India's Problem, Krishna or Christ

Jones, John P. (John Peter), 1847-1916Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.2

Word count: 571K words
Chapters: 58

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.India's Problem, Krishna or Christ by John P. JonesAuthor: Jones, John P. (John Peter), 1847-1916,Language: English, Class: BV: Philosophy, Psychology, Religion: Christianity: Practical theology, Worship, Release Date: Nov 15, 2008

Editor's review

Written in English by the late nineteenth-century missionary to China John P. Jones, this book is a work of comparative religion examining the encounter between Indian religious traditions and Christianity, falling within the field of practical theology and missionary reflection. As a free Project Gutenberg e-text, its value lies not in literary merit but in the concrete historical snapshot it offers: how Western missionaries understood Hinduism, how they argued for the superiority of Christian faith, and the rhetorical modes of cross-religious dialogue of the time. Readers will encounter both the author's observations of Indian society and religion and his pronounced apologetic stance and period limitations. For those studying the history of modern missions, East–West religious exchange, or religious writing from a postcolonial perspective, it is a usable primary source; general readers may also use it to practice critical reading by distinguishing factual description from value judgment. The electronic edition is easy to search by keyword and suits comparative study alongside other historical materials.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Scholars and students of modern Christian mission history and interreligious exchange
Readers interested in the encounter between Indian religion and Western thought
Readers wishing to practice critical reading of primary religious texts
Those interested in the apologetic discourse of the late nineteenth century

Not a good fit for

Beginners seeking a neutral introduction to comparative religion
Readers expecting literary narrative or light reading
Those sensitive to Christian missionary stances who prefer to avoid apologetic texts

Reading tips

Begin with the table of contents and introduction to identify the author's core arguments and intended audience before turning to specific chapters.
While reading, distinguish factual description from value judgment and mark apologetic passages as you go.
Read alongside a general introduction to Indian religions to avoid relying on a single perspective.
Use keyword search in the English original to make excerpt-based study of specific themes.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book in Chinese or English?

According to the available information, the book is in English: the author wrote it in English as a work of comparative religion and missionary reflection, and the e-edition is published by Project Gutenberg, so readers need some English reading ability.

Is this book suitable as an introduction to Hinduism?

Not really. The book takes an explicit Christian apologetic stance, and its account of Indian religions serves the author's own argument, so it cannot replace a neutral introduction to religious studies. For introductory purposes, consult other general works as well.

What background knowledge is needed to read this book?

A basic understanding of the nineteenth-century Christian missionary movement and general knowledge of India's major religions will help in following the author's argument. Without this background, readers may need to consult related materials as they go.

Are there practical tips for reading the e-edition?

The Project Gutenberg version allows full-text search, so you can first locate key chapters and core concepts, then make thematic excerpts. As a public-domain e-text, its formatting is plain; a reading app that supports annotation is recommended for organizing notes.

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About the author

Jones, John P. (John Peter), 1847-1916 Author · American · 1847–1916

Jones, John P. (John Peter Jones, 1847–1916) was a United States Senator from Nevada and an important advocate of the late nineteenth-century "Free Silver" movement. Beyond his political career he was also an active writer; two of his works are held here, both on India: India, Its Life and Thought and India's Problem, Krishna or Christ. The first examines Indian social life and intellectual traditions, while the second discusses, from a comparative religious perspective, the spiritual choice facing India, its title setting "Krishna" against "Christ." The two books show his sustained interest in Indian culture and religion and are written from a missionary and comparative-religion standpoint. Public information on his early education, family background and the details of his career before and after public office is limited, and no conjecture is offered here.