Contents

Christianity vis--vis Hinduism ................................................................................................................. 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 1 Origin and scripture ............................................................................................................................. 1 Doctrine and theology ......................................................................................................................... 2 Ethics................................................................................................................................................... 5 Praxis................................................................................................................................................... 6 Bibliography ............................................................................................................................................ 8

Christianity vis--vis Hinduism

Introduction
Comparing and contrasting Hinduism to other world religions is a subject that is too vast and complex for a 2000-word paper. This paper therefore has a limited focus in that it in that compares and contrasts Christianity with Hinduism. Even there, we must limit our discussion to a select few topics, for there are divisions within both Christianity (for example, Roman Catholicism, Eastern Christianity, Protestantism, to say nothing about Mormonism) and Hinduism. If one attempts to discuss all topics, the paper will far exceed 2000 words. This paper discusses origin and scripture, doctrine and theology, ethics and praxis within the two faith traditions. It necessarily deals with generalizations, while it recognizes that there are many exceptions within the two faith traditions. In comparing and contrasting Christianity with Hinduism, it draws upon Hindu critiques of Christianity.

Origin and scripture

Christianity is named after its founder Jesus Christ. Hinduism is a geographic term given by outsiders: as our textbook Understanding Hinduism states, it means nothing more than the the religion of India. This is surely because Hinduism has no single personality, doctrine or practice that can be used as its defining feature. The ancient people whom we might call Hindus might not have even had a name for their religion: they regarded it as Sanatana, or Eternal, Dharma . Julie Binder Maitra 1 January 5, 2014

The foundational event for Christianity is the birth of Jesus: indeed, the calendar era is based on the traditionally reckoned year of the conception or birth of Jesus. Thus, Anno Domini (AD) or the preferred usage Common Era (CE) counts years from this date. Christianity is also marked by other temporal events, such as the Crucifixion, Resurrection, Ascension, and Pentecost. Hinduism, on the other hand, has no one founder or foundational event. This is reflected by the fact that there are many reckoned years in Hinduism: one example is counting years from the beginning of the Kali Yuga. Rajiv Malhotra, in his book Being Different: An Indian Challenge to

Western Universalism (2011, p. 6) differentiates Hinduisms inner knowing from what he ca lls history-centrism, the fixation on specific and often incompatible claims to divine truth revealed
in the course of history. Christianity has one principal scripture, namely, The Bible. It regards the New Testament as the fulfillment of the Old Testament. The Four Gospels are considered normative. Currently, there is debate in the Christian community as to whether the Epistles are normative or informative, particularly as it relates to the role of women in the Church. Hinduism has many scriptures, and the importance accorded to a particular scripture varies by sect or even by individual. Some claim that the Vedas are normative to Hinduism. While many Hindus accept the Vedas as authoritative, they are not central to modern practice and belief. Hinduism also has many other texts, including, but not limited to, the Upanishads, Dharma-shastras, the epics the Mahabharata (of which the Bhagavad-Gita is just a part) and the Ramayana, Brahma-Sutras, Puranas, Tantras, Agamas, and many treatises on these texts ( (Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, 2013). While many Hindus hold the Bhagavad-Gita up as a scripture, the late Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, founder of the Hinduism Today magazine, discouraged his disciples from accepting the Bhagavad-Gita as scripture, as it is smriti , not

sruti

Doctrine and theology

Traditional Christian belief holds that it is only through accepting Jesus Christ as ones Savior that one is saved. While many regard the John 3:16 signs held up at sporting events as a joke,

Julie Binder Maitra

January 5, 2014

John 3:16 nonetheless encapsulates Christian belief: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. The Nicene Creed also codifies Christian belief: I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made. Who, for us men for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father [and the Son]; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets. And I believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen. Malhotra (2011, p. 90) describes the Nicene as a list of historical-theological claims, which is evidence of the history-centrism of Christianity. Orthodox Christian belief holds that those who do not embrace Jesus as their Lord and Savior are condemned to eternal hell. Ram Swarup, in his book Hindu View of Christianity and Islam (1992) calls Christs redemption of sin as vicarious atonement and contrasts this with each persons working out his or her own Julie Binder Maitra 3 January 5, 2014

destiny. Vishal Agarwal, who is preparing a curriculum for a Hindu weekend school in the United States, writes in an unpublished manuscript: Islam and Christianity allow us only one life. They also exhort their followers to spread their religion. Great rewards are promised by the Bible to Christians and by the Koran to Muslims if they spread their religions. Finally, both Islam and Christianity declare that their religions alone lead to salvation and that people who do not subscribe to their beliefs are condemned by God and are destined for eternal Hell. The first factor, combined with the rest, has made a deadly mix ever since these religions were founded. Hinduism, on the other hand, has been different beliefs about God and the world. As noted, there are six orthodox schools of philosophy (Nyaya, Vaiseshika, Samkhya, Yoga, Mimamsa, and Vedanta). Among these, Vedanta has become the most influential school. Within Vedanta, there are three principal schools: Advaita (non-dualist or monist), as expounded by Shankaracharya Vishishtadvaita (qualified) Vedanta, as expounded by Ramanujacharya Dvaita (dualist) Vedanta, as expounded by Madhvacharya Most Hindus believe in rebirth (reincarnation), karma, and dharma; however, as our textbook notes, this belief cannot be the distinguishing feature of Hinduism, as other faith traditions (for example, Jainism and Buddhism) share this belief. One accumulates good karma for a better rebirth through righteous acts. Salvation comes through effort, although Vishishtadvaita Vedanta, which is the predominant philosophy underlying modern Hindu practice and belief, recognizes the role of divine grace in salvation (Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, 2013). Hinduism does not believe in eternal hell, but even there, Hinduism allows for alternative views, as Madhvacharya opined that some people who are so wicked that they cannot be redeemed. Hinduism believes in cyclical manifestation and dissolution of the universe, rather than Judgment Day and end times.

Julie Binder Maitra

January 5, 2014

Ethics
Judeo-Christian1 ethics are codified by the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3-17, New International Version) and the Golden Rule. This paper focuses on Hindu critiques of JudeoChristian ethics. Swarup (1992) regards the Ten Commandments as external and convenantal, as they were delivered through an intermediary prophet (Moses). He writes: Hinduism has nothing like this code; we also find in it highest thinking on ethics. It has a concept particular to it the concept of dharma. It is difficult to define it or even explain it. Its older Vedic name was rita [
]. The concept is both ethical as well as

metaphysical. It says that man ought to do what is right and good, but it adds that to do

the right is also mans very nature, the law of his true being. He is being himself by doing what is right and good. [Italics editor]
Hinduism would also take exception to the First and Second Commandments. The Gospels have several statements of the Golden Rule: Luke 6:31 (NIV): Do to others as you would have them do to you. Matthew 7:12 (NIV): So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sum up the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 22:36-40 (NIV):
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Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law? Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul

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and with your entire mind. [Deut 6:5 (NIV)]

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This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. [Lev. 19:18 (NIV)]

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I use the term Judeo-Christian as the Ten Commandments, Deut. 6:5, and Lev. 19:18 are in the Old Testament.

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January 5, 2014

Swami Vivekananda (1895) notes: Taoists, Confucianists, Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, Mohammedans, Christians, and Zoroastrians, all preached the golden rule and in almost the same words; but only the

Hindus have given the rationale, because they saw the reason: Man must love others because those others are himself. There is but One . [Italics editor]
Malhotra (2011, pp. 191-203) contrasts the single moral code in Judeo-Christianity with

contextual ethics in dharmic traditions. Contextual ethics recognizes separate ethical codes
depending on jati, varna, ashrama, etc., and even specific situations, while it also recognizes universal dharma.

Praxis
Christianity emphasizes attendance at church services. The Eucharist is a sacrament observed by most Christians: it is a weekly observance among Roman Catholics and Eastern Christians, while it is only an occasional observance among Protestants. Prayer is also part of Christian praxis. Bible study is encouraged in Protestantism, while it is becoming accepted by Roman Catholics. The Christian community is split on the use of images in worship: the Roman Catholics and Eastern Christians use images in worship, while Protestantism has considered the use of images as idolatry. Meditation figures only in mystical or esoteric Catholic and Eastern Christian traditions, but it is not the norm. Protestantism has traditionally frowned on mysticism. Hinduism does not put emphasis on temple attendance. The home is the locus for puja, or worship. Images figure strongly in current Hindu worship practice, and the deity inhabits the image upon consecration. Hinduism embraces meditation as a practice, although as one that requires purification of the mind. Malhotra (2011, p. 5) refers to adhyatma-vidya [ ],

or embodied knowing, the extensive range of inner sciences and experiential technologies that are used to access divinity and higher states of consciousness. Christianity promotes evangelism, citing Matthew 28:16-20 (NIV), which is Christ last directive (the Great Commission) to his disciples before his ascension: Julie Binder Maitra 6 January 5, 2014

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Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them

to go.
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When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, All authority in heaven and on earth has been

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given to me.
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Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the

Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

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and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with

you always, to the very end of the age. There have been few proselytizing movements in Hinduism, as Hinduism allows each person to work out their own destiny. However, there are a few examples of Hindu proselytizing, namely by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), informally known as the Hare Krishna movement and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) to bring Christians and Muslims back into the Hindu fold.

Julie Binder Maitra

January 5, 2014

Bibliography
Agarwal, V. (2013). Jnana Yoga. Unpublished manuscript. Malhotra, R. (2011). Being Different. HarperCollins India. Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies. (2013). Understanding Hinduism. Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies. Swarup, R. (1992). Hindu View of Christianity and Islam. Voice of India. Vivekananda, S. (1895, August 4). Complete Works, Volume 7, Inspired Talks. Retrieved from Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda: http://www.ramakrishnavivekananda.info/vivekananda/volume_7/inspired_talks/42_sund ay_august_4.htm

Julie Binder Maitra

January 5, 2014