Books
Margins of Faith: Dalit and Tribal Christianity in India (edited by Rowena Robinson and Joseph Marianus Kujur, 2010). This volume presents ethnographies of distinct Dalit and tribal Christian communities across regions, challenging notions of religious autonomy and highlighting how Christianity adapts to indigenous contexts while confronting caste oppression.
Dalit Christians in South India: Caste, Ideology and Lived Religion by Ashok Kumar Mocherla (2020). An ethnographic study focusing on Dalit Lutherans in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, this book explores how everyday religious practices resist caste domination within Christian institutions. 2
The Saint in the Banyan Tree: Christianity and Caste Society in India by David Mosse (2012). Drawing on anthropological research in Tamil Nadu, Mosse examines how Christianity has been woven into Dalit struggles against untouchability in the post-missionary era, revealing the complex interplay of faith and caste identity. 8
Articles and Essays
“Dalit Christians in India: Reflections from the ‘Broken Middle’” by Chad M. Bauman (2011). Published in Studies in World Christianity, this piece delves into the socio-religious milieu of Dalit Christian experiences, framing their faith as a site of both fragmentation and hope. 0
“Dalit Religion” by P. Sanal Mohan (2022). Appearing in Religion Compass, this article synthesizes recent scholarship on how Dalits have forged religious communities across history, including Christian expressions that challenge dominant narratives. 3
“A Reading of Pulayathara by Paul Chirakkarode Against the Background of Dalit Christian Liberation Movements” by Jaisy Joseph (2023). This essay in CASTE: A Global Journal on Social Exclusion analyzes the inaugural Dalit Christian discourse in Malayalam literature, linking it to broader liberation efforts. 5
“Dalit Theology and Indian Christian History in Dialogue: Constructing a Public Theology for Dalit Christians” by Sunder John Boopalan (2021). Featured in Religions, it proposes integrating Dalit theology with historical analysis to strengthen advocacy for Dalit Christians’ public role in society. 6
“Gendering and Vernacularizing Conversions in India” by Lucinda Ramberg (2022). In the Journal of the American Academy of Religion, this essay critiques perceptions of Christian conversions among Dalits, emphasizing gender dynamics and vernacular expressions. 9
Additional Resources
For a broader collection, explore the Cambridge Centre for Christianity Worldwide’s page on “Dalit Christianity - New Books” (2018), which includes references to Dalit Bible commentaries, theological pamphlets, and works on justice and human rights. 4 These materials often stem from grassroots movements and can be accessed through academic libraries or online repositories like JSTOR and Project MUSE, where many of the above articles are hosted.
These sources not only document the historical conversions of Dalits to Christianity as acts of resistance against Brahmanical oppression but also critique the internal caste biases within Indian churches. They echo the voices of Dalit Christians who, despite affirmative action exclusions due to their faith, continue to forge paths toward equality. For deeper research, I recommend cross-referencing with primary accounts from activists like Paul Chirakkarode or contemporary reports from organizations such as the CBCi and the National Council of Churches in India.