Dr. Atola Longkumer
Bangalore
The term ‘intelligentsia’ become part of my education via David Kopf, British Orientalism and the Bengal Renaissance (1969). Rooted in late nineteenth century Russian social context, the term came to equate a social class marked by education and critical thinking articulating the challenges of the day in the light of the received education and consequently meaning making of their historical circumstances. Perhaps it would not be a long shot to present a proposition that among the Nagas, theological education provided the ecosystem for production towards a semblance of ‘intelligentsia’ for our context.
Theological education has been a backbone of the modern Naga society. Simultaneously, theological education and Naga Christians today have a complex relationship. On one hand, theological education provides a route for acquiring quality education, on the other hand, theological education also presents a platform of simple solution to many travails of individuals, not least personal habits. In other words, theological education among the Nagas apparently is viewed as a restorative institution for some individuals and formative avenue for others.
In its multifarious role, theological education has a significant role in articulating and interpreting the context of the on-going modernising Naga society. The term ‘modernising’ encapsulates the historical event and process of transition from pre-Christian, pre-literate oral culture to Christianity, acquiring modern education, joining the market-professionalized economy and technology-enabled society. The initiation of Nagas to modernisation is tied undoubtedly to the British annexation of the Nagas and the embrace of Christianity. These forces of colonialism and Christianisation are indelible historical facts of modern Naga. In fact, modern Naga identity is engendered by these two historical encounters, notwithstanding the critical discourse generated, not least from post-colonial perspectives. And, theological education was a vital conduit in the production of modern Naga consciousness.
Since the espousal of Christianity beginning the late nineteenth century in response to the mission work of the Baptist missionaries from America (forebears of today’s American Baptists Churches. Over the issue of slavery, the Baptists separated into Northern and Southern Baptists. Missionaries to the Naga region were Northern Baptists. A very marked difference is the role and position given to women in the church), Christianity has undergirded Nagas in many aspects of the society. Modern education was an invariable pair of Christianisation. In the dissemination of modern education, theological education played an important role. The early converts contributed to the mission project by serving as evangelists, teachers, translators, and pastors of the nascent Christian communities. Many of the earliest converts acquired basic reading and writing skills, but enough to teach fellow villagers and even other neighbouring Naga tribes. To be sure, it was not theological education as we know it today; it was mostly bible school (Impur Bible School was started in 1898), where basic modern skills were taught. However, the point is, these earliest native readers were the first educationists among the Nagas, for they taught the rest the skills of reading and writing, consequently to know the world beyond the immediate village.
Furthermore, establishment of theological educational institutions such as Clark Theological College was significant in Naga modern history. Started in 1972 to commemorate the centennial celebrations of the beginning of Christianity among the Nagas, today Clark Theological College is a premier institute, apart from serving the traditional ecclesiastical needs, it also addresses social realities of the Naga society, albeit, rudimentary. The alumni of the college serve in many capacities in the organised church structure as well as diverse auxiliary services not only in the country but globally.
Theological education has been a backbone for modern Naga society, and there are many reasons to substantiate this statement. Most of the contemporary prominent Naga leaders, writers, and educationists, those who form the Naga intellectuals have had theological education in some form either in the country or abroad. Pioneering Nagas who serve as leaders both at the national and international levels have been theologically educated Nagas. It would be difficult to counter the fact that the first written texts by Nagas are the books written by theologically trained people. V. K. Nuh, P. Dozo, Akumla Longkumer, O. Alem, Panger L. Imchen, Renthy Kietzar, Aphuno Chase-Roy, Narola L. Imchen, Wati Aier, Kaka Iralu and Wati Longchar among others. These theologically trained Nagas wrote about history, culture, political movement, church etc. pertaining to the Nagas. Their books serve as the earliest native writings on Naga culture and history. Theological education skilled them and provided the research opportunities to produce written texts that serve as bridge between the last generation of oral knowledge and the earliest generation of Naga intelligentsia. Pioneer Nagas who advocate for socio-political reforms and upliftment of Nagas are often those with theological education. Tuisem Shishak, founder and former principal of Patkai Christian College is another theologically trained Naga leader, who contributed to producing educated citizens of Naga modern society. (The above listing of Naga theologically educated personalities is neither to be exhaustive nor to embarrass the individual but to sustain the statement that theological education provided germinal empowerment and relative critical consciousness among the Nagas).
The central role theological education took in Naga society sustains a larger proposition, that Christianity has been transformational for the Naga people. Espousal of Christianity as a new religion and the re-organisation of the society according to the new religion and its beliefs and practices brought the tribes together, providing the Naga people impetus towards collective identity. Christianity, albeit adapted to the cultural residue of the pre-Christian practices remains a potent resource for meaning making and foundational for modern Naga collective identity.
The contemporary Naga society is marked by brokenness, inequality, corruption, materialistic/consumerist lifestyle, and tradition-bound Christian spiritualities. Informal observations of the church itself depict a church that has lost its vision of being a catalyst for transformation, rather, the church arguably seems to be lame in its witness against inequality and management of resources. Naga Christianity needs to turn towards a prophetic spirituality to be truly transformational. To be prophetic is to be disturbed by the self-serving religiosities and injustices.
If embrace of Christianity was momentous for the Nagas ushering epic transformations, it can still anchor the imagination for a reformed and reconciled Naga society. Towards this, theological education can continue to play a significant role as conduit for transformation and formation of visionary leaders. The task of theological education remains crucial; it is indeed the life-line of renewal and relevance of Christianity among the Nagas, by articulating and interpreting God’s vision of equity and peace. Theological education is called to adopt a prophetic intellectual role: critique and constructively guide the Naga society towards a just and flourishing society.
