4

THE THEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE

 We have mentioned that there is a total discontinuity in the concept of God before and after the entry of Thomas.  In this chapter we will look into these concepts in detail.  The Vedic gods were personifications of Nature and their worship essentially sacrifices to these Natural Forces to appease them.  All of a sudden by first century, we encounter Vedantas.  Vedanta literally means “End of the Vedas,” though it is today interpreted as "the essence of Vedas."

 Vedantas, which appeared as theological discourses, presents a supreme Godhead, “Para Brahman’.  Such an idea was not even remotely conceivable in the Vedic context. 

New Gods like Maheshwara and Vishnu appeared.  We have already discussed the concept of Maheshwara.  Vish means Sky or Heavens.   Vishnu simply means God of the Heavenlies or one who pervades everything.   Then we have the concept of incarnation – God taking flesh in human form to save humanity.  All these suddenly appeared after the entry of Thomas.

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Here is what a history of India page from http://nabataea.net/sindia.html states:

The Deccan and South India [65 BC - 250 AD]

…….This was also the time when most of the Vedic gods passed into oblivion. Their place was taken by the trinity of gods, with Brahma as the creator, Vishnu the preserver and Shiva the destroyer. It is believed that when evil is rampant, various incarnations of Vishnu enter the world of men to save them. Krishna is one such 'avatar'. It is also said that Shiva evolved from the Tamil god of Fertility, Murugan.

St. Thomas is said to have come to India to spread Christianity in the first century AD. It first spread among the people of the Malabar coast and in areas near present-day Madras.

      +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++     Is there no connection?

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There is no other historical event that is capable of explaining this drastic changes.

By the coming of Thomas, not only the content of the theology changed but also the language changed.  Rig Veda (excluding chapters II and X) were written before the Christian Era in Vedic language.  Vedic language is not Sanskrit.  It is the same language in which the Zoroastrian Scripture Zend Avesta is written – a form of Persian language.  All the other scriptures of India are written in Sanskrit.  These include Rig Veda Chapter II and X and the Upanishads, Brahmanas, Puranas and the Vedantas.  These were written during the Christian Era after the Thomas ministry.