THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Pictures of a turbaned Joseph and sari-clad Mary with baby Jesus in an “Indianised” version of the Bible is set to create waves across the country. In a unique experiment, the Catholic Church is coming out with a version of the Bible with verses from ancient Indian texts like the Upanishads and Vedas to explain the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.
This is an unprecedented attempt to encourage a contextual reading and understanding of the Bible, says the church spokesman, Paul Thelakat.
“The Biblical text remains the same but verses from Vedas and Upanishads have been used to interpret Christian teachings,” says Thelakat. As far as Catholics are concerned, they have to live and interpret their Christian faith and scriptures within the given culture, he adds.
Thiruvananthapuram Archbishop Sosa Pakiam, in his preface to the Bible, says a unique feature of the new Bible is that it has many references to the spiritual message and Biblical values found in the scriptures of other great Indian religions.
There are 24 line drawings, including those of mosque, temple and church with slippers outside, by the late Christopher Coelho. The New Community Bible is the product of a project commenced in 1990 by a team of 30 Biblical scholars.
Approved by the Catholic Bishops’ Council of India, the book will be published by a Mumbai-based Christian publishing house, says Thelkat.
source: timesofindia.indiatimes
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