Jesus Goes to Asia and Encounters Other Masters

Jesus Goes To Asia and Encounters Other Masters

(There is no shortage of literature arguing that Jesus really did visit India. The title of this lecture refers not to a physical but to an intellectual encounter between Jesus and Asia).

In the Acts of Thomas (2nd century Syrian) Thomas was sold into slavery by The Risen Jesus and reached India in 52 CE.

King Gundaphorus commanded him to build a Palace. Thomas replied he would build him a heavenly palace. Was imprisoned. Miraculously released: King converted. 72 CE martyred. 100 brahmans converted. Christians in Kerela followed Syrian rites. Became a majority - now about 20%. State has highest literacy rate and a Marxist governemt. See Arundhati Roy's novel The God of Small Things which is set among the Syrian Christians of Kerela, who are still regarded as 'high caste'. Roy says that Christianity seeped into Kerela like tea from a tea bag!

When Catholic missionaries reached India (sixteenth century) they were amazed to find Christians WHO HAD NEVER HEARD OF THE POPE!!!!!!!! Subsequently, some Syriacs became UNIATE, some reformed (Mar Thoma Church), some remained Orthodox.

Early Catholic missionaries, such as Robert de Nobili (1577 - 1657) were respectful of Indian culture/used Hindu language/adopted Sunyasins' dress/ called God satguru, sin = ignorance; salvation = Moksa. He was disturbed by the foreign (feringhee) image of converts who, unlike the Syrian Christians, were mainly from low or 'out caste' groups. Problem trying to dialogue on one hand with Brahmans while serving as pastor of outcastes on the other.

Francis Xavier (1506 - 1552): set example of respectful attitude towards Indians and Indian culture. Buried at Goa. When I attended his Feast Day mass in Goa, there were many Hindus present. Befriended Buddhist Abbot; left behind converts in Japan who probably thought they had converted to another form of Buddhism!

A similar pattern (initial rspect, later antagonism) repeated itself with Protestants.

William Carey (1761 - 1834). Arrived in India before missionaries were allowed. Company policy: do not interfere in local customs. Some British officials valued Indian culture e.g. Sir William Jones (1746 - 94). Carey believed that Indians could best evangelize India. Translated Bible; tried to render into Indian metaphor/thought. Translated the Ramayana: criticized for wasting time. At Serampore, included Indian languages, literature alongside Western science. Later colleagues, such as William Ward (1769 - 1823) wrote very critically of Hindu superstition, polytheism, idolatry. Many missionaries openly denounced Hinduism as satanic. Gandhi wrote: 'missionaries used to stand in the corner near The high schools and hold forth, pouring abuse on Hindus and Their Gods. I could not endure this' (An Autobiography,, Penguin, London, 1982 p 46). Thich Naht Hahn (Vietnamese Buddhist scholar) cites Alexander de Rhodes: Just as when a cursed, barren tree is cut down, the branches that are still on it will also fall, when the sinister and deceitful Sakya is defeated The idolatrous fabrications that proceed from him & … (Living Buddha, Living Christ NY, Riverhead Books, 1995 p 5).

Max Müller (1823 - 1900) pioneered the idea that India' s past was of value, her present decadent. Supported Hindu/Buddhist reform movements.

1813: Charter of East India Company changed; 'pious clause' . T. B Macauley (1800 - 59) Education minute; Govnt. Money only to support Western/English learning, since a single shelf of a good European library was worth the whole native lit. of India and Arabia . Education would produce Indians English in taste, culture, opinions, etc. who would mediate between the British and the masses. Missionary educationalists endorsed this trickle-down policy. High caste and Western educated Indians would evengelize India. William Miller (1838 - 1923) Founded, Madras Christian College/ moderator, Free Church of Scotland, 1896 'Very largely, when contrasted with tendencies in Hinduism, European thought is Christian thought' . Macauley thought to support Hinduism = 'high treason against humanity and civilization' .

RESULT

Christians were regarded as Europeanized/ de-nationalized. Note: recent efforts at inculturating the Gospel/use of Indian music/forms of worship. Hindu critics see this as merely a strategy eg Arun Shourie (Indian journalist and political activist):' We thus have three trends From calumny to expressions of empathy From the claim to being the sole possessors of Truth to an ecumenism From uniformity to contextualization' & "The dilemma remains unresolved: to the extent that the Church merely dons these ancient forms of cultural Expression [which it previously condemned] & the Inculturation remains an artiface, a device; to the extent that It genuinely interna;lizes them, it forfeits its mission' ( Missionaries in India New Delhi, ASA, 1994 p 228;. p 230) John Nicol Farquhar (1861 - 1929) Wrote how Hindus regard 'missionary propaganda as an unjustifiable attack on the national spirit and genius & [on] whatever bears the name Hindu, as destroyers of & that marvel of intellectual and civic achievement which is known as Hindu Culture …' . (1913 p 33). Christians tended to convert on caste lines. Thus, in a given village different castes were reflected by denominational divisions. Caste remains an issue within the Indian church. However, this also gave much impetus to Christian unity. Two United churches have developed: Church of South India (1947) And Church of North India (1970).

Early Jesuits in China used Chinese in the mass, allowed ancestor Veneration and reverence for Confucius as a civil custom . God was Lord of Heaven . Reversed in 17th Century: Latin mass, no ancestor veneration (God Could be called Lord of heaven" . Reversal came from ROME but at the request of younger missionaries who criticized the pioneers as syncretists. Timothy Richard (1845 - 1919) Baptist missionary in China. Developed rapport with Chinese culture/ saw value and truth in Taoism and Buddhism. Once read a Buddhist books and stated 'This is a Christian book, though the terms are Buddhist, the thought is Christian'. Said to colleague who objected to converts keeping ancestor tablets 'Are you going to burn your parents' photographs!'" When he returned to China after a furlough (1884) younger Missionaries refused to work with him: 'This acknowledgment of any good in the native religion was Condemned as rank heresy in the opinion of some of my young Colleagues', he wrote. Worked free lance then was seconded to literary work. Involved in national reform movement & advisor to Chinese Governt. on Christian Missions. Said that thousands of Chinese revered him as a Sage

Three Christian Approaches to the Religious Other 1) Exclusivist. non-Christian religions are evil, Satanic. Justin Martyr, (Apology, 5 - 6) says that the Demons copied the things of Christ, knowing beforehand what he would teach. This is to confuse/oppose the Truth. Or: other religions are human efforts to find God, represent a Genuine hunger for/seeking after God. They can not, however, FIND God.

Hendrik Kraemer (1888 - 1965), The Christian Message in a Non- Christian World (1938) Tambaram Missioanry Conference, IMC. Religions = a valid perception of the 'totality of existence' but only in Christ is the totality of existence disclosed . Only in Christ has God moved savingly towards humanity (John 14: 6). Kraemer valued religions' aspirations. Missionaries needed accurate and sympathetic knowledge in order to present gospel meaningfully within different worldviews. However, all religion must be displaced by the Revelation of God in Christ. Kraemer called this Biblical realism, arguing that the Bible places 'the Christian revelation over and against the many efforts to comprehend the totality of existence. It asserts itself as the record of God s self-disclosure and re- creating revelation ' (p 113) Social Service not the end of mission, only a method of approach (p 298).

2) Pluralism. All religions are equally valid and common praxis for liberation and justice ought to replace competition. Argued by William Ernest Hocking (1873 - 1966) and the 1932 Re-thinking Missions report. Dismayed that many missionaries saw nothing good in the Religions. Argued that new world system, economy, science, opened up possibility of a world faith. All religions contain a core of truth; the inalienable religious intuition of the human soul. The spread of righteousness is a cosmic demand. Often associated with John Hick. He argues that all religions perceive an aspect of the Ultimate/ note no revelation . He does not see all Religions as equal: some are better than others at leading people from self-centerdness to Other centerdness but given cultural givenness of each religion, invidious to compile a league table.

3) John Nicol Farquhar advocated a fulfillment approach. He saw much of value but also much that is debased, in Hinduism. However, the best aspects of Hindu thought/practice find their completion in Christ/ worse are corrected in Christ; 'Every true motive which in Hinduism has found expression in Unclean, debasing or unworthy practices finds in Him fullest Exercise & In Him is focused every ray of light that shines in Hinduism. He is the Crown of the faith of India' (p 458, The Crown of Hinduism, London, Humphrey Milford, 1913). Hinduism may point to Jesus, as Justin said did the Greek schoolmasters. Apology 1, 46: 'He is the Word of whom every race of men Were partakers; and those who lived with reason are Christians, even thought they were thought atheists & Socrates, Heraclitus ...' However, Jesus is absent until supplied - from outside. Hinduism/ Buddhism/ Chinese religion may anticipate Christian truth, may not need to be 'thrown out' when Christianity comes, but remain incomplete (a seeking not a finding) until Christ crowns these aspirations.

At Tambaram, A. G Hogg (1875 - 1954) disagreed. Hindus as Hindus could seek and FIND God. Gandhi was a man whose life was hidden in God, and he could have no religious concern for Gandhi. He suggested that the Biblical witness leaves open the possibility that other sheep will be in the kingdom. In non- Christian faith we may meet with a something that is not merely a seeking but in real measure a finding, and a finding that [may help Christians] to make fresh discoveries in their own faith]. Gandhi said that if being a Christian is living by the principle that Was embodied in him, then India is Christian. M. M Thomas' The Acknowledged Christ of the Indian Renaissance (2nd ed, 1991) shows how Christ is widely respected in modern Hindu thought but not as the missionaries presented his one and only claims. Jesus is one through whom God speaks, one through whom Isvara can be known and revered. See also the Dalai Lama and Thich Naht Hanh on Jesus. Jesus is a Buddha-like pointer towards the 'end' but not unique.

Raimundo Panikkar The Unknown Christ of Hinduism Banglalore, Asian Trading Corp. (1981). Christ = Isvara. God = Brahman. Brahman is ineffable, but turns towards the world as Isvara. God is ineffable, but turns towards the world in Jesus. The spirit is ananda = bliss. Jesus does not have to be supplied, only named (Acts 17: 23)°lw=

Attempts to categorize Christian responses

Owen Thomas in Attitudes Towards Other Religions London, SCM (1969) offers 10 Categories: 1. Rationalism - natural religion, human reason. 2. Romanticism - intuition, imagination, God-consciousness. 3. Relativism - all religions are relatively true 4. Exclusivism - only Christianity is true 5. Dialectic - truth/Revelation resides in Christianity but religions be fulfilled by /are awaiting fulfillment in Christ 6. Reconciliation - religions can co-operate and share their insights 7. Tolerance - religions can live and let live 8. Dialogue - religions can enter creative exchange 9. Catholicism - all religions are anonymously Christian. 10. Presence - Christ is already present but unnamed in the Religions.

David Lockhead in The Dialogical Imperative London, SCM (1988) 4 Relational Modes. 1. Ideology of Isolation: Light and Darkness. 2. Ideology of Hostility: Other as Anti Christ 3. The Ideology of Competition 4. The Ideology of Partnership: The Universal God

Alan Race in Christians And Religious Pluralism (1983; 2nd ed, London, SCM (1993) offers

The Three Paradigms

1. Exclusivism eg Kraemer 2. Inclusivism eg Karl Rahner 3. Pluralism eg John Hick

Lesslie Newbigin (1909 - 1998) in The Gospel in a Pluralist Society, London, SPCK (1989) offers a critique of the three paradigms. He argues that the issue for Christians is not who is saved, but the imperative to preach. See Romans 15: 23.

'The position which I have outlined is exclusivist in the sense that it affirms the unique truth of the revelation in Jesus Christ, but it is not exclusivist in the sense of denying the possibility of salvation of the non-Christian. It is inclusivist in the sense that it refuses to limit the saving grace of God to the members of the Christian Church, but it rejects the inclusivism which regards the non- Christian religions as vehicles of salvation. It is pluralist in the sense of acknowledging the gracious work of God in the lives of all human beings, but it rejects a pluralism which denies the uniqueness of what God has done in Jesus Christ' (pp 182 - 183).