Abstract:
This is a missiological study of the influence of Hindu beliefs and practices
upon the response to the gospel among the Hindus in Nairobi. It seeks to find out
hindrance to the gospel message and thus build appropriate bridges for effective
Christian witness to the Hindus in Nairobi. In order to achieve this, the researcher
undertook an extensive review of the related literature. Mainly the data was collected
through face to face interview to five pastors who are involved in Hindu evangelism,
seven Hindu converts and five Hindus who have heard the gospel and have not
responded to it. The interview questions were open ended.
The findings clearly revealed that clearly revealed that, the Hindu concept of
god, incarnation (Avatar), Karma (good deeds), Moksha (salvation), and Dharma
(law) can influence Christian witnessing both positively negatively among the Hindus
in Nairobi. Hindus and there is no need to defend the existence of God to a Hindu.
But Hindus worship many manifestations of that are God where as Christianity
restrictive to one and only one God. Hindus believe in ten incarnations of Vishnu to
destroy sinners but the incarnation of Jesus Christ in Christianity is to seek and save
the sinners once for all. Incarnation in Hinduism is inadequate. In Hinduism salvation
means liberation from the cycle of births, deaths and rebirths and can be achieved in
four ways. Christianity is rigid and offers one and only way to salvation and can be
achieved only through Jesus. The doctrine of Karma (good deeds) is found in both
Christianity and in Hinduism can attract Hindus to the gospel message.
The concept of sin and sacrifice to atone for sins can easily be major
theological block or bridge to Hindus. There are other Hindu concepts like devotion,
idol worship, trinity, and festivals like Diwali, Easter and Christmas can be effectively
used as bridges to communicate the gospel to Hindus in Nairobi. The caste system
practiced among Hindus in Nairobi, their food habits (vegetarianism), dowry system,
false assumption that Christianity is a foreign religion and foreign money is used for
conversion and it is also a threat to Hindu culture and sovereignty can be major
hindrance in advancement of gospel to Hindus. The success of the future evangelism
is to contextualize the gospel message to Hindus and communicate it in a way that is
relevant meaningful to their context.
