This document provides an overview of Hinduism, including its history, beliefs, scriptures, and worldview. Some key points include: - Hinduism originated in India and has over 1 billion adherents. It began as animism/polytheism and evolved into polytheism/pantheism with many gods. - Central beliefs include Brahman as the universal soul, Atman as the individual soul, and concepts of karma, reincarnation, and achieving nirvana by escaping the cycle of rebirth. - The Hindu worldview sees the physical world as an illusion and aims to achieve oneness with the universal soul by escaping suffering through cycles of reincarnation driven by karma.

1. Competing Religious Worldviews:Competing Religious Worldviews:
HinduismHinduism
APOL 6543APOL 6543

2. Jesus Christ: “I came to testify to the truth.”
Pontius Pilate: “What is truth?”
Context firstContext first
Why Compare religions?Why Compare religions?

3. One Point of View:
“Wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and
many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that
leads to life, and only a few find it.” -Jesus of Nazareth (Matthew
7:13-14)
I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except
through me. Jesus of Nazareth (John 14:6)

4. God
Islam
Buddhis
m
Mysticism
Ba’hai
Another Point
of View:
Different
Paths to the
Same Goal?

5. Are All religions on the sAmeAre All religions on the sAme
pAth?pAth?
• There is some similarity between most or all religions
• But…. On the most basic level of theology, all other
religions (except Judaism?) are incommensurate with
Christianity
• If Hinduism is right, then Jesus Christ is a deceiver and
an enemy of truth.

6. the BiBle And other worldviewsthe BiBle And other worldviews
• If Genesis 1:1 is true then animism, polytheism, and
pantheism are false
• How should we interact with members of other religions?
– Find common ground
– Give respect when it is due
– Acknowledge the good & do not make personal attacks
– Highlight distinctions between in worldview & introduce them to
Jesus Christ
– This is exactly what Paul did in Acts (Look at Acts 17:22-34 &
discuss)

7. CompAring worldviewsCompAring worldviews
• James Sire in The Universe Next Door (1997) defines a
worldview as “a set of presuppositions which we hold about
the basic makeup of our world”
• A “Good” worldview
A) It is true (consistent with reality & what we know from
experience)
B) It answers satisfactorily questions we need answers
(Ultimate reality, nature of humanity, life/death, knowledge,
purpose, meaning, relationship, etc.)
C) It causes believers to be better than they would
otherwise be

8. throughout Apol 6543…throughout Apol 6543…
• We are going to explore competing worldviews
(religions exclusively but worldview would also
encompass naturalism, humanism, etc.)
• Class discussion on the Christian worldview

9. Competing Religion #1Competing Religion #1
HinduismHinduism
• Principle religion of India
• Approximately 1 billion
adherents
• Began as
animism/polytheism
• Evolved into
polytheism/pantheism
• Hinduism is really not one
single religion
Ganesh: A Hindu Deity

10. BRief HistoRyBRief HistoRy
• Aryan invasions around 1500 B.C.
• Early animist religions merged with Aryan
(Persian) religion
• Gradually, a huge pantheon of gods spread down
to major deities

11. pRinCiple gods of HinduismpRinCiple gods of Hinduism
• Brahma
– Chief god of the
pantheon
• Shiva
– God of destruction –
worshipped as a male
phallus
• Vishnu
– Preserver and
protector
• Krishna
– The 8th
emanation of
Vishna
• Devi
– Chief female deity ->
power animating the
cosmos

12. Hindu sCRiptuResHindu sCRiptuRes
• Vedas Poems
– Ritualistic, circa 1300 BC
• Upanishads
– Philosophical essays about Brahman, Atman, etc. circa 700
BC
• Epics
– Mythic adventures of various Hindu gods
• Puranas
– Mostly local legends, myths, & many local deities
• Tantras
– Religious discussions and teachings

13. Important HIndu nomenclatureImportant HIndu nomenclature
• Brahman
• Atman
• Maya
• Reincarnation
• Karma
• Nirvana
• Universal soul
• Soul, essence (part of a
Brahman)
• Illusion
• Disincarnated soul entering a
new body
• Principle of cause/effect
• Oneness with Brahman

14. HIndu WorldvIeWHIndu WorldvIeW
• The physical world is an illusion (maya) – the
physical world is evil – suffering is illusory
• Pantheism affirmed (Brahman)
• When we die, atman (soul) is swallowed up into
Brahamn
• Goal = escape the cycle of karma & reincarnation
• Nirvana = oneness with the universal soul inside
yourself
• Hindu worldview: man looking in, not out

15. modern HInduIsmmodern HInduIsm
• Yogic practices
• Gurus (teacher), Yogi
(practitioners), Sadhu
(Holy men)
• Transcendental
meditation
• Hare Krishna
• Time is cyclic (a wheel
of time)
• World is cyclically
created by Brahman,
sustained by Vishnu,
destroyed by Shiva

16. engagIng WItH HIndus In apologetIcs…engagIng WItH HIndus In apologetIcs…
• Hindu cosmology appears (responses)
• Physical world illusion (responses)
• Suffering and evil denied (responses)
• Class discussion