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| Sunday, 3 October 2004 |
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Politics of conversion : A personal reflection by Rev. Dr. Shanta Premawardhana, Associate General Secretary, National Council of Churches, USA "When you get saved, you get an American accent!" exclaimed one of my Christian friends, protesting my participation in an "Evangelistic Crusade" at Bogambara. I grew up in Kandy in the politically turbulent late 60s, in the Christian ecumenical environment of the Theological College at Pilimatalawa, where my father was professor and principal, whose deep respect for clergy and lay Buddhists and Buddhism, I easily imbued.
Despite my friend's protest, I did go to the 'Crusade.' (This awful word with connotations of invading armies of Christians in the Middle Ages to sack the Muslims from Jerusalem, may illuminate the true intent of these events, just as the same word on President George Bush's lips before going to war in Iraq, seemed to describe his true intent). At the meeting, I had a privileged place behind the stage because I was
one of a band of counsellors recruited and trained to pray with those who
made 'professions of faith in Jesus.' From that vantage point I observed a
sea of faces that crowded into that vast field, and stood amazed at the
large number who came forward either to 'receive Jesus as their personal
saviour' or to receive healing. The preacher, a handsome Sinhalese man probably in his early 40s, advertised the event using his Sinhala family name, rather than the Biblical, English-sounding name he commonly used. Although he had returned recently from a stint abroad, he spoke fluent Sinhala, which he used in training us counsellors, prior to the event. When he preached at the event, however, he preferred to speak in English (and did so with an American accent!) and used Sinhala and Tamil translators. "There's a great hunger for the gospel in this country," emphasised the Evangelist to us young recruits to his band of followers. It seemed true at the time, and probably is still. But there was a nagging disquiet in my heart that even these seemingly minor manipulations belied a level of genuineness that was required of the Evangelist. I am still puzzled about why the Evangelist who wanted to establish his Sinhala pedigree in his advertising, chose to preach in English with an American accent. Now I work for the premier ecumenical organisation in the United States, the National Council of Churches, as its executive officer responsible to lead the Christian communities to build relationships with people of other religious traditions. Mostly, this means helping Christians through this dilemma of being true to their evangelistic mandate on the one hand and cultivating a deep respect for people of other religions on the other. I write, therefore, to offer a perspective to the vigorous debate Sri Lanka is presently engaged in, on the Anti-Conversion Bill that is presently before the Parliament. First, let me offer a few observations: Buddhism and Christianity as well as most other major religious traditions are under scriptural mandate to seek converts. That is to say, if Buddhists and Christians do not seek converts, they are not living up to their full religious calling and duty. And like Christians, Buddhists have been active in propagating their faith. Anagarika Dharmapala was one of Sri Lankan Buddhism's pioneering evangelists to the West. He and others who followed in his steps lived up to the command that the Buddha gave to his disciples, which incidentally is remarkably similar to the so-called Great Commission that Jesus gave to his disciples. The Buddha commanded the Sangha thus: Caratha bhikkhave carikam bahujanahitaya bahujanasukhaya lokanukampaya atthaya hitaya sukhaya devamanussanam. Ma ekena dve agamittha, Desetha bhikkhave dhammam adikalyanam majjhe kalyanam pariyosanakalyanam sattham savyanjanam kevalaparipunnam parisuddham brahmacariyam pakasetha. Santi satta apparajakkhajatika assavanata dhammassa parihayanti, bhavissanti dhammassa annataro. Go bhikkhus, and wander for the benefit and happiness of many people, out of compassion for the world, for the welfare, benefit, and happiness of divine beings and humans. Two (of you) are not to go by the same (path). Bhikkhus, teach the meaning and detail of the Doctrine that is good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end, fulfilled in its entirety, wholly pure. Make known the holy life. There are those who have few defilements, who are going to ruin through not hearing the Doctrine. They will be the ones who fully understand the Doctrine. It is important to note that the missionary impetus does not arise because of any desire to selfishly boost numbers or control the allegiance of people, but out of a genuine conviction that this dhamma (doctrine), noble in the beginning, in the middle and the end is for the benefit of the people of the world, "who will go to ruin through not hearing the doctrine." It is indeed propagated "out of compassion for the world." One of the more interesting conversion stories comes out of India where, on November 4, 2001), fifty to one-hundred thousand (estimates vary) or Hindu Dalits (untouchable caste) converted to Buddhism in a massive public ceremony in New Delhi. The Dalits formally rejected the caste structure along with their Hindu faith, embracing instead the more egalitarian teaching of the Buddha. Similarly, in 1956, an estimated half a million Dalits converted to Buddhism in a ceremony in Nagpur, led by B. R. Ambedkar, considered to be the father of the Dalit liberation movement in India. Just as it did in the Buddha's day, the dhamma provides a strong critique of the oppressive status quo of the caste system and provides a path of liberation to the oppressed. Despite my Christian convictions - rather, because of them, I can honestly say that there is no question in my mind about the high and noble value of propagating the dhamma, both because of its socially liberative uses and for its personal benefits. I know people from many cultures and in different parts of the world for whom the convictions of Buddhism and its practice have provided a deep sense of meaning and purpose. I, myself try to live my life with an equanimity based on Buddhist meditative practices. I have visited Buddhist temples in the United States, built friendships with bhikkhus and encouraged their work. I do this because I know that this dhamma is indeed good for the welfare, benefit and happiness of the many and can be proclaimed in compassion for the world. Interestingly, the Buddha's instruction to the Sangha is quite similar to Jesus' so-called Great Commission to his disciples: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you." (Matthew 28:19). Christians understand this as a clear and unambiguous mandate to Evangelize. A corollary scripture from an occasion when Jesus sent out his disciples on a mission spells out the content of the teaching: "As you go, proclaim the good news, 'The Kingdom of Heaven has come near.' Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You have received freely; give freely" (Matthew 10:7-8). The proclamation is not to "receive Jesus as your personal saviour and come join our church," rather it is the message of liberation contained in the announcement, "The Kingdom of Heaven has come near." The Kingdom of Heaven (where, as a Christian hymn succinctly states, "justice rules with mercy and love is law's demand") stands in sharp contrast to the kingdoms of this world. It is a risky announcement to make because while it is good news to the poor and oppressed with whom Jesus closely associated, the Kingdom of Heaven is distinctly bad news to those who oppress and marginalise the poor and the powerless. The announcement is not to be empty rhetoric. It was to go hand in hand with liberative acts towards those who were sick, in bondage and marginalised from society. And just as the disciples had received this grace freely, they were to give freely. (To be continued) |
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I also grew up a Baptist, whose theology requires its members to be
"witnesses," and to "preach the gospel to all
nations." This illustrates a dilemma that, I believe, many Sri Lankan
Christians find themselves in: a sincere respect for Buddhism and a
mandate to evangelize.
