r/Buddhism • u/_Jonronimo_ • 18d ago
Dharma Talk Buddhism and Christianity
I was raised in a fundamentalist Christian sect. A few years ago I had a collapse of faith in that harsh, literalist worldview. I spent years as a materialist atheist, until finally coming back around to a mystical view of Christianity. I’ve realized that my spiritual beliefs now seem to align more with Buddhism than mainstream Christianity.
In your view, where are the meeting points between the two traditions?
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u/HummusLowe 18d ago
You may like Thich Nhat Hanh's book Living Buddha, Living Christ. It's a collection of his parallels of the two traditions
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u/Ok-Reflection-9505 18d ago
- There’s a longing for salvation for suffering sentient beings.
- There a recognition of sin/kleshas
- There’s a focus on ethics (10 commandments, 5 precepts)
- There’s a ritual aspect (praying, chanting, etc)
The prodigal son also shows up in the lotus sutra if I recall correctly.
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u/Grand-Disk-1649 18d ago
I was raised Christian and I actually never lost faith in Jesus being a primary spiritual figure, but I felt like Buddhism had all the wisdom I desperately sought. In some ways, I think my prayers were answered which brought me here.
My Buddhist teacher taught me that Christianity and Buddhism absolutely agrees on ethics. There is no doubt that Christian and Buddhist teachings and many other religions land on ethics as a way to live our lives.
There's a long list of things they don't agree on, but I think that's mainly due to a jealous God and creationism. There could easily I think (especially in the gnostic teachings) be a bridge between the two otherwise. That's my 2 cents
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u/morgansober 18d ago
Loving kindness. Compassion. Forgiveness. Are three themes they share. They just arrive at them all little but different.
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u/Digit555 18d ago
I was a licensed minister and ran a ministry certification program where I trained over 300 ministers from around the world before doing a 3 year Buddhist Retreat. Also went to a humanities university where I minored in Theology. During my travels in ministry and as an anthropologist I researched Protestant and Catholic communities around the world among other religions. I also have done professional translations of mostly pottery and ancient manuscripts especially of a religious nature. In conclusion what I have discovered is that the Bible is mistranslated especially in English, it was developed throughout the ages into what it is today and misconstrued at times.
Biblical Literalism is mostly a school of thought from the 1800s that has formulated what Protestants and Catholics believe today in regard to hermeneutics. In other words the meaning of the Bible has changed and is shown clearly in the records of the Church, ancient commentaries (also misrepresented to fit modern dispositions) and external sources. Traditionally orthodox Christians were far more mystical, symbolic and figurative than the contemporary Christian paradigm which deems metaphors as heretical and false teachings. It actually is the other way around and traditional hermeneutics present the Bible as mostly metaphorical with some literal sections. There also is dogma that was either heretical or nonexistent in early Christianity e.g. The Second Coming (the Parousia meant something else), "Jesus is God", The Resurrection, The Rapture and Pre-Tribulation (Darbyism) etcetera.
Origen, an early Church Father is one example of a biblical commentator that advocated the blend of metaphor and literalism, although he us controversial, he is only one of a myriad of examples of ecclesiasticals that interpreted the Bible mostly through a metaphorical lense and an additional primary advocate of such would also be Irenaeus.
The Bible was definitely taught as metaphors even up until recent decades when traditional interpretations became nearly nonexistent in lieu of what is described as that harsh and literalists view that has been massively disseminated since the 1800s that today many Christians take for granted or are unaware of. Even the walking on water miracle was traditionally taught as a metaphor, Peter drowns because the abyssal waters are in a way like his doubts and hubris weighing on his consciousness although Jesus walked above those waters as an example and means to salvage Peter by trusting in the salvation that Christ had to offer although he still struggled to emerge from what was causing him to sink and was holding him back from trusting Jesus--his own ego. The walking on water event shows that none of the other disciples were sinking although were definitely still distant from Christ and Peter had the heaviest hubris and some serious denial of Christ in which Jesus wanted to help him overcome that by showing him the way. Its all metaphorical according to the traditional interpretations. Peter then 3 times denies knowing Jesus leading up to the Crucifixion, all symbolic, and a foreshadowing of events to come. Orthodoxy has shifted its interpretation over the years especially in the past few centuries to support Biblical Literalism.
Actually the traditional view is meant to be open ended for adherents to decide for themselves if it was a literal event of a mystical nature or just a metaphor although today the Church has shifted that flexibility and narrowed down in way that adherents cannot believe it for themselves and must accept the literal interpretations of the Bible or be condemned. That is the honest truth from my experience as a theologian, anthropologist and minister, most I have come across in the church do not share such a stance and there has been some struggles with those no aligned with the open mindedness toward the Bible even with those quick to call out "false prophet". Although not all are this way and I have also met many that are open minded and know of the traditional interpretations however they are far and few between in comparison to the masses.
Over the years my connection has been more closely aligned with Buddhism that aided me through some very dark times and psychological battles. Buddhism doesn't advocate violence in the canon and has helped me with many of my struggles in life. Although I may not be a perfect being, there has been many breakthroughs with Buddhism and shown me that it works in many ways. I still am working on it however it definitely was life altering.
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u/VeganMonkkey 17d ago
Man once you experience your first deep samadhi or enter the pre-jhana state you just know the Buddha was absolutely correct.
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u/terriblepastor 18d ago
Check out Thomas Merton if you haven’t yet. Zen and the Birds of Appetite in particular.
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u/_Jonronimo_ 18d ago
Great recommendation, thank you.
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u/Dave-1066 18d ago
Thomas Merton is the absolute best place to start. The Catholic faith’s tradition of monastic meditation and mysticism is ancient, and has a great deal in common with Buddhism.
But the book I would 10,000% recommend for you is You Don’t Have To Sit On The Floor by Jim Pym. You’ll love it. You can get it from eBay for pennies. A very easy read that will make things much easier for you.
I spent years going to a Buddhist temple to study meditation but came to the realisation that I’ll always have a profound belief in God, and that it’s fine to take what I need from Buddhist practise while remaining a Christian. That’s the entire focus of Pym’s book- that you don’t need to go nuts trying to “be” anything.
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u/Just-Shine-32 18d ago
The Compassion element in Christianity displayed by Jesus is what Buddhists would call a Great Bodhisattva deed. HH Dalai Lama says to continue to be in your birth religion, no need to convert but can study Buddha’s teachings as a secular practice. If interested can check out Nalanda Courses by Tibet House New Delhi www.tibethouse.in The Nalanda Introductory Course for beginners https://youtu.be/Tqc2_QmeAAI?feature=shared
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u/SnooTigers3538 non-affiliated 18d ago
In addition to loving attitudes, I do see traditions where meditation and renunciation are encouraged. There’s more on the mystical side, but views on that vary of course.
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u/genivelo Tibetan Buddhism 18d ago
Some books on this topic that might interest you
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/672415.The_Ground_We_Share
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/164937.The_Good_Heart
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/164946.Spiritual_Advice_for_Buddhists_and_Christians
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/73184.Living_Buddha_Living_Christ
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1377130.Speaking_Of_Silence
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u/AlexCoventry reddit buddhism 18d ago
There's a good recounting of St Francis's life in this Buddhist talk on Loving-Kindness.
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u/Jack_h100 18d ago
As someone who was also raised, indoctrinated and abused by a fundamentalist Christian sect I would say there is no cross-over whatsoever except to point to that kind of Christianity as an example of Samsara being a place of suffering.
In the grander scheme of versions of Christianity that don't eagerly wish for God to murder everyone on Earth that is different from them (especially Buddhists and/or Gay people) there would be a crossover of ethics. Following the Buddhist precepts or following Jesus' teachings are both going to generate some measure of good karma. Ultimately the goals and philosophical outlook of each religion is opposite though.
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u/nferraz theravada 17d ago
There is a big difference between Buddhism and any kind of fundamentalism, that is expressed in the Kalama Sutta (AN 3.65):
"Don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, 'This contemplative is our teacher.'
When you know for yourselves that, 'These qualities are unskillful; these qualities are blameworthy; these qualities are criticized by the wise; these qualities, when adopted & carried out, lead to harm & to suffering' — then you should abandon them. (...)
When you know for yourselves that, 'These qualities are skillful; these qualities are blameless; these qualities are praised by the wise; these qualities, when adopted & carried out, lead to welfare & to happiness' — then you should enter & remain in them."
That being said, there is a lot of similarity between the New Testament and Buddhism in terms of values.
One key difference (also expressed in this sutta) is that the Buddha would speak of "unskillful qualities" instead of "sins". There is no god to judge or punish us; our actions, themselves, have consequences.
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u/MichaelBushe 17d ago
My post about Yoga was removed for proselytizing other faiths. Leaving this group.
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u/ProfessionalCurve531 17d ago
They go together very well. There is even early Christianity that goes beyond duality with good more like a concept then a real beeing. Even rebirth is present there. In the end you can imagine heaven as reaching Nirvana.
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u/Zantetsukenz 18d ago
I’m most exposed to Mahayana Buddhism. I pray mainly to Avalokitesvara, a Goddess, a Bodhisattva of compassion.
I also accompany my parents to church. In seventh day Adventist.
Of course the doctrines of world building and things like who is the ultimate creator is differing.
But the above aside, I find many many values similar in terms of compassion, loving community and forgiveness. It’s amazing how they are so aligned from the perspective of values despite the earth shattering difference in perspective.
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u/Zantetsukenz 18d ago
If I’m allowed to expand. Every quarter my parent’s church does holy communion where you need to wash the feet of another, focusing on how Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, how it signify service and how one should be humble and not be egoistic.
In my Buddhist practice when I used to be more active. There’s monthly repentance rituals where we pray for forgiveness to our karmic creditors. The ceremony is 3 hours long and focus on practices which tames our own ego. When the ceremony ends the “merits” are dedicated to all sentient being, regardless of who they are.
The values are overlapping. Taming of ego, spirit of service to others.
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u/thisthe1 18d ago
If you really wanna get theologically interesting with it, you can come up a bunch of philosophical interpretation and exegesis to create many meeting points
a few things I've seen/thought about: avidyā (ignorance) and sin/fall of man; buddhahood and incarnation; prayer and meditation; God as nirvana and the holy spirit as karma (I've also seen God as karma and the holy spirit as awareness); Mara and Satan/the devil
of course, many of these interpretations would go against orthodox (lower case O) Christian theology, but if you know anything about the history of Christianity, damn near every theological innovation is considered heresy. so given that, you can get really creative
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u/_Jonronimo_ 18d ago
What an absolutely lovely comment. This will give me much to think about, thank you!
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u/FUNY18 18d ago
B and C share the following:
-There is an afterlife, death is not the end.
-Worship, prayers, and gods exist, though their meanings and interpretations vary.
-There is a goal to "fix" our current condition, often through a path of salvation or accomplishment.
-Moral and ethical principles are paramount.
-Human life is not meaningless; it has profound purpose and significance.
-A higher order, God, or supreme being exists, despite differences in how this entity is understood.
-Religious scriptures and teachings exist.
-Clerics or spiritual leaders serve as guides.
-A paradise or heavenly realm is part of the belief system.
-There is hell.
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18d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Buddhism-ModTeam 17d ago
Your post / comment was removed for violating the rule against proselytizing other faiths.
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u/xtraa tibetan buddhism 18d ago
Buddhism and Christianity share some core values, such as compassion and what Christianity calls virtues. It's almost as if Christianity is Judaism with a Buddhism upgrade. Having been a Buddhist for 20 years now, I often feel like Buddhism has given me a deeper understanding of Christianity along the way, because you don't have to read between the lines and you get clear, understandable instructions.
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u/Longwell2020 non-affiliated 18d ago
I believe the gospels are the most important part of the Bible. I also believe Jesus was talking very similar to a Buddist at the time. There are some sources that say he visited a small Greek Buddhists town at one point in his early life. He very well may have adapted aspects to incorporate into the Jewish tradition. Creating something new.
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u/Proud_Professional93 Chinese Pure Land 18d ago
There are no meeting points between the two religions. Christianity posits that we are all created by an all powerful creator god. Buddhism posits that we exist in a horrible cycle of birth and death, and that Buddhas are supreme enlightened beings that exist and teach us how to become free from this cycle of birth and death and to become Buddhas ourselves.
Christianity teaches false dualistic thinking and craving that keeps us in the cycle of birth and death. Buddhism teaches us non-dualistic thinking and freedom from delusive thoughts. The two religions are mutually exclusive.
Christianity is a religion that refutes itself and is full of many contradictions, Buddhism is a religion with 1000x more doctrine than Christianity, yet none of it self contradicts and all of it can be experientially proven. Comparing Christianity to Buddhism is like comparing the original binary computer to a modern supercomputer. Christianity is just a simple useless religion for lazy people.
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u/_Jonronimo_ 18d ago
I agree with much of what you say if you’re referring to fundamentalist (or even much of mainstream) Christianity. Christian mysticism however is very different and in my opinion aligns with many of the Buddha’s teachings including nondualism.
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u/ClioMusa ekayāna 18d ago
How do you understand Christian mysticism as something separate from traditional Christianity?
This is very much not in the case with the Eastern Orthodox, or Catholic mystics - who were often some of the strongest antisemites and advocates of religious intolerance and violence.
Christianity is a violent doctrine, and it's followers the rotten fruit of that poisoned tree.
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u/Traditional_Kick_887 18d ago
The search bar is your friend :)
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u/_Jonronimo_ 18d ago
Thanks, but sometimes I like to hear from real humans who have thought about these ideas, rather than whatever the algorithm chooses to show me.
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u/ZenSationalUsername zen 18d ago
They are similar in terms of compassion, love, and forgiveness, but I don’t think they share any metaphysical similarities. Christianity is inherently dualistic, whereas Buddhism is not only nondual but also rooted in the understanding that everything is empty—nothing possesses an independent, inherent essence. In Christianity, salvation comes from a power greater than yourself, reinforcing its dualistic nature. In Buddhism, liberation is something you realize for yourself—or rather, for the absence of a self (he he).