It has been a while

So there hasn't been a post in a good long while so I thought I would give you a short update. We have traveled from Bangalore to Mangalore. It was a perilous bus ride over the mountains in which there was lots of screaming. For instance there where several times through the trip where I looked out my window and there was no road only straight down. Of course I was one of the brave ones no screaming from me, but others yes others ;-) We arrived late in the night Wednesday and we have been busy ever since. Our lecture topics here have been on the religious plurality in India from a Hindu, a Muslim, and 3 Christians. We have finished up that series and are free this afternoon for sightseeing and shopping. Tomorrow morning we fly to Mumbai. There is some worrying going on over here because the weight limit for this flight is less then for international flights and so some of us might start throwing clothes away to meet the requirements. All in all I am sure we will all make it to Mumbai one way or another. We have had some wonderful times over the last few days and last night in particular we had a great time visiting a girls' school. I have some pictures but am unable to get them up right now. Some others may post their pics. We are looking forward now to our 3rd and last leg of our Indian travels. Hopefully we will have more use of the Internet in Mumbai and there will be more posts to follow.

Steve

Welcome

It has been an interesting week. That is right, a week. Well technically a week very early tomorrow morning, but still that makes it seem more amazing. We have done and seen so much. Yesterday we experienced worship at one of the CSI (Church of South India) congregations. We heard the bishop preach and got to experience the liturgical life of the congregation. The bishop was present because it was confirmation Sunday as well. It turned out to be a slightly longer service then I am used to because of the confirmation. After the service we were graciously invited to the party of one of the students confirmed. That was just one example of how I have experienced people here being more welcoming then we are back in the US. It would be very strange for you to invite complete strangers to your party, but we were invited. This sort of hospitality keeps happening all over the place, as we are invited in and given tours of places that in the US we would not be permitted into. This culture is so welcoming it is surprising sometimes. Well I came out to an Internet place in the city to post this so I think I'm going to go hop an auto back now. (See how much we've grown in a week, I can go out on my own - well Rodney helped) More posts to follow

Steve

Alexis Baba...

So, there's been an interesting development on the trip... I've become referred to by some of our group as "Alexis Baba: goddess of children!"

"WHAT?! Why?" You might be asking...

Well, as it turns out, 6ft tall, blonde American women happen to be something out of the ordinary around here. Go figure! ;) In fact, a large group of mostly white Americans draws lots of attention, but I seem to be getting quite a lot of it. When I walk by people smile and take long looks. Small children wave and shout, young people giggle, and-- most interestingly-- random families or groups ask to have their picture taken with me. (I'm not the only one, but I must say, I've been in a lot of strange pictures since arriving. Our day trip to Mysore was where this really came to a head. At one point, walking out of one of the Hindu temples, a swarm of school-aged kids flocked around me, asking me questions and so on. It was really something.

I'm not really used to this kind of attention. But, it's fun. I suppose that if I'm going to be taking pictures of all the people I see here, it only makes sense for people to take my picture. :)

The whole thing is definitely making me pay closer attention to the power and privilege I carry as a white American woman. No doubt about that.

~Alexis

Top L: The swarm of kids and their teacher outside a temple Middle R: Me with a random girl whose parents made her take a picture with me. Can you say "awkward"?? Bottom L: Rachel showing a pic to a group of Hindu devotees who wanted photos of us like we wanted of them. A true cultural exchange! :)

On Liturgy in India

So today is Thursday, and I am tired already and we have only been here for 3 days? or is it 4....they all seem to congeal together. We have had many very interesting lectures and have gone on a few adventures off campus as well. Latter this afternoon we will be heading out to do some more sightseeing and I am looking forward to that.

I know we all have been experiencing and thinking about a lot. I have decided to write my paper when we get back on liturgy in India, both Christian and Hindu. Today was a good lecture day for me because we heard a lecture on the Inculturation of liturgy presented by Dr. Santhosh Kumar. He spoke a lot about how in the past people who came to south India to proclaim the gospel did not just bring in the gospel but they also important a good deal of their own cultural worship as well. What this means, he said, was that in most places that we would go to worship the worship would seem very western. Only now is there a movement with in the Church of South India to bring in more Indian culture into the worship. This leads me to question what exactly is necessary symbolism and practice to be a Christan? What should be important and what can be retained and kept from previously existing culture? I know in the intro to Liturgy class at LTSP we talked about the importance of the care of the central symbols. However, that care is important because it is through those symbols that we experience things of God that we cannot explain or experience in any other way. What is it that we can do when the things we talk about don't make sense in a particular culture? (see previous post by Alexis) It must be possible to present the gospel in other ways. I am so interested in what this new movement within the CSI will come up with in their inculturation effort. I find it exciting and think that as an American I can learn from this idea of inculturaltion. I in general just love liturgy and the way that the love of Gos is expressed through it. I am also excited to start looking at Hindu worship structure and to see how that worship portrays love to those present as well.

I know that was a lot of stuff but I am just really excited and am asking so many questions of myself right now. I felt the need to share. We are off shortly to experience another new thing. I am sure that someone will post about it later. Thanks for reading and peace to you as always.

Steve

Meat-eaters in a Vegetarian World...

Today during a lecture by Dr. P.T. George (professor of missiology here at UTC), he shared some of the practical challenges for Christian mission in India. Some of these challenges had to do with interfacing with the legacies of [ancient] Syrian Christians, Catholic and Protestant missionaries throughout India's history, "competing" with active Hindu, Muslim, and Buddhist missions, and being culturally sensitive while doing contextual ministry. One comment that he said struck me...

He used the example of Christian missionaries introducing the Eucharist, among other things, to the native, mostly Hindu (and therefore vegetarian) peoples. He said, imagine you're being given education and health care and being told about a loving God, and then you hear that you are supposed to eat the flesh and drink the blood of Jesus... How offensive for a vegetarian, who seeks to preserve all life! He said that Gandhi once said, 'I don't want your salvation if it comes at the cost of the life of another!' Wow! Talk about a vivid example, one that had never occured to me, of how important it is to be aware of our local ministry contexts!

Can't wait to see what other ways this trip will open me up to new thoughts, ideas, and ways of seeing the world...

~Alexis

We have arrived

To be more accurate we arrived very early this morning after about 20 hours of traveling. We are approximately 10 hours ahead of our friends in the Philadelphia area. As I write this it is almost 10am here on the 5th of January but it is only about midnight or a little before at home. We all seem to be adjusting to the time change pretty easily. By that I mean i haven't seen anyone walking around looking like they were still asleep.

We are in Bangalore at the United Theological College. The campus is wonderful and there are many people taking pictures. I expect at some point for someone to post some pictures for you all following our journey. Today holds for us a tour of campus and then worship with students. I know I am looking forward to it. We will stay in touch.

Steve

Don't even know what to expect...

My favorite thing about traveling is that it totally and utterly destroys my preconceived notions of... well, most things! It blasts open my suspicions of who "they" are and often debunks my own understanding of who I am.

So, that said, I don't even know what to expect with this trip to India. I've read a bit and have had friends who were either from there, lived there, and/or visited there, but I think I will be pretty surprised when I arrive. And that's exciting! I just hope I packed well enough and prepared well enough to enjoy the ride... :-)

peace,

Alexis

Day Before and First Post

So this is our India blog. Yeah so we aren't there yet, but I thought it might be a good idea to get things rolling as we need a first post at some point anyway and I am really excited. Personally I'm so excited that I had trouble sleeping last night and our flight out is still more then 12 hours away, but I cannot wait.

I do not really have anything interesting to say here right now, but I think that is because we aren't in India yet. I am thinking that this blog will have a lot of interesting things once our group arrives.

Steve

Introduction to our group

Hello!
You might be wondering what on earth is "LTSP" or why we are going to India...

Well, this blog is a project of a group of seminary students from the USA who are traveling to India for a January-term class. Some of us are MDiv, some are doctoral students, some are already pastors, and some are seminary faculty. Most of us hail from LTSP: The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia. We also have one student joining us from Wartburg Seminary in Iowa.

We will be traveling to Bangalore, Mysore, Mangalore, and Mumbai looking at the effects of globalization in India and also the interfaith (particularly Hindu, Muslim, and Christian) dialog and work in the country. We will be staying on college and seminary campuses as well as at a YMCA.

We're sure this will be an exciting adventure. Please stay tuned to our regular blog postings by group members.

Blessings!
Alexis, Amanda, Becky, Ben, Brett, Christine, Dr. Sebastian, Dr. Rajashekar, Eileen, Jason, Jeremiah, Marsha, Matt, Rachel, Rodney, Scott, and Steven