Date of Award
1-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Publisher
Santa Clara : Santa Clara University, 2025
Degree Name
Doctor of Sacred Theology (STD)
Director
Thomas Cattoi
Abstract
This dissertation develops a Trinitarian model by reinterpreting the classical Christian concept of Perichresis through the socio-political lens of Bahujanization, a worldview shaped by the struggles and aspirations of marginalized communities in India. By integrating Bahujanization into Trinitarian theology, it contextualises and enriches Leonardo Boff’s social model of the Trinity, presenting a theological framework rooted in collective liberation, social justice, unity, and solidarity.
Leonardo Boff, a Brazilian liberation theologian, envisioned the Trinity as “a prototype of human community,” promoting just and egalitarian relationships through relational unity and perichoresis. While Boff’s model emerged in the Latin American context, this dissertation reinterprets it for the Indian socio-political reality, addressing the Bahujan vision of collective liberation and inclusive transformation.
Bahujan communities, the marginalized majority in India offer a vision of liberation through the process of Bahujanization, emphasizing solidarity, mutual collaboration, and shared struggles. Such a vision resonates with social Trinitarianism’s emphasis on relational unity, making it a relevant theological framework for India. Using the theological method of see-judge-act, critical correlation and interdisciplinary approaches, the study address questions such as: How does the Bahujan vision of liberation inform and qualify perichoresis? How can Boff’s Trinitarian model be reimagined for India? And how does a new model of the Trinity address the social and ecclesial challenges of the Church in India?
The dissertation introduces the Bahujan model of the Trinity where the Trinity is reimagined as Bahujan. Each person of the Trinity actively participates in Bahujanization, symbolizing dynamic mutual intercommunion and collaborative action. The model reframes perichoresis through a Bahujan lens, providing a culturally resonant framework for Bahujan communities.
The Bahujan model of the Trinity emerges as a divine paradigm for unity amidst fragmentation, encouraging liberation not as isolated individuals but as a community grounded in divine communion. The approach connects with global concepts like Ubuntu, Minjung, and Yin-Yang, fostering relationality and collective identity. It challenges Indian theologians to reengage the Trinity as a model for addressing socio-political challenges transformative ecclesial and social action.
Recommended Citation
Ghattamaneni, Malleswara Rao, "Towards a New Relational Model of the Trinity for India: A Retrieval of Social Trinitarianism" (2025). Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations. 135.
https://scholarcommons.scu.edu/jst_dissertations/135
