Aims & Objectives:
Introduction:
The Cultural Wing is to promote and affirm the Christian Culture that is in the form of Music, Songs, Poetry, Arts and so on.
Missionaries like William Carey, besides being a social reformer and a cultural anthropologist translated the Bible into Bengali, Oriya, Marathi, Hindi, Assamese, Sanskrit and parts of the Bible into other dialects and languages. In some of these dialects and languages Bible portions happen to be the first literature to codify the language into a script and to give the language a proper recognition and sustainable future as a language.
Even the Tamil Bible translation goes back to the arrival of Bartholomäus Ziegenbalg at Tranquebar in 1706. Johann Philipp Fabricius, a German, revised Ziegenbalg's and others' work to produce the standard Tamil Bible.
These illustrate the Christian contribution to the preservation of culture and language that is the basis of the culture to communicate and interact. Though there are some instances in some countries where missionaries were several times wrongly accused of “destroying cultures” the truth of the matter is through the biblical injection of Apostle Paul “To All men all things” and through the trends in modern missions to contextualize and not involve in isolating those that believe the gospel from their communitiee, cultures the Indian Christian missionaries and Pastors have successfully promoted Christian culture that is fully integrated into the soul of India and remains as a vital component as to what India is.
For example in Telugu language, the Andhra Christian Hymnal (Andhra Kraisthava Keerthanalu) with over 500 songs has transformed the masses in the then United State of Andhra Pradesh, giving the Telugu person complete theological discourses on all the major doctrines of the Bible and about Christ in a wonderful song form. They were learnt and sung by even uneducated persons easily due to their richness in meaning and due to the depths of devotion and message that they contained. It has been studied in some Universities as a part of the Bhakthi (ancient devotional) literature. So the Andhra Christian Hymnal is a part of cultural preservation and now many more such books and songs have been produced in many Indian languages by each major denomination teaching their members to sing praises to God in a culturally relevant manner.
The Cultural Concerns Wing seeks to highlight the Cultural aspects of the missionaries of the past and in today’s India. It will be a bridge to the government agencies that officially recognize and award cultural artists and activities to show case the various forms of Christian culture, be it in music, poetry or songs, drama, folklore, etc to ensure that it is given it’s due importance as a part of the vast mosaic of the Indian culture.
Efforts would be made to see the continuation of the positive forms of cultural activities be it in music, songs, drama, arts, traditional folklore and so on.
Major Activities of the Cultural Wing:
- It will network the Christian artists in a given State or a language segment.
- The State Cultural Wing President will identify the District Cultural Wing Presidents and recommend them to the NCC District Presidents to appoint them officially.
- The State Cultural Wing will meet twice a Year (it comprises of the State Cultural Wing President, All the members of the State Cultural Wing and all the members of all the Districts Cultural wings in a given State).
- The District Cultural Wing will meet at least three times a year.
- If there are more artists / singers / cultural activists a State or a District Cultural Wing can have a team that can be formed to lead the Wing at State or District level as required.
- A State Cultural Wing will deeply look into their state / language Christian cultural forms like Christian writings, community's involvement in music, literature, arts, folklore and songs
- To share info on any opportunities in the big screen and in the small screen to encourage the community's talent in that respective arenas.
- Prepare a schedule of events and seek to involve Govt departments / ministers / officials and noted personalities in the same and also to ensure that there is adequate coverage of this in the media.
- Plan one or two major events in a year involving a region or the whole state on a cultural issue of significance in a given district or in the State capital.
- Devise programs that are not duplicating any other organization or movements but operating in conjunction or coordination with those in this field.
- Formulate plans to highlight Hymnals like Andhra Kriasthava Keerthanalu (Andhra Christian Hymnal) to also promote the modern Christian songs forms into the larger civil society as a witness for the message of Jesus and of His peace giving redemption.
- Formulate schemes / projects for the government to consider to grant for the development of the Christian culture and arts.
- Study the existing funds in total in the department of Culture and also the allocation for the Christian community or the lack of it and make the necessary submissions to make the necessary allocations if the need be.
- Devise pointers for making the adequate allocations in the Government departments and ensure that it is put to good use without funds lapsing due to lack of applicants.
- Identify, recommend the Christian artists to be awarded by the State or Central governments or local government authorities. Recommend them also to the NCC Service Awards Committee.
