God's holiness in Leviticus and Isaiah : a biblical response to Hinduism

Abstract

In recent "dialogue" has served as a watchword in the encounter between Hinduism and Christianity. To bring such dialogue several approaches have been developed. Yet the scope of this faith encounter leaves room for additional approaches to be explored. This thesis suggests that one such alternative is the Biblical-Motif approach beginning the dailogue froma a particular theme of Scripture. The motif featured in this study is the holiness of God. In the Old Testament the concept of holiness is expressed by the root word ErliT whose primary meaning is that of separation. God is holy because he is totally separate from the world in nature and character. Whatever is considered holy outside of God is so because it has been separated from the realm of the world and incorporated into God's sphere. This motif of God's holiness is viewed from a specific perspective, the books of Leviticus and Isaiah. It is shown that these two books display a strong affinity regarding the concept of God's holiness. Both reveal that the holiness of God is an overrding concern of the authors. They display this concern in a manner that complements each other. The holiness of God, as presented by Leviticus and Isaiah, comprises three components: (1) holiness implicit in objects, sites, times, and persons; (2) holiness explicitly stated by the use of a holiness self-predication formula, direct divine statements, or an epithet; and (3) holiness which has implications for God's people and call upon them to be a holy people whose entire lifestyle is holy. A similar awareness and stress of the holiness of God is also evident in Hindusim. This can be seen both in Hindu thought as well as religious practices. God or Brahman is seen as the Holy One par excellence and it is believed that his holiness is manifested in things, places, and the Scriptures. The concept of holiness also undergirds the understanding of varna and ashrama. This sense of the holy is clearly displayed in Hindu dharma in the form of worship, cleansings, pilgrimages, sacraments, and the sannyasa idea. The quest for holiness is seen as a quest for moksha. The goal of life is to realise God and be free of embodiment. Becoming one with the divine is equivalent to attaining the holy. The two quests are one and the same. All of Hinduism is geared to fulfilling this quest. When the biblical and Hindu teachings are compared, fundamental differences appear, also common grounds for dialogue emerge. These common grounds are: (1) that God's holiness is all-pervasive, (2) that holiness originates in the divine, (3) that holiness is attainable, (4) that holiness is closely linked to salvation, and (5) that holiness must be personally experienced. The emphasis on God's holiness in the Bible finds a close parallel in Hinduism. This provides a bridge and a biblical response to Hinduism. Certain implications arise that will enhance the Church's ability to communicate the gospel. The ideas of cleanness and purity, personal holiness, corporate holiness, and lifestyle holiness provide points of contact between the biblical motif of holiness and its counterpart in Hinduism.