Lent Day 44: We do not know

In India, elders and teachers are supposed to know everything. Whether it is their field, their area of interest or what they have been exposed to, there is an expectation that they will able to answer every question. So much that, mistakes can be made while the pressure to perform is high. Sometimes, the position of authority is maintained and held on to by such claims to know everything. Scholarship and authority are sadly seen in this way.

But Jesus did not give false claims. Neither did he claim to know everything. He spoke regarding what he had come to do. He was well versed in scripture and the way it was to be performed. Still, he was questioned because of his lack of education.

As part of discrediting Jesus, he was always asked questions. His answers were smart and effective. He did not want to appear smart but wanted to say the truth and be compassionate to the people. Many went back to their homes saying that Jesus spoke like a well learned man. But that didn’t seem to be his intention. He wanted people to know the truth and know his Father through him.

In St. Matthew 21: 23, the chief priests and elders ask him a question about his authority to teach and who gave him this authority. Jesus is very careful with his answer and his answer is in the form of a question. He asks about the baptism of John the Baptist. The chief priests and elders who usually have the answers to every question, are caught on the wrong foot. They realise that they will be embarrassed, whichever way they answer.

They think about it and then say in verse 27, “We do not know.” Perhaps this is the smartest thing that they ever said till then. They thought about the question and realised that it was much beyond them. Instead of saying something, they admit that they do not know the answer. Lent is a time for us to do just this. Saying that we do not know is a humbling process, a cleansing process, a learning process and an accepting process. When the parent says this to the child, when the husband says this to the wife, when the teacher says this to the student and when the priest says this to the congregation, it is not humiliation, but an inward understanding, knowing and embracing. This lent, shall we also have the strength to understand questions, to say no and in the process to be led to light ourselves.

Teacher's day.....more than a brick in the wall

Teacher- Why don’t you do anything like I tell you to?
Student- But sir, I thought of acting out my presentation.
Teacher- Acting. Do you think you have come to an acting school? Do you think what we do here is a joke?
Student- No sir. Don’t get me wrong. I have come here to become a pastor. I want to be the best pastor there is.
Teacher- Ha ha. Do you think you can do that? Look at your grades! You have to be cut out to become a pastor. It is not an easy job.
Student- But my grades are okay. They are not great. But I feel I don’t get the grades I deserve.
Teacher- That is true. I think the low grades you have are much higher than they should have been.
Student- Don’t make fun of me sir. I try my best. My point is that you can grade me in a different way.
Teacher- Different way? And what way is that? Not grade you at all? Or giving you the freedom to put your own grades?
Student- No. But I also have something to contribute. I have something to say. Why don’t you listen to that?
Teacher- All that you can say is rubbish. And then do a bit of acting. Rubbish. This is a theological college. We make pastors not actors. If you want to act, you can go to an acting institute.
Student- I heard that you used to act well sir. You were a talented person.
Teacher- Who told you that?
Student- I have my sources. Why are you trying to hide it?
Teacher- Why? Because I was always told to hide it. I loved acting, expressing myself and learning about others while doing it. It was the most liberative thing to do.
Student- Why did you stop then?
Teacher- I had to move on. Acting didn’t get me grades. It only got me reprimands in the end. Acting is just extracurricular. What is outside the curriculum is outside. People will come and appreciate you while your fellow students use that time to study their notes and write exams. While we internalize our dialogues and let our heart speak, they will mug up their notes and write treatises during the exam.
Student- Can’t you change all this? Isn’t there someone who understands?
Teacher- Many may understand. There is an actor inside everyone you know. But no one will come out with it and support it and give grades for it.
Student- Can’t you use it in your classes then?
Teacher- I can I guess. But then I will have to handle the drama that follows.
Student- I feel relieved having talked to you. I never knew teachers would understand students like me.
Teacher- We are all actors. Small and big, but all actors.
Student- Can you allow me to act out what I feel in your class? Just like an exam by showing you what I have learnt and how I feel?
Teacher- I guess you can. But I still can’t give you grades for it!
Student- I don’t want the grades. I just want to act. I want to express myself. I want to show what I have learnt. I want to break all the walls that have prevented me from speaking to those around me.
Teacher- Well, let us act between ourselves. You can be the teacher and I the student.
(The student gets into the character.)
Student- Don’t make noise. Sit down I say.
Teacher- Yes sir. Can I say something?
Student- You can say whatever in your room. Not here. This is my space.
Teacher- But sir. I thought you were someone who would share your space with me.
(Both look into each other’s eyes.)
Student- I will share the space and my role with you. Speak, act, express yourself. That is why you are here.
Teacher- Thank you teacher.
Student- You are welcome. Now act out what you learnt today.
Teacher- (Grabs the student by his hand.) I learnt that there is no difference between us. We are all humans. You have something to say just as I have something to say. Let’s….
Student- Let’s break down these walls. Let’s break them down.

Questioning the question: Guru= shishya…shishya= guru???

The early concept of gurukulam in which a guru (teacher) teaches and guides his (sic) shishyas (students) was one which was tried and tested to a great extend in the Indian context. Even now it continues to rule the roost in many institutions. This concept even made perfect sense. The message would travel from the guru in the direction of the students with minimal disturbance, since the students would usually sit in rapt attention of their teacher. Any alteration would be dealt with sternly. Feedback was not expected since the guru was the authority on the subject.

Students who dared to question what was taught would be ousted and some of them were creative and brave enough to start their own schools. These days the balance of power has shifted. Information is available (not for all in India) and this, when converted into knowledge can put an individual in a position of privilege. The traditional model of communication therefore stands exposed in it’s weakness. A relevant model would then be a criss-cross between two centres of knowledge, where the distinction between guru and shishya is blurred.

This would make perfect sense to many. But there is a catch here. The feedback and two way communication is only between two power centres. What then happens to those who can’t catch up into the realm of these power centres? In effect they are left out of the process of communication. This converts the guru-shishya into the insider-outsider. (Interestingly the outsider is a construction of the insider)

The democratization or the new face of education is then a new face of discrimination and neglect. What then could be a solution to this? One of the answers could well be the disruption of the communication process. Small centres of protest will form human chains of protest to prevent a skewed and selective communication. This will last till we accept every shishya as a guru in his/her capacity or moment (This is a very popular usage these days) rather than accepting a selective phase of blurring where selective gurus and shishyas switch into each others domain.