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Author:Nithin Sridhar
Inculturation: Fooling Hindus
In
early 1982, Father Joseph Parekatil of the Catholic Church of Parasahi,
Madhya Pradesh, destroyed the sacred murthi of the Goddess Visweshwari
Siddheswari enshrined on the nearby Nawain Tekdi hill and erected a
small wooden cross. Later, the father erected a 31 - foot high concrete
cross illegally on the hill on February 18th, 1983. Enraged villagers
destroyed the cross a month later on March 17th. On February 20th,
1985, with the intent once again of trying to gain possession of the
hill, Father Parekatil put on the orange robes of a Hindu sannyasin,
built a hut on the hill, sat on a tiger skin and began performing
worship in the Hindu style. As a result, thousands of simple Hindus
came to the hill on Fridays, unaware of the deception they were
witnessing. On May 18th, a complaint was registered, but to no avail.
Again there was agitation in the area, and this time, on October 1st,
1985, the villagers tore down the priest"s hut and tossed away the
remaining pieces of the concrete cross. Father Parekatil only gave up
when he was arrested a week later for breaking the peace and released
on bail with instructions to behave [1].
This tactics used by Father Parekatil of adopting Hindu symbols, to further his missioanry goal is called as "Inculturation" or "Indigenization". Christianity has always been following a policy of "Inculturation." This means that it adopted Pagan elements in Christianized form in order to ease the transition from Paganism to Christianity. Pagan gods became Christian saints. Pagan Festivals became Christian festivals.In this process of inculturation, the Christian Church adapted old forms to its new message, but made sure that through the Pagan veneer the Christian doctrine was impressed upon the converts [2]. "Indigenization," says Kaj Baago, "is evangelization. It is the planting of the gospel inside another culture, another philosophy, another religion [3]". In Indian case, "Inculturation" or "Indigenization" means "the incorporation of Jesus in Indian spiritual tradition". Fr. Bede says "In India we need a Christian Vedanta and a Christian Yoga that is a system of theology which makes use not only of the terms and concepts but of the whole structure of thought of the Vedanta [4]."
Shantivanam Ashram on the banks of the sacred Cauvery River at a forested place near Trichy in South India appears Hindu. It has a Hindu shrine; saffron-robed "swami" seated cross - legged on a straw mat; devotees practising yogic meditations, even chanting Hindu scriptures. But these impressions gradually prove false. First, the eye detects that the courtyard shrine is for Saint Paul and that "puja" is actually, a daily Mass, complete with incense, arati lamps, flower offerings and prasadam. Finally, one meets the "swami", learning he is Father Bede "Dayananda" Griffiths, a Christian "sannyasin". This is a Christian ashram, one of more than 50 in India, which are variously described as "experiments in cross-cultural communication," "contemplative hermitages that revolve around both Christian and Hindu ideals.Fr. J. Monchanin [5], one of the founding members himself defines his mission in these terms: "I have come to India for no other purpose than to awaken in a few souls the desire (the passion) to raise up a Christian India. It will take centuries, sacrificed lives and we shall perhaps die before seeing any realizations. A Christian India, completely Indian and completely Christian will be something so wonderful the sacrifice of our lives is not too much to ask." His words clearly show the motive behind these ashrams.
Lausanne Movement (for world evangelization) published a paper "Christian witness to Hindus [6]" (1980). In the report, under the title "Methodology Issues" lists some of the methods to be implemented to convert Hindus. Some of them are-
(1) We should enunciate theology in Indian categories so that the Hindu can understand the gospel.
(2) We must develop a truly Christian world view consistent with the Indian context.
(3) While presenting the gospel, we must be aware of the fact that the Hindu understands the doctrine of God, man, sin, and salvation in a way entirely different from the biblical doctrine.
(4) Communicate the gospel through indigenous methods such as bhajans, drama, dialogue, discourse, Indian music, festival processions, etc.
Sita Ram Goel, in his book "Catholic Ashrams [7]", lists 108 such Christian ashram in India, 4 in Nepal and 8 in Sri Lanka. His list includes Asha Niketan, Bangalore, Karnataka, Bethany Ashram (1938), Channapatna, Karnataka, Christa Sevakee Ashram (1950), Karkala, Karnataka, Christian Institute for the study of Religion and Society, Bangalore, Karnataka, Yesu Karuna Prarthanalaya, Kote, Mysore District, Karnataka. The present Catholic ashrams have inherited a history of intrigue and subterfuge. Here is a description from the "Madhya Pradesh Report(1956) [8]": "Robert De Nobili (A Catholic Jesuit priest) appeared in Madura in 1607 clad in the saffron robes of a Sadhu with sandal paste on his forehead and the sacred thread on his body. He gave out that he was a Brahmin from Rome. He showed documentary evidence to prove that he belonged to a clan that had migrated from ancient India. He declared that he was bringing a message which had been taught in India by Indian ascetics of yore and that he was only restoring to Hindus one of their lost sacred books, namely the 5th Veda, called Yeshurveda (Jesus Veda). It passed for a genuine work until the Protestant Missionaries exposed the fraud about the year 1840. This Brahmin Sannyasi of the "Roman Gotra", Father De Nobili, worked for 40 years and died at the ripe age of 89 in 1656. It is said that he had converted about a lakh of persons but they all melted away after his death".
This is the situation the Hindu finds himself in. Christian missionaries have adopted Hindu ways of life, Hindu religious symbols, architecture, worship forms and declared themselves as Swamis. A Catholic priest who calls himself "swami" instantly attains the status and authority of a holy man in Hindu society, which he can use to make converts. By using Sanskrit terminology in his sermons he implies a close relationship of Hindu theology to Catholic theology, a relationship which does not really exist. Such missionaries speak authoritatively on Hindu scriptures and argue that their [Christian] teachings are consonant with everything Hindu, but add a finishing touch, "fullness" to the traditional faith.
References & Notes:
1 Hinduism Today, Indian Ocean Edition, December, 1988.
2 Salvation: Hindu influence on Christianity by Dr. Koenraad Elst.
3 Kaj Baago, Pioneers of Indigenous Christianity, Madras, 1969, p. 85
4 Bede Griffiths, op. cit., p. 24.
5 "Liberal" Christianity, Ram Swarup
6 "Christian Witness to Hindus", 1980, Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization
7 Catholic Ashrams- Sanyassins or Swindlers, By Sita Ram Goel
8 Niyogi Comission Report on Christian Missionary activities.
This tactics used by Father Parekatil of adopting Hindu symbols, to further his missioanry goal is called as "Inculturation" or "Indigenization". Christianity has always been following a policy of "Inculturation." This means that it adopted Pagan elements in Christianized form in order to ease the transition from Paganism to Christianity. Pagan gods became Christian saints. Pagan Festivals became Christian festivals.In this process of inculturation, the Christian Church adapted old forms to its new message, but made sure that through the Pagan veneer the Christian doctrine was impressed upon the converts [2]. "Indigenization," says Kaj Baago, "is evangelization. It is the planting of the gospel inside another culture, another philosophy, another religion [3]". In Indian case, "Inculturation" or "Indigenization" means "the incorporation of Jesus in Indian spiritual tradition". Fr. Bede says "In India we need a Christian Vedanta and a Christian Yoga that is a system of theology which makes use not only of the terms and concepts but of the whole structure of thought of the Vedanta [4]."
Shantivanam Ashram on the banks of the sacred Cauvery River at a forested place near Trichy in South India appears Hindu. It has a Hindu shrine; saffron-robed "swami" seated cross - legged on a straw mat; devotees practising yogic meditations, even chanting Hindu scriptures. But these impressions gradually prove false. First, the eye detects that the courtyard shrine is for Saint Paul and that "puja" is actually, a daily Mass, complete with incense, arati lamps, flower offerings and prasadam. Finally, one meets the "swami", learning he is Father Bede "Dayananda" Griffiths, a Christian "sannyasin". This is a Christian ashram, one of more than 50 in India, which are variously described as "experiments in cross-cultural communication," "contemplative hermitages that revolve around both Christian and Hindu ideals.Fr. J. Monchanin [5], one of the founding members himself defines his mission in these terms: "I have come to India for no other purpose than to awaken in a few souls the desire (the passion) to raise up a Christian India. It will take centuries, sacrificed lives and we shall perhaps die before seeing any realizations. A Christian India, completely Indian and completely Christian will be something so wonderful the sacrifice of our lives is not too much to ask." His words clearly show the motive behind these ashrams.
Lausanne Movement (for world evangelization) published a paper "Christian witness to Hindus [6]" (1980). In the report, under the title "Methodology Issues" lists some of the methods to be implemented to convert Hindus. Some of them are-
(1) We should enunciate theology in Indian categories so that the Hindu can understand the gospel.
(2) We must develop a truly Christian world view consistent with the Indian context.
(3) While presenting the gospel, we must be aware of the fact that the Hindu understands the doctrine of God, man, sin, and salvation in a way entirely different from the biblical doctrine.
(4) Communicate the gospel through indigenous methods such as bhajans, drama, dialogue, discourse, Indian music, festival processions, etc.
Sita Ram Goel, in his book "Catholic Ashrams [7]", lists 108 such Christian ashram in India, 4 in Nepal and 8 in Sri Lanka. His list includes Asha Niketan, Bangalore, Karnataka, Bethany Ashram (1938), Channapatna, Karnataka, Christa Sevakee Ashram (1950), Karkala, Karnataka, Christian Institute for the study of Religion and Society, Bangalore, Karnataka, Yesu Karuna Prarthanalaya, Kote, Mysore District, Karnataka. The present Catholic ashrams have inherited a history of intrigue and subterfuge. Here is a description from the "Madhya Pradesh Report(1956) [8]": "Robert De Nobili (A Catholic Jesuit priest) appeared in Madura in 1607 clad in the saffron robes of a Sadhu with sandal paste on his forehead and the sacred thread on his body. He gave out that he was a Brahmin from Rome. He showed documentary evidence to prove that he belonged to a clan that had migrated from ancient India. He declared that he was bringing a message which had been taught in India by Indian ascetics of yore and that he was only restoring to Hindus one of their lost sacred books, namely the 5th Veda, called Yeshurveda (Jesus Veda). It passed for a genuine work until the Protestant Missionaries exposed the fraud about the year 1840. This Brahmin Sannyasi of the "Roman Gotra", Father De Nobili, worked for 40 years and died at the ripe age of 89 in 1656. It is said that he had converted about a lakh of persons but they all melted away after his death".
This is the situation the Hindu finds himself in. Christian missionaries have adopted Hindu ways of life, Hindu religious symbols, architecture, worship forms and declared themselves as Swamis. A Catholic priest who calls himself "swami" instantly attains the status and authority of a holy man in Hindu society, which he can use to make converts. By using Sanskrit terminology in his sermons he implies a close relationship of Hindu theology to Catholic theology, a relationship which does not really exist. Such missionaries speak authoritatively on Hindu scriptures and argue that their [Christian] teachings are consonant with everything Hindu, but add a finishing touch, "fullness" to the traditional faith.
References & Notes:
1 Hinduism Today, Indian Ocean Edition, December, 1988.
2 Salvation: Hindu influence on Christianity by Dr. Koenraad Elst.
3 Kaj Baago, Pioneers of Indigenous Christianity, Madras, 1969, p. 85
4 Bede Griffiths, op. cit., p. 24.
5 "Liberal" Christianity, Ram Swarup
6 "Christian Witness to Hindus", 1980, Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization
7 Catholic Ashrams- Sanyassins or Swindlers, By Sita Ram Goel
8 Niyogi Comission Report on Christian Missionary activities.
Comment 1: By Jayashree P K on 10th Nov 2008
Whats the big fuss all about? Our country has used
caste system within the Hindu religion to cause
indignity for man. Let another religion come and
clean up the Hindu mess. Why not. Lets focus our
energy on the need of the hour. A Hindu made a
Christian, means nothing to either Hiduism, or to
you or me who will remain who we are. Even
assuming every Hindu is converted to a christian,
what will that mean? That our religion is so weak?
Oh no. I think we need to take a stand to educate
our villagers, support them to overcome barriers
of hunger, lack of basic amenity etc. In the
absence of any care, anyone could fall prey to not
only religion conversion, but also to giving up
other aspects that they once held as sacred. A
hungry stomach is certainly more important than a
religious practice. Lets encourage whoever feeds
the starving poor to be the true religious savior
of that person.
Let the race begin. OM Shanthi Om. Amen.
Let the race begin. OM Shanthi Om. Amen.
Comment 2: By Ananth Hoysala on 07th Nov 2008
This only prooves to what level one can stoop.IF
you cant love your religion, you cant, perhaps
like any other religions. It is time get awaken
and spread this information to as many as possible
and get the act together. This also prooves that
we have accustemed to being at the reciving at end
and endure in the name of fate..blah blabh
Comment 3: By MAHADEVA SARMA on 06th Nov 2008
A Superb Blog. It is really heartening to feel
that the Intellectual Hindu Elite sitting up and
taking note now, more than any other time. If
about 200 years of British Rule could not convert
a major portion of India, it is such a juvenile
fantasy for Christians to imagine that conversions
could be done by subterfuge. How can the
hidebound[Whether Christianity or Islam or any
other hue] ever replace something that is
original, native, and above all FREE. FREEDOM is
the beginning, FREEDOM is the Middle and FREEDOM
is the end of Sanatana Dharma of any variant. How
can something that is restrictive of the mind like
the concept of God or Salvation as in Semitic
Religions ever stand a match!?!
The rest of the religions of the world are DUTY-BOUND if, anything else to RETURN the LOAN of TOLERANCE that ONLY HINDUISM preaches and practices. If anything what is happening today is a backlash a rebuttal to what was being perpetrated. These idiotic dreamers must LEARN that Centuries of MUSLIM dominations and TWO Centuries of BRITISH RULE could not make a great dent because the most country bumpkin of Hindus knows how to separate grain from chaff in whichever disguised form it comes.
The rest of the religions of the world are DUTY-BOUND if, anything else to RETURN the LOAN of TOLERANCE that ONLY HINDUISM preaches and practices. If anything what is happening today is a backlash a rebuttal to what was being perpetrated. These idiotic dreamers must LEARN that Centuries of MUSLIM dominations and TWO Centuries of BRITISH RULE could not make a great dent because the most country bumpkin of Hindus knows how to separate grain from chaff in whichever disguised form it comes.
Comment 4: By Kar igar on 06th Nov 2008
Well written blog. Thanks.
Non-Abrahamics (Hindus, Sikhs, Jains Buddhists & others) need to wake up and understand that in the Abrahamic Systems of Christianity and Islam, outsiders need to be 'harvested' to the 'true faith' thru fair means & foul. IT 's all politics , not any dharma.
Non-Abrahamics (Hindus, Sikhs, Jains Buddhists & others) need to wake up and understand that in the Abrahamic Systems of Christianity and Islam, outsiders need to be 'harvested' to the 'true faith' thru fair means & foul. IT 's all politics , not any dharma.
Comment 5: By Arun Boghra on 06th Nov 2008
How is tolerance defined? It is ok to have faith
in Jesus and have put in any place but it is very
low moral to defame hindu god or trick villegers.
It shows weakness of christianity. It show that
Christianity does not have powerful though and
spiriuality. It Christianity has real power then
it should be able to attract people without
showing other religion bad. Show the good stuff if
they have it?
Comment 6: By Vijay Kumar on 06th Nov 2008
When hindus are not using literatures and pattern
of worship of any other religion then how can
Christians do the same with hindus, I feel thats
the reason why they are being targeted for
communal clashes...
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