizing qualitative methodology to identify the caste system's intensity within the church. The result of the qualitative findings is based on interviews of five participants aged between 18-36. The participants were from at least three language groups: Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam, representing three different states in India, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala. All the participants volunteered to participate in the study. Two among five were face-to-face interviews, and the remaining three participants were interviewed online through the Zoom platform.
The findings suggest a need for the discrimination and shame caused by the caste system to be exposed and eliminated if the Adventist Church is to remain true to Christ’s teaching of equality among the human family.
Caste or Christ?: Empirical research on the existence of Castism in the Southern Asia Division of SDA.
Virtual Conference
The caste system is deeply rooted in the socio-religious structure of the society in India (Mendelsohn and Vicziany 1998, 5-6). Casteism in India is associated primarily with Hinduism but not limited to it, but both Indian Muslims and Christians also have differences based on castes (Purthi 2004, 161). In India, society is shriveled by the caste system that has created a social division that has been a challenge to the social reformers in the past. The caste system creates a social deprivation that has its effect on the spirituality of the church. Humans are born with a desire to belong, and the church must fulfill this community's desire by making them feel belonged (Putman and Stetzer 2008, 71). Unfortunately, this social disease of castism has metastasized in the SDA church.
This presentation offers empirical research utilizing qualitative methodology to identify the caste system's intensity within the church. The result of the qualitative findings is based on interviews of five participants aged between 18-36. The participants were from at least three language groups: Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam, representing three different states in India, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala. All the participants volunteered to participate in the study. Two among five were face-to-face interviews, and the remaining three participants were interviewed online through the Zoom platform.
The findings suggest a need for the discrimination and shame caused by the caste system to be exposed and eliminated if the Adventist Church is to remain true to Christ’s teaching of equality among the human family.