Theology

Engaging Buddhism

A biweekly series exploring different facets of the religion and how Christians can engage with and minister to Buddhists.

Christianity Today March 16, 2023
Illustration by Mallory Rentsch / Source Images: Unsplash / Pexels

Buddhism, which originated 2,500 years ago in ancient India, significantly influences more than a billion people worldwide, most of whom live in Asia. The Eastern religion has increasingly spread to the West with the popularity of meditation and mindfulness as well as the continued growth of the Asian population in places like the United States, Canada, Australia, and some European countries.

Yet American churches still are unprepared to reach out to their Buddhist neighbors. A 2019 Pew study found that 58 percent of Americans said they knew nothing or little about Buddhism, the second least understood religion behind Hinduism.

To help the church better understand this complex religion, CT has launched the Engaging Buddhism series. Every other week, we look at a different aspect of the religion and how Christians can interact with and minister to people who hold a Buddhist worldview. Browse through the stories in the series so far in the right-hand column.

Also in this series

Our Latest

The Rebellious Act of Rolling Back the Stone

Richard Mouw

From Jesus to angels to the apostles, Resurrection Day instructs us on earthly and heavenly authority.

Review

‘The Christ’ Audio Drama Testifies to Easter

You can’t ‘come and see’ this depiction of Jesus, but you can definitely come and hear.

The Bulletin

Therapists’ Free Speech, Grads’ Careers, and Hegseth’s Imprecatory Prayer

Clarissa Moll, Russell Moore

Supreme Court ruling on conversion therapy ban, high unemployment rates of college grads, and the theology of praying judgment on enemies.

Review

Manifest Destiny Was an Act of Volition

John Fea

Three books on early American history.

The Scandal and Grace of Christ’s Saturday in the Grave

Hardin Crowder

How Fyodor Dostoevsky saw the whole story of redemption in Holbein’s painting of the dead Jesus.

The Cross that Saves and Heals

Jeremy Treat

Good Friday’s message to a wounded world.

Wonderology

Cosmic Plinko

Are we here by chance?

News

Churches Try Drones and Skydiving Bunnies for Easter Outreach

“We want to make it about Jesus and getting people excited about the Easter season and going to church somewhere.”

addApple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseellipseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squarefolderGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastprintremoveRSSRSSSaveSavesaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube