Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book focuses on questions of religious interaction and change from the 6th century B.C. to the present day. It explores the ideas and findings of other scholars who have been exploring inter-religious interaction in more recent times. The book deals with the interplay of diverse religious traditions including the influence of Christian, Hindu and Munda factors. It provides refreshing new insights into Hindu reform and revival movements from the time of Rammohan Roy to independence – movements which were largely a product of Hindu contact with outside forces including Islam and Christianity. The book explores the role of science in the Hindu-Christian encounter, provides the reader with a further illustration of the way in which Hindus were attempting to counter the threat which they believed was posed by Christian teaching.