God as Sound-Conciousness

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46567/ijt.v2i1.80

Keywords:

Christianity, Hinduism, tone, sacred sound, yoga

Abstract

This paper describes the concept of sacred sound in Hinduism as a way for the Hindu to approach and to know the Christian God. Different from Christians who are known as the people of the book, Hindu people are known as the people of the sound. The vocalic syllable Om or Aum and the repeating/chanting of the sacred sound in Hindu worship give a unique room to a new and different way of knowing God. God is no longer perceivable as the powerful figure in the book but as consciousness. The word “consciousness” in this paper refers to the ability of believers to be mindful and responsive to God. This paper will also describe the concept of sonic theology as a different way to perceive God in Hinduism and relate it to the practice of Yoga that is widely practiced in the modern world today.

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Author Biography

Irene Ludji, Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana

Irene Ludji is a lecturer at Satya Wacana Christian University in Salatiga, Jawa Tengah. She earned her Master of Arts in Religion from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. She is an ordained minister of Gereja Masehi Injili di Timor.

References

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Beck, Guy L. Sonic Theology: Hinduism and Sacred Sound. Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina Press, 1993.

Gunaratana, Henepola Bhante. Mindfulness: In Plain English. Boston, MA: Wisdom Publications, 2002.

Gonzalez, L. Justo. Essential Theological Terms. Louisville, KY: John Knox Press, 2005.

Knott, Kim. Hinduism: A Very Short Introduction. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000.

Lipner, Julius. Hindus: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices. New York: Routledge, 2010.

Smith, Brian K. Exorcising the Transcendent: Strategies for Defining Hinduism and Religion. History of Religions, Vol. 27, No.1 (1987).

Tillich, Paul. Systematic Theology. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1951.

Van Wijk-Bos, Johanna. Making Wise the Simple: The Torah in Christian Faith and Practice. Cambridge: William B Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2005.

Published

2014-07-30 — Updated on 2014-07-30

How to Cite

Ludji, I. (2014). God as Sound-Conciousness. Indonesian Journal of Theology, 2(1), 65-77. https://doi.org/10.46567/ijt.v2i1.80