A Dialogue Between A Christian An A Hindu About Religion

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The “Dialogue between and Christian and a Hindu about Religion” (Javābasvāla aika krīstīān aura aika hīṃdu ke bīca mo imāna ke upara) was written in about 1751 by Giuseppe Maria da Gargnano with help from his Capuchin friend and colleague, Cassiano da Macerata, and from an unnamed Brahmin teacher. This teacher apparently taught Giuseppe Maria to read Hindustani and some Sanskrit, instructed him in the basics of Hindu religion, and corrected the Hindustani text of the “Dialogue”. A copy of the Hindustani text was first presented to the raja of Bettiah in 1751. Subsequently, an undetermined number of hand-made copies were distributed among persons in the Bettiah area. A copy of the Hindustani text in an Indian script related to nagari, dated in 1751, together with an Italian version was sent to Rome and is now in the Vatican Library (Borg. ind. 11). Another copy of the text, dated in 1787, is also found in the same Library (Borg. ind. 16). In the context of the still limited progress of European studies of Indian languages and culture in Giuseppe Maria’s historical period, and despite the shortcomings of his own cultural upbringing and intellectual training, the Hindu-Christian dialogu remains a pioneering linguistic and religious experiment.

Hindus and Christians have a long history of interaction on the Indian subcontinent. Since the latter half of the twentieth century, with the increased possibilities for immigration, Hindus and Christians live side by side in many parts of the Western world and there are growing numbers of Hindu-Christian marriages and families. In North America, for example, the population of Hindus is approaching three million. Hindu students are attending many colleges with a Christian history and ideals. To avoid the dangers of these communities sharing geographical space but not understanding each other, Pathways to Hindu-Christian Dialogue offers dialogue that fosters mutual understanding, respect, and learning in both communities.

Dialogue is an integral part of the mission of the Christian church. The immensity of the ocean of Hindu doctrine and thought presents a significant obstacle to Christians who have been invited by the Roman Catholic Church to “scrutinize the divine Mystery” present in other religions. Many, fascinated by Hindu mysticism, confuse permanent Hindu beliefs with certain current Western religious movements. India’s quest for the divine embodies multiple forms. Its millennia-old methods of meditation and varieties of asceticism often confuse those who are less inclined to experience of an inner spiritual nature. This book attempts to address some of these difficulties and questions. It is the author’s belief that in the Hindu-Christian encounter the Christian believer will also rediscover the originality and newness of the Christian revelation, viz. the intervention of God in the history of salvation whereby God reveals his salvific love in Jesus Christ. Possessing expert knowledge of both Hinduism and Christianity, the author approaches the Hindu-Christian dialogue with sympathy and discernment.

Argues that Christian dialogue with other faiths is an integral part of our call to proclaim the message of Christ.

A selection of themes from the two religions of Hinduism and Christianity, chosen to highlight the central concerns of both, while not neglecting their internal diversity and also maintaining a balance between doctrine and practice, in order to compare like with like. The themes addressed are the nature of the divine, divine interaction with mankind, authority and mediation, devotionalism and personal piety, meditation and asceticism, social values and morality, and teleology; the final chapter then outlines the history of contact and dialogue between the two religions. Although the treatment is thematic, the process of historical development is given due attention.

Muthuraj Swamy provides a fresh perspective on the world religions paradigm and 'interreligious dialogue'. By challenging the assumption that 'world religions' operate as essential entities separate from the lived experiences of practitioners, he shows that interreligious dialogue is in turn problematic as it is built on this very paradigm, and on the myth of religious conflict. Offering a critique of the idea of 'dialogue' as it has been advanced by its proponents such as religious leaders and theologians whose aims are to promote inter-religious conversation and understanding, the author argues that this approach is 'elitist' and that in reality, people do not make sharp distinctions between religions, nor do they separate political, economic, social and cultural beliefs and practices from their religious traditions. Case studies from villages in southern India explore how Hindu, Muslim and Christian communities interact in numerous ways that break the neat categories often used to describe each religion. Swamy argues that those who promote dialogue are ostensibly attempting to overcome the separate identities of religious practitioners through understanding, but in fact, they re-enforce them by encouraging a false sense of separation. The Problem with Interreligious Dialogue: Plurality, Conflict and Elitism in Hindu-Christian-Muslim Relations provides an innovative approach to a central issue confronting Religious Studies, combining both theory and ethnography.

During two extended visits to India, Professor Pohlmann became fascinated with Hindu life and set out to discover more, not through books but by meeting and talking with Hindus, particularly Hindu priests. He interviewed more than one hundred of them in and around Bangalore, making sure that the conversations included discussions of a series of key questions including, Are there many gods or one God? What is the difference between Hinduism and Christianity? What is the meaning and goal of life? Are your afraid of death? He also has long conversations with two gurus and vigorous discussions with the students and staff of United Theological College, Bangalore.