Gospel Communication Project Response Paper:
Christianity and Hinduism
RLG 340: Global Religious Movements
March 3, 2025
Introduction
According to Pew Research, the top four world religions are Christianity, Islam, Hinduism,
and Buddhism and approximately six billion people adhere to one of these four religions.1 Given
such numbers, one could argue religion as a whole is a large part of the human experience.
However, defining exactly what religion is seems to be an arduous task and does not come with
a universal understanding or agreement. Robinson and Rodrigues put it this way,
1 Hackett, Conrad and McClendon, David, “Christians Remain World’s Largest Religious Group, but They Are
Declining in Europe.” Pew Research Center, 2017.
Religion is a characteristic of the human species—stretching from antiquity to the
present, from simple societies to the most complex, from the unlearned to the educated, from
the weak to the powerful, from the young to the old, from the peripheries to the centers of
power. Yet religion is notoriously difficult to define. Some scholars argue that no definition can
be adequate, since religion as expressed throughout the world and throughout human history is
simply too diverse and complex to be neatly captured in a short definition that identifies a
common condition.2
This paper takes a closer, in-depth look into two of the four major religions mentioned
above. An interview was conducted between a Christian and a Hindu, getting a closer look into
the heart of Hinduism from the personal perspective and lived experiences from the
interviewee. The intent of this paper is to report the commonalities and dissimilarities between
Christianity and Hinduism while offering a strategy of presenting how the death, burial, and
resurrection of Jesus is the answer to sin and all human suffering.
God in Human Form
Both Christianity and Hinduism share the belief that their respective god manifests, or
has manifested, themselves in human form. For Christians, this looks like the God of the Bible,
Yahweh, sending His son Jesus (the second head of the Trinity) down to earth to dwell among
us, just as John 1:14 claims, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld
His glory as the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (New King James Version). In
Christianity, this is known as the incarnation, as Robinson and Rodrigues define, “The belief that
God took on real human existence in Jesus.”3 In Hinduism, the shared belief looks like a form of
2 Robinson, Thomas and Rodrigues, Hillary, World Religions: A Guide to the Essentials. (Baker Publishing; Grand
Rapids) 2014.
3 Robinson, Thomas and Rodrigues, Hillary, World Religions: A Guide to the Essentials. (Baker Publishing; Grand
Rapids) 2014, 110
Vishnu coming into existence in human form in the likes of another Hindu god named Krishna.
This human-like form of Vishnu is known as an avatar.4 At face value, each religion’s belief in
their god taking on human form is a shared similarity between Christianity and Hinduism.
However, as similar as this concept is, there are contrasting, doctrinal truths between the two
religions that will be discussed later in this paper.
Informal Prayer to God
In an interview with a devout Hindu named Dev (pseudonym), the question was asked of
his earliest memory(ies) of practicing his faith intentionally. Towards the end of the answer to
this particular question, Dev explained that in the Hindi language there are different modes, or
formalities. He went on to explain how when he talks, or prays, to Krishna it is very informal, like
having a personal conversation.5 This commonality with Christianity can be seen in the way
Christians ought to, and do, pray to God. In Matthew 6:7, Jesus gives Christians the model for
praying, known commonly as The Lord’s Prayer. Prior to Jesus laying out the model prayer, He
warns His disciples and Christians, “And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the
heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words” (NKJV). Here Jesus is
emphasizing that when we pray to God, keep it simple, simply have a conversation with Him
letting Him know what is on your heart.
Divine Justice
A crucial commonality between Christianity and Hinduism is divine justice, divine justice
against good and evil. Asiedu and Buade note, “both Christianity and Hinduism promote the
idea of divine justice, where good is ultimately rewarded, and evil is punished. In Christianity,
4 Kenneth Samples, “How Christ’s Incarnation Differs from the Hindu Idea of Avatar.” Reasons to Believe, 2021.
5 Dev, interview by Joel Detamore, Greenfield, IN, January 29, 2025.
divine justice is realized through God’s judgement, while in Hinduism, it is seen through the
impersonal law of Karma.”6 Though the means to how justice is served differs between the two
religions, the belief that justice is served in a divine nature is shared. In Hinduism, karma and
dharma drive the Hindu’s actions and responses to choices in life. The good and evil from those
choices are served justly via karma. In Christianity, God is the ultimate judge of humanity, and
rightfully so as the only perfect being. We as His creation, are held to His standard and are
judged accordingly. Our sin, and life, are served justice with either eternal separation from God
or eternity with God.
A Good Moral life
At face value, there is a commonality between Christianity and Hinduism around the
basis of what kind of life one should live. Outside the parameters of this paper, it is generally
held amongst most religions, and those who do not adhere to any religion (atheists, agnostics,
deists, etc.), that living a good and moral life is a good thing and people should strive for that
kind of living. This is just as true between Christianity and Hinduism. In his interview, Dev was
asked which aspects of his faith (Hinduism) bring him the greatest comfort. His opening
statement was, “There are no set rules.”7 He expounds by explaining how the sacred texts of
Hinduism (Bhagavad Gita, Vedas, etc.) do not mention one specific way to live life or to obtain
liberation. Instead, Dev describes the texts as stating all the different ways are moral ways and
that is the baseline, being morally good. As he closed his response to the question, he stated,
“Hinduism is just a way of living, find your way of living, as long as it is moral.”8
6 Asiedu, Bright and Buade, Kennan, A Comparative Study of the Afterlife in Christianity and Hinduism, 2024, 19.
7 Dev, interview by Joel Detamore, Greenfield, IN, January 29, 2025.
8 Ibid.
While in Christianity there is a vast difference in they way to liberation or salvation
compared to Hinduism, no one can argue against the fact that Christianity defends and urges its
followers to live a good and moral life. Even in Hinduism, most look at Jesus as a good man and
teacher of good morals. Charles Braden, in his 1944 work of the “Hindu Interpretation of the
Bible and Jesus,” points out significant views of Jesus and His teachings. He writes,
Radhakrishnan holds Jesus and his teachings in high regard and does not hesitate on
more than one occasion to point out the sharp distinction between Jesus and
Christianity. He writes: The practice and principles of Jesus will mean a society of all
mankind, a society in which we bear one another’s burdens and sympathize with each
other in joy and sorrow. Such a society will be free from national rivalries and industrial
competitions since it will attach little importance to external goods in which one man’s
gain is another’s loss; but we are unwilling to adopt such a view of ethics.9
It is profound that a Hindu recognizes the high standard of living Jesus taught and goes
as far as to mention how great a society it would be if we as a people group would adopt such
teachings, but then ashamedly admits that we are not willing to do so. Indicating that all
peoples, no matter the faith, would benefit from living a life that Jesus taught.
Life After Death
One of the, if not the biggest, contrasting features between Christianity and Hinduism is
the conceptualization and belief in what happens after death. It is no surprise that this topic is
of great debate between the two religions because the question of life after death is as old as
antiquity itself. Be it Judaism, Greek philosophy and mythology, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism,
Humanism, Atheism, the list can continue on. The question on what happens after death is a
9 Braden Charles, “Hindu Interpretations of the Bible and Jesus.” Journal of the American Academy of Religion XII,
no. 1 (1944), 42-47.
topic even outside of religion. The human mind desires to know about the afterlife, be it good
or bad, be it about religion or not; the unknown stirs curiosity.
In Christianity, life after death seems cut and dry: one will either spend eternity
separated from God (in hell) or spend eternity with God (in heaven). The how behind how either
outcome is determined is another contrasting topic in itself. The intent of this specific discussion
is to point out the differing beliefs in what happens to a person, or their spirit, when they die.
For Christianity, the belief is there is one death for everyone and a second death for others. The
first death is the physical death in which every person will experience. The second potential
death is that of a spiritual death in which your spirit is eternally separated from God’s presence
in hell. For those who do not experience the second death, the outcome after the physical
death is eternity in God’s presence. The second, spiritual death, is for those who decided to not
put their hope and faith in Christ Jesus and did not experience salvation through Christ’s death
and resurrection because they chose not to. Conversely, those who experience eternity in God’s
presence are those who did choose to put their hope and faith in Christ Jesus and accepted His
free gift of salvation through Jesus’ death and resurrection. This determination of eternal
damnation vs eternal life is the judgment process by God. Just as the author of Hebrews
proclaims, “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this judgment” (NKJV).
Contrastingly, in Hinduism, the belief is that there is a cyclical existence in where the
spirit (Atman) enters into a cycle of life, death, and rebirth and the goal of the rebirthed spirit is
to achieve moksha, which is the liberation from this cyclical existence. Where the spirit has one
final resting place immediately after the physical death in Christianity, in Hinduism the soul is on
a journey to ultimate liberation and it is based on the law of karma; which posits that good
actions lead to good karma and a better rebirth, while bad actions lead to bad karma and
suffering in future rebirths.10
The Path to Salvation
Tailgating off the previous discussion on life after death, the path that leads to salvation,
or liberation, and which affects the life after death differ vastly between Christianity and
Hinduism. Within Christianity, at its basic interpretation, salvation is a free gift of grace from
God in which it is available for everyone and is obtained through grace and faith alone. Paul
writes to the church in Ephesus, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not
of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9, NKJV).
This faith in which Christianity speaks of is the faith in Jesus Christ and his death on the cross
and resurrection from the grave. Jesus makes it clear in the Bible that He is the way, the truth,
and the life and no one gets to the Father except through him (John 14:6). Also, in Romans, Paul
writes that you will be saved if you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus
died and rose from the dead (Rom. 14:6). This is the path to salvation in Christianity.
In Hinduism, the path to salvation, or liberation form the cycle of rebirth, is driven by
one’s karma and dharma. Karma being the effects on one’s life based on good and bad actions
they choose in life. Dharma being the “ethical and moral duties prescribed by one’s caste, age,
and gender.”11 This journey of the soul after death is on repeat, controlled by karma, which is
controlled by the reincarnate spirit of the original body it hosted by making good and bad
choices, effecting its next life until it does enough good to warrant what the Hindus call moksha,
liberation. As Asiedu and Buade point out, “Unlike Christianity, where faith is the central
10 Asiedu, Bright and Buade, Kennan, A Comparative Study of the Afterlife in Christianity and Hinduism, 2024, 11
11 Ibid.
determinant, Hinduism emphasizes righteous living, self-discipline, and the accumulation of
good karma to improve one’s future rebirths and ultimately achieve moksha.”12
Strategy for Effectively Communicating the Gospel
When thinking of a strategy on communicating the gospel effectively to not only Dev, but
to anyone, the Apostle Paul is an immediate model on how to approach such a task. Paul,
author of the majority of the New Testament, is an excellent model on tried-and-true tactics
and methodology when communicating the gospel. Paul’s methodology can be summed up in
five verses in 1 Corinthians. As Paul is writing to the church in Corinth, he expounds on his
freedom and his putting it to effective use to reach as many people as possible. Paul writes in 1
Corinthians 9:19-23,
For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win
the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the
law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without
law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I
might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak.
I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the
gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you. (NKJV)
In this, Paul is meeting people where they are in order to effectively share the gospel
message with them in a manner in which they will receive it without hinderance. The main
tactical approach Paul uses in his methodology is that of intercultural communication. At face
value, this tactic seems to only apply to those who are trying to share the gospel with someone
of a different country or nationality altogether. While that is certainly the case in the approach
12 Ibid.
with Dev, as Dev was born and raised in India and the interviewer was born and raised in the
United States, the setup is not always so drastic. In a place such as the United States, where it is
known as “the melting pot,” there are many cultures right within its own boundaries that are
made up of people and groups who were also born and raised in the United States. Be it West
Coast/East Coast, north/south, black/white, rich/poor, or educated/non-educated, there are
cultural differences within a nation’s own borders. This is why effective intercultural
communication can be, and is, such an important strategy in effective communication of the
gospel message.
In his article, “The Pauline Methodology of Communicating the Word to a Gentile
Audience,” Dr. Mike Reddy methodically breaks down the Apostle Paul’s ministry tactics and
style when sharing the gospel. Reddy defines intercultural communication simply as,
“communication among people of different cultures.” However, he references Tubbs and Moss
with a fuller understanding, “Whenever the parties to a communication act brig with them
different experiential backgrounds that reflect a longstanding deposit of group experience,
knowledge, and values we have intercultural communication.”13 While Reddy’s definition
suffices for all intents and purposes and is more of a “textbook” definition, Tubbs and Moss’s
definition also defines, to a degree, what culture itself is; which is a product of experiences,
knowledge, and values of a group.
Within Paul’s methodology of being “all things to all men,” a pivotal component of such a
tactic lies in the fact that Paul did not compromise. Ruddy articulates it this way, “The Apostle
Paul communicated verbally and publically with people from different cultures, for example he
is regarded as the apostle to the Gentiles. A unique intercultural communication method used
13 Mike Reddy, “The Pauline Methodology of Communicating the Word to a Gentile Audience.” Pharos Journal of
Theology, 2021, 5.
by the Apostle Paul was to embrace cultural values and systems without compromising his
values and principles.”14
The approach with Dev would look similar to the tactics and methodology used by Paul
in that understanding the cultural differences and similarities would be used to lay a foundation
of trust while using intercultural communication skills and acumen. In conjunction with
intercultural communication tactics, it would bode well for the Christian to use a method called
the Inside Out Method. This method of sharing the gospel starts with finding and highlighting
the similarities between the two different beliefs, in this example Christianity and Hinduism, in
order to build a rapport, trust, and foundation with the non-believer. This allows for walls and
hinderances to be broken down in order to effectively share with the non-believer and for them
to be more likely to receive the message more openly. Once that foundation is built, then begin
to work out from the inside to point out the differences between the two faiths and even some
fallacies in the non-Christian religion.
For the approach with Dev, a Hindu, sharing in the belief that people do sin and there
needs to be a way of liberation from that sin is a good start. Additionally, the shared belief in
living a good, moral life; more specifically, how Jesus modeled this. It can also be identified how
we live our life here on earth, and the choices we make, do effect what happens after death. It
should also be noted that Dev is not the only one who has sinned and needs this liberation, nor
just Hindus, but even the Christian, and all people. Just as Hindus believe there was a beginning
to all mankind and there was a battle of good and evil, so was there a beginning in Christian
theology where there was a “battle” of sorts between good in evil in the Garden of Eden. This
can lead into the fall of mankind and sin entering the world and tainting the perfect human race
14 Ibid.
God had designed and how through the first man, Adam, sin entered the world, and we are all
now born inherently sinful. Share that this morally good man, Jesus, was more than just a good
man, but God incarnate, God in human form and because He is God in human form, He is the
only one who can liberate humankind from sin and suffering because He is perfect and without
blemish. Share how this God, Yahweh, and God in the flesh, Jesus, loves His creation so much
that He sacrificed Himself on the cross to pay for these sins once and for all. It would be wise to
share how Jesus’ burial was not necessarily a ritualistic act but was actually fulfilling prophecy
from many years prior. Finally, the resurrection, this “re-birth” of Jesus as the resurrected
Messiah proving His victory over death, hell, and the grave and sin. These three acts, His death,
burial, and resurrection, are the pinnacle of the gospel message. While it can be tempting to
simply state, “Jesus came and died for your sins, rose again three days later, and ascended into
heaven and now you can have eternal life with Him,” someone of such a drastically different
belief system, such as Hinduism, would likely turn a deaf ear to it or even take offense. This is
where it is imperative to have that intercultural communication skill, use the Inside Out
approach, and build that rapport and foundation to breakdown barriers for the non-believer to
be more willing to openly accept such a transformative message.
Conclusion
Of the thousands of different religious affiliations globally, four take the top as the most
popular with the most adherents, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. This paper took
a deeper look in two of the four, Christianity and Hinduism. Through an interview of a devout
Hindu, conducted by a devout Christian, the similarities, and dissimilarities of the two religions
were looked at in-depth based on the lived experiences of the interviewee along with scholarly
research and lived experiences of the interviewer.
Once the commonalities and contrasting features were analyzed, a strategic plan was
organized on presenting the gospel message to the devout Hindu based on the findings of the
analysis. It was presented as highlighting the common features first to lay a foundation of trust
with the interviewee, then to work from the inside out to point out some errancies in Hinduism,
but then to offer a solution to sin and human suffering through the death, burial, and
resurrection of Jesus Christ.
While only a handful of commonalities were presented in this paper, when analyzing
Hinduism through the lived experiences of another human, it is the author of this paper’s
opinion that there are many more similarities than once believed before this paper was drafted.
However, despite the many similarities between the two religions, there are still plenty of
contrasting beliefs between the two in which this paper does not afford the space to outline in
detail. That said, it is still the opinion of the author of this paper that Christianity is still the one
true faith in which true, real, everlasting freedom and life can be found, and only through Christ
Jesus.
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