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Gandhi on Christianity

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Mahatma Gandhi has answers to many of the problems faced by our modern world, going through insurmountable issues of religious intolerance. "I believe in Sarvadharamsamanvatva 'having equal regard for all faiths and creeds'," Gandhi said, professing all religions to be true. He wrote, "Religions are not for separating men from one another, they are meant to bring them together. It is a misfortune that today they are so distorted that they have become a potential cause of strife and mutual slaughter." No wonder, he was not in favor of conversion through proselytizing. He also considered it intolerance to believe that one's religion was superior to others'. That was his principal complaint against the preaching of the Christian missionaries. Today, more than half a century after his death, Gandhi's advice to the Christian missionaries is taken more seriously in the Indian subcontinent. Gandhi held Jesus Christ in high esteem and the 'sermon of the mount' altered his life style. As Vincent Sheehan put it, "The most Christ-like man in history was not a Christian at all."

This magnificent book edited by Robert Ellsberg summarizes Gandhi's views on Jesus and Christianity. Part I of the book lays out Gandhi's own views through excerpts from his own writings, neatly arranged into four chapters. Part II has articles from Christian activists from USA, India and Bangladesh reflecting on the Gandhian view. It is an excellent book for any student of Christianity and a must-read for a missionary of any faith. It would have been beneficial to a student if there was an extensive bibliography on the subject included. This book has an important role in promoting tolerance and peace among religions and Robert Ellsberg deserves commendation.