The Concept of Human Liberation in Gandhi’s Social Philosophy and Balasuriya’s Social Theology
Abstract
One reality that the world has battled with since ancient times is the reality of oppression and degradation of the human person. Oppression of one person by another or a group of persons by another group is a stack reality of life. People or persons who have been oppressed have often cried out for freedom or liberation from whatever oppresses them. The term “liberation” is a very common term that is heralded here and there. What is the real meaning of the term “liberation” or “human liberation?” It is not possible to examine all the shades of meanings and understanding that this term carries. The objective of this paper is to hermeneutically and analytically decipher and break open the meaning of the concept of human liberation as presented in some of the works of Mahatma Gandhi and Tissa Balaruisya. The paper will equally make a comparative appraisal of their understanding of human liberation in their teachings, advocacy, and practices. The paper finds and concludes that both of them were deeply involved in advocating and working for the liberation of human beings from social, political, economic, and other forms of oppression on earth, while they were open to the full liberation that can only be obtained in the hereafter
Downloads
References
Adams, I., & Dyson, R. W. (2007). Fifty major political thinkers. London: Routledge.
Agarwal, R. C. (1976). Political theory: Principles of Political Science. Ram Nagar, New Delhi: Chand and Company Limited.
Birch, C., & Cobb, J. (1981). The liberation of life. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Balasuriya, T. (1994). The Asians. Colombo: Centre for Religion and Society.
Balasuriya, T. (1997). Mary and human liberation. https://tissabalasuriya.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/mary-human-liberation1.pdf
Balasuriya, T. (1998). Statement of reconciliation. https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/statement-of-reconciliation-and-the-decree-of-reconciliation-of-fr-tissa-balasuriya-omi-2703" https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/statement-of-reconciliation-and-the-decree-of-reconciliation-of-fr-tissa-balasuriya-omi-2703
Balasuriya, T. (2000). Globalisation and human solidarity. http://www.religion- online.org/book/globalization-and-human-solidarity/
Biwas, P. (2015). Mahatma Gandhi’s views on Peace Education. Education Journal, 4 (1-1), 10- 12. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.edu.s.2015040101.13
Burns, K. (2006). Eastern Philosophy: The greatest thinkers and sages from Ancient to modern times. London: Arcturus Press.
Ecclestone, A. (1979). Book Review: The Eucharist and Human Liberation By Tissa Balasuriya SCM Press 1977 xiii+ 171 pp.£ 2.95; Faith and Freedom Toward a Theology of Liberation By Schubert m. Ogden Christian Journals 124 pp.£ 2.10. https://doi.org/10.1177/0040571X7908200629
Fazing, V. N. (2008). Mahatma Gandhi’s non-possession and consecrated poverty. Jos: Fab Educational Books.
Fernando, R. (2013). Fr. Tissa Balasuriya: A loving and gentle rebel. https://www.ncronline.org/news/people/fr-tissa-balasuriya-loving-and-gentle-rebel
Fernando, R. (2018). Fr Tissa Balasuriya: Memories and challenges for today. http://imcsap.org/index.php/2018/01/20/fr-tissa-balasuriya-memories-and-challenges-for-today/
Fernando, V. (1997). Ordination of women is issue in excommunication. https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1997-06-22-9706220299-story.html
Floyd-Thomas, J. M. (2014). Liberation in African-Theology. In G. C. Kati & B. P. Anthony (Ed.). The Oxford Handbook of African American Philosophy (pp. 200-211). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
History dot com. (2023). Rosa Parks. https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/rosa-parks
Kripalani, K., & Radhakrishnan, S. (1960). All men are brothers: Life and thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi as told in his own words. Navajivan Pub. House. https://www.mkgandhi.org/amabrothers/allmenarebrothers.htm
Gandhi, M. K. (1927). An autobiography or the story of my experiments with truth. Ahmedabad, India: Najavan Trust.
Gandhi, M., Prabhu, R. K., & Rao, U. R. (1967). The Mind of Mahatma Gandhi: Encyclopedia of Gandhi’s Thoughts. https://www.mkgandhi.org/ebks/mindofmahatmagandhi.pdf
Gutierrez, G. (1988). A theology of liberation. Maryknoll. New York: Orbis Books.
Hill, B. R. (2013). World religions and contemporary issues: How evolving Views on ecology, peace, and women are imparting faith today. New London, CT: Twenty-Third Publications.
Kachappilly, K. (n.d). Holistic vision of human liberation-A Gandhian process model. file:///C:/Users/ADMIN/Desktop/Holistic_Vision_of_Human_Liberation_A_Ga.pdf
Khoshoo, T. N. & Moolakkattu, J. S. (2009). Mahatma Gandhi and the Environment: Analysing Gandhian environmental thought. New Delhi: The Energy and Resource Institute.
Mehta, G. S. (1999). The Integral Humanism of Mahatma. In The Paideia Archive: Twentieth World Congress of Philosophy (Vol. 36, pp. 156- 160). https://www.bu.edu/wcp/Papers/Reli/ReliMeht.htm
Mendieta, E. (2016). Philosophy of Liberation. In E. N. Zalta (Ed.). The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2016/entries/liberation/
Menzies, G. (1997). Priest seeks to redefine the role of Mary. https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/priest-seeks-to-redefine-the-role-of-mary-1.69493
Moniz, J. (1997). No greater service: mother and the Mahatma. Bandra, Mumbai: Better Yourself Books.
Moniz, J. (1998). A new world order: Mahatma Gandhi and Pope John Paul II. Bandra, Mumbai: Better Yourself Books.
Mukhi, H. R. (2008). Political thought. Nai Sarak, Delhi: SBD Publishers’ Distributors.
Nickoloff, J. B. (2007). Liberation theologies. In O. O. Espin & J. B. Nickoloff (Ed.). An introductory dictionary of theology and religious Studies (pp.769-770). Collegeville, Minnesota: Liturgical Press.
Odey, J. O. (1996). Mahatma Gandhi: A profile in love, peace and Nonviolence. Enugu: Snap Press.
Palakkappillil, J. P. (2014). The Gandhian Concept of Social Justice. In M. Reisch (Ed.). Routledge International Handbook of Social Justice (pp. 39- 47). https://www.routledgehandbooks.com/doi/10.4324/9781315857534.ch3
Ruether, R. R. (1983). Sexism and God-talk: Towards a Feminist Theology. Boston: Beacon Press.
Publishers Weekly. (1997). Religion book review: Mary and human Liberation by Tissa Balasuriya. https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-56338-225-3
Pradeep, R. (n.d). About the great theologian Tissa Balasuriya. https://www.academia.edu/32027869/TISSA_BALASURIYA_.docx
Sedgwick, P. (2000). Liberation theology and political theory. In J. Woodward & S. Pattison (Ed.). The Blackwell reader in pastoral and practical theology (pp. 164-172). Oxford: Blackwell Publishers Limited.
Steele, J. (2013). Father Tissa Balasuriya obituary. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/mar/06/father-tissa-balasuriya
Copyright (c) 2023 Mark Omorovie Ikeke, PhD
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
