Five things I’ve learnt about Hinduism

Friday, 7th November 2024

With the recent launch of our new course here at OCCA, Key Concepts of Hinduism, I’ve had the opportunity to discover for myself more about the beliefs and practices of the Hindu religion.

I wonder if you know these 5 things?

1. There are over 1 billion Hindus in the world

About 80% of people in India would call themselves Hindus, but only 1% of the US population and 2% of the UK population. This is an astonishingly large proportion of humanity, and yet very few Christians have made much attempt to understand and interact with Hindus.

2. It isn’t an ‘-ism’

The term Hinduism isn’t very helpful, as it suggests we’re talking about a comprehensive belief system. Arguably, it stems from western attempts to categorise religions and enable comparisons. The word itself originates from the Sanskrit word for river and was used by the Persians to designate a particular area in Northwest India.

The term ‘Sanatana dharma’ meaning “eternal way of right living” may be a more helpful term. Hinduism is a way of life, more than a systematic philosophy. It had no single founder, and there are many strands and traditions across the world.

3. It isn’t polytheistic

Fewer than 1 in 10 Hindus believe that there is more than one god. For most, they understand that there is one god with manifestations.

Mainstream Hindus understand god as one, but not in a personal sense. This is such a profound contrast with Christianity, that I’ve found it hard to comprehend. They believe that deities can be created, transformed, or killed.

4. Life is a circle

Hinduism teaches that life is cyclical, with souls experiencing birth, death, and rebirth (samsara). The ultimate goal, however, is liberation from this cycle (moksha), achieved through self-realisation and detachment from desires.

Various paths—such as devotion, knowledge, and disciplined action—are ways to attain moksha. Hindus believe that the soul is immortal and takes a new body in every reincarnation. Death is not seen as an enemy, but part of the process.

5. Hindus are seeking liberation

While worldly life stages like family, work, and social duties (outlined in the ashramas or life stages) are important, the pursuit of moksha is viewed as the highest aim of life. The other goals—kama (pleasure), artha (wealth), and dharma (duty)—are important but seen as ultimately temporary. Moksha alone offers eternal liberation, free from the limitations of earthly existence.

Key Concepts of Hinduism

We’re now halfway through the first iteration of Rahil Patel’s new course: Key Concepts of Hinduism. The cohort includes people from Thailand, the USA, the UK, India, Canada and the Netherlands. We held the first live Q&A session last week and the depth of questions asked was fascinating, including:

“Why are Hindus not so concerned with the historical evidence behind the writings of the Vedas as Christians are with the Bible?”

“Why are some Hindu traditions steeped in the use of logic and reason when engaging with God (or for defending Hindu doctrine) while other traditions discard it?”

In addition to this course, on the OCCA YouTube channel you’ll find a series of videos that are designed to help Christians engage with the Hindus that they know:

Key Concepts of Hinduism: Parabrahma: Rahil Patel unpacks the concept of Parabrahma meaning “Supreme God.”

How Can Christianity Engage with Hindu Philosophy?: Jacob Cheriyan offers a framework for engaging with Hindu Philosophy based on the Apostle Paul’s blending of Jewish and Greek thought. (Members-only content)

How to Bridge Cultural Gaps: Cathy Douglas shares her experience engaging with South Asian culture. (Members-only content)

Engaging with Muslims

In January 2025, we will also be releasing a new video series called Engaging Islam, filmed with Dr. Richard Schumack. To get started, you may like to read Richard’s book: Jesus Through Muslim Eyes.

I really encourage you to engage with these new resources so that you can confidently connect with friends, neighbours, and colleagues from different faiths.