This paper examines the practical and personal dimensions of presenting the Christian Gospel to someone who holds a Buddhist worldview. Beginning with the importance of understanding Buddhism's major traditions — Theravada and Mahayana — the paper identifies charity, humility, and apologetics as foundational tools for interfaith engagement. Drawing on Fulton Sheen and Robert E. Van Voorst, the author explores both the barriers and opportunities that arise when a Christian seeks to share faith with a Buddhist, including the philosophical nature of Buddhism and the unique truth claims of Christianity. The paper concludes by affirming that charity and truth together form the basis of any genuine cross-faith relationship.
In the real world, one often comes into contact with persons of other faiths, belief systems, and worldviews. As a Christian, it is important to know how to interact with such persons in a peaceful and charitable way. This paper examines the practical steps that could be taken to build a healthy relationship with a Buddhist, and how the challenges of presenting the Gospel to such a person may be overcome.
The first practical step is to understand the worldview the other person holds. Theravada Buddhism aims to lead its practitioners to the state of Arahant — a state free of suffering — while Mahayana Buddhism follows the path of the Bodhisattva, one who seeks enlightenment for both himself and others. As Robert E. Van Voorst (2008) notes, "The Pali version, used by South Asian Theravada Buddhism, tries to adhere conservatively to the exact words of Buddha" (p. 67).
When one recognizes this about Buddhism, a connection to Christianity becomes visible. By showing how Christianity similarly adheres to the exact words of Christ, a bridge can be built between believers of these two traditions — at least at a surface level. A deeper connection, however, would require more deliberate engagement.
That deeper connection could be established through apologetics — the second practical step in building a relationship. As Fulton Sheen argues, Christianity is the only religion that pre-announced the coming of its Messenger. The life of Jesus Christ was prophesied by many different people throughout history, as recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures of the Old Testament. Buddha, by contrast, had no precursor and no pre-announcement. Sheen (2008) writes: "History is full of men who have claimed that they came from God, or that they were gods, or that they bore messages from God… so there must be some permanent tests available to all men, all civilizations, and all ages, by which they can decide whether any one of these claimants, or all of them, are justified in their claims" (p. 1).
To invoke Sheen, however, is to assume that one wishes to engage a fellow co-worker in a genuine dialogue about beliefs. If that is not the immediate aim, and the goal is simply to build a relationship of mutual respect and tolerance, there is still a meaningful path forward.
The Christian may practice the virtues of humility and charity when working alongside a co-worker of Buddhist beliefs. Charity goes a long way in establishing a healthy relationship. As St. Paul states, we may possess faith, but if we do not possess charity, we possess nothing. Charity may therefore be considered the initial and essential step in building any relationship with a person of another faith.
The barriers one may face when attempting to present the Gospel to a person of the Buddhist worldview may be found in the fact that Buddhism itself is not, strictly speaking, a religion. It is, rather, a kind of philosophy that enables one to detach from the things in life that cause one to desire permanence — or, more precisely, to seek the infinite within the finite world. This distinction can serve as a barrier to Gospel presentation, since Christianity is explicitly a revealed religion rather than a philosophical discipline.
"Buddhism as philosophy creates both obstacles and openings"
"Courage and identity in a pluralistic world"
When encountering a person of another faith in the real world — or, for example, in the workplace — one must above all remember to build any relationship on charity, but also on truth. These two are not so distinct from one another as they might first appear. Charity guides us to patience, and truth guides us to defend and proclaim the Gospel that has been handed down by the saints and the Disciples of Christ.
You’re 67% through this paper. Sign up to read the remaining 2 sections.
Sign Up Now — Instant Access Already a member? Log inAlways verify citation format against your institution’s current style guide requirements.