New Birth or Rebirth?: Jesus Talks with Krishna (Great Conversations)

Ravi Zacharias
Multnomah Books (2008)
ISBN 9781590527252
Reviewed by Dr. Michael Philliber for Reader Views (8/08)


American sensibilities require tolerance, especially in the realm of religion. The problem becomes troublesome when religions are squashed flat and made to indiscriminately fit together. All religions are not the same, and to treat them as if they are is to show serious disrespect to all parties involved. That’s what makes Ravi Zacharias’s short book, “New Birth or Rebirth?: Jesus Talks with Krishna,” so powerfully helpful. This 86-page hardback sets up a fictitious meeting between Jesus Christ and Krishna, with dialogue, agreement, disagreements and clarifications. The author, born in India, shows a clear knowledge of both religions and their founders, and crafts a tasteful scenario that will be informative and helpful for people who hold to either religion or those just wanting to listen in.

Zacharias’ working presupposition is that both religions hold the notion of exclusive truth claims. This presupposition helps to keep the dialogue clear and precise. Though Zacharias shows that there are places of agreement, he capitalizes on the important and substantial areas of divergence. This may offend some souls; nevertheless most readers will enjoy seeing the contrasts and will become better informed about the sizeable differences.

The conversation is helped along by a third person, Subramaniam, who poses penetrating questions to both Christ and Krishna. This keeps the discussion moving along in a lively fashion, while avoiding the fine-point distractions which could have bogged down the conversation. Also, Subramaniam, who is moving from Hinduism to Christianity, will ask the kind of questions that only a troubled insider knows to ask.

In “New Birth or Rebirth? :Jesus Talks with Krishna” Zacharias teases out several important strands of contrast. One of the more important is the difference between the Christian belief in resurrection and the Hindu conviction of rebirth or reincarnation. Speaking from within a Christian milieu, it has become increasingly obvious to me that many Christians get these two mixed up. Reading this book will lend a hand to clearing out the misconceptions, and facilitate Christian readers in better understanding their own faith.

There are at least three benefits I see which a reader can gain from “New Birth or Rebirth?: Jesus Talks with Krishna.”  First, they will come to appreciate the distinctive aspects of both Christianity and Hinduism; second, they will have an excellent example of how to converse with others on such sensitive issues in an intelligent and peaceable manner; and finally, this book can be a means of helping seekers to find their way.

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