Christian Scripture in the Midst of Many Scriptures
Thoughts from Prof. Gnanak Gerhardson
Introduction
This
presentation explores how the Christian scripture read and interpreted the scriptures
in regard to building peace and harmony in the midst of many scriptures. Given
that the normative role of scripture is perceived by a vast movement, point one
presents one of its preeminent representatives Max Muller (1823-1900), the pioneer
of the comparative religion and who had devoted their life either to the
editing of the original texts or to the careful interpretation of some of the
sacred books. The second point will say something about the way certain biblical
realism and other realisms meditate on the sacred scriptures with the aim to
give essential message and the content by using Hendric Kraemer views. The
third point relates an experience of reading the gospels that greatly
influenced the Stanley J Samartha and has become, in some manner, the axis of
his position that religions are different to the mystery and his warning of a
rudderless boat on the waters of relativism. Finally, recognition of dialogical
process and the language of insights in a multi-scriptural context are dealt.
1. Living the Scriptures
In
order to look truth, the whole truth and if it must be told, it is not enough
to observe the radiant the dawn of religious thought, it is not without dark
clouds, it chilling colds, its harmful vapours. But Muller confesses that he
himself discovered how the sacred books of east, by the side of so much that
are fresh, natural, simple. Like sifting the fragments of pure gold from the
heap of rubbish is important, if that make sense then applicable of the
scripture also must be live contextualized in the India. It must be received,
and kept more empathetic approach with theological openness. Muller further
emphasized the spirit of the militant missionary triumphalism of the day did
not spare even with few missionaries as example[1].
2. Reading the Scriptures Together
The
reference to the scriptures could be a cause of harmony in the prophetic and
apostolic witness of God’s universal act of revelation and liberation is very
remarkable. How many divisions have come about as a result of particular
interpretations? Was it not a tragic destiny that religion or theology became fragmented
into a multitude? Nevertheless, Kraemer as a fundamentalist, he did not cease
to invite all to a parallel reading of the scriptures rather he identified the
distinctive fundamentals of the Bible which God as theocentric character who
revealed in Jesus Christ. His passion with Calvin-dialectical theology hindered
the way to recognize the theocentric character of the Quran and the Hindu
devotional texts and the new order of life presented. He interprets that the
missionaries working in the midst of other religious communities who dissolve
the bond of unity that God wants to conserve as inviolable. The interpretation
of the scriptures done within the other faiths can be done in a mutual manner.
So those who read today would find his Realism wanting, yet without suspecting
his integrity and missionary commitment.
3. The Need for
Illumination
A
very important point of the voices from the margin is that humankind needs an
illumination of their distinctive multi-scriptural situation. Here pops a
question that How should we understand this term in this context? The first person
to speak about it was Samartha. He wrote that in order to understand well the scriptures,
we need to live an experience similar to that lived by communities live with
the other faiths. Samartha’s call was illuminated within a shift from mono-scriptural
to multi-scriptural outlook. He says in his beautiful comment in regard to
present world: as someone truly dedicated to dialogue, whose commitment and
openness is widely acknowledged. His theology of religions hangs on delicate
balance between his position that religions are different responses to the
mystery and his warning of ‘a rudderless boat on the waters of relativism’.
4. Recognizing the Ultimate Authority of
Scriptures without Neglecting the Other Faiths
A
much discussed question within the framework of dialogue between the sacred
scriptures is that Do we need to add anything that has the same authoritative
level as the scriptures found in different communities? Is bible presented a
different dialogical processes compare to other religious traditions? The first
point of dialogical process wrote I. Selvanayagam in his book Biblical Insights on Inter-faith Dialogue
(1995), “is that the plurality if ways in which some of the fundamental
categories or figures are presented.” Secondly, being preoccupied with all the
hermeneutical principles developed in the field of scriptures can be reflected
similarities with other interpretations in form of devotional, ethical
teachings and mythical stories. Thirdly, in context other faiths we need to expect
an opportunity in the process of dialogue to share the core insights of the
bible.
Questions for Further Discussion
Is
Christian scripture in the midst of many scriptures can give the solution for
harmonious living (Ghar Wapsi)? How? What kind of methods we need to use?
Is
seek to understand first then to be understood can be possible in the midst of ‘no
follow to the verses in the bible’ (Mt. 17:21; 18:11)?
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