The tendency to reify the twin concepts of ‘scriptures’ and ‘race’ over-simplifies the freighted history of how both concepts are invoked as human collectives configure themselves. Substantiating the concepts with concretized objects makes for a convenient reference but, in the process, blurring the dynamics at play in the concretizing processes. For instance, to objectify ‘scripture’ as a the sacred written text of a particular faith community does make for a helpful reference point but on probing further, one is lead to the question of how the text is accepted in its decisive and normative capacity. The idea of ‘race’ again makes ‘sense’ when one refers to color or geopolitical location and yet, to collapse ‘race’ into such ‘visible’ difference is to ignore how such perceived differences were constructed through complex social and political dynamics into hierarchical positions so that ‘race’ becomes a power signifier for superiority and also inferiority. Put the two concepts together and one finds oneself faced with a whole new set of questions. How does one capture the perceived differences and make sense of it with the available knowledge bank of a particular epoch so that the differences can fit in within the known limits of the known world? With knowledge more expansive than ever before, how do scriptures inform and shape our 'others' or what new scriptures do we forge to make sense of the differences that so often overwhelm us?
While on the topic of scriptures, I came across a post that reported on a certain Mizo clergyman's writings going to be the focus of the adult sunday school for the coming year. For those not in the know, he died recently under rather dubious circumstances and thereby upping the ante on how Mizos in particular come to terms with it. (http://misual.com/2007/10/27/nakumah-revchanchinmawia-ziak-zir-dawn/#more-3554) With the posthumous valorization of his writings, one may speculate his person itself being scripturalized as an exemplar for how things should and could be. And yet beneath the smoothened projections of the church, the scripturalizing process flattens a whole lot of issues and questions that unsettle many but are left unsaid because they, the issues and questions, will have been 'canonized' in our collective memory, or literally 'cannonized.'
12 comments:
Scriptures, their interpretation and their canonization are too complex. Different angles provide different readings and understanding. Even the meanings of the scriptures are all too aften misrepresented..Sometimes I wonder how a sripture becomes 'holy'even when it is utilized for the process of subjugation at the same time providing a launching pad for the dominated to talk back!!! whoa..
I think it's not about canonization of the late Rev Chanchinmawia, but rather a simple inclusion of his writings in the Sunday School syllabus, as a way to remember him. He held important offices in the Presbytery and met a tragic end abruptly bringing to an end all his effort for the Church. It is a regular habit of us Presbyterians to include famous writings of renowned people to our "Syllabus" for reflection and deeper insight.
Mami,
That's what 'Signifying Scriptures' is trying to highlight. With the type of questions you are asking, you might want to get in touch with Wimbush. Seriously.
" utilized for the process of subjugation at the same time providing a launching pad for the dominated to talk back"
That's exactly an instance of how the canon 'cannonizes'. Do note the subtleties.
Illusionaire,
This piece presupposed too many nuances and hence could be wooden at many places. Im all for valorizing those who have committed their lives to serve the community through the church or otherwise. Canonizing, beyond what we know of the Catholic practices, is a freighted process of legitimation that often works remotely as a power configuration which i was trying to poke at in the Rev.Chanchinmawia affair.
Thanks and lets keep talking.
Anyway, I guess it would be best to observe what is going on right now, as the "mystery" regarding his sad demise is still unsolved. Once that is pushed through, then we shall talk about this topic again, aye? :)
By the way bro, please send me your snap for Mizo Blog Directory. You are one of the very few still without a profile pic. You can check out the renovated directory.
Illusionaire,
I agree: until a few things are brought to a closure, everything else will remain speculative. I've sent the pic to your yahoo add. did you get it?
Philo, it was great talking to you and I hope that we will meet next time I come over to CA. Talking of Scriptures, there is a great exhibition at the Balboa Park in San Diego called the Dead Sea Scrolls ...if you happen to pass by,do have a look at it.
Austrian roads looks very small after driving miles in the big big freeways of CA.-)
Shahnaz,
Yup and thanks for calling. I really wasnt into DU except for the odd NESFED and the occasional Mizo gatherings so you wouldnt have known me.
In fact im going to SanDiego this weekend. Thanks for the tip on the DSS, did you get to sample the exhibit?
You will not believe that I have a CANON moment of you..white T shirt and jeans at your parent's place in Delhi(AD 1993 or so)
Do not miss the whole Balboa Park, they have amamzing collection of trees, plants -some and all I cannot even name...But buy the whole deal ticket as it gets expensive to buy the individual ones and of course there are free entries to some....I SAW the DSS and loved it...!I found my third profession in CA! I would have been a horticulturist(is that how u spell it?)
Shahnaz,
It all sounds really filmi...the whole re-acquainting thing!! And yeah, Misbah sounds a lot closer to home than Shahnaz but then again, what the hey!! And then you bring up the canon moment-what? from where? how?
Hope you horticulturist inclinations take wings and green your fingers. I will definitely check out Balboa Park if time permits. I read that you are working on some coffe-table stuff...let me know how that is progressing. Sounds really interesting.
Filmi indeed:-) What you and many other Mizos did'nt know is that my first name has always been Shahnaz, but all called me by the name my grandad called me Misbah...Whatever...I am still me, trying to learn more about botanical plants now.-)
CANON moment is the term I use when I freeze a moment or picture of someone in my brain when I do not have the camera with me:-)
Philo, you're perfectly entitled to your opinion on the Church and its functionings but though I’d earlier gone through this post and your rather cynical conclusion and decided to let it go as just another case of ignorance on Church matters, I feel this overwhelming need to get back and make a little, or apparently not so little, clarification regarding the late Revd Chanchimawia's book on St Paul's teachings being selected for next year's adult Sunday School study.
Many people, notably not from the Presbyterian church and even among several Presbyterian members, who have no real idea as to how the Synod goes about selecting texts for Sunday School study, have jumped to the conclusion that this particular text was deliberately chosen by the Synod as some kind of defiant gesture or even as you put it, some kind of attempt to cannonize the man.
Well, the truth is that the Church is extremely careful about its study texts, both for Sunday Schools, Beihrual and Wednesday night study texts and each is actually the work of several years’ preparation.
The Synod Pastoral Committee selects certain theologians to prepare a study text on a particular theme or topic some 2 to 3 years in advance for so and so year's Sunday School/Beihrual/Nilai zan text and announcements are made in advance about these proposed study texts at the annual Synods held every December. The texts are then researched and written accordingly and submitted to the Synod Publication Board which goes over them carefully, and if they're found not quite upto the mark in some way or the other, are returned to the writers for revision or rewriting.
Therefore, the fact is that the late Revd's work had already been selected for next year's study quite a few years ago. The Church doesn't act on whims or on the spur of an emotional moment as many people mistakenly imagine.
In this case, the selection of his text coming so soon after his violent death is pure coincidence and not, as you seem to think, some sinister contrivance on the part of the Church at cannonizing the man or scripturalizing his writings or smoothening the circumstances of his death or even, as Illusionaire thinks, a nice way of remembering him.
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