Introduction:
This paper brings special features on the Christians
reflections on Hinduism and reflects between the Hinduism and Christianity in
the past or early history of Hinduism.
Hindu Christian Relationship
Christianity
has a long history of relating to Vedic religion in South Asia, though it is
only in the modern period that explicit Hindu-Christian interaction can be
documented. “ Hinduism is an actable abbreviation for family of culturally
similar tradition “a convenient catch-all for a vast variety of religious cults
and sects, regional and local deities and devotees, deferring philosophies,
spiritual disciplines, religious practices, guru cults and more. [1]
Christian response to Hinduism
Historically
Christian has interacted with Hindus from the earliest advent of Christianity
in India. According to local mythology original convert of Thomas included some
from the Brahmin community in Kerala. Claiming descent from Namboodiri Brahmins
convert has conferred high caste status upon the Thomas Christians. This
respectable social status “enabled them to be in harmony with their
pre-dominantly Hindu neighbors” Caste related practices , customs regarding
food and occupation, modes of dress, faith in horoscopes, ceremonial bathing,
rituals and festivals developed in largely in Hindu categories. Church
architecture borrows simultaneously from Jewish Synagogue and Hindu temples
with elements of Hinduism Christianity and the Syrian tradition in
juxtaposition. Christian rites of passage likewise reveal the use of ritual
substances such as coconuts, oil lamps and rice (commonly use by Hindu) but
with a distinctions Christian imprint.
Conversion
movements were an aspect of socio-economic and cultural change extending beyond
the Church. Azariah devised new indigenous Christian liturgies, festival art
forms borrow from Hindu and other sources. The Dornakal Cathedral incorporated
aspects of Hindu and Muslim architecture, a “dramatic statement of
Christianity’s potential as the fulfillment of India faith and culture”.
Through conversion oppressed and backwards peoples sought relief from the
discrimination and stigma of untouchability as well as improvement their status
in society. Dornakal is but one example of Christian responds.
The
missionary approach to Hinduism often took the terms of criticism and
confrontations. To William ward of the Serampore mission, Hinduism was an enemy
to be opposed and exposed. That at least appears to have been one of the
objectives in his publication in history, literature and mythology of the Hindus.
Largely descriptive, the four volumes and also contain translations and
extracts from philosophers and religious writings.
The Round Table Conferences
The
Round Table conferences conducted at Sat Tal Ashram in North India by Methodist
Evangelist E. Stanley Jones (1884-1974) were
a forerunner of today’s dialogue events. Jones sought an interpretation of
Christ and the Christian Dharma in keeping with the Indian ethos. At the Round
Table, Hindus and Christians and other were able to share to their views in
non-threatening environments. As a result Hindus and others came face to face
with Christ. John found the Indian Ashram a suitable indigenous forum for
reflection and utilized Hindu philosophy and culture for presenting the Gospel.
For years John decuples and successor, Achariya Daya Prakash has continued to
present Christ and the Christian message in the form of a modified Vedanta
fulfillment theology in various religious settings.
Dialogue
with Hinduism challenges the Church to examine the role of Christianity in a
pluralistic society. Where Hindu population has settled in Europe, Hindu-Christian
dialogue has proven fruitful in fostering good relationship and understanding.
In India dialogue motivates the search for an authentic Indian Christianity and
contextual Indian theology, which raises questions as to how far the Indian
Church can go in Hinduizing its theological identity.[2]
Theological reflection
The
basic for the theological reflection in the light of minority religious right
is that world religious traditions share the view that each human being has an
inviolable, indeed, a divine core or soul that gives him or her primary dignity.
Representations of these traditions are signatories to the United Nations
Declarations on Human Rights that affirms this fact.The Church in India being a
multi-religious context, needs a theological basis reflect on the possible ways
of relating herself to other religions like Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Jainism,
Sikhism and the tribal faith of the land. Representing a minority community,
the Church in India needs to look into developing a theology from the minority
point of view.
In theological reflection, freedom of religion
is based on a theological commitment to religious plurality and diversity and capable
of recognizing deferent religions with deferent opinions on the question of
faith and practices. It is not the true freedom of religion, if people cannot
choose what religion they want to follow. Thus the very understanding of
freedom of religion needs to be liberated from its majoritarian religious
constraints, addressing not just religious tolerance but the importance of
respecting and accepting those who think, act and live differently, and choose
to believe differently than the group into which they were born. Everyone
should should be allowed to exercise his/her religious beliefs, and group
should be allowed to engage in private or collective worship. [3]
A Christian Approach to Hindu
People
It is necessary
for Christian to have some basic knowledge of Hinduism, its teaching and its
beliefs. One cannot dialogue unless there is some basis to build on. Neither
can one have dialogue without personal contact. The Christian approach should
also involve prayerful concern for the Hindu people .Prayer and action should
go to gather. Hinduism holds that all religions are the same, all road lead to
the same goal. It is understandable that they hold this view because each Hindu
believes in a variety of gods. With this in mind, begin by explaining why
Christian believes in one God, Son and Holy Spirit. As they themselves believe
in Trimurti, the Hindu Triad, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, they will. In a loving
and gentle way Christian should explain about the most perfect and fullest
incarnation of God in Jesus Christ. Hindus already hold that there have been
nine Avatars, (Incarnations) of Vishnu.[4]
Christianity reached India very
early. Tradition says that the Apostle Thomas himself went to India and died
there. Certainly there has been a Christian church Kerala in the South India
since the third century, and probably considerably earlier. It was a Syrian
church, owing allegiance to Antioch, with a liturgy in the Syrian language and
with a theology classified by theologians as Monophysite or Eutychean.[5]
Later the Nestorian church of Persia also established work in India as part of
that astonishing missionary outreach which is gain about the end of the fourth
century.[6]
The
protestant missionaries in their approaches to India rightly gave first
priority to the translating of the Bible and distributing went on preaching.
Along with the work of translation and distribution went preaching. The main
emphasis went, of course, on the positive proclamation of the Gospel; but in
the tradition they made a careful study on Hinduism, which they produced to
refute with the rational logic so beloved of the late 18th century.
The theology of the early missionary was the theology of the British
supporters- evangelical Christianity with a firm admixture of critical,
hard-headed rationalism which delighted in ridiculing perhaps a little blind to
the vulnerability of some of their own position. This theological outlook continued on through
the 19th century, and in some places continues more or less today.[7]
Conclusion
This
above discussion helps to understand reflects between the Hinduism and
Christianity in the past or early history of Hinduism and the Christians ways
of interpretation and understanding of Hinduism in the present context today.
Bibliography
Boyd, R.H.S. India and
the Latin Captivity of the Church . London: Cambridge University Press,1974.
Cherian, M.T. Hindutva Agenda and Minority Rights;A
Christian Response . Bangalore: Siga Arles,2007.
Dyrness, William A. Global Dictionary of Theology .
England:Inter-Versity Press,2008.
Shrisunder, David . Loving Without Compromise”,A
Christian Approach to Asian Riligion”.Delhi:ISPCK,1999.
[1] William A.
Dyrness, Global Dictionary of Theology
(England: Inter-Versity Press,2008), 392.(hereafter will be refereed it as
William A. Dyrness, Global Dictionary of
Theology…,)
[2] William A.
Dyrness, Global Dictionary of Theology
…,393.
[3] M.T. Cherian, Hindutva Agenda and Minority Rights;A
Christian Response (Bangalore: Siga Arles,2007), 296-297.
[4] David
Shrisunder, Loving Without Compromise”,A
Christian Approach to Asian
Riligion”(Delhi:ISPCK,1999),10.
[5]Monophsite- the doctrine that
Jesus the divine and human elements combine to form a single nature.
[6]R.H.S.Boyd, India and the Latin Captivity of the Church (London: Cambridge
University Press,1974)3.(Here after it will be referred as R.H.S.Boyd, India and the Latin Captivity of the Church)
[7]R.H.S.Boyd, India and the Latin Captivity of the Church, 5-6.
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