Different viewpoints on Christianity and Hinduism have been seen in the forum and some might be fanatic and some are tolerant. Either way, each person has the reasons to believe in whatever they say. But a couple questions and concerns that arise in my mind after reading the posts are below.
India has been accepting and tolerant to all the religions from ancient times. And therefore, we are able to see a follower of each and every religion in India! Indians accepted Christianity from St. Thomas also. From some of the posts we had, it seems like we are arguing that everyone is saying the truth and we are too and that all are different ways to God! All religions have the reasons to believe in whatever they do, and there are explanations too. We do have meaning for everything we do, and they might look weird for someone outside the Church who has no idea about what is going on. Similar is the case when a normal Christian looks at Hindu practices, especially under the impression that we are the truth and they are not. This cannot be fully accepted! But at the same time, while trying to teach the Christian fanatics to try to understand the meanings in Hinduism, aren’t we getting too liberal? It almost seems like we are saying everyone is correct and we are too, and we have no idea of what God is going to do, and hence we are not bothered!
True that we cannot fully understand the reasoning behind God’s plan of who is getting saved. At the same time, are we forgetting the sacrifice that Jesus made? Didn’t Jesus lower Himself to the humans becoming a human to make us reach God? I understand Jesus Christ as the ultimate revelation of God to the humans and the ‘only’ way to reach God. If it was not, then what was the point of His sacrifice? If Hinduism gives me an option to reach God, then why shall I be a Christian? Why did the apostles preach the good news to the whole world if Christ wasn’t the ‘only’ way?
How does the different religions and their million gods correlate with the sacrifice that opened an entrance for the sinful humans in to God’s presence? And therefore, how shall we deal with the tolerance of other religions? Aren’t we supposed to preach about Christ to others? Isn’t what the apostles did? That does not necessarily mean to preach that whatever you see outside the Church is wrong like some do!
What is the view of evangelization in our Church? And when I say evangelization, it is not the way Protestants see it, and I am not overwhelmed by their ways! But, I do believe that evangelization is a mission of the Church. How do we evangelize if we are forgetting to preach the sacrifice of Christ and is accepting other religions as other ways to God?
6 comments:
I dont think theres any clear cut view of evangelization in our church, how many times somebody has preached abt "Christ is the only way" message in our church, either we are not convinced enough to say it boldy or may be the fear of sounding like a protestant. Personally I came to the revelation through bible studies I had with my protestant friends.
The theology and history of the ancient Church does speak and gives clear idea of evangelization. At the same time, the Protestants do it in a very different way which is not acceptable to us too. It is a need at this time to initiate awareness in the people about the evangelical mission of our Church, I believe.
Just because of curiosity, may I know who you are?
Then whats the most applicable way to spread the message in our church today, why isnt "sharing the message" idea encouraged, why is the fact that everyone wants to be on the safe side of tolerance. Except for few in our church who has taken the time to get to the real crux, everybody wants to advocate if you do good things in life you will get to heaven no matter which way you take.
The effective way to spread the message is our own transformation. When we transform to what the Bible says we should be, the people around us will see and will get transformed. It is our job to preach the word of God too. But preaching is not like by having a convention here and there, but by dissolving in the community we are preaching in and by preaching it in a way that they can accept it. They should not feel like Christianity is alien, but as their own and that Christ has tranformed their own very culture and community!
I totally agree with you on the message of our own transformation,
thats the orthodox (little bit passive) way of spreading the gospel. Our saints, parishners all have shown us that way but what I am saying is, in todays world where people dont have the time to seek God themselves, they should get the message in whatever small time they spent in fellowship. Atleast be clear in some of the bible truths like I have listed below, so that they wont be dumbstruck when they hear it from somebody else and think orthodoxy is completely wrong and leave us for the new found faith.
1. What is the wrath of God?
2. How was it satisfied in Calvary?
3. Whats the significance of sinless bloodshed?
4. Where bible teaches Jesus is the son of God and he is the only way by which human race can be saved?
5. What is the importance of Jesus's resurrection?
6. Why are we looking forward to his second coming?
7. Whats rapture and the events followed by it?(Which I am not clear about what our church teaches-evangelicals teach it with a 7 year time frame)
I feel like I should include this here, when king Hezekiah destroyed the bronze snake( Nehushtan, 2Kings 18:4) Moses had made which the people of Israel was worshiping so that he could restore true worship, God wasn't angry with him but blessed him with more years of life. I feel like its time for revival for us too..
http://www.orthodoxphotos.com/readings/end/rapture.shtml
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