Assoc. Prof. Frieder Ludwig

Office: Bockman 122, Office phone 641-3290; fludwig@luthersem.edu

 

 

CM3410:  CM 3412-S6 Hinduism and Christianity

Luther Seminary/Fall 2007

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

An inquiry into Hindu and Christian interaction with an emphasis upon its importance for contemporary theological construction.

 

REQUIRED READINGS (All books should be in the bookstore.)

 

Ariarajah,Wesley, Not without my neighbor : issues in interfaith relations, Geneva: 1999

Flood,Gavin, An Introduction to Hinduism, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996.

Michaels, Axel, Hinduism. Past and Present, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2004

Sharma, Arvind, Classical Hindu Thought. An Introduction, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001

 

RECOMMENDED READINGS

 

Martinson, Paul. Families of Faith: an introduction to world religions for Christians, 1999

Newbigin, L. The Gospel in a Pluralist  Society, Grand Rapids/Geneva, 1989

Sarma, Arvind, Modern Hindu Thought. The essential Texts, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004

 

REQUIREMENTS

 

A.      PREPARATION FOR CLASS.  Read the assigned texts for each week.  You may want to form an informal study group to help you more understand the material we are covering in class more deeply.

 

B.       LECTURES.  Much of the course’s content will be presented in the lectures.  If you miss a lecture, handouts will be available. but you will also have to write a 500-words paper on a central question.

 

C.       PRECEPTS.  Precepts will be integrated in the lecture. Prepare yourself to participate actively. You can do this by reading the assigned texts for the week carefully, and there will be also handouts of basic texts.  For some precepts, it will be also good if you will contribute actively by a short presentation. If you miss a session, then you must turn in a 500-word analysis of the question addressed on that day.

 

D.      ESSAY.  The essay should be developed out of the material covered in the lectures, precepts, and assigned readings.  The “Select Bibliography” is another resource you might draw from.  If you submit the essay on the due date, you will receive comments within a week (or, maybe, two).  If you are contribute to the precepts by giving a presentation, you can use these materials as basis for an essay.

 

  • Essay #1 (3000 words): “Christian Approaches to Hinduism”. This essay shall be based on specific models of  Christian  encounters with Hinduism. You can either analyze past practical experiences in mission history or theoretical  theological concepts or both. with special discussion to the understanding mission.

 

E.       VISITS: It is planned to visit the Hindu Society of Minnesota.

 

GRADING CRITERIA

 

Your grade will be based on your essay and participation in class and precepts.  Given Luther Seminary’s mission as an institution, I will grade all papers I receive on the basis of the following criteria.

 

 

GRADE

SPECIFIC CRITERIA

A.      Excellent

Has thoroughly understood the body of knowledge covered in this course and has, in public writing and conversation, not only coherently engaged its central problems, questions, and issues but has done so with nuance, imagination and critical insight.

B.       Good

Has understood the body of knowledge covered in this course and has coherently engaged its central problems, questions, and issues in writing and public conversation.

C.        Basic s

Has demonstrated a basic grasp of the body of knowledge.

               

 

COURSE SCHEDULE

UNIT

READING FOR LECTURE & PRECEPT

PRECEPTS AND DISCUSSIONS

 

 

 

Week 1:

The Hindu Vision

10/29/2007   4:10 PM   6:00 PM  BH 116            Class

 

Video

 

 

Concepts of Dharma, Karma, Moksa

Week 2:

Hindu scriptures and concepts

11/05/2007   4:10 PM   6:00 PM  BH 116            Class

Selected Texts (Bhagavad-Gita)

Michaels, 47-62, 159-200

 

Approaches, Models, Theories

 

Week 3:

Reform hinduism

11/12/2007   4:10 PM   6:00 PM  BH 116            Class

Sharma, Modern Hindu Thought, 1-57; 249-311

Reform Concepts of Ramohun Roy, Mahatma Gandhi

Week 4:

MISSION HISTORY in india

11/26/2007   4:10 PM   6:00 PM  BH 116            Class
Source Material

Eric J. Sharpe, Faith Meets Faith

Neill ,History (Extracts)

Missionary Methods of the Jesuits

Halle & Ziegenbalg

Karl Graul and the Leipzig Mission

 

Week 5:

Hinduism and Christianity

12/03/2007   4:10 PM   6:00 PM  BH 116            Class

Visit to Hindu Temple – organized by Debbie Brandt (Frieder Ludwig’s TA, FL is out of town during this week.)

 

 

Precept #5: Christian Ashrams

Christian Yoga

Week 6:

Hinduism AND christianity

12/10/2007   4:10 PM   6:00 PM  BH 116            Class
Panikkar,1-28

Selected Reading Materials

W. Ariarajah, Not without my neighbor

P.D. Devandandan, The Gospel and Renascent Hinduism

 

Wesley Ariarajah

D.T. Niles

Paul Devanandan

Essay: ““Christian Approaches to Hinduism”  due  12/18 (at least 3000 words)

 

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Surveys of Hinduism:

 

Bowes, P., The Hindu Religious Tradition: A Philosophical Approach, London 1977

Brockington, J., The Sacred Thread. Hinduism in its Continuity and Diversity, 1981

Flood, G. An Introduction to Hinduism, 1996

Gonda, J. A History of Indian Literature, 1973

Jones, K.W., Socio-Religious Reform Movements in British India, 1989

Klostermeier, Klaus K., A Survey of Hinduism, New York: State University of New York Press, 1989

Klostermeier, K., A Survey of Hinduism, 1989

Klostermeier, Klaus K., Hinduism. A Short History, Oxford: One World, 2002

Organ, T.W., Hinduism: Its Historical Development, New York 1974

Panikkar, R, The unknown Christ of Hinduism, 1964

Thomas, M.M., The Acknowledged Christ of the Indian Renaissance, 1969

Walker, I.B., Hindu World: An Encyclopedic Survey of Hinduism, 2 vols., London 1968

 

 

Scriptures:

 

Easwaran, Eknath, The Upanishads, Nilgiri Press: 2000

O’Flaherty, Wendy Doniger, The Rig Veda, New York: Penguin, 1981

Goodall, Dominic, Hindu Scriptures, Berkeley: University of California Press, 1996

Mascaro, Juan, The Upanishads, New York: Penguin, 1965

Klostermeier, Klaus K., Hindu Writings, Oxford: One World 2000

Mueller, Max, The Vedas, Calcutta: 1956

Parrinder,Geoffrey, The Bhagavad Gita. A verse Translation, Oxford: One World, 1974, 1996

Radhakrishnan, S., The Principal Upanishads, New York: Harper,  1953

Thomas, P.M., 20th Century Indian Interpretations of Bhagavadgita: Tilak, Gandhi & Aurobindo, New Delhi 1987

 

 

Christian Approaches and Dialogue

 

Buerkle, Horst, Dialog mit dem Osten, Stuttgart 1965

Brueck, Michael von, The Unity of Reality: God, God-Experience and Meditation in the Hindu-Christian Dialogue, New York 1991

Devanandan, P.D., Christian Concern in Hinduism, Bangalore,1961

P.D. Devandandan, The Gospel and Renascent Hinduism, `London:SCM, 1959

Coward, H. (ed.), Hindu-Christian Dialogue, 1989

Farquhar, J.N., The Crown of Hinduism, 1913

Halbfass, Wilhelm, India and Europe. An Essay in Philosophical Understanding, New York: State University, 1988

Panikkar, Raimundo, The Unknown Christ of Hinduism, London: Darton 1964

Sharpe, Eric J., Faith meets Faith: Some Christian Attitudes to Hinduism in the 19th and 20th centuries, London: SCM 1977

Thomas, M.M., The Acknowledged Christ of the Indian Renaissance, London 1969

Thomas,P.T., The Theology of Chakkarai,1958

J. Wietzke (ed.), Paul D. Devanandan, Vols. 1, 2Bangalore: UTC, 1992

 

 

Christianity and other Religions

 

Ariarajah, W., The Bible and People of other Faiths, 1985

Ariarajah, W , Hindus and Christians. A Century of Protestant Ecumenical Thought, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1991

Boyd, Robin H.S., An Introduction to Indian Christian Theology, London: SPCK, 1975, 1998

Camps, A., Partners in Dialogue: Christianity and other World Religions, Maryknoll, 1983

Clarke, AS.D. & Winter, B.M. (eds.), One God, one Lord. Christianity in a World of Religious Pluralism, 1992

Clooney, Francis X.  Hindu God, Christian God: How Reason Helps Break Down the Boundaries Between Religions (Oxford University Press, 2001).

Cobb, John and Paul F. Knitter.  Transforming Christianity and the World: A Way beyond Absolutism and Relativism (Orbis, 1999).

D’Costa, Gavin and Paul F. Knitter.  Christian Uniqueness Reconsidered: Myth of Pluralistic Theology of Religions (Orbis, 1990).

D’Costa, Gavin and Paul Knitter, eds. Meeting of the Religions and the Trinity (Orbis, 2000).

Griffiths, Paul.  Christianity Through Non-Christian Eyes (Orbis, 1990)

Cragg, Kenneth, The Christian and the other Religions, London 1977

ELCA, Honoring Our Neighbor’s Faith, Minneapolis 1999

Hallencreutz, C.F.: A Long-standing concern: Dialogue in Ecumenical History 1910-1971, in: S.J. Samartha (ed.), living faiths and the ecumenical movement, Geneva 1971, 57-71

Heim, S. Mark.  The Depths of the Riches: A Trinitarian Theology of Religious Ends (Eerdmans, 2000).

Heim, S. Mark.  Ground for Understanding: Ecumenical Resources for Responses to Religious Pluralism (Eerdmans, 1998).

Heim, S. Mark, “Salvations: A More Pluralistic Hypthesis”:, in: Modern Theology 10:4, 1994, 341-360

Heim, S. Mark, “The Depth of the Riches: Trinity and Religious Ends”, in: Modern Theology 107:1, 2001, 21-55

Hick, John and Brian Hebblethwaithe, eds. Christianity and Other Religions (OneWorld Publications, 2001).

Hick, John.  A Christian Theology of Religions: The Rainbow of Faiths (Westminster John Knox, 1995).

Jathana, O.V., The Decisiveness of the Christ-Event and the Universality of Christianity in a World of Religious Plurality, Bern 1981

Knitter, Paul F.  Jesus and the Other Names: Christian Mission and Global Responsibility (Orbis, 1996).

Knitter, Paul.  Introducing Theologies of Religion (Orbis, 2001).

Kueng, H., Christianity and the World Religions: Paths, 1986

Ludwig, T.: “Some Lutheran Theological Reflections on Religious Pluralism”, in: J. Paul Rajashekar (ed.), Religious Pluralism and Lutheran Theology, Genf 1988 (LWF Report 23/24), 129-158

Pannenberg, Wolfhart,  “Religious Pluralism and Conflicting Truth Claims”, in: G. D’Costa, Gavin (ed.) Christian Uniqueness Reconsidered: The Myth of a Pluralistic Theology of Religions, New York 1990

Pope, Stephen and Charles Hefling, eds.  Sic et  Non: Encountering Dominus Iesus (Orbis, 2001).

Rahner, Karl, “Anonymous Christians”, in: Theological Investigations, 6, 1969, 390-398

Robinson, John A.T., Truth is Two-Eyed, London 1979

Schlette, H.R., Towards a Theology of Religions, New York 1966

Troeltsch, Ernst, The Absoluteness of Christianity and the History of Religions, 1971

Yong, Amos, “As the Spirit gives Utterance: Pentecost, Intra-Christian Ecumenism and the wider Oikumene”, in: International Review of Mission, Vol. XCII, No. 366, 2003, 299-314.

Yong, Amos, Discerning the Spirit (s). A Pentecostal-Charismatic Contribution to Christian Theology of Religions, Sheffield 2000

 

 

Hindu Organizations in Minnesota

 

Hindu Society of Minnesota, 1835 Polk Street, NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418, Phone: 612-788-1751

Geeta Ashram, 10537, Noble Av. N., Brooklyn Park, MN 55443

Gujarati Samaj of Minnesota, hasitparmar@hotmail.com, Dinesh Patel: 612-386-5643or 763-566-8902