A new Indian version of the Bible recently, published by the Catholic Church, has run into controversy over its inclusion of verses from the Bhagavad Gita, a form of Hindu chant, and references to the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi.
An illustration in the new version, New Community Bible, depicts Jesus, Mary and Joseph as poor Indian villagers. Mary wears a simple sari and has a bindi on her forehead alongside Joseph in a turban and loincloth.
According to the 30 Indian biblical scholars who worked for more than 15 years on the new edition, the Bible draws on "the rich cultural and religious heritage of India."
Although approved by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India and published by the Society of St. Paul, the Bible met the disapproval of Protestants and other Christian groups, who believe it diverts from biblical truth.
Pastor Vijay Thomas, who heads a Bible college in Chennai, told Christian Today, “By making it appear ‘Indian’ with references to Hindu scriptures and great poets, people will not come to the truth. This is a complete turn back from the real Bible."
Oswald Gracias, the Catholic Archbishop of Bombay, defended the Bible edition, saying, "I am sure this Bible, made in India and for Indians, will bring the word of God closer to millions of our people, not only Christians."
Accompanied by extensive commentary notes to assist readers in interpreting the verses, the edition also references Indian ancient literary works such as Ramayana and Mahabharata.
Jesus' words about storing "treasures in heaven" in the Gospel of Matthew, for example, are compared to the Bhagavadgita's teaching that "work alone is your proper business, never the fruits it may produce."
The teachings of Mahatma Gandhi and the poetry of Rabindranath Tagore, Asia's first Nobel laureate, are also referred to in the commentary.
The general editor of the New Community Bible, the Rev. Dr. Augustine Kanachikuzhy, admitted that references to Hindu scriptures had drawn complaints.
"This was expected," he said. "It will take some time for the [new Bible] to gain acceptance."
Kanachikuzy still believes the Bible to be a huge hit. "It has proved to be extremely popular among the Christian community with over 15,000 copies sold out within barely 10 days. Now it has gone for a reprint," he added.
RSS
Actually, the approach used (of making them appear as Indians down to the clothing and practices--especially including Hindu practice of "bindi") is counterproductive. The best approach was used in the film DiyaSagar, which has shown much success.
Prophet,
Please forgive me if I'm just not understanding your post, but I wonder if the misunderstanding is as simple as equating God with God the Son (who was born of Mary), when the Bible text referring to God as Spirit is referring to God the Father (who was not born of Mary). I do know, agree with, and understand (so far as possible) the doctrine of the Trinity, but don't think that's your struggle here. Hope this helps - and pray it doesn't offend any.
Prophet,
IHS,
I wish I could believe that God was born, but I can't get past the scriptures that say that God is a spirit, and that He has no beginning or end.
For some reason, Catholics believe that humans give birth to spirits, and that God did have a beginning.
As I said, the God-head is indeed a mystery.
To say that Mary is not the mother of God is not a sin. She is afterall, the mother of Jesus. And that counts for something.
And it does not take away from the deity of Christ in any way.
God could have used a donkey to give birth to Jesus. (Yeah yeah...I know...that's sacrilege). Why do you worship her and lift her up? There is only one that we worship.
Isaiah 42:8 "I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images."
But yet, that's what the Catholics do.
Guys...you sound like a bunch of politicians...maybe not that low....
Jesus was God made flesh. The God part came from God and the flesh part came from Mary. "You shall conceive of the Holy Spirit".
Children are a combination of their mother and their father. This is how Jesus was completely God and completely man.
Dear IHS, Chris and all...
Admitedly, I am usually in over my head in these discussions as I have only been a Christian for 14 months. I don't have the added blessings that come with being raised in a Christian home . However, the Lord has never let me down. I have walked away from a few 'debates' frustrated, but never with damaged faith. The more I have opened up the truth to the Romanists on this board, the more God has blessed me with knowledge, dilligence in prayer and study, and increased faith. I believe what I believe because, and I know this sounds cliche, the Bible tells me so. God is so faithful, friends. He is so merciful. He is so absolutely righteous.
In regards to the last couple of posts from IHS, I have a link for you to follow. I am incapable of teaching on the matter of Sola Scriptura (remember, it is 'Sola', not 'Solo' - two very different things)but this link leads to a video clip that justifies Biblically and Historically exactly what we Christians believe.
IHS - Please watch this: http://www.symphonyofscripture.com/?p=1193
If I 'speak' in here with any kind of 'authority' I ask you to forgive me. All authority is God's, and any truth I may speak is purely a result of His plentious blessings in my life. I have been in seminary for a very short period of time in my very short Christian walk. I have such an hunger for the Word of God... it is nothing short of amazing. And the more I know, brothers, the more I realize I don't know.
One thing is absolutely clear to me though. The Church of God that I read about in the Bible, its structure, its people (we true Christians are all Saints; we are all sanctified) the headship of Christ, the body of believers - looks absolutely NOTHING like the RCC. The church we read about, the church that Josephus describes - this is my church. This is your church. These people are my brothers and sisters. You are my brothers and sisters. And we are as far removed from the RCC as light is from darkness. Praise GOD!
Jesus himself says in John 10:35 â
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; - 1Timothy 2:5.
And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance â
The Mary of scripture is entirely different from the one that is taught by Catholicism. The belief that Mary was born without sin, that Mary was a perpetual virgin, and that she is the co-mediatrix/co- redemptrix with Jesus is completely foreign to the testimony of scripture.
As for Mary being born without sin; consider the follow passages -
(For ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God) â
ihs, I would encourage you to read 2 Timothy 3:16-17. I have no problem with those who read more than the Bible. I personally use other books such as commentaries and other writings of authors such as Josh McDowell, but the difference is that these writings do not violate, contradict, or supersede the Word of God. If any writings do that, then as a Christian I am compelled by God's Holy Spirit to reject it. A question for you on your response about Mary. You said that she only bore one person, are you saying that in her lifetime she only had one child or that she bore no children prior to the birth of Christ?
Also, since this has also been a very tough issue for me and it appears you have not answered msn, then could you show me in the Bible where it says that the Bible is our ONLY source that Christians should go by.
I've discussed this with our Senior Pastor and I've discussed this at seminary and those that say they have a passage to support "Sola Scriptura" have never found a scripture that says "Alone" or anything else close to that wording which is one of our major doctrines sepparating us from the Catholics.
From my study it appears the Bible says that the Bible is good for building up a Christian and for reproofing, etc. It also says that we must keep the traditions handed down by the Apostles and it also says that specific men did receive certain authority over the "Flock". This sounds like it supports msn's position quite clearly, yet our doctrine seems to deny scripture then.
Please advise.
brotheraron,
MSN has answered your questions many times before on other posts. He has also come up with many verses from scripture to support his position and yet you say he hasn't.
Mary is the Mother of God and all evangelicals accept the first 7 ecumenical councils. If you deny that Mary is the Mother of God, as our senior pastor pointed out, then you deny that Jesus is fully divine and fully human at the same time. Also, Jesus human nature and his divine nature are two natures within ONE PERSON. Evangelicals accept this.
Argyle,
Could you please write in complete sentences. You are very hard to follow.
Prophet,
Msn was correct about Mary as the Mother of God or as Elizabeth said,"the mother of my Lord". She only bore one person and in that one person Jesus is both God and Man insepparable. Jesus is the incarnate God. If Mary is not the Mother of God or Mother of our Lord, then maybe you are not a Christian then. This position in effect would deny Christ divinity.
Thanks.
I think Chris might also have misunderstood what you saidand then jumped to false conclusions and then charged right into the heratic name slinging. I might be wrong but from what i read i think there was a misunderstanding. regardless, people like you and i are "heratics" anyway for submitting to God's word, before the papacy(man made organization).
The Catholic doctrine that Mary is the Mother of God. Mother gave birth to Jesus, not God. Human cannot give birth to spirit. Though Jesus is God, and they are one, they are also separate...as Jesus repeatedly showed us when He spoke of and to the Father. If they were one, but not separate, then He would not need to pray to anyone but Himself. It is the mystery of the Godhead, humanized by Catholics. Which I find heretical in itself.
Prophet: Where is he getting -
"If you say that Mary only gave birth to Jesus the human, then what you are saying is a Christological heresy. What you have just said is that you deny that Christ is fully humand and fully divine at the same time."
??