With rare exceptions, serious intentional, reflective and sustained interfaith encounter is a novel and recent enterprise. This book looks in detail at one such encounter–the intentional recent Hindu-Christian dialog in India–and asks why and how the practice of dialog came to replace previous attitudes of confrontation and monologue (especially on the part of Christians). Part I sets the encounter in its global context. Part II offers a comprehensive and critical analysis of the actual encounter. Part III draws on aspects of the Christian tradition as it critically examines the ways in which the dialog has been justified in Christological categories. A final chapter discusses the future of the encounter. Unlike many other works in the area of interfaith studies, this work combines both descriptive detail of the actual encounter and critical theological analysis of the strengths and weakness of the dialog model.
In this carefully researched and valuable study Dr. Robinson guides us through the many complexities of recent Christian-Hindu encounters and dialog. In the process he also provides wise and helpful insights for all Christian theologians and missiologists who are trying to navigate the issues of Christian faith and religious others in our globalizing world.
Harold Netland, Professor of Philosophy of Religion and Intercultural Studies, Trinity International University
A conversation of life between ancient Indian spiritualities, collectively called Hinduism, and Christian traditions, has been as old as Christianity. This book focuses on the last four decades of twentieth century India and is a welcome addition to the resources already available to the institutionalized movements of interfaith dialog.
David Emmanuel Singh, Research Advisor and Lecturer, South Asian Studies, Oxford Centre for Mission Studies
India has over one billion people and is fast becoming an economic giant of the twenty-first century. All the more reason for this comprehensive survey of engagement between Christians and Hindus in the field of inter-religious understanding in the second half of the twentieth century.
Chris Sugden, Executive Director, Oxford Centre for Mission Studies
Christians Meeting Hindus is a definitive sequel to Wesley Ariarajah’s Hindus and Christians (1991) in that Robinson not only provides a more in-depth and comprehensive coverage of the encounter, but also presents a critical theological analysis of the dialog situation in India. More importantly, Robinson models an evangelical voice and perspective seldom heard at the inter religious conversation table. Yet the massive scholarship and evangelical conviction are communicated with rhetorical humility and theological provisionality throughout. By so doing, Robinson points the way forward for Christian theology and mission in the religiously plural world of the twentieth century.‘ Amos Yong, Associate Professor of Theology, Bethel College Bob Robinson is a New Zealander who lived in Singapore from 1976-82 researching Hinduism there and in India, and working in theological education. From 1984-95 he traveled extensively in Asia and Africa as General Secretary of the New Zealand Church Missionary Society and currently teaches in the Tyndale Graduate School of Theology in New Zealand. His PhD is in theology from London University.