Community and Worldview among Paraiyars of South India: 'Lived' Religion
Ebook
This volume presents a detailed ethnographic study of rural Paraiyar communities in South India, focusing on their religions and cultural identity. Formerly known as Dalits, or Untouchables, these 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 in India.
Through examining Paraiyar Christian communities, the author provides a comprehensive understanding of Paraiyar religious worldviews within the dominant Hindu religious worldview. In contrast to existing research, this volume places the Paraiyars within their wider social context, ascribed and achieved identity, religious symbolism and ritual and negotiation of social boundaries.
In arguing that the Paraiyars help us to understand religion as 'lived', the author removes the concept 'religion' from the reified forms it so often obtains in textbooks. Instead, Jeremiah demonstrates that it is only in local and specific contexts, as opposed to essentialised notions, that 'religion' either makes any sense or that theories concerning it can be tested.
Demonstrates the inadequacy of the category 'religion' by focusing on the Paraiyars of South India, exploring the complexity of religious belief in marginalized indigenous communities.
Draws upon extensive fieldwork.
Provides a much broader understanding of Paraiyars within wider social context.
Responds to growing need within field of World Christianity for localised understandings of Christianity.
Provides a critical understanding of 'religion' as a category among Paraiyars.
Preface
Acknowledgements
1. Introducing the Dalit Context
2. Caste in Contemporary South Indian Churches and its Historical Roots
3. Identity and Community among Paraiyars
4. Yesusami and the Less Visible World: The Worldview of Paraiyar Christians
5. Reproducing Social Hierarchies: Power and Community
6. Social Efficacy: Religious Symbols, Performance
and Subverting Local Customs
7. Lived Religion
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Written with the sensitivity of an insider-priest, and the enquiring insight of an ethnographer this book is a welcome addition to studies on the social and religious lives of Dalit Christians. It captures some of the unexpected ways in which Christianity is lived through relationships in a south Indian Dalit village.
Much dalit theology evolves in urban-based academia which, as in many a rank-ordered context, sets aside the thoughts and reflections of rural poor as unformed ignorance. Jeremiah starts from the theology of agricultural workers and brick-makers, evolved in their experience, coming to sober conclusions which do not always sit well with a Christianity run by (and for?) the relatively privileged.
An important contribution to the study of the religious world of the Dalit Christians
Jeremiah's work is important for showing us that even at present there is caste both inside and outside the church and bias and discrimination are widespread.
- Title: Community and Worldview among Paraiyars of South India: 'Lived' Religion
- Author: Anderson Jeremiah
- Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
- Print Publication Date: 2012
- Logos Release Date: 2024
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Ebook
- ISBNs: 9781441170668, 9781472576101, 1472576101, 1441170669
- Resource ID: LLS:9781441170668
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2024-04-09T09:39:35Z
Anderson H. M. Jeremiah is Lecturer in World Christianity, Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion at Lancaster University, UK.