Christian Barriers to Jesus: Conversations and Questions from the Indian Context

by Paul J. Pennington

"Hindus often have a high view of Jesus, but they struggle with traditions and customs around Christianity and church. Christian Barriers to Jesus uniquely challenges readers to examine nine barrier-producing Christian traditions from three Concerns Hindus commonly raise about the traditions
* Assumptions Christians may hold about the traditions
* Teachings of Jesus and Scripture that often question the Christian traditions that confuse, offend, and alienate Hindus from Jesus.
This book suggests that we are not asking deep enough questions about what is essential for following Jesus and what is non-essential human invention. If we truly care about Jesus, we must honestly address where those non-essential traditions unnecessarily alienate millions of people from him."

Genres: Hinduism

304 pages, Paperback

Published June 24, 2017

Reviews

[Allie · Rating 5 out of 5]

So thought-provoking, so essential! Not many books would I say have changed my life and how I see the world, but I would say that about this book.

[Shari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone connected in any way to Christian ministry in India should read this book. But it also helps all of us Western Christians take a hard look at what we believe are the essentials of following Jesus and how we might be imposing those sometimes unbiblical assumptions on others. It shook me up a few times!

[Danny Joseph · Rating 2 out of 5]

I appreciate Pennington's heart, but I wonder at the wisdom of his methods. He speaks of ministry in India, and the way that he does it, is by dismantling things that Hindus may see as distinctly "Christian," barriers to Jesus, as he would call them. He essentially (he may disagree with this) argues for something akin to an "insider movement." The reason I say this is because he specifically attacks the phrase "insider movement" saying that it is rooted in the old covenant separatist paradigm. He axes several commonly used Christian terms, saying that they carry too much baggage. He speaks of not using the terms or changing the concepts of, "Christian, Church, evangelism, gospel, Jesus, preaching, conversion, and baptism" Instead using Indian terms or concepts.

Now, here are the qualms I have with his method. He is presupposing that the Indians in these areas already know something of Christianity. Otherwise, these terms wouldn't be stumbling blocks. If that is the case, I think we run into real problems when someone who knows something of Christianity asks if we are Christian and we say no. If we change around terms and later someone finds what we really meant was Christianity, I fear that they will feel that they've been tricked. Maybe it would be more fruitful to say, "yes, I'm a Christian, but people think different things when they hear that, what comes to mind when you hear it?"

But don't get me wrong, Pennington has a lot of good to say and his insights will be useful to anyone trying to contextualize. Just don't contextualize like him.

[Johnny · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good read and important for believers everywhere, not just believers in India. I have witnesses many of these very same barriers in a different religious context. I'm still wrestling with some of the implications and thinking about how this impacts my life and relationships. Will be reading this book again with others to discuss practical steps we can take to remove barriers.

[Matthew Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing! Has implications far behind India and Hindu culture. Those who share the way of Jesus with anyone would do well to consider the issues raised in this book.