Engaging Hinduism: Rethinking Christian Apologetics in India

I really appreciate the work put out by Pastor David, having read bahnsen and Van Til I could say this is really a good book critiquing Hinduism from a philosophical and presuppositional viewpoint. The first few chapters deal with the apologetic methodology and history of apologetics in India and then the author delves into his critique of Hinduism and shows how Hinduism fails to account for anything. (Ethics, laws of logic, etc)

Very well structured, developed and footnoted. A great summarisation and presentation of exactly what is promised in the Title and Subtitle. Grounded in personal experience. Can be slightly intense if you're not familiar with philosophical and theological terminology. But a good starter of the conversation that needs to be had around this topic.God is, and God has spoken to us in His Word. This is the foundation of all of reality and all truth. Any lofty argument that contradicts these fundamental presuppositional truths ends up eating itself. This book shows how that is particularly true of the modernised and sanitized version of Hinduism that has made its way into the Indian academia and popular media.This book shows how neo-Hinduism is not consistent with itself and those who follow it, don't do it consistently but instead have to borrow from the Word and Law of God, being made in His image.I highly recommend it to you if you want to be more biblical in your apologetics, especially as you engage with neo-Hindus.

Engaging Hinduism is one of the best books I have read. The book not only proves the credibility of presuppositional apologetics in presenting the truth, but also helps us understand in detail the tenets of Neo Hinduism(which many of us Christians, do not even have an idea about, when we engage with a modern Hindu). I appreciate the way it started with the history of engagement of Christian apologists with Hinduism (which kind of gives the answer to why Christianity remained as another legalistic religion for many converts) and also the detailed explanation of Paul’s apology. The book helped me to see the beauty of presuppositional apologetics and how it is the perfect way to engage with Hinduism.

What does a Christian philosophical critique of Hinduism looks like? This book presents not only a critique of Hinduism but a distinctive of this book is that the author presents to us a Presuppositional Apologetics’ refutation of Neo-Hinduism. The fact that there’s few apologetics’ concerning Hinduism makes this a plus to get this book but as someone who subscribe to Van Til’s apologetics’ methodology it was an added delight to see Van Tillian apologetics applied to Hinduism.The book was well organized by the author Christopher Poshin David, a Presbyterian pastor in India. There are eight chapters in this work. After an introduction chapter two then looks at is a primer on apologetic that goes over what is apologetics and the biblical mandate to defend the faith. The next chapter then goes over the history of Christian apologetics in India followed by chapter four explaining Van Tillian Presuppositional Apologetics and then a chapter titled “Apostle Paul the Presuppositional Apologist.” Chapter six through seven is specifically on Neo-Hinduism with chapter six on defining Neo-Hinduism, its history, influences and the Neo-Hindu worldview is explored and explained. The final chapter presents a Van Tillian critique and the book ends with chapter eight that gives us a summary, an evaluate and recommendation for further studies and development.I really enjoyed this book. Even as a committed Van Tillian that teach apologetics I enjoyed being refreshed with the apologetics’ methodological discussions. Also I learned a lot about Neo-Hinduism and I think Reverend David is right to tackle on this contemporary form. I also enjoyed seeing the book refute Hinduism at the level of worldview. Using John Frame’s perspectivalism to shape the chapter the book refutes Hinduism’s Epistemology, Metaphysics and Ethics. Some of the discussions of the problem of Hinduism include how as a worldview it undermines the laws of logic, truth, coherent predication, and the problem with Hinduism’s monism, doctrine of Maya and Karma. The best three chapters in the book for me was the one on the history of Christian apologetics in India, the chapter on Neo-Hinduism and the chapter applying Presuppositional apologetics to the Hindu worldview.This book definitely makes a contribution. I hope to see the author write more in the future. I recommend it.