To Fulfil, Not to Destroy: Christ as the Fulfilment of Hindu Religious Experience in Indian Christian Theology

In today’s globalized world, as we struggle desperately for social harmony amid growing religious fundamentalism and militancy, Christians convinced of Christ’s universal relevance are often hard pressed to find a way to communicate that relevance faithfully and respectfully. The term fulfillment broadly characterizes a framework of engagement rooted in the New Testament, which emerges at various moments in the church’s encounter with other faiths. This approach seeks to affirm Christ’s absolute and universal Lordship while demonstrating sensitivity and respect for the religious experience of people of other faiths. This study presents a case for the revitalization of this fulfillment tradition based on a recovery and assessment of the fulfillment approaches of Hindu converts to Christ in pre-independence India.