The Bible as a Bridge

Can sacred texts serve as a bridge for religious dialogues? The Qur’an and the Vēdas hold significant positions within Islam and Hinduism, respectively. Could these texts serve as bridges for introducing the figure of Jesus Christ to Muslims and the message of the gospel to Hindus? Unsurprisingly, those unfamiliar with the Qur’an or Vēdas might express strong reservations. However, those well-versed in the sacred texts may find similarities or shared concepts that could serve as bridges for spiritual conversations.

While Christians in Asia have lively debates about the most effective evangelism methods, they generally agree on one thing: our gospel proclamation must harness local tools for the sake of understandability. Could limited exposure to Islam and Hinduism’s sacred texts be holding us back from seeing the bridging opportunities in other sacred texts? In many Asian seminaries, understanding these major religions’ sacred texts is a peripheral task, relegated to elective courses rather than the core curriculum. This trend often carries over to local churches, where Christians reflect relatively little about the Scriptures that their non-Christian neighbors are reading. As a result, they often miss opportunities to recognize the connections between the Bible and the other scriptures in the Asian context.

Indian theologian Havilah Dharamraj addresses these concerns in her contribution to Asian Christian Theology: Evangelical Perspectives.¹ In this essay, Dharamraj explores how we can talk about the Bible as a “Scripture among scriptures” in the context of Asian religious pluralism. Dharamraj argues that consciously or unconsciously, Asian Christians are actively developing their understanding of the Bible in dialogue with the sacred texts of their neighbors. Recognizing the points of convergence and divergence between these sacred texts is crucial for effective pre-evangelism conversations, as it fosters an intelligible dialogue that respects our neighbor’s existing theological perspectives. Aside from this, reading the Bible in light of other sacred texts can help us understand our own Bible better, seeing its unique features and points of emphasis.

The Bible as A Love Letter

Have you considered why many Christians call the Bible God’s love letter to humanity? While it might initially seem like a way to make the Bible more relevant or romantic, there is a deeper theological meaning behind this idea. We can say that the Bible is a love letter because it is God’s way of revealing himself written with a relational purpose. Just like someone writing a love letter reveals their personality and feelings to deepen the connection, the Bible reveals God’s identity and character to draw us closer.

Without using the “love letter” analogy, Dharamraj notes that in contrast with other Asian sacred texts, the Bible focuses on God’s revelation of himself, rather than simply revealing his will (p. 47). For example, in Exodus 3:1-7, God reveals himself to Moses before outlining the plan to liberate the Israelites. Furthermore, Dharamraj also highlights the Bible’s relational purpose (p. 49). She notes that it intentionally records God’s acts of mercy and love towards us, unlike Hindu and Islamic texts that can sometimes be viewed mainly as textual vehicles for powerful benevolent effects (p. 48).

Dharamraj concludes her essay by highlighting the purpose of Scripture: “When the religions of Asia sit down together to answer the question ‘What is Scripture?,’ the Christian answer differentiates itself by calling attention not so much to the “text,” whether oral or written, but to a triune God seeking to reconcile to himself all the peoples of the earth” (p. 37). While not explicitly taking a stance on a specific theory on how the Bible is divinely produced (doctrine of inspiration) or how it is free from error (doctrine of inerrancy), Dharamraj prioritizes Scripture’s origin as divine and its purpose as redemption for sinful humanity. I believe this approach is crucial for the Asian church.

The Bible as A Scripture among Scriptures

Now, back to our question: Can the Qur’an serve as a bridge to introduce Īsā al-Masīḥ to Muslim communities? I understand that deeper studies are still needed to correlate sacred scriptures among different religions, but I have also witnessed the transformative faith experiences of those who heard the gospel of Christ through the pages of the Qur’an. I honestly do not have any experience using the Vēdas for a spiritual conversation with a Hindu community. However, I find Dharamraj’s vision compelling: finding bridges in these sacred texts for missional endeavors.

Most of the theological books widely used in Asia – resources like Grudem’s Systematic Theology and Erickson’s Christian Theology, for example – do not consider the Bible as “Scripture among scriptures;” in contrast, Dharamraj’s proposal offers a refreshing alternative. In one simple chapter, Dharamraj successfully lays down finer points for a more contextualized theological reflection on the nature of Scripture. Asian Christians may not need to become experts in the Qur’an or Vēdas, yet understanding how the Bible can be seen as “Scripture among scriptures” is a crucial step forward for a more dynamic and fruitful engagement.

If you are interested in learning more about Dharamraj’s ideas on this topic, check out her essay “On the Doctrine of Scripture: An Asian Conversation” in Asian Christian Theology: Evangelical Perspectives. You might also enjoy an interview she did with ATA Digital.

Modesto Biolango III is an ordained minister within the Christian and Missionary Alliance Churches of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMACOP). He previously served as a theology instructor at Ebenezer Bible College and Seminary, Inc., in Zamboanga City, Philippines before moving to full-time pastoral ministry. He is currently a student in the PhD in Theological Studies program at AGST. When not teaching or fulfilling his ministerial duties, he enjoys having a cup of coffee with his wife, Weggie.