Tennent presents an interesting comparison and contrast of ‘salvation by grace through faith’ in Christianity with a particular element of Buddhism stressing on the same theme in the sixth Chapter on Theology in the Context of World Christianity. In this essay, an attempt will be made at summarizing the chapter on “Is Salvation by Grace through Faith Unique to Christianity,” followed by a critical evaluation and how it can be applied to my own ministry as part of contextualizing it.
Summary
In chapter six of the book, Tennent talks about Soteriology. Some features of it has been found in other religions as well hence the question of whether salvation by grace unique to Christianity alone is posed. The chapter opens to the tension in Christianity
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The Christians are among the minority in the sea of the other religious groups. With the recent emergence of the new ruling party, the Hindutva, Hinduism is exercising much power, making its presence felt in a mighty way. It is fast flourishing by suppressing other religious beliefs and one of the most suppressed are the Christians. For a Hindu, in order to attain moksha or Salvation, they have to go through four ways; the way of action, knowledge, devotion and the royal way. In these, a Hindu believer sacrifice by carrying out various religious ceremonies, perform yoga or meditation, duties and rites in order to be liberated from the endless cycle of life and death and also to please their gods. It is similar to the True Pure Land Buddhism where Amida through gathering of merits and chanting expects to be liberated and also liberate others in the process. For a Christian, Salvation is the grace of God which we receive by faith and we have already been liberated when we accept Christ. And for a Christian, there is nothing more greater than trusting in God. Faith liberates us from the need for performing works. I am not undermining the importance of religious practices here; it is equally important for a Christian to pray, communicate with God in prayer, follow certain disciplines as per the Word of God and our relationship with God. However, God can do without our works. God …show more content…
Salvation is more than liberation, it is about relationship and communion with the Father which one should accept with faith. Sacrifice as atonement for sins can be seen as a noticeable theme in the Hindu scriptures. This is an opportunity to tell them of Jesus’ sacrificial dead on the cross for atonement of human sin. We can share to the Hindus that our God is a relational God and for the sake of this relationship and His love for man, man is saved by God's grace when we put our faith in the sacrifice of Jesus not in your own righteous deeds. God gives grace but we receive it through faith. “For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: It is God’s gift, not of works lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8 (The
What a fascinating adjustment in perspectives, motive, and determination from the once deeply connected to God the unprofessed theologian. The man who we admired for his crafty dexterity to be a Christian Apologetic emerges to be torn from the foundations of his faith and experiences of how to respond to the unspecified. This book is openly troubling for the believer because all too often we know that this is a very real situation that our author is experiencing. However, while it may appear that a staunch believer has lost his way were hastily reminded that this not the case at all. In the book "A Grief Observed" by C. S. Lewis we see, what I call, a defining mature Christian transition, disruption to the norm, or bump in the road all Christians
It is said that history is shaped by the lives of great men. Great men are leaders. They bring about change; they improve the lives of others; they introduce new ideas, models, and theories to society. Most of the world's religions were founded, developed, or discovered by great men. Two particular religions - Christianity and Buddhism - developed in different parts of the world, under different circumstances, and in different social atmospheres. But each religion is based upon the teachings of a great man. When one compares the life of Buddha with the life of Jesus, one finds that the two share many things in common. This essay aims to compare and contrast the lives of Buddha1 and Jesus in two key areas: conception and birth. In these two areas, one finds that the Buddha and Jesus share many similarities.
This paper is a comparison between two very different religions. Specifically Christianity and Buddhism. Coming from opposite sides of the globe these two religions could not be any farther apart in any aspect. I will discuss who Christ is for Christians and who Buddha is for Buddhists. I will also get into the aspects of charity, love, and compassion in both religions and I will be looking at the individual self and how christians see resurrection where the buddhists feel about the afterlife. One thing to keep in mind is that the two religions are very different but they seem to have a very similar underlying pattern. Both believe that there was a savior of their people, Buddha and Christ, and both believe that there is something good that happens to us when our time is done here on earth. This is a very generalized summarization but in order to go in to depth I need to explain the two religions more to fully convey this theory.
... Philippians 4:13 which says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” By having his hero succeed in an impossible feat, he attracts non-believers and skeptics of the sixteenth century who are fearful of hell due to his gruesome representation of sin. In doing so, he interests them in redemption through the one and only, God.
With this in mind, the objective of this essay is to focus on the main ideas of each theologian, and discuss how each theologian’s ideas are compensatory to the other. This is important because even though each theologian’s writings were inspired by the harsh realities of the societies, and also by the effect each writer experienced in their moment in history, their critiques specifically of Christian institutions remain a consistent amongst all three writings. Furthermore, not only are their critiques consistent, but their goals for providing new frameworks for the future of the Church and Christian discipleship are consistent as well.
Throughout the history of humankind, man has always searched to find answers to the many existential questions. Numerous different religions and denominations have developed around the world over time. Though, most wonder about the origin and purpose of our existence. Buddhism was founded on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama about 2,600 years ago in India. After he had experienced that everyone was subject to “birth, sickness, death, and old age”, he tried to find a way to break from the cycle of rebirth (Bloom). Siddhartha Gautama experimented with a number of methods to find the cause of suffering which led him to what he called the Middle Way – a path between “licentiousness and extreme mortification” (Bloom). Once he achieved enlightenment, he turned into ‘the Buddha – the enlightened or awakened one’. Christianity is one of the largest and most prevailing religions of the world and largely based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Christians trust that Jesus was sent by God to save humanity. Therefore, the faith of the followers of the Christian belief is primarily based on the preaching of Jesus and later the spreading of those by his disciples. Although Buddhism and Christianity show several parallels, their three key differences are that Buddhists do not believe in one divine being, and have different views about both the purpose of life and the concept of afterlife.
Thích Nh’at Hanh is a world renowned Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk, religious figure and accomplished writer. Living Buddha, Living Christ is only one of his many famous publications. Thích Nh’at Hanh, is famous for his insights into spiritual heritage and mindfulness in the present moment. Many Americans are seeking religious understanding and personal spirituality, even if they do not practice in the traditional manner. Throughout this book Nh’at Hang encourages readers to find meaning, understanding, mindfulness, and peace in the teachings of Buddha and Christ. His main focus is to open meaningful dialogue between different traditions, cultures, and religious groups around the world, for the betterment
“Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” There are so many other verses in scripture that talk about good works and the rewards given according to works, but the bottom line is, good works are vital to the Christian life for many reasons.
Hinduism is unlike many other religions in that it does not have a single founder or text, but is more like an umbrella in ways of life. In death and life for the Hindu, “The ultimate goal of the soul is liberation from the wheel of rebirth, through reabsorption into our identity with the Oversoul (Brahma)-- the essence of the universe, immaterial, uncreated, limitless, and timeless” (Leming & Dickinson, 2011, p. 134). Susan Thrane MSN, RN, OCN discusses the beliefs of Hindu culture in the article “Hindu End of Life: Death, Dying, Suffering, and Karma” published in the Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing. Thrane (2010) states that there are almost 2.3 million Hindus in India. Hindu’s believe in interconnectedness, karma, and reincarnation.
Hindu “salvation,” is more of a release in the sense that they do not believe in the typical concept of sin. The closest to sin that a Hindu can experience is some bad karma, so there is not much to be actually saved from besides being reborn repeatedly. In Islam, the concept of sin does exist and it is any deed that is not pleasing to Allah. Muslim’s do not believe in a savior, per say, but they do believe that Allah will be merciful on the day of judgement. Likely the most prominent detail that separates the salvation of these two religions is the fact that Hindus are seeking release from the cycle of rebirth now, while Muslims are working for entrance into paradise
Evangelical theology asserts that the only means of salvation is by the unparalleled saving work of Christ Jesus. However, the dominant development of modern comparative religion is in opposition of this locus. This is true even within the confounds of professed Christianity.
The doctrine of salvation contains various aspects. The intent of this research paper is to provide a general overview of salvation from the angle of justification, propitiation, grace, redemption, and sanctification.
A comparative analysis of salvation in Christianity and Buddhism exposes stark contrasts between the grace of Jesus Christ and the self-saving action and enlightenment of Buddha. I attempt to compare the Christian and Buddhist concepts of salvation in this essay to emphasise on the significance of each founder's roles in salvation, and to extract similarities and differences between them both.
Paul tells us to “fight the good fight of faith” (Tim. 6:12). We must not hold on to unbelief. When we give ourselve...
Today, Hinduism stands as India’s primary religion. In fact, India houses 90% of the world’s Hindi population and 79.8% of India’s population follows the Hindu religion, according to the 2011 census. It is thought by some to be the oldest religion in the world and the “eternal law” (Fowler). This culture is truly one as defined by Edward Taylor: “A complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, customs, and any other capability and habit acquired by man as a member of society.” In order to have somewhat of an understanding about what the Hindu religion entails, one must study the Hindu conception of God, its basic concepts and key beliefs, as well as symbolism.