The apocalypse as a Cosmotheandric communion : a Hindu- Christian dialogue

Abstract

Theologians have been engaged in the reflections of the eschatological in the social and moral conditions of the world for some years now, but the emphasis on the indisputable need for an interfaith dialogue at such a moment is evidently absent. Arguably, the apocalyptic times of pandemic, induced communal hatred, bilateral hostility, and racial discriminations, on a global level, which are also accompanied with many instances by increased charitable behavior and a heightened sense of human responsibility. This paper focuses on apocalyptic theologies in the context of Hindu and Christian settings in India and how they interact, creating the possibility for an interfaith dialogue. Based on Raimon Panikkar’s neologism ‘cosmotheandric vision,’ the paper establishes a relation between intercultural theologies and interfaith dialogue. The apocalypse can be studied as being a constant reminder of the cosmotheandric nature of the universe, for Hindus and Christians alike, fostering a dialogue between the two religions, entirely cognizant of their hermeneutical differences. The moment of apocalypse can be analyzed as a point of cosmotheandric union and absolute togetherness, wherein cultural and religious differences disappear with the consciousness of the whole, the One.