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Salesian Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, Vol. VI, No. 2 (December 2015)
Journal Christian Education and making of Democratic India
ISSN: 0976-1861
Section: Contents
CONTENTS
Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences Vol. VI, No. 2 (December 2015)
ISSN: 0976-1861 | Page No: iii-iv | Section: Contents
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION AND MAKING OF DEMOCRATIC INDIA
ISSN 0976-1861 | December 2015 | Vol. VI, No.2 |
CONTENTS
Editorial Christian Education and Making of Democratic India George Thadathil, Aju Kurian, Ganga Parajuli Tirkey, Rochelle Ann Lepcha | v |
The Role of Catholic Institute of Higher Education in Democratizing People George Thadathil | 1 |
Christian Educational Institutions and Christian Identity Pius V. Thomas | 9 |
Protestant Mission and Feminist Movement in Tamilnadu (1870-1920): A Study of Sources Caroline Nesabai | 19 |
Igniting the Minds to Transform the Society: The Legacy of K. E. Chavara and CMI Institutions in India Saju Chackalackal | 28 |
Christian Educational Institution and Technical Skill Training in Modern Democratic India Mathew Thaiparambil | 55 |
Education to Human Rights: An Education for Community Empowerment and Emancipation Thomas Pallithanam | 62 |
Towards Social Commitment: Building Social Consciousness in Mumbai's Catholic Colleges Fleur D' Souza | 71 |
Education for 21st Century: Reflections from an Ashram School Swami Mick (Guruji) | 80 |
Impact of Christian Educational Enterprises on the Natives of the Darjeeling Hills Terence Mukhia and Mathew George | 93 |
A Glimpse of Christian Educational Institutions in Darjeeling and English Language Madhyam Moktan | 105 |
Atheism of Karl Marx Scaria Thuruthiyil | 112 |
Book Reviews |
|
Aditi Das Gupta: Change and Continuity: English Studies in Loreto College By Kasturi Ghosh | 140 |
Kureethadam Joshtrom: Creation in Crisis: Science, Ethics and Theology By Aju Kurian | 143 |
Thomas E. Woods: How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization By Patrick Johnson | 148 |
Michael Printy: Enlightenment and the Creation of German Catholicism By Biju Mathew | 150 |
Editorial
Editorial
George Thadathil, Aju Kurian, Ganga Parajuli Tirkey, Rochelle Ann Lepcha
George Thadathil is the Principal of Salesian College Sonada and Siliguri. He is the author of Vision from the Margin (2007) and has edited and co-edited number of books besides contributing to a number of journals and edited volumes on Philosophy, Literature and Social Science. He is the founder Director of Salesian Publications, Salesian Research Institute and Salesian Translation Centre.
Aju Kurian is the Vice Principal of the Salesian College Siliguri. He has done his Masters
Microbiology from St. Joseph’s College Bangalore (Autonomous) and MBA with specialization in International Trade Management from NIBM. He holds a bachelor degree in Education (B.Ed.) from Kurushethra University. He has number of years of experience in school administration. His areas of interests are Recombinant DNA Technology, Oncogenes, Philosophy and Religion
Ganga Parajuli Tirkey is the Deputy Head in the Department of Education at Salesian College Siliguri Campus. She has completed her Masters in Education from University of Calcutta. Her areas of Interest are Mental Hygiene and Special Education.
Rochelle Ann Lepcha is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism. She has completed her Masters from University of Pune. She qualified her UGC NET in Mass Communication and Journalism in December 2012. Her area of Interest include Reporting & Television Production.
Editorial
Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, Vol. VI, No. 2 (December 2015)
ISSN: 0976-1861 | DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.06.2015.v-viii | Page No: v-vii | Section: Editorial
Editorial: Christian Education and Making of Democratic India| v
Editorial:
Christian Education and Making of Democratic India
George Thadathil is the Principal of Salesian College Sonada and Siliguri. He is the author of Vision from the Margin (2007) and has edited and co-edited number of books besides contributing to a number of journals and edited volumes on Philosophy, Literature and Social Science. He is the founder Director of Salesian Publications, Salesian Research Institute and Salesian Translation Centre.
Aju Kurian is the Vice Principal of the Salesian College Siliguri. He has done his Masters Microbiology from St. Joseph’s College Bangalore (Autonomous) and MBA with specialization in International Trade Management from NIBM. He holds a bachelor degree in Education (B.Ed.) from Kurushethra University. He has number of years of experience in school administration. His areas of interests are Recombinant DNA Technology, Oncogenes, Philosophy and Religion
Ganga Parajuli Tirkey is the Deputy Head in the Department of Education at Salesian College Siliguri Campus. She has completed her Masters in Education from University of Calcutta. Her areas of Interest are Mental Hygiene and Special Education.
Rochelle Ann Lepcha is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism. She has completed her Masters from University of Pune. She qualified her UGC NET in Mass Communication and Journalism in December 2012. Her area of Interest include Reporting & Television Production.
Felix Wilfred in the Introduction to Oxford Handbook of Christianity in Asia, makes threefold submissions about the Christian presence in India/Asia: firstly, that ‘modernization’ though not an ‘explicit agenda of Christian mission’, yet turned out to be, ‘an important sequel to the project of Preaching of the Gospel’. It happened so because it was an enterprise entered upon from the religion point of view and those who spearheaded such missionary activities and enrolled to participate as disseminators of the Gospel Message were imbued with the desire to ‘ennoble’, ‘save’ and ‘civilize.’ Secondly, he continues to add that “Christianity has been an important force for the identity-construction of peoples and groups, especially the marginalized.’ The arrival of Christianity, in its second phase, along with colonialism especially gave a voice and a recognition to a people who were getting strained out as expendables of caste culture. As a result, he makes the third point while talking about the way peoples came to accept Christian world view in saying that ‘the issue was not so much a conversion in terms of change in religious beliefs as a change to a new identity.
Articles
The Role of Catholic Institute of Higher Education in Democratizing People
George Thadathil
Articles
0976-1861 | DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.06.2015.1-8 | Page No: 01-08 | Section: Article
The Role of Catholic Institute of Higher Education in Democratizing People| 1
The Role of Catholic Institute of Higher Education in Democratizing People
George Thadathil is the Principal of Salesian College Sonada and Siliguri. He is the author of Vision from the Margin (2007) and has edited and co-edited number of books besides contributing to a number of journals and edited volumes on Philosophy, Literature and Social Science. He is the founder Director of Salesian Publications, Salesian Research Institute and Salesian Translation Centre.
Abstract
The paper attempts to look into the role of a catholic institute of higher education in an emerging economy like India, seeking to position itself as nurturing a unique cultural and civilizational heritage. This is done first by locating the institution specific thinking and an assessment of the development of the emergence, assimilation and critique of Christian education. In this background the democratic conceptualization of the ‘ideal life’ contained in the constitution of India is relooked and its normative evolution is connected with the European Christian heritage as well as the indigenous value systems. The paper makes the submission that Christian/catholic educational institutions across the country, despite its pre-colonial/colonial appearance do provide the democratic thought base upon which the systemic institutional structures are built. The arguments are spelt out with a contextual frame of reference and the experience emerging out of the decade long association with the administrative and teaching roles in a premier catholic institution located in one of the tribal, hilly and backward districts of the state of West Bengal in the eastern part of India with international borders to Nepal, China/Tibet, Bangladesh and Bhutan.
Keywords: Christian Education, Democracy, Contextuality, Community, Diversity
License : Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
Christian Educational Institutions and Christian Identity
Pius V. Thomas
Articles
Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, Vol. VI, No. 2 (December 2015)
ISSN: 0976-1861 | DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.06.2015.9-18 | Page No: 09-18 | Section: Article
Universalizing the Human Rights or Humanizing the Cosmos? Theorizing A Mutually Fecundating Knowledge| 9
Christian Educational Institutions and Christian Identity
Pius V. Thomas is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy Assam (Central) University, Silchar. His area of specialization are Critical Theories, Hermenneutics and Contemporary Western Thinking. His current research deal with Inter-culturality and Critique, Ethics and Reason, Democracy and Religion, Environmental Ethics and the Philosophy of Human Rights. At present he is engaged in two UGC-SAP research projects. One is on ‘Contextualizing the Ethical Repertoire of Environmental and Development Rights’ and ‘Christianity and the Educational Rights in the North East’.
Abstract
The paper is an attempt to understand the nature of Christian Educational Institutions in the context of Indian Democracy. In its effort to know the above, the paper seeks to situate the relationship between Christian Educational Institutions and Christian Identity. One of the primary assumptions that help the paper as a guiding insight is that the postcolonial self-understanding of identity is attained through democratic affirmation, which is informed by self critique. The paper aims to achieve it by two major assumptions in theorizing the problem further, namely, the interdisciplinary self-critique of the educational policy of Christian Educational Institutions on the one hand and the critique of the formative and functional gist of Christian Identity against Indian democracy on the other. In this connection the paper analyzes the ‘secularism debate’ in India and the prospects of contextual democracy that it highlighted and the ideal and concept of ‘public sphere’. The key idea that the paper draws attention to is that the democratic Christian identity is basically intercultural identity which is acquired through deeper level fundamental democratic intercultural, dialogical self affirmations and inter/multi/transdisciplinary educational policies.
Keywords: Christian Identity, Democratic Identity, Secularism Debate, Public Sphere, Counter Public Sphere
License : Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
Protestant Mission and Feminist Movement in Tamilnadu (1870-1920): A Study of Sources
Caroline Nesabai
Articles
Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, Vol. VI, No. 2 (December 2015)
ISSN: 0976-1861 | DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.06.2015.19-27 | Page No: 19-27 | Section: Article
Protestant Mission and Feminist Movement in Tamil Nadu (1870-1920): A Study of Sources| 19
Protestant Mission and Feminist Movement in Tamil Nadu (1870-1920): A Study of Sources
Caroline Nesabai is the Head, Department of Social Sciences, Lady Doak College, Madurai, Tamilnadu.
Abstract
The paper takes a close look at the contribution of missionaries towards education and medical care in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and how it paved the way for the emergence of a feminist movement in and through the protestant community development activities.
Keywords: Women’s Education, Medical Care, Feminist Movement, Social Reform, Hygiene
License : Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
Igniting the Minds to Transform the Society: The Legacy of K. E. Chavara and CMI Institutions in India
Saju Chackalackal
Articles
ISSN: 0976-1861 | DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.06.2015.28-54 | Page No: 28-54| Section: Article
28|Saju Chackalackal
Igniting the Minds: Legacy of Ke Chavara and CMI Institutions
Saju Chackalackal is Dean and the Head of the Department of Philolosophy at Christ University, Bangalore. He is a prolific writer, editor of many volumes and was the president of the Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram, besides being the editor of Dharma and co-creator of GlobalEthics.net.
Abstract
Human civilization and empowerment is possible only with education. There are some who have contributed greatly to ignite the young minds for the transformation of the society. Definitely, Kuriakose Elias Chavara played a vital role in education of masses starting from Kerala and later spreading to different parts of India through the congregation he founded. This article elaborately and clearly presents the contribution made by CMI congregation by its innovative, inclusive, and proactive vision, mission, and strategies to the society through the medium of education. This explains how the tireless works done by the congregation through the diverse educational and ecclesiastical institutions brought about social transformation and empowerment.
Keywords: CMI Congregation, Integral Development, Humanization, Empowerment
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Christian Educational Institution and Technical Skill Training in Modern Democratic India
Mathew Thaiparambil
Articles
Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, Vol. VI, No. 2 (December 2015)
ISSN: 0976-1861 | DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.06.2015.55-61 | Page No: 55-61 | Section: Article
Christian Educational Institutions for Technical Skill Training in Modern Democratic India| 55
Christian Educational Institutions for Technical Skill Training in Modern Democratic India
Mathew Thaiparambil is known among the Government and Non Government circles in India and abroad, for his unique contribution in imparting non-formal technical education especially to the marginalized and needy youth in society. He is at present the Director of Don Bosco Self employment research institute. Under his direction the institute has won Pascual Chaves award in 2012, for innovative youth ministry in South Asia. It also received best vocational Institution Award 2010 -11 from the national council of educational research and training, New Delhi. He is the recipient of number of national and international awards. He represented India in more than one international conference on self employment.
Abstract
India has 400 million work forces, the largest and the youngest in the world. However the prevailing situation in India is not that encouraging when work force and drop outs are taken into consideration. Work force is unequipped and untrained to meet growing demands because of fewer training institutes and lack of funds. A staggering 50 percent drop outs before class VIII is indication that there is emergency to find an alternative plan to educate younger emerging generation with the required skills which in turn contribute to the progress of the nation. This article explains the current scenario and challenges and highlights the contribution of Christian educational institutions towards the skilling India initiatives. The author shares his own experiences and success being part of the one such endeavor, Don Bosco Self Employment Research Institute. He calls for social and political commitment for change.
Keywords: Skills for Progress, Social Commitment, Don Bosco Tech, Skilling India
License : Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
Education to Human Rights: An Education for Community Empowerment and Emancipation
Thomas Pallithanam
Articles
Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, Vol. VI, No. 2 (December 2015)
ISSN: 0976-1861 | DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.06.2015.62-70 | Page No: 62-70| Section: Article
62| Thomas Pallithanam
Education to Human Rights: Salesian Education for Community
Empowerment and Emancipation
Thomas Pallithanam is the Director, of People’s Action for Rural Awakening and Member of National Core Committee, Institute of Human Rights Education. He is also a Member, National Steering Committee, Wada Na Todo Abhiyan. He is the Chairperson, of East Godavari District Child Welfare Committee. He is also the Editor, Andhra Pradesh Social Watch Report 2007.
Abstract
This paper intends to gauge how far the Salesian educational projects have contributed to individual development on one hand and to community emancipation on the other. It tries to argue that while the Salesian educational enterprises have helped individuals to climb the economic and social ladder, it has failed to emancipate and empower communities which those individuals have been drawn from. It also argues that Educating the Human Rights way will flag off an educational mission that will ensure that the Salesians educate not just individuals but emancipate and empower communities as well. While doing this, the Salesians will look back at the legacy bequeathed by the Church and the congregation.
Keywords: Educative Intervention, Salesian Legacy, Human Right, Empowerment, Communities
License : Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
Towards Social Commitment: Building Social Consciousness in Mumbai’s Catholic Colleges
Fleur D’ Souza
Articles
Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, Vol. VI, No. 2 (December 2015)
ISSN: 0976-1861 | DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.06.2015.71-79 | Page No: 71-79 | Section: Article
Towards Social Commitment: Building Social Conciusness in Mumbai’s Catholic Colleges| 71
Towards Social Commitment: Building Social Consciousness in Mumbai’s Catholic Colleges
Fleur D’Souza is the Head of the department of Tourism at St. Xavier’s college Mumbai.
Abstract
Social Commitment would constitute the advanced level of social awareness. This paper seeks to explore the philosophy of education and processes by which social consciousness became implanted in two premier Colleges of Mumbai city- St. Xavier’s College and Sophia College. Using the St. Xavier’s College model and a fifty year time span, the paper traces the approach that proceeds from “charity and social service” in the post-independence era to the construction of social consciousness through involvement and social inclusion in present day policies and programmes both academic and non-academic. To what extent do organizational goals translate into an agenda that truly affects change? Will these well known institutions be recognized as “Citadels of conformity”1 or will they churn the currents of change.
Keywords: Social Commitment, Social Consciousness, Social Inclusion, Transformative Education
License : Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
Education for 21st Century: Reflections from an Ashram School
Swami Mick (Guruji)
Articles
Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, Vol. VI, No. 2 (December 2015)
ISSN: 0976-1861 | DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.06.2015.80-92 | Page No: 80-92| Section: Article
80|Swamy Mick
Education for 21st Century: Reflections from an Ashram School
SWAMY MICK is a disciple of Nataraja Guru, and is the founder director of Nataraja Gurukul at Dhajia Basti, Darjeeling.
ABSTRACT
The article takes a close look at the Eastern and Western foundations for an ideal education in contemporary world. It makes a comparative account of prevailing system of education with that of earlier system of education and tries to communicate to the reader that the aim of true education is to create harmonized and happy human beings. Gurukul system of education precisely meets this aim where, by sacrifice and dedication, education is imparted under monitored conditions close to the environment by a mentor. To drive home the point Swamy Mick (Guruji) uses his own personal experiences of running the Gurukul School, located at Dhajia, near Darjeeling, and looks at the theoretical foundations of a similar venture undertaken by Meenakshi at Puvidham near Dharmapuri, in Tamilnadu, South India.
Keywords: Gurukul, Mentor, Environment, Rousseau, Psychology
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Impact of Christian Educational Enterprises on the Natives of the Darjeeling Hills
Terence Mukhia and Mathew George
Articles
Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, Vol. VI, No. 2 (December 2015)
ISSN: 0976-1861 | DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.06.2015.93-104 | Page No: 93-104 | Section: Article
Impact of Christian Educational Enterprises on the Natives of Darjeeling Hills| 93
Impact of Christian Educational Enterprises on the Natives of Darjeeling Hills
Terence Mukhia was the Campus In-charge of Salesian College Sonada belonging to the department of Philosophy. Currenly he is on research leave. He is a bilingual writer with eight publications including a monograph on Agam Singh Giri by Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi. He has edited journals and magazines both in English and Nepali and has contributed many scholarly articles. Besides teaching Mr. Mukhia devotes his time in social work and literary activities at regional, national and international levels.
Mathew George is the Provincial Secretary of Provincial House, Kolkata. He has completed his Ph. D in Education and Tribal Development from Madras University. He was the former NAAC Coordinator at Salesian College Siliguri Campus.
Abstract
Clad in multi-missionary garbs with a polychromatic appearance, the entire Christian educational enterprise in the Darjeeling hills can be broadly categorized under two headings: the Protestant educational enterprise and the Roman Catholic educational enterprise. The genesis of modern western education in Darjeeling can be traced back to the advent of the Protestant Christian missionaries in 1841 followed by the Roman Catholic missionaries in 1846. Notwithstanding pedagogical disparities their methods were based on some common indispensable Christian principles. Striving for quality and excellence it aimed at the integral formation of a personality, character building, dissemination of Gospel and ethical values and the liberation of a person as a whole. Christian educational enterprise based on the love of God and faith in God was inclusive that aimed at the creation of a balanced and refined society. Educational impact of Christianity generated other impacts leading to such a dynamic change which Darjeeling had never witnessed before.
Keywords: Darjeeling Hills, Christian Missionaries, Protestants, Roman Catholics, Education Impact.
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A Glimpse of Christian Educational Institutions in Darjeeling and English Language
Madhyam Moktan
Articles
Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, Vol. VI, No. 2 (December 2015) ISSN: 0976-1861 | DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.06.2015.105-111 | Page No: 105-111 | Section: Article
A Glimpse of Christian Educational Institutions in Darjeeling and English Language| 105
A Glimpse of Christian Educational Institutions in Darjeeling and English Language
Madhyam Moktan is an Assistant Professor in the department of English, Salesian College Sonada. He has done his masters in english from the University of North Bengal. He has two years of teaching experience at Pakim Palatine College, under Sikkim University.Abstract
English language has always accompanied education in Darjeeling. The Scottish Church Missionaries and the Roman Catholics have successfully remained the pioneers of education in Darjeeling. The contribution made by these missionaries in the field of education is immense and they have always given importance to impart education through English language. In the history of education in Darjeeling hills, English language has paved its way through much difficulty. Darjeeling is a place with multitudes of culture, language and religion. The problem of communication has been sort out by Nepali language; making it a lingua franca of the region. However, in terms of Education, English language has always remained fundamental and significant and substantiate. Keywords: English Language, Darjeeling, Education, Christian MissionariesLicense : Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
Atheism of Karl Marx
Scaria Thuruthiyil
Articles
Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, Vol. VI, No. 2 (December 2015)
ISSN: 0976-1861 | DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.06.2015.112-139 | Page No: 112-139| Section: Article
112|Scaria Thuruthiyil
Atheism of Karl Marx
Scaria Thuruthiyil is Senior Professor of history of contemporary philosophy at the Salesian Pontifical University, Rome. He teaches history of modern philosophy and philosophical anthropology at the Pontifical Bede College, Rome. He is author of many articles and books in the field of his research and studies.
Abstract
Marx not only affirmed to be an atheist but also fought against religion. This study is an
attempt to find some answers to the following questions: 1. What were the philosophical
bases of his atheism? 2. Why did he consider religion an alienation? 3. What did he propose
to overcome religious alienation, and 4. What was the final reason for his atheism: absolute humanism? Karl Marx’s reflection and action were always focused on social and political problems, based on a specific philosophical anthropology. His adherence to atheism was in function of anthropology and an ethic. After affirming what constitutes man and his happiness, and the way that leads to his fulfillment and happiness, Marx rejects all, including religion, that are harmful or opposed to man’s realization as a human being. Religion as self-alienation will disappear once man reaches his economic liberation by overthrowing through a radical revolution the basic alienation of private property upheld by capitalism and by ushering in communism.
Keywords: Marxism, Atheism, Religion, Alienation, Humanism
License : Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
Book Reviews
Aditi Das Gupta: Change and Continuity: English Studies in Loreto College
By Kasturi Ghosh
Book Reviews
Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, Vol. VI, No. 2 (December, 2015)
ISSN: 0976-1861 | DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.06.2015.140-142 | Page No: 140-142| Section: Book Reviews
140|Kasturi Ghosh
Change and Continuity: English Studies in Loreto College 1912-2012, by Aditi
Das Gupta, Sonada/ Siliguri, Salesian College Publication, 2015, vi + 170 pages,
` 350.00, ISBN: 978-93-82216-10-0.
Kasturi Ghosh is an Assistant Professor in the Department of English at Salesian College Siliguri Campus. She holds an M. Phil and an MA degree in the subject from Jadavpur University,
Kolkata. She is the chief editor of the college magazine Sparkle (of Salesian College Siliguri Campus). She regularly contributes articles to local magazines Uttarmegh and Purobarta. Her areas of interest include literature, religion and art discourses and cultural studies.
Aditi Das Gupta’s Change and Continuity: English Studies in Loreto College 1912-2012 is a must read for not only all the alumnae of the different Loreto Colleges of India, especially those belonging to its English departments, but also for all who are desirous of learning
how education in English changed the way women viewed themselves in pre and post independence India, and the contribution of Catholic missionary educational institutions towards imagining and realizing the ‘New Woman’ of India. The book was conceived out of a study made by the author, a professor of English in Loreto College Kolkata, on the occasion of its centenary year. As English was the first Honours subject introduced in the college, English studies dates back to the very inception of the institution. The greatest challenge faced during the aforementioned study was the lack of documented evidence available on the history of the institution. The author reminds us time and again in the book that the data presented in it has been gleaned from personal interviews with old alumnae, sisters (nuns), teachers and staff associated with the institution(s), archived registers and record books, and the Palm Leaves, a common magazine of all Loreto institutions of India available in the college library and with past pupils. From these sources the author chronologically narrates and reconstructs the history of the English Studies in the institution, from its beginning as a school, as a means of propagating the English culture and Christian morals through literary education to the Anglo-European girls domiciled in pre-independence Calcutta. Its growth into a college, and the development of the college as well as its successfully upholding the aim with which it had taken upon itself the task of acculturation of not only Anglo-Indian women but also the general Indian female populace, secular in nature but Christian and English in spirit, in independent India.
License : Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
Kureethadam Joshtrom: Creation in Crisis: Science, Ethics and Theology
By Aju Kurian
Book Reviews
Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, Vol. VI, No. 2 (December 2015)
ISSN: 0976-1861 | DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.06.2015.143-147 | Page No: 143-147 | Section: Book Reviews
Book Reviews: Creation in Crisis: Science, Ethics and Theology| 143
Creation in Crisis: Science, Ethics and Theology by Kureethadam Joshtrom;
Orbis Books: New York, 2014, 388 pages, US$ 29.95, ISBN 978-1-6298-100-3.
Aju Kurian is the Vice Principal of the Salesian College Siliguri. He has done his Masters Microbiology from St. Joseph’s College Bangalore (Autonomous) and MBA with specialization in International Trade Management from NIBM. He holds a bachelor degree in Education (B.Ed.) from Kurushethra University. He has number of years of experience in school administration. His areas of interests are Recombinant DNA Technology, Oncogenes, Philosophy and Religion
Today human beings are faced with diverse problems. The contemporary ecological crisis is one of the most frightening challenges among these diverse problems. There has been an explosion of environmental activism in recent years to create awareness but at the same time there is a lack of urgency in dealing with this crisis looming over the universe. In this paradoxical situation, the author, Joshtrom Kureethadam in his book Creation in Crisis, makes an attempt to communicate to the readers that earth is not only our common home but our only home, the home that sustains us. This book is about the crisis facing our common home and about how the capacity of the earth to be truly a home for all of humanity and for all living beings is increasingly placed in jeopardy. This book explores how the earth came to be shaped as a home in the larger context of cosmic evolution and how the building blocks of our home planet came to be magnificently formed in a complex and dynamic process that lasted for billions of years. But human beings, the masterpiece of the entire process, with their activities threatened the very capacity of the earth to be a real home for all. The author considers the crisis facing our common home, the ecological crisis, triple cry: the cry of the earth, of the poor and of Gods. The cries are attempt to look at the ecological predicament from three different angles – physical, moral and religious. In order to drive home his points the author has organised his thoughts into four parts. I make an attempt to give a brief summary of each of these parts to show how the author delves into the topic he has chosen.
License : Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
Thomas E. Woods: How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization
By Patrick Johnson
Book Reviews
Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, Vol. VI, No. 2 (December, 2015)
ISSN: 0976-1861 | DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.06.2015.148-149 | Page No: 148-149| Section: Book Reviews
148|Patrick Johnson
How the Catholic Church built Western Civilization by Thomas E. Woods, Jr., Regnery Publishing Inc. Washington DC, 2005, 280 pages, US$ 29.95, ISBN 0-89526-038-7
Patrick Johnson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Business Administration and the Campus Coordinator for the morning session, in Salesian College, Siliguri Campus. He has done his BBM (Marketing) from Christ College, Bangalore University and Masters of Marketing Management from Pondicherry University. His area of interests include advertising, developing corporate identity and photography.
Thomas Ernest Woods, Jr. is an American historian, political analyst, and author. He has written extensively on the subjects of American history, contemporary politics, and economics. Woods is a senior fellow of the Mises Institute and host of ‘The Tom Woods Show’, he holds a degree in history from Harvard and his Ph.D. from Columbia University. He is a New York Times best-selling author and has published twelve books. Woods is believed to be a proponent of the Austrian School of Economics.
The Catholic Church is an institution that can trace its history almost two thousand years back. What most people know about the Church is usually the content aired by media, references made about the Church in movies, opinions formed by certain protestant and independent churches and images created about the Church by rock musicians and cult groups. Very few people take the pain of looking into its two-thousand-year old history and try to make sense of things. Today, for an average college student or a professional, the Church is about scandals and corruption. To most people including some Catholics, the Church is a rigid and an archaic institution trying to curb people’s freedom; a totally wrong notion.
Woods’ book is a rebuttal to the notion that the Church was responsible for driving the world into dark ages once the Roman empire started disintegrating. The popular notion has been that the Roman Church suppressed intellectual pursuit and focused more on punishing people who delved in occultism and it was protestant reformation that brought freedom, culture and technological innovation. Woods argues in this historical account that this notion is completely false.
License : Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
Michael Printy: Enlightenment and the Creation of German Catholicism
By Biju Mathew
Book Reviews
Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, Vol. VI, No. 2 (December 2015)
ISSN: 0976-1861 | DOI: | Page No: 150-151| Section: Book Reviews
150|Biju Mathew
Enlightenment and the Creation of German Catholicism by Michael Printy, published by Cambridge University Press, New York. ISBN 978-0-521-47839-7 (hardback), 2009, Pages 246, Price: US$ 109.99.
Biju Mathew is an Assistant Professor with the Department Of Political Science, Salesian College, Siliguri Campus. His areas of interests are Political Theory, Indian State And Politics And International relations
Jesus said, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s”. This ought to have settled the matter of the separation of the Church and the State, long ago. However, ever since religion and state became institutionalised in society, in ancient times, the divine was invoked to ensure the security and prosperity of the state, and to seek legitimacy to rule. Thus, when divinity became the pre-eminent claim to a legitimate rule, the state religion emerged. This took a concrete form when Emperor Constantine
took upon himself the responsibility of spreading and enforcing Christianity. Saint
Justinian the Great (CE 482 – 565) distinguishes between the roles of emperor and the clergy as follows: “the priesthood and the empire are the two greatest gifts which God, in His infinite clemency, has bestowed upon mortals; the former has reference to divine matters, the latter presides over and directs human affairs, and both, proceeding from
the same principle, adorn the life of mankind.”However, this bonhomie should not be seen as some lasting peace between the emperor and the clergy. The Papal sovereignty was questioned, so is the absolute authority of the emperor contested by the clergy from time to time. This contention between the ruler and the clergy over authority was fully resolved with the emergence of the modern nation-states. The complete separation of the Church and the State came about with the Enlightenment, the American Declaration of Independence and the following French Revolution.
It is widely understood that, both in academic writing as well as common parlance,
Enlightenment and Religion, herein Christianity, especially Catholicism, are poles apart. That Enlightenment came about fighting religion and its influence throughout; one of the significant aspects of ‘enlightened modernity’ was the secularisation of the polity and the public space. However, of late, several scholarly attempts were made to have a relook at the role of religion in Enlightenment—a sort of ‘restoring religion to the Enlightenment’.
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