Jabymon SKARIA.  Dalit Theology, Boundary Crossings and Liberation in India: A Biblical and Postcolonial Study.  London, New York, Oxford: I.B. Taurus, 2023 (Pb 2024).  Pp. 223. $27.96 Pb ISBN 978-0-7556-4239-7.  Reviewed by Daniel SMITH-CHRISTOPHER, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA 90045

A “Dalit” in the context of modern India, is an Indian who is born into a low-caste, or “scheduled caste”.  In the complex “caste system” of India, Dalits and tribal peoples arguably occupy the lowest status, and one may be familiar with the unfortunate term: “Untouchables”.  In India today, there is still prejudice and violence directed toward people of this status.  Famously, Gandhi tried to re-direct Indian opinion toward these people, asking that they no longer be called “Untouchables”, and proposed calling them “Harijans” = “Children of God”.  But the main writer of the Indian Constitution, B. R. Ambedkar, was not satisfied with mere changes of vocabulary without substantially changing their status.  Ambedkar made the bold proposal that people in such categories convert from the Hindu faith completely – and he himself became Buddhist. 

In the 20th Century, inspired by many liberation movements and anti-colonial movements, Dalits have organized into groups of resistance.  Dalit Christians, similarly, have appropriated many aspects of Liberation Theology in order to challenge the Indian Christian movement to more effectively abandon any vestiges of the caste system, which has not (unfortunately) been entirely abandoned among Indian Christians. 

Skaria’s book is an excellent overview and introduction to the Dalit Christian movement, and while he is critical of many past expressions of these movements, his summary and background is straight-forward and helpful for anyone wishing to explore this fascinating and troubling aspect of Indian Christianity.   In his first few chapters, Skaria provides general context in India, and then a brief overview of various social and political movements organizing Dalits in India generally, and not only among Christians.  In Ch. 3, he then moves toward the direct incorporation of “Liberation Theology” themes into the Dalit context: 

“…Dalit theology, along with Latin American liberation theology, believes that Jesus is a Liberator.  However, for Dalit theology, Jesus is not an external empathetic supporter.  He is a Dalit who fights for their rights together with them.” (37) 

Skaria’s main concern, however, is that Dalit Christian theology should more assertively draw on their own heritage of Dalit writers, artists, and poets in order to inform a more indigenous form of Dalit theology rather than importing Latin American (or African-American) motifs that can at times be foreign to the Indian context.

 In subsequent chapters, Skaria also proposes how Dalit theology could also incorporate Biblical stories and motifs – and specifically discusses a Dalit reading of the Abraham traditions of Genesis as part of this process.  Noting Abraham’s travels to foreign lands – Skaria reminds the reader that these stories have their final shape in the Exile, and therefore Skaria suggests that they are advocating interaction with other cultures and peoples.  Dalits, he proposes, need to decide how they are going to interact in the multi-faith and multi-cultural context of India and beyond.  Abraham, he proposes, may suggest some directions of thought. 

Skaria’s book is helpful on many levels, but one is a bit troubled that his own location, it seems, is not Dalit.  He thus comes rather dangerously close to a situation who a non-Dalit Christian theologian is proposing to Dalits how they should theologize their situations.  As a Euro-American, for example, that last thing I would ever undertake is proposing theological themes for an African-American, Asian-American, or Latinx Christian theology.  Dialogue and listening is appropriate – and reporting on Dalit movements and the background of the problems are all very helpful…but Skaria’s book, as interesting as it is - in the end comes dangerously close to inappropriate preaching to the struggles of another people.  Perhaps he was asked for his extended thoughts by Dalit Christians themselves?  If so, this should have been clarified in this book.