A Survey, a Dialogue, and a Reflection
Introduction — Why I Asked This Question
Some time ago, while reading H. L. Richard’s statement:
“If Western Christianity does not resonate with Hindu traditions, if the gospel as we UNDERSTAND it is fundamentally foreign in the Indic worldview, the missionary effort is not only in vain but a completely misguided venture.”¹
I was struck by how the way we summarise the Good News often says more about us than about the Gospel itself. This single line prompted a simple but searching question:
“What is the Gospel according to your understanding?”—which should resonate with Indic worldview?
I sent this question to about sixty people from various backgrounds (professionals, theologians, missionaries, full-time workers, and laypersons). Only six replied. The replies that did come—though few—generated a rich conversation and led me to re-examine how the New Testament itself presents Good News, as UNDERSTOOD by the author who wrote, the person who spoke, and the audience who listened.
This paper is presented in two parts:
- Part One summarises the survey responses and my dialogue with several respondents.
- Part Two reflects on the textual, historical, and sociological contexts of biblical passages often cited to define the Gospel.
Part One — The Survey, the Dialogue
1. Selvi — Detailed Dialogue
Selvi’s reply (translated from Tamil):
“Greetings in the name of Lord Jesus.
This reply is written according to my understanding, as God revealed it to me. For the sins of humankind, God was born on earth as His Son Jesus, offering Himself as a blood sacrifice, giving His very life, to grant deliverance to humankind from sin. God made me understand that this deliverance is the Gospel.
Making this truth known to those who do not know it is the Gospel.”
My response:
What you have written is the usual way Christians explain it. But when you first heard about the Lord or came to know Him, was this exactly what you were told? Or is this how you yourself came to understand it? Where in the Bible is this “formula” you are describing? If it is there, in what situation, by whom, and why was it said?
When Jesus was first crucified and raised, His disciples and the early Jewish believers—and even Gentiles—did not yet come together in the Lord in this way. Only much later did it begin at Antioch. In the beginning, the Jerusalem church was entirely Jewish. Did they themselves, after understanding it, call this the “Gospel”?
Another question: If you want to tell someone this Gospel now, will you use the same “formula” and the same Christian words? Will they understand those words as the Gospel?
Selvi’s further reflection:
No, you are right. When I first accepted the Lord and began to read the Bible, through some verses in Psalm 45 God spoke to me. I saw Someone giving answers to my problems. I did not understand how this was happening. At that time, no one had told me about the Lord. Even though my husband was saved, he did not force me.
Then, as I willingly began to read the Bible again, the Lord began to speak to me through everything. Only then I realised—how is this happening? It felt as though Someone was hearing and responding. I started reading with great desire. I did not even know what “salvation” meant. Only after 20 years did I understand what salvation is.
Then Romans 10:9 came to me:
“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”²
And also Romans 10:13:
“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”²
I then understood that God gives this salvation to everyone who calls on the Lord. But when I try to explain that salvation to others, they do not understand it. So how can I tell them the Gospel?
In James 2:8, the Lord speaks of the “Royal Law”:
“Love your neighbour as yourself.”³
When we fulfil this Royal Law, we manifest the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Through this they come to know the Lord and His love. That itself becomes a path for them to know the Gospel. It is only through us that people can come to know the Lord’s love. The Holy Spirit within us gives us the heart to love, changing us in ways we cannot on our own. I experienced this myself. Changing my old nature was possible only through the Holy Spirit. He is the One who makes me realise it and changes me each time. When they see that love, how will they too begin to have a heart that loves others? They understand that this is possible only through Jesus.
In this way, the Gospel of Jesus can be shown to them simply—not just by words but by deeds. This is what I have understood—whether right or wrong I do not know. But I have shared with you what the Lord revealed to me.
My response to Selvi:
I began by affirming her insight. “This is also what I say.” You mentioned Romans 10:9, but notice—the verse does not say He died for your sins. Someone taught us a formula, and we merely echo it. God reveals Himself differently to each person.
You also said this is the way we can show God’s love. But does this mean Hindus have never known God’s love? Only someone who is ‘saved’ can understand God’s love?
Thirumular says:
“A fool would say that Love and Siva are two different things; they do not know that Siva alone remains as Love. Once they know that Love and Siva are one and the same, then they know that both God and Love are one and the same.”⁴
Each person has some experience of God’s love. If I show that love to others, they too will understand God. But love differs according to context—family, neighbours, strangers. Even extraordinary love is not categorised as ‘Christian’ or ‘Saivite’—people do not label it.
Don’t be confused. I asked this question for a paper. Your reply is correct: no one told you initially about formulas; someone later taught you ‘this is the Gospel.’ That is why I raise these questions. You are the only one among sixty who gave such a detailed response—congratulations.
All technical terms you used—‘Devan, Kumaran, Mariththar, Uirththezhunthar’—would not be understood outside. If you shared them with your mother, how would you explain? Presented as in church, people might laugh and walk away.”
2. An elderly lady and Hindu bhakta (29 August 2025, text reply)
“If you ask me about the Gospel, I don’t know—but God, yes, to some extent. I tell Him all my problems, not only mine but the world’s, and ask Him to solve them in His own way because it won’t go wrong. This is my belief.”⁵
My reflection:
If you ask a Hindu who God is, you may receive several different answers. In one of his film songs, Kannadasan wrote:
பசித்த வயிற்றில் உணவு தெய்வம்; பாலை வனத்தில் தண்ணீர் தெய்வம்; கொட்டும் மழையில் கூரை தெய்வம்; கோடை வெய்யிலில் நிழலே தெய்வம்.
(In hunger, food is God; in the desert, water; in rain, a roof; and in the scorching summer, shade.)⁶
Yet Hindus are not expected to preach about that God to others. In contrast, a Christian—or any devotee of the Lord—is called to share the Gospel. This raises the question: what kind of Gospel should one share with a Hindu?
3. Subhasan — Hindu Bhakta
“It’s a vast subject, but to share briefly: for me, the gospel is an inspiring message which affirms that human life has profound meaning, and therefore it calls us to live our lives in the rightful manner. At its center is the life and teachings of Muktinath, through which I have come to a little further understanding of the nature of ‘Nirguna Brahman.’ While historical evidence is not everything, the recorded history of Muktinath in the gospel has strengthened my confidence in the belief that Bhagwan, the loving creator of everything, is real.”⁷
4. Theologian & Retired Professor
Both initially replied that the question was complicated and they would think and respond; no further replies were received.
5. Former Evangelical Friend (in-person conversation)
He initially replied: “Redemption from the Fall.” He cited Jesus’ call: “Repent, for the kingdom of God is near” (Matt. 4:17) but could not fully specify to whom Jesus spoke or how the original listeners understood “kingdom.” We discussed this for about two hours. After hearing Selvi’s voice message and my dialogue, he accepted at least this: the word “Gospel” can mean different things to different people according to their need, though he held that the familiar evangelical formula (Adam > Eve > Apple > Snake > sin → punishment → atonement → salvation → heaven/hell) resulted from systematic theological development.⁸
6. Family Discussion (Father, Wife, Son, Daughter-in-Law)
- The father and son frequently agreed with my critiques.
- The wife took a strongly evangelical line, insisting that unless one explicitly preaches “Christ”.9
Footnotes
¹ H. L. Richard (ed.), Cultural Gaps: Benjamin Robinson’s Experience with Hindu Traditions (William Carey, 2020), p. xxiii.
² Romans 10:9, 10:13 (NRSV)
³ James 2:8 (NRSV)
⁴ Thirumular, Thirumanthiram, Verse 609 (Tamil Saivite scripture)
⁵ Surender Amma’s text reply, 29 August 2025
⁶ Kannadasan, lyricist, film song lines (Tamil cultural reference)
⁷ Subhasan, here quoted directly
⁸ Evangelical friend, personal conversation
9. Dialogue with his family.
Suggested Bibliography for Further Reading
- Craig S. Keener, Acts: An Exegetical Commentary (Baker Academic, 2012) — for detailed study of Acts and its historical context
- Douglas J. Moo, The Letter of James (Pillar New Testament Commentary, 2000) — commentary on James 2:8 and the Royal Law
- Raimon Panikkar, The Unknown Christ of Hinduism (Orbis Books, 1993) — exploring Christian faith from a Hindu perspective
- Geoffrey Parrinder, World Religions and Christianity (SPCK, 1969) — for interfaith understanding
- H. L. Richard (ed.), Cultural Gaps (William Carey, 2020) — cross-cultural mission challenges
- J. I. Packer, Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God (InterVarsity Press, 1961) — classic evangelical perspective on sharing the Gospel
- Kannadasan, selected film lyrics and poetry, for cultural insight in Tamil tradition
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