Indian priest becomes the newest Bishop of Edmonton
Dr Anderson Jeremiah, an Indian academic - whose family converted to Christianity thanks to missionaries in the Indian Dalit community - became the new Bishop of Edmonton.
Dr Jeremiah is currently Associate Dean at Lancaster University, and a senior lecturer in the Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion. He was appointed as Bishop whilst still living in India. He also performs duties as Associate Priest at St Paul’s Scotforth where his wife Rebecca is the vicar.
Sarah Mullally, the Bishop of London, from the Anglican Communion, greeted his appointment: “It is a blessing for the Church in North London, which I am sure will thrive under Anderson’s leadership and ministry.”
Dr Jeremiah is also an advisor to the Bishop of the Diocese of Blackburn. He is a consultant on racial ethnic affairs, and is a prominent member of the church’s anti-racism team. He grew up in South India as a Dalit Christian. As a lower cast of Hindu society, he had to experience “overt and covert racism, at every sphere of social and religious life” which urged him to work on justice and peace as “central to Christian Discipleship”.
Dr Jeremiah will ceremoniously take up his post this spring. He will also join the College of Bishops in the Diocese of London, being in charge of the racial justice portfolio. His academic research focuses on contemporary Christianity and its socio-cultural connotations whilst hifting to the global south. His thesis also discusses post-colonial approaches to theology and inter-faith understanding.
Dalit Christians are considered as the lowest class of Hindu society by birth. They constantly face extreme racism, are excluded from the authoritative caste system, and are only allowed to do menial jobs. Dalit children are excluded from mid-day meals at school. Based on a recent study 88% of these children suffer discrimination in India’s state institutions. As a result, many of them leave school before reaching puberty.
Christian missionaries provided spiritual and physical support to the Dalits, shared meals with them and helped transform their poverty-struck communities into hopeful, thriving areas. Many of the locals converted to Christianity since the 1850s.
Source: https://premierchristian.news/
