Introduction
Hinduism is one of the largest religions in India and is believed to be the oldest in the world. This faith has multiple traditions, including Shaktism, Vaishnavism, Smartism, and Shaivism. In addition, it is bound to the hierarchical structure of the caste system, which mainly categorizes community members into defined social rankings. Hinduism is an exceedingly diversified religion dependent on social class and historical caste system and is different from modern Christianity.
Hindu Deities in the Trimurti
Brahma is one of the Hinduisms Trimurti and is believed to originate from a cosmic golden egg. This deity is thought to have originated from the Supreme Being, Brahman, at the beginning of time (Jayendra, 2022). One of the narratives of his birth is described by Brahman creating water and then inserting his seed into it. Afterward, the seed generates a cosmic egg from which Brahma emerges.
Another version states that he was born from a lotus that grew out of Vishnu’s navel. In the karmic cycle of life, the role of Brahma was to create the whole world and all creatures. Demons were thought to be born out of Brahma’s thighs, and as the creator abandoned his body, night came into being. Brahma abandoned his body after creating gods, and a day emerged (Jayendra, 2022).
Later, he created men and ancestors every time, abandoning his body to become dawn and dusk. He had many wives, including Sarasvati, who bore the Holy books of Hinduism, religious acts, different units of time and measurement, victory and memory, language, and yoga. These characteristics show the mighty of Brahman, perceived origins, and roles.
Vishnu is the second God of Hinduism. Trimurti is believed to have been created by Ardhanarishvara. He is regarded as the God of preservation and is associated with mortal affairs. His role is to return to the planet, especially in troubled times, and attempt to restore the balance between evil and good for humans and devas (Jayendra, 2022). The third God is Shiva, who has pre-Vedic origins, and his figure evolved as an amalgamation of different older Vedic and non-Vedic deities. The adherents of Hinduism believe that the role of Shiva is to utilize his powers to destroy the imperfections and illusions of the world and re-create it, paving the way for beneficial change.
Analysis of the Caste System of Hinduism
Generally, individuals belong to different social classes attained through inheritance or occupation. The effects of social classes are observed in the dynamics of human relationships and in how positions are represented. The caste system in India offers a hierarchy of societal functions that maintain ingrained features and remain unchanged for the entire life (Leo & Panigrahi, 2021).
An inherent status is connected with one’s caste, which has transited from social duties to hereditary positions with time. According to the system, people born into the Brahmin, an upper-class caste, usually would be scholars and priests, while those born from Shudra would serve as laborers. The caste system also determined individuals’ status in the social hierarchy, their social circle, and the professions they should pursue.
Additionally, it is tied to diverse family patterns, such as son preference and sex ratios at birth (Leo & Panigrahi, 2021). The caste system accorded several benefits to the people from higher castes while sanctioning repression for those in low-class castes by class-privileged persons. Thus, the Hindu conception of social order is that individuals are different and fit well into diverse aspects of society.
Comparison between St. Thomas Church’s Practices and Principles with Hinduism Beliefs
St. Thomas Church of South India is an ethnoreligious group of Indian Christians who mainly employ the liturgical rites of Syriac Christianity. The practices and beliefs of Hinduism that may be compared to the St. Thomas Church include the principles of karma, dharma, all-pervasive divinity, and reincarnation (Naumescu, 2019).
The first key belief is the law of karma, which holds that individuals’ actions ultimately determine what they get. From a Christian perspective based on the St. Thomas church, the actions of people are already flawed by sin, and because of that, they are destined for hell. However, since Jesus died on the cross to redeem human society, Christians will not suffer the consequences of their sins.
Another belief is the dharma, God’s divine law that governs creation (Goswami, 2021). It sustains order to moral and religious principles that bind people to create harmony within the universe. In Christianity, dharma would be equated to the Holy Bible, which is the standard of truth and consists of guiding laws that govern the morals and behavior of people.
All-pervasive divinity is another key Hindu belief, which holds that Brahma is the overarching creator of all divinities. Even though Hindu adherents believe in one God, they also worship other lower-ranking gods, such as Devas. In contrast, the Christians of the St. Thomas Church of South India believe in only one God (Goswami, 2021).
Finally, the belief in reincarnation revolves around the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. Karma is integral to this cycle since it determines what people will be reincarcerated. On the contrary, in the Christian context, the belief is to die away from one’s bodily form and take on a spiritual form after death but not to be transmigrated. Christians believe they live an eternal life with their creator in heaven after death.
Barriers Faced by Hindus When Seeking to Understand the Gospel
A Hindu believer may encounter many challenges while seeking to understand the gospel since their teachings differ broadly from Christianity’s. For instance, Christians believe in Jesus Christ as the savior, while Hindus believe in and worship many gods and goddesses (Usama et al., 2022). Another reason why it is hard for a Hindu to understand the gospel is that, from their perspective, an individual is born into a cosmic order that includes social and religious roles. These believers are tolerant towards individuals who participate in activities outside their culture. On the contrary, Christians are asked by missionaries to leave their old religious identities behind, and Hindus consider this as a direct act of aggression against their traditional and spiritual way of life.
Furthermore, Hindus do not believe in Yahweh as the God of the universe, the trinity revealed in the gospel, believe in reincarnation, and do not believe the Bible to be the inspired word of God. On the other hand, the gospel teaches that there is only one God, Jesus is entirely God and not a manifestation of the Hindu god, Brahman, and finally denies the concept of reincarnation. Moreover, Hinduism teachings state that their religion is holy, pure, and admirable, and thus, defecting from it, an individual becomes polluted, impure, and defiled.
Therefore, Hinduism adherent perceives Christian teachings as of low ethical and moral standards. As a result, they resist and oppose Christianity’s teachings about conversion since they view it as a means of coercion and persuasion (Goswami, 2021). All these contrasting teachings would make it hard for a Hindu to understand the gospel.
Ways of Engaging Followers of Hinduism by Christians
One of the ways a Christian may engage with a Hindu is by using stories to effectively communicate the forgiveness of Jesus to Hindus. These followers are accustomed to learning through narratives in their religion and culture. It is essential to explain the gospel using illustrations and stories from the Bible to which they can relate (Cooper et al., 2019).
The Christian should also explain to the Hindu that God loves and cares for His people but is not an impersonal entity. Moreover, they should help Hindu believers understand that the only way to achieve salvation is by having faith in Jesus Christ. The Christian should help the Hindu understand that God is the sole creator of the universe and everything in it.
Similarly, the fall of Adam is the transition of the first man and woman from the state of God’s obedience to a condition of guilty disobedience. The hope that may be found from this fall is the promised redemption in the works and person of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Son of God, and through his crucifixion and subsequent resurrection, God offered humankind eternal life and salvation.
Conclusion
Hinduism is a diverse system of thought characterized by various spiritual beliefs. Thus, the concept of God and goddesses rests upon the philosophy and the denominations that constitute an adherence of devotees. The caste system in India dictates the occupations an individual pursues and other aspects of their social lives.
Additionally, there are many differences between the Christians of St. Thomas Church of South India and the key beliefs of Hinduism. Lastly, due to the varied teachings of Hinduism and Christianity, a Hindu seeking to understand the gospel might experience challenges, including beliefs about the person of Jesus Christ, the Holy Trinity, and life after death.
References
Cooper, A. N., May, R. W., Fincham, F. D., & Kamble, S. V. (2019). God (s) in minds: Understanding deity representation in Christian and Hindu families through social relations modeling. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 11(2), 111. Web.
Goswami, S. (2021). A multi-perspective approach to “spiritual India”. In S. Goswami (Ed.), Phenomenological Approaches to Religion and Spirituality (pp. 154-170). IGI Global. Web.
Jayendra, P. S. (2022). The existence of Shiva in Lontar Purwaka Bhumi. Religious Manuscripts in Multculturalism for A Better Live (Humanity and Peace)
International Seminar 4 &5 September 2015, 108-113. Web.
Leo, I., & Panigrahi, D. (2021). Caste discrimination and social change in India. Journal of Social Responsibility, Tourism and Hospitality, 1(02), 1-6. Web.
Naumescu, V. (2019). Pedagogies of prayer: Teaching orthodoxy in South India. Comparative Studies in Society and History, 61(2), 389-418. Web.
Usama, H. A., Alvi, F., & Anjum, F. (2022). Existence of the universe and the theory of pantheism in Hinduism. PalArch’s Journal of Archaeology of Egypt/Egyptology, 19(3), 577-589. Web.