The Human Icon: A Comparative Study of Hindu and Orthodox Christian Beliefs - 7310

Despite the history that divides them, Hinduism and Orthodox Christianity have much in common. In The Human Icon, Christine Mangala Frost explores how both religions seek to realise the divine potential of every human being, and the differences in their approach. Frost, who has experienced both the extraordinary riches and the all-too-human failings of Hinduism and Orthodox Christianity from the inside, is perfectly placed to examine the convergences and divergences between the two faiths. Inspired by a desire to clear up the misunderstandings that exist between the two, The Human Icon is a study in how two faiths, superficially dissimilar, can nevertheless find meeting points everywhere. The powerful intellectual and spiritual patristic traditions of Orthodox Christianity offer a rare tool for revitalising too-often stalled dialogue with Hinduism and present the chance for a broader and more diverse understanding of the oldest religion in the world. Tracing the long history of Orthodox Christianity in India, from the Thomas Christians of ancient times to the distinctive theology of Paulos Mar Gregorios and the Kottayam School, Frost explores the impact of Hindu thought on Indian Christianity and considers the potential for confluence. With a breadth of interest that spans Hindu bhakti, Orthodox devotional theology, Vedānta and theosis, as well as meditational Yoga and hesychastic prayer, Frost offers a fresh perspective on how the devotees of both faiths approach the ideal of divinisation, and presents a thoughtful, modern methodology for a dialogue of life. Table of Contents List of Illustrations Acknowledgements PROLOGUE CHAPTER ONE: Introduction: What It Means to Inhabit a Hindu World Part I: Hinduism or Hinduisms? Part II: Sacred Texts and Sacred Traditions Part III: The Role of the Bhagavadgītā in the Modern Hindu World Part IV: God, Gods, Goddesses, and Temples CHAPTER TWO: Orthodox Christianity in India: A Dialogue of Life Part I: The Thomas Christians Part II: A Dialogue of Life Part III: The ‘Kottayam School’ of Theology CHAPTER THREE: The Quest for the Divine: Divinisation (‘Tat tvam asi’) in Vedānta and Deification (Theosis) in Orthodox Christianity Part I: Divinisation (‘Tat tvam asi’) in Vedānta and Deification (Theosis) Part II: Non-Dualism (Advaita), or Monism Part III: Rāmānuja (c. 1077-1157 CE) and ‘Qualified Non-Dualism’ (Viśiştādvaita) Part IV: Madhva (c. 1238-1317 CE) and ‘Dualism’ (dvaita) Part V: An Appraisal of Theistic Vedānta CHAPTER FOUR: The Quest for the Divine in the Bhakti Tradition: God, ‘the Lover of Mankind’ Part I: What is Bhakti? Why is it Considered by Hindus to be Essential to Any Quest for the Divine? Part II: What Are the Possible Areas of Convergence between Hindu Bhakti and Orthodox Devotional Theology? Part III: What Are the Areas of Questionable Convergence and of Significant Divergence between Hindu Bhakti and Orthodox Devotional Theology? Part IV: How Might Hindu-Christian Dialogue Regarding the Bhakti Tradition Progress? Afterword: Parallel Concerns within the Hindu Bhakti and Christian Traditions Where Dialogue May Assist CHAPTER FIVE: The Problem of Suffering and Evil: Karma and the Cross Part I: What is Karma? What is the Attraction of Karma? Part II: Biblical Perspectives on Suffering and Evil Part III: Questions of Convergence and Divergence Part IV: The Great Divergence: The Cross CHAPTER SIX: Yoga and Hesychasm: The Body and the ‘Body of Christ’ Part I: What is Yoga? How Far, If At All, Could Christians Endorse It? Part II: Meditational Yoga and Hesychastic Prayer: A Comparative Analysis Part III: The ‘Prophetic Polemics’ of St Gregory Palamas’ The Triads and Their Relevance to Discussions of Yoga CHAPTER SEVEN: ‘Signs and Wonders’: Orthodox Spiritual Elders and Hindu Holy Men Part I: Signs and Wonders: The Biblical Perspective Part II: ‘The Golden Chain’: Saints and ‘Holy Men’ in the Orthodox Tradition Part III: Hindu ‘Holy Men’ Part IV: The Mutual Challenge: Christians and Hindus in Conversation EPILOGUE Select Bibliography Index
ASIN: 0227176359
VSKU: BVV.0227176359.VG
Condition: Very Good
Author/Artist:Frost, Christine Mangala
Binding: Paperback