Session 2
Session Two Goals
As a result of conversations and activities connected with this session, group members should be able to
Identify the historical roots and sacred texts of Hinduism
Articulate some of the basic beliefs of Hinduism
Compare and contrast some Christian Beliefs with those od Hinduism and
Appreciate the possibilities and potential benefits of Christian-Hindu interactions.
Scriptural Foundation
Ephesians 2.1-10
2 You were dead through the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. 3 All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us 5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— 9 not the result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.
Opening Activity
Please place your thoughts on the paper or white board answering this question:
When I think of Hinduism or people of the Hindu faith, I think of . . ..
We will answer these as we prepare to begin the class. For those participating online—fill in your answers and post any you would like to share:
Were any of your answers influenced by the reading?
From where do your thoughts about the Hinduism and the Hindu faith originate?
How often do you interact with people of the Hindu faith?
Have these interactions included talk about faith?
As we examine our basic beliefs about Hinduism (recognizing that we are just skimming the surface and not all people of the Hindu faith are the same) we will seek to determine where we see connections and/or divergence from our Christian beliefs—with the stated goal of wanting to answer God’s command to love our neighbors and to understand our own faith better in the process.
Let us Pray
God of all peoples,
You speak to us in many way, from the beauty of the Monadnock Region around us (or wherever you are) to the stories we receive from our ancestors in the faith and your revelation in Jesus Christ.
It was Jesus who reminded us of your eternal Commandment to love our neighbors and we come together today to learn about out Hindu neighbors.
Help us remember and recognize that you are here in this meeting. Amen.
Video Presentation
Questions after the Video:
Name some of the Hindu beliefs that are mentioned in this video.
Which of them seems hardest to understand?
Which make you want to know more?
In the Dr. Deb Bhaduri video, what did you notice about the worship space and the worshipers?
How would you feel if someone wantred to interview you about your religion?
Book and Bible Study Discussion
Matching Exercise, match the definition with the term without looking at your book.
Definitions
Best known sacred text among Hindus
Charioteer/god in the best-known Hindu Text
Commentaries on the sacred scriptures
Cycle of birth, life, death, rebirth
Duty to God
Energy created by deeds
Final release from reincarnation cycle
Most common name for the one god of Hinduism
Name for the soul possessed by all creatures
Noninjury
Prince best-known in Hindu text
Reunion with God
Sacred Scriptures of Hinduism
Terms
Ahimsa
Ahimsa
Arjuna
Bhagavad Gita
Dharma
Karma
Karma
Krishna
Moksha
Nirvana
Samsara
Upanishads
Vedas
Exploring the Hindu Understanding of God
Have you ever felt close to God? When?
How do understand the statement that God is personal.
On page 37-39 we will read the sections titled “One Transpersonal God but Multiple Deities”
How did Hamilton act when he was offered an apple at the Hindu Temple?
Would you have eaten the apple if you were there?
Why?
Why not?
What is the difference between believing that God is personal and believing that God is beyond personal?
Depict the Hindu Belief in Reincarnation
On pages 39-40, “Every Creature Has a Soul,” How does Hinduism depict the journey?
According to Hindu beliefs,
What is the origin of the soul?
What is the soul’s duty to God?
Why do human beings do bad things?
What is the significance of karma?
What is the end of the cycle?
Using your own creativity, draw the cycle of reincarnation on the next page.
The Cycle of Reincarnation
Four Readings
Ephesians 2.1-10 From Death to Life (NRSV)
2 You were dead through the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. 3 All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us 5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— 9 not the result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.
Ephesians 2:1-10 Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
2 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2 wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7 that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:1-10 American Standard Version (ASV)
2 And you did he make alive, when ye were dead through your trespasses and sins, 2 wherein ye once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the powers of the air, of the spirit that now worketh in the sons of disobedience; 3 among whom we also all once lived in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest:— 4 but God, being rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace have ye been saved), 6 and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus: 7 that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus: 8 for by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not of works, that no man should glory. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God afore prepared that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:1-10 The Message (MSG)
He Tore Down the Wall
2 1-6 It wasn’t so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. You let the world, which doesn’t know the first thing about living, tell you how to live. You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience. We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat. It’s a wonder God didn’t lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us. Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on his own, with no help from us! Then he picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah.
7-10 Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.
Questions:
According to this passage, what is the problem that plagues human beings?
How does God “make us alive”?
What is the role of our actions if salvation is the gift of God? (Verse 8)
From Pages 44-47 Based on what we read here, how can we compare Hinduism and Christianity?
The Concept of Ahimsa (40-41)
According to our text, how does Hinduism understand the obligation of “noninjury”?
What are some of the ways that Hindu’s live out ahimsa in their lives?
Comparing how Christianity approaches the question of nonviolence,
What Biblical passages refer to non-violence?
How have Christians practiced nonviolence?
How do Hindu and Christian understandings of nonviolence converge and diverge?
What does Learning from Each Other Envision? (48-49)
What did Gandhi learn from Christianity?
What did Martin Luther King Jr. learn from Gandhi?
How are Gandhi and King models for how Hindus and Christians can learn from each other?
Is there more you would like to learn about Hinduism?
How can we converse better with our Hindu neighbors?
Circling Back
Are there impressions of Hinduism you had that you would like to change based on this study/session?
What new impressions would you like to add?
Hamilton uses “Mutual Invitation” to get feedback quickly. I like to try the one sentence Flash Responses. I will explain.
We will close with a prayer.