Compare Christianity and Hinduism

Christianity and Hinduism -- Similarities and Differences

Christianity and Hinduism

This paper will provide a comparison and contract of Christianity and Hinduism with particular regard to the subjects of monotheism and eschatology. Christian monotheistic practice and Hindu monotheism will be highlighted, and the end-times philosophies of each religion are reviewed with regard to structure and caste system.

Monotheism

Christianity has always stood out as a monotheistic practice, celebrating belief in the one God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth, "all things visible and invisible" (Bolt, 2004). Many sects within the Christian faith believe in the Trinitarian principle, which is the idea or concept of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as one body (Bolt, 2004; Sunday, 2005).

Most do not consider Hinduism a monotheistic practice; but it is actually if one believes in monotheism as the belief in one God. Hinduism is not polytheistic, because it simply recognizes worship of God, in all his forms (Bhattatiri, 2003; Rai 1982). Hinduism is divided into different sects, much like Christianity, which worship various forms of God such as Vishnu and Shiva as the Supreme Being (Rai, 1982). These are aspects of God, not other gods, which is an important point to distinguish. The Lord Vishnu, for example, is described as "milk" whereas the Lord Shiva as "yogurt" (Rai, 1982) much as one might compare an immature Christian drinking milk, and a mature Christian eating "meat." Only the Supreme Being or God in Hindu faith has the ability to grant wishes and prayers (Bhattatiri, 2003). Many view this as the same principle as Christ as an avatar of God (Esther 2010), with God being the only person capable of granting prayers. Christ says, "Why do you call me good? Only my Father is good," (Sunday 2005). As evident, there are many similarities and yet differences between the Christian and Hindu faith structures.

Eschatology

Most Hindu interpreters believe in nations of "samsara, karma, and moksa" which reveal "continuing reincarnations," that "a person's current incarnation are the fruit of past actions," and that the "liberation and release" from this cycle is the goal of life respectively (Milner 1993, p. 298). The "law of karma" is one that is rarely questioned with regard to the Hindu faith, as karma and samsara or the continuing cycle of life is generally accepted principles. The idea of liberation or "moksa" which is a correlate to salvation in end-times Christianity, is not something that is always as highlighted in the Hindu faith (Milner 1993). This is perhaps because the terms samsara and karma have relatively standard principles all Indian faiths agree on; but the principles underlying moksa are at best "highly contested" (Milner, p. 299). This is explained by Hindu eschatology, which is connected to class and social structure in India, which suggest that "evil and seeming injustice transforms the world into a strictly rational, ethically determined cosmos" (Milner, 1993; Weber, 1958, p.121). This structure supposedly legitimizes the caste system, suggesting that the hierarchy of social status is a direct result of one's past life actions, and can be resolved by the actions in one's present life. Rejection of social norms in this instance would condemn individuals supposedly, to less and less desirable future outcomes (Milner, 1993; Weber 1958). This makes eschatology a difficult concept in Hinduism because it refers to a "final end" and thus is difficult to apply to Hinduism, because the Hindu religion focuses more on the cyclical nature of life, rather than a beginning and end time (Milner, 1993). This is opposed to Christian beliefs, where a defined beginning and end-times can be traced in the bible, via the resurrection and second coming of the Christ. However, eschatology can be used to compare the Hindu cosmos to the rest of the religious universe, and for purposes of understanding moksa, whereby one becomes liberated from the cycle of life (Milner, 1993). In this sense, one can develop a model of what some refer to as "karmic eschatology" built on the ideas and principles of samsara, karma and moksa or liberation (Milner, 1993; Weber 1946).

Christian eschatology is no less complicated, given there are so many varying sects of the Christian faith. Christian eschatology involves the study of end-times, including end of life times for individual persons (Sunday, 2005). The bible remains the primary source of eschatological debate among Christians, providing information regarding death, heaven and hell, the second coming of Christ the savior, the rapture, tribulation and other topics familiar to the Christian faith including the millennium, last judgment and creation of a new heaven and new earth (Bolt, 2004; Sunday 2005). Ignatius of Antioch was the first Christian to offer philosophical discourse regarding end-times, followed by others concluding that prophecy is the best resource for information regarding end-times (Bolt, 2004). Some principles common to most of Christianity include the idea that although the resurrection of Christ already occurred, he will come again to judge those that are living and dead (Bolt, 2004). This is the idea of two resurrections, revealed in Revelations 20:6 (Bolt, 2004).

Christians believe in the resurrection of the body, and some in the principle of the rapture, where Christ will descend from heaven, catching up those that are alive, and then those dead, before the pre-tribulation and end of the world (Bolt, 2003; Sunday, 2005). The period of "great tribulation" is defined as a time where the apocalypse may occur, where great disasters pre-ceding the intervention of the pre-coming of the Christ may occur (Bolt, 2004). This is similar in idea to moksa, only in that for the faithful; there will be an end to evil, an end to suffering, and the creation of a new heaven and earth for those faithful, where they may rest in eternity free from suffering.

Conclusions

Christianity and Hinduism both hold monotheistic principles. Both view one God as the God Almighty, or creator of heaven and earth. The primary difference between the two faiths is that Christians believe that Christ or Jesus Christ is the only manifestation of God on earth. The Hindu faith however, recognizes many different aspects of God, which are referred to by many different names, including "Lord Vishnu" and "Lord Shiva" accordingly.

The eschatology, or revelation of scripture regarding end-times, is relatively different and yet similar. Many believe Hindu practitioners do not have a formal eschatology. Rather, they believe in a cycle of continuous life, that one's karma or actions in one lifetime, will reflect the status and position they take up when they are reborn into the next life. There is however, a way out of this cycle, referred to as "moksa" which is also called liberation.