As I mentioned in my last essay, these next several essays will focus on the great religions of the world. My approach to this subject will be the following:
1. Antiquity- I will begin with the world's most ancient organized religions.
2. Founders- I will, where applicable, talk about the "key players" in the emergence of the particular belief systems.
3. History- I will make mention of the approximate time period in which these communities of faith emerged, and developed.
4. Central beliefs- I will cover in summary, the major theological contents of each faith community.
5. Comparative Religions- I will focus on the major differences and major similarities between the Christian faith and the other major world religions.
I invite you the reader to:
1. Avoid to the highest degree possible, the tendency to evaluate these religions on the basis of your own. For example, don't invalidate the contents of Hinduism or any other religion on the basis of a difference or discrepancy with your own sacred book, i.e. the Bible. As I had mentioned earlier, each community of faith has its own sacred text. The truths or untruths of the religious claims of other faith communities are not contingent on "what the Bible says," anymore than the truths and untruths of "what the Bible says" being contingent on "what the Qu'aran or any other sacred book says."
2. Share with us what in the contents of these religions may or may not be affirmed and embraced from a Christian standpoint. Also, tell us how you think some of these beliefs and practices may be incorporated into Christian belief and practice.
While there are a great many books that cover the topic of comparative religions, for the purposes of these essays, I will be using the book "The Handy Religion Answer Book by Dr. John Renard. Dr. Renard is a Christian who has a Ph.D. in Islamic studies, and has taught courses on Islam and other non-Christian religions
Hinduism is one of the oldest (perhaps the oldest) existing organized religions of humankind. It can be traced back to at least 4000 B.C.E. or B.C. depending on the historical approach one prefers. Dr. Renard informs us that some scholars push the origins back as much as three or four thousand years before that, which would take us to 8000 or 7000 B.C. Hinduism does not trace its origin to a specific individual teacher or foundational figure.
The major texts of Hinduism are the Vedas, and the Upanishads, which like the Bible and other sacred texts, developed over a period of many centuries. These two texts provide insight into the major beliefs and practices of Hinduism.
Hinduism does not have a central creed per se, but a thread of major themes runs through the fabric of the greater Hinduism.
Hinduism believes in a cosmic law known as Dharma. That law manifests itself on the level of individual beings as a potentially endless cycle of birth and rebirth. Hindus also believe in Karma, the notion that all actions have spiritual consequences. They all believe in the concept of Moksha (liberation). Hinduism emphasizes that there are ways of ridding one's action of all ulterior motive and progressing toward the ultimate goal of liberation from the endless cycle of rebirths.
Doctrines and dogmas are not that important for Hindus. As Dr. Renard points out, most Hindus have a great flexibility with respect to the content of their faith.
On the surface, Hinduism appears to be a polytheistic religion, i.e. one which stresses a belief in many gods. However, many Hindus will affirm that they believe in one God, one transcendent spiritual reality, who is manifested in a variety of ways. This position is not a far cry from that of Christian theology which claims that there is only one God who is manifested in the triune relationship of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, or in the doctrine that some Christians in the early centuries adhered to about God being one entity who played three different roles at different times in human history.
Hindus believe that there are many names for God including Vishnu and Shiva. They also believe that these various names conform to the various existing forms of God.
The above-mentioned beliefs are not an exhaustive list of Hindu belief and practice. They give us a general idea of what Hinduism is about. I now invite you to comment on this system of beliefs, keeping in mind, that we are to judge each system of belief on its own merits, and not on the basis of the contents of our faith. Have fun and we look forward to hearing from you. Your contributions will be considered important and valuable.
Grace and peace,
Dr. Juan A. Ayala-Carmona
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