ABSTRACT
The 1980s was a decade of great turbulence in Sri Lanka; a time of dissent against economic and constitutional reforms, worsening ethnic relations, and rising violence by the state and militant groups. This chapter analyses the role played by the left-wing Christian clergy and the organizations they set up at that time and describes the difficult relationship some clergy had with the mainstream churches to which they belonged. Influenced by Vatican II, liberation theology, and Marxism, they criticized the role of mainstream churches. Their socio-political interventions were not, fundamentally, theological; yet they argued that “being Christian” meant speaking on behalf of the poor, the exploited, and the oppressed. This chapter focuses on an Anglican priest, Father Yohan Devananda, and the organization he established – Dēvasaranārāmaya. It discusses how Dēvasaranārāmaya provided the space for organization and dialogue, as well as shelter for those targeted, at different times, both by the state and militant groups. This chapter argues that the role and influence of such clergy people (and their organizations) reflects the complexity of religious fields in countries such as Sri Lanka, and also the need for a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between religion and politics.
