Our basic faith perception tells us about the equality of human beings and not that human beings are created hierarchically,
(namely some race, tribe or caste are high and others are low).
This homo hierarchicus, the concept of hierarchy in creation does not exist for the Christian or biblical revelation. It’s not a theological term.
The word 'hierarchy' is a social term, which signifies different offices, hence different layers of functions in the system, for some common goal. In a broad sense, hierarchy may be understood as different levels of knowledge, civilization, economy and status (roles) in the society. In fact this social term has been planted in the ecclesial vocabulary.
For this, man is the image of God - theology may be given according to which all share the same equal human dignity since all are children of God. This imagery brings out the richness of equality of man and his dignity in the sense that in the family among brothers and sisters there is no one who is higher than the other as a human being. One may be elder, other younger, one may be strong, the other weak yet somehow they are the same and equal. What makes them equal? It is the love-relationship.
How do you explain theologically that people are born in different families: rich and poor, civilized and less civilized, religious and irreligious, strong and weak person, wise and stupid person? Are people equal?
Theologically people are equal...Phenomenologically, socially, culturally where the natural geography has a great role to play people are different. Here, the word is used in tow different levels, meanings. Different talents of the persons are gifts of the same spirit. (1 Cor 12:4ff)
Caste (jati and varna) The caste hierarchy found in the Hindu-socio-religious life is a socio-cultural category. There are four castes in the Hindu society, they are; Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaisya and Shudra.
Class system has been always found in history in various societies, class system is not the same as Hindu caste system. This system has its own historical growth, logic and religious sanction or established reality.
Class is either a political category or an economical category or both; whereas caste is a socio-religious category in which evolution (to exist in the present state, as found today) in the earlier stage and economy played a role.
In the beginning there was Varna system. It was a category of people according to talents divided for work. They had their families, clans, etc, much more like tribal societies. Anybody could become or rather come to teaching or sacrificing (priestly) occupational function and to any other function like Kshatriya, Vaisya, Shudra. They were the names of groups of people according to their function. All these functions existed in the horizontal plane so there was an easy mobility from one to the other on the criterion of function. Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaisya and Shudra were not a family name but the name of a person for a particular function (work).
Religion by its religious myth sanctioned or rather explained the Varna system; Brahma divided himself into two - right side became male and the left became female. Both male and female divided themselves into 4 varnas.
Gradually, functions according to the talents of each Varna turned into work. Then, developed the hereditary family, clan and finally Varna turned into Jati (caste). In this transitional phenomenon, some castes became more profiting and others became less profiting according to their talents. And this gave rise to an affinity and close bond relationship between the same working people and family. Gradually there evolved jati, which became oppressive in terms of economy, prestige, power etc. Hence, there ceased the mobility from one work to the other; and this affected social mobility.
The division of work (function) which was meant for the society in the names of Brahman, Vaisya, Kshatriya and Shudra turned to jati and became oppressive and received religious sanction (Rg Veda, purusa sukta 10:90) - Hindu scriptures explain how different jati came from the different organs of God. This is a religious justification for caste. The caste distinction, in Hinduism cannot be bridged even by acquiring higher political, social or economical status.