Ethnicity and Tribal Theology - Problems and Prospects for Peaceful Co-existence in Northeast India

The Church and wider society in Northeast India have witnessed a number of shifts in ethnic identity and the resultant inter-ethnic conflicts since the 1980s are threatening the peaceful co-existence of various ethnic groups. Caught up in the throes of such ethnic turmoil, people of the region are confronted with two options. On the one hand, there is a need to safeguard their respective ethnic identities against the dominant hegemony ; on the other, there is a need to promote a peaceful co-existence amongst diverse ethnic groups.
These twin challenges, in their turn, confront the Northeast Indian tribal theologies by posing a series of questions with serious implications : how is one to maintain a balance between these two conflicting identities ? What should the priority be : preserved ethnic identity or ethnic blending ? In all this, what is the role of tribal theology ? Notwithstanding the importance of safeguarding ethnic identity, this book focuses on the urgent necessity of promoting a peaceful co-existence among diverse ethnic groups by exploring their various tribal theologies and cultural standpoints and finding a common base.