Avatar and Incarnation

Hindu beliefs in avatars, heavenly beings who come down to earth to restore right and destroy wrong, are more than 2000 years old. For the greater part of this history, beliefs in avatars have run parallel to the Christian doctrine of incarnation, the manifestation of God in Jesus.





This study looks at the origin and development of these doctrines of avatar and incarnation, not just in Christianity and Hinduism, but also in other religions with comparable elements, such as Buddhism, Jainism and Islam. Geoffrey Parrinder explores the scriptural sources for these doctrines and surveys the commentaries of theologians past and present. His absorbing examination of key issues, such as Christian belief in the uniqueness of Christ versus belief in successive avatars, the relationship between historicity and legend and the humanity-divinity debate, produces a rich and detailed comparison of the variety of beliefs in the earthly manifestation of the deity.

I Avatars in Hinduism.


1. Introduction


2. Avatars in the Great Epic


3. Krishna in the Bhagavad-Gita


4. Philosophical Comments on Avatar Doctrine.


5. Avatar in Rama


6. Growth of the Krishna Cult


7. Similarity and Opposition


8. Modern Indian Thought and Christianity


9. Analysis of Avatar Doctrines.





II Buddhas, Jinas and Sufis


10. Incarnation of the Buddha


11. Buddhas and Avatars


12. Developing Buddhology


13. Jinas and Avatars


14. Incarnation in Islam





III. Christian and Other Beliefs


15. Incarnation and Avatars


16. Theophany: Differences between Krishna and Christ


17. Docetism, in Buddhology and Christology


18. Adoptionism: Christ and Muhammad


19. Recent Interpretations





Bibliography of Texts


Bibliography of Modern Writings


Index.