Introduction
Hinduism is one of the most ancient and well-spread religions that currently exist. With almost 900 million followers around the globe, it is broadly recognized as a world religion and is ranked third after Christianity and Islam. The vast majority of its followers are located in India, as it originated and developed in the same region for thousands of years. Hence, Hinduism plays a considerable role in theology and may significantly influence other religions, including Christianity. Even though Christianity and Hinduism differ in many aspects, there are some important similarities. Therefore, these similar views may contribute to the achievement of common goals of both Christians and Hindus. Sufficient knowledge regarding the history and the fundamental values of Hinduism may be the key to sharing Christ with Hindus.
Hinduism
As already mentioned, Hinduism is the third largest religion, with a considerable portion of its followers located in India. However, it may be essential to acknowledge that Hinduism is not a consistent, monolithic religion, unlike Christianity or Islam. Hinduism is a combination of diverse beliefs and values shared among its followers1. Therefore, it may be challenging to identify unified principles and practices, as they may differ from one community to another. Nonetheless, it may be possible to outline core elements of Hinduism, which remain relatively consistent among Hindus. In order to achieve that goal, it might be highly beneficial to investigate the history of Hinduism.
Origin of Hinduism
Hinduism is a relatively ancient religion that originated in the South-Western and Southern regions of Asia. According to some sources, Hinduism is at least 4,000 years old, as it was first mentioned during the Vedic period. Nonetheless, unlike in the case of other religions, there is no date of foundation and no historical figure representing the founder. Hence, there is a high probability that faith originated as a part of folklore and was predominantly developed by its followers. Such background may serve as an explanation for the absence of unified practices and beliefs. Even though the frameworks of Hinduism are diverse and inconsistent, there are some elements that unite Hindus. One of these elements is represented by the stories about interrelations between gods and humans. These stories introduce the major figures of Hinduism and remain relatively consistent regardless of the circumstances.
The most significant figures in the Hindu pantheon include Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Devi, Krishna, Lakshmi, and Saraswati. Therefore, Hinduism is a polytheistic religion that encourages followers to worship many gods and goddesses. However, there are deities that are more important than others. For instance, Brahma plays a central role as he represents the God who created the world and life2. Vishnu is responsible for the creation, protection, and transformation of the universe. Shiva is another principal deity in Hinduism that destroys the world in order to rebuild it. Devi or Mahadevi is a goddess who represents beauty, strength, fame, and wisdom. Krishna and Lakshmi are the God of love and the Goddess of wealth, respectively. Finally, Saraswati is the Goddess of knowledge, art, music, and learning.
Holy books and texts play a considerable role in studying the history of Hinduism as they provided valuable knowledge regarding different elements of religion and time periods when they emerged. Hindu scriptures can be divided into two major groups, which are Shruti and Smriti. Shruti refers to Holy Scriptures and books that emerged during the Vedic period, while Smirti represents literature of the post-Vedic period3. There are four major Vedas, including Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, Atharvaveda. Each Veda consists of Upanishads, Samhitas, Brahmanas, and Aranyakas. These texts represent an essential part of Hinduism as they outline core principles and serve as a strand that unites Hindus.
Hinduism Core Beliefs and Principles
As already mentioned, beliefs and practices may vary significantly among the followers of Hinduism. Nevertheless, there is a number of basic values and principles shared within the community. One of these core beliefs is the belief in the soul, which may also be referred to as Atma4. This is an essential belief as it is closely related to a number of other significant tenets of Hinduism. To some extent, the belief in Atma is an inseparable part of the religion. Hindus believe that not only humans but every living creature has a soul. Each of these souls is a part of a Supreme Soul, which is called Parmatma. Moreover, human souls and animal souls are similar and equally important. The soul travels through millions of lives in animal bodies before it enters a human body. Hence, the ultimate goal of life is to unite with the Supreme Soul or, in other words, achieve Moksha. It is particularly important not to waste such an opportunity as the soul enters a new body depending on Karma after death.
Therefore, Karma is another critical concept that represents an inseparable element of Hinduism. Karma is a combination of all things that people do throughout life. It may change depending on the nature of committed deeds. For instance, bad actions may cause bad Karma, which is also referred to as sin, while good things improve Karma. It is particularly important as bad Karma does not only cause suffering during the current life but also influences the process of reincarnation. People with bad Karma may get punished by entering an animal body in their next lives. Belief in reincarnation is also important and shared with such religions as Buddhism and Jainism. The concept proposes that the soul is immortal, and hence death is only linked with the material body. After death, the soul changes the body until it unites with the Supreme Soul by achieving Moksha. As already mentioned, Karma plays a significant role in reincarnation as it determines what body the soul will enter.
Another essential concept is Dharma, which represents a set of rules and moral principles. Therefore, it is closely linked with the concept of Karma, and Hindus strive to achieve Dharma. Finally, Vedas are considered to be an ultimate authority within the religion. Hindus believe that Vedas are eternal and continue to exist after the destruction and recreation of the universe. These books contain fundamental information regarding mantras, rituals, sacrifices, meditation, and even philosophy. Therefore, they play a significant role in establishing a relatively unified approach to Hinduism among its followers.
Interview Discoveries
Hinduism is a complex religion with a wide variety of beliefs and values that may differ among its followers. Hence, it may be challenging to understand Hinduism comprehensively within a short period of time. It may be rational to conduct an interview with a representative of Hindus in order to understand Hinduism better. Such knowledge may play a considerable role in the development of an appropriate approach to sharing Christ with the followers of Hinduism. Therefore, the interview contained questions regarding the most important aspects of religion, including practices, places of worship, beliefs, views on sin, means of salvation, major goals, and use of images and symbols. The answers were used to compare and contrast the core elements of Christianity and Hinduism in order to find common ground.
Similarities
Even though Hinduism and Christianity have a number of unique features, there are some similarities. First, both religions view the soul of an individual as an immortal substance and interpret death as the end of the physical body. Second, there is a similar set of actions, which are considered to be inappropriate and are referred to as sings. Moreover, both Christians and Hindus believe that people will get punished for their sins after death. Third, both religions view salvation as one of the most important goals in life. However, the means of salvation are slightly different within Christianity and Hinduism. In addition, God plays an essential role in the process of salvation in Christianity. In Hinduism, a similar concept exists, yet it may differ by sect and is not shared among all Hindus. Finally, both Hindus and Christians believe in the destruction of the universe. Nonetheless, the concepts of Hinduism imply its eventual recreation, which is a considerable difference. Finally, both religions rely significantly on the use of images and statues.
Differences
A significant number of differences were identified during the interview. First, Christianity is a monotheistic religion, whereas in Hinduism, there is a large number of different Gods. Even though Brahma may be viewed as one of the most important Gods, Hindus may devote themselves to any deity within Hinduism. Second, Christianity and Hinduism have different perspectives on the source of authority. Christians view the Bible as the most important manuscript, whereas Hindus rely significantly on tradition. However, Vedas may also be considered to be the most important manuscripts within Hinduism. Third, Jesus Christ is the founder of Christianity, whereas Hinduism does not have a founder. Instead, it derived from traditions and folklore, which was passed down from generation to generation.
Another striking difference is related to the perception of reality. Christianity views the world as an objective reality created by God, whereas Hindus believe that the world is an illusion or Maya. The primary goals of these two religions also differ significantly. In Hinduism, the purpose of existence is to break the cycle of death and reincarnation in order to become one with the Supreme Soul. By contrast, the goal of Christianity is to seek salvation by glorifying God, obeying commandments, and spreading the Gospel. A significant distinction between Christianity and Hinduism is also linked with the perception of the clergy. In Christianity, there is an official clergy, including priests, bishops, monks, and nuns. Even though there are also priests, yogis, and gurus in Hinduism, they are unofficial representatives of the clergy and may differ considerably from one community to another. Finally, these two religions rely on different practices, as Christianity involves prayers and reading of the Bible, whereas Hindus practice yoga, meditation, and communal worship.
Sharing Christ with Hindus
Overall, Hinduism is a complex religion with a wide variety of forms and unique structures. Hence, it differs significantly from the concepts of Christianity, and it may be challenging to share Christ with the followers of Hinduism5. Nonetheless, there are still some similarities related to core values and goals. It may be possible to share Christ with Hindus if an appropriate methodology is utilized6. First, an individual’s perception of Hinduism is closely linked with the views on tradition. It may be highly beneficial to communicate with an individual in order to understand personal views on Hinduism better. As Hinduism is flexible and diverse, it is particularly important to introduce an individual approach. Moreover, it may be possible to combine the traditions of Hinduism with the concepts of Christianity. Such an approach would allow a person to convert without losing connection with the community. Hindus people view devotion as an essential part of their religion. Hindus may devote their lives to an individual deity without abandoning their family and tradition. It may be possible to encourage followers of Hinduism to devote their lives to Christ while maintaining close connections with the frameworks of Hinduism.
Conclusion
Hinduism and Christianity differ drastically as they imply unique values and principles. Moreover, the relationship with God is perceived differently, and, in some cases, beliefs even contradict each other. However, even though it may be complicated to share Christ with an individual who follows Hinduism, there are some similarities that may contribute to the achievement of that goal. It is essential to understand the concepts of Hinduism as a whole and the values and traditions of a particular individual in order to convert Hindus into Christianity successfully.
References
Barua, Ankur. “Comparative Study of Hinduism.” Hinduism (2017).
Fowler, Jeaneane D. Hinduism Beliefs & Practices. Eastbourne: Sussex Academic Press, 2014.
Plau, Adrian. “Early Modern Hinduism.” The Oxford History of Hinduism: Modern Hinduism (2019): 17–35.
Ramachandran, Ranganathan. A History of Hinduism: The Past, Present, and Future. Los Angeles: SAGE, 2018.
Rangan, Nalini. Hinduism. Philadelphia: Mason Crest Publishers, 2018.
Rocklin, Alexander. “Converting Religion.” The Regulation of Religion and the Making of Hinduism in Colonial Trinidad (2019): 37–72.
Footnotes
- Adrian Plau, “Early Modern Hinduism,” The Oxford History of Hinduism: Modern Hinduism (2019): 17-35.
- Ranganathan Ramachandran, A History of Hinduism: The Past, Present, and Future (Los Angeles: SAGE, 2018).
- Nalini Rangan, Hinduism (Philadelphia: Mason Crest Publishers, 2018).
- Jeaneane D. Fowler, Hinduism Beliefs & Practices (Eastbourne: Sussex Academic Press, 2014).
- Adrian Plau, “Early Modern Hinduism,” The Oxford History of Hinduism: Modern Hinduism (2019): 17-35.
- Alexander Rocklin, “Converting Religion,” The Regulation of Religion and the Making of Hinduism in Colonial Trinidad (2019): 37-72.