In order to give a background to these reflections on the influence of Hinduism in my approach to christian iconography, I will se them within the paradoxical story of my own search. Brought up as a Christian in a secular society, there were no clear values in my life. The most inspiring event as an art student in London was a visit to thr Indian section of the British Museum. These sculptures which were ‘stolen’ during colonial times, spoke to me in a way that the ‘modern art’ we were being taught could not. They gave me a tactile symbolic language for some of my inner experiences. The use of animal forms, and the inclusion of real goddesses made me realise for the first time that all our humanity may be sacred and made in the image of God. This would include instincts and emotions (animals, and the feminine) as well as the ‘higher’ values like knowledge, meditation etc. 

This experience of hindu sculpture led me to study the hindu iconography, scriptures and philosophy. Finally, in 1976 I went to India and ended up living there for twelve years. From this time I see my ‘journey’ roughly divided into three marts ; six years with Jyoti and Jane Sahi at Inscape Art Ashram, six years in Melkote, a hindu temple town, and seven years back in Europe. Jyoti Sahi is an Indian christian artist whose work has been very significant in the process of inculturation. While living at Inscape, I carved a series of hindu icons in stone. I will show how these form the basis of all my later work. 

During the period at Melkote I studied Sanskrit under the acharya mentioned above. It was during this time I realised that my earlier resistance to Christianity was nothing integral to the Gospel, but a problem of interpretation and culture. This led to two commissions for christian ashrams. I returned to Europe in 1988. Since then I have done two public commissions for catholic churches. However, the biggest work was back in India during 1994-5, when I had the privilege of designing the interior of Ananda Matha Ashram chapel which is a Trappistine monastery in Kerala. 

Living in the West, I have felt a tension between the culture of the church, which usually seems fixed and static, and the tremendous search for creative symbols, ritual and deep spirituality outside the church. I have found my devotion for Christ can be expressed in the ‘church’ context, while my imagination and creativity find a place with the seekers ‘outside’. In the context of ‘inculturation’ in India I found that these two sides could be integrated. It is this possibility of integrating christian devotion with a creative culture that I would like to develop in Europe but at present do not see the theological context for it. 

The Hindu Sources 

In order to demonstrate the process of cross-fertilisation I will focus on a few examples. Although I am interested in theology, my work is primarily as an artist. 
The connections I make between symbols happen intuitively. One image that has a profound effect on the whole interior structure of my psyche is Ranganatha, Vishnu asleep on the Cosmic Serpent (illustration n° 1). I first saw this image at Mahaballipuram. I carved it in granite and again later in sandstone. Both took several months to complete. The most striking features for me are:a male figure in an apparently passive posture and a positive image of a snake. I learnt that in each ‘Avatar’ or incarnation of Vishnu, the Cosmic Serpent, ‘Ananta Sesha ‘ appears as his helper. Thus he becomes Lakshmana, the brother of Rama and Balrama the younger brother of Krishna. Ramanuja, the mystic/philosopher is said to have been an incarnation of Sesha because he was a great protector of God. This icon is the extreme opposite of the dragon-slaying heroes of Europe where the ‘evil’ dragon has to be violently killed. Sesha, the potentially poisonous serpent is transformed through devotion to the Lord. In the Mahaballipuram sculpture, Vishnu holds a rosary. The serpent is transformed through non violence and contemplation. The ‘passivity’ of Vishnu is creative. In some depictions a lotus grows from the navel of Vishnu, and Brahma, the Creator sits on it. 

Another image of transformation of the animal or instinctual parts of the devotee is seen in the Nandi Bull (Ill.2). In front of the garbha griha (sanctum sanctorum) of the Shiva temple the bull is seen. Like the serpent, the bull is potentially dangerous. It is significant that the bull is transformed not by castration, for he retains all his potent strength, but rather, he becomes peaceful through devotion to the Lord. He normally has one leg raised showing how he is ready to do the bidding of the Lord at any time. He is the ‘vahana’ or vehicle of Shiva and Parvati.

Christian Iconography

Over the years, starting from the Melkote period, these images have reappeared in christian Nativity scenes. I give two examples of a lino cut print (Ill.3) and a stained glass window (Ill.4). Traditional western icons show Joseph as an old man sitting far away from Mary and the child. An ox and ass as mentioned in the Old Testament are sometimes represented. In fact none of the Nativity narratives give an age for Joseph or a detailed description of the circumstances of the birth. Thus the artist is free to imagine the scene in various ways. 

I have depicted Mary in the pose of Ranganatha. This is not because I am comparing the two figures. Rather, I see the connection being in the quality of CREATIVE PASSIVITY. Through Mary’s acceptance of God’s Word, she gives birth to God. Her acceptance initiates a process of radical transformation through non-violence in relationship to the divine. This process of transformation is hinted at in the image of the bull who lies near the child and Mary. I am not suggesting that this is the Nandi bull worshipping Christ. Rather, the image is inspired by the symbol of Nandi representing the transformation of the natural instincts through devotion to the sacred, however that is understood by each person. Since I am a Christian, this transformation may be brought about through a total devotion to Christ. That is the meaning of the bull for me here. 

In all the Nativity pictures, Joseph is depicted as young and involved in the process of birth. In most Asian cultures, female and male, the Yin and Yang, or Yoni and Linga are worshipped together. In contrast, in much Judaeo-Christian theology the Yang or male side is emphasised and the Yin, or female side is suppressed. There is often a lot of fear about the Yin or feminine side. This may be one reason for Joseph being depicted as old and far away from the birth. My way of depicting Joseph in the stained glass window is partly inspired by the Linga-Yoni image. He appears above Mary like the linga growing from the yoni (Mary). For each generation of artists, images are inspired by the prevailing social norms. Thus Joseph’s involvement reflects contemporary patterns of parenting where the father is normally present at the birth of his child. 
  

From the theological point of view, the implication is to stress immanence of the divine, Christ as Emmanuel, ‘God with us ‘. It points towards a co-operative relationship with the earth. Relating Mary to the traditional idea of woman as nature, the child is the gift of God and the gift of the earth. Joseph receives this mystery which is not created through his ego or his own will. He cares for what is not his own. He is participating in the processes of nature with awe and reverence. This is characteristic of oriental systems, where nature is worked with rather than dominated and manipulated, which is more typical of western approaches. 

The image of Ranganatha has also inspired the fourteenth station of the Cross, The Entombment (III.5). Once again there is the idea of transformation through acceptance of the darkness. As Ranganatha accepts the potentially death-dealing snake, so here Christ transforms death by accepting it ‘even death on a cross’. The tomb is here imagined like a seed out of which he will be born. 

In an apparently more secular mode, the wood cut print ‘Father and Child, Summer’ (III.6) is again derived from the Ranganatha sculpture. Although this picture is not immediately theological, obviously the symbol of the father is crucial for Judaeo-Christian thought. Very often that image of God is felt to be over against creation and the body. Here the man’s body takes on a cosmic dimension. He is part of the creation. He is as vulnerable and naked and free as his own baby who is sleeping beside him. In his book ‘God in Creation’ (SCM, 1985), J. Moltmann speaks of taking seriously the ‘Sabbath Rest’. This father is certainly enjoying such a rest ! 

Balancing the Opposites 

Another hindu icon that has had long lasting repercussions on my work is Shiva and Parvati also known as Umashankar (III.7). This sculpture gives a clear picture of the divine being symbolised as both male and female. I did the granite sculpture in 1979 and I find that it is still reappearing in different ways. The most recent ot these is inspired by the text of Luke ch.15, vv.4-10, the story of The Shepherd Searching for the Sheep and The Woman Searching for the Lost Coin (III.8). Normally the shepherd has been depicted while the woman is missing. Altough there is a predominant use of male imagery for God in the Bible, it is noticeable that when Jesus uses balancing images, artists have chosen the male one and left out the female pair. This means that the whole picture is not conveyed. Jesus does not use a masculine or feminine story just to be inclusive but in order to balance the outer active search of the sheperd whith the inner, hidden search of the woman. By leaving out the woman’s search from the iconography, not only is the feminine face of God lost but also the accompanying sense of interiority. 

In a recent commission to design the interior of a Trappistine Monastery in Kerala, South India, I was able to envisage the whole sacred space as a balance between complementary opposites. These are symbolised as mountain and cave, light and dark, male and female and so forth. The chapel was designed by Sri M.V. Devan, who happens to be a Hindu. He produced a simple and beautiful eight-sided chapel (III.9). The overall feeling is of a circular space. The layered roofs echo the shape of the surrounding mountains (III.10). The sanctuary is a round cave like space. (III.11)

In the cloister the theme of light and darkness is established by the image of the lotus with roots in the muddy water, petals unfolding in the sunlight, and the tree, which is seen as a blossoming cross, with roots in the dark earth and stretching up to heaven. This line of thinking is taken up again in an image of Jonah emerging from the dark whale and Christ appearing as a dancer coming out of the tomb. 

In the chapel itself there are three pairs of windows on each side which lead up to the sanctuary. On the left there is an icon of Mary and on the right a crucifix. The twelve windows are divided into ‘story’ panels based on biblical texts interspersed with ‘mandala’ designs, i.e. circular patterns with clear centres. These are images for contemplation and are an aid for the process of integration. They come from a religious culture searching for wholeness rather than for perfection. They are an attempt to integrate the dark with the light rather than to cut out the dark to achieve pure light. 

The stories on the left side are predominantly concerned with women, while those on the right relate more to masculine stories. Thus, on the left, there is the Bent Woman (Lk 13:10-17), The Woman searching for the Lost Coin (Lk. 15:8-10), The Samaritan Woman meeting Jesus at the Well (Jn. 4:8-30) (Illus.12) and The Hen (Mt. 23 :37-39) (Ill.12). On the right side there is the Peaceable Kingdom (Is. 11:6-9) with a yogi sitting in meditation on the holy mountain (Ill.13), The Transfiguration (Mt. 17:1-8) and The Parable of the Sower (Mt. 13 :3-23) (Ill. 14). On this side, mountains which I see as masculine symbols appear twice, while circular, cave like shapes appear more on the left. 

The focal point of the chapel is the sanctuary area (Ill. 11) where there is an attempt to symbolise the integration of opposites. As mentioned earlier, the area is circular and cave like. The tabernacle is set into a ‘mountain ‘, reminiscent of an Indian ant hill or a Celtic cairn. It is made from local river stones. At the centre of this is a microcosmic ‘cave’ made from rough hewn granite. Inside here, is a box with a burnished metal door containing the Blessed Sacrament. Thus there is a cave containing a mountain, containing a cave ‘containing’ Christ, who might also be thought of as a mountain, uniting heaven and earth. For his devotees, he is the ‘axis mundi’ or world centre of their lives. In front of the tabernacle is a low stone altar made in the shape of a double lotus. It suggests an idea of redemption, not as a flight from the world, but rather as a process of unfolding and blossoming in Christ. 
  

What it means to be a European Christian Artist with Roots in Hinduism. 

I spoke at the start of the paradoxical nature of my journey. The most obvious paradox is that I have felt most ‘at home’ in the context of inculturation in the Indian Catholic Church . As a European, I am not aloe in this experience. Such great figures as Abhishiktananda (French) and Bede Griffiths (British) felt most ‘at home’ living in India. To be sure, I can hardly compare my journey with theirs. I did not go to India as a Christian. Rather, I was evangelised or ‘converted’, first through Hinduism and then through inculturation. 

I am profoundly grateful for the opportunities I have had to contribute creatively in the context of inculturation theology. I have been struck by the way in which my imagination has been fired by the search of the Indian Christians I have worked with. They are searching for their Indian roots which earlier paradigms of mission rejected. I am searching for a holistic christian culture. At one level we have a lot in common. In a certain sense I too am coming from a Hindu background. But I also recognise that my experience of Hinduism is in many respects different from theirs. Most Indian Christians have grown up with immediate social experience of Hinduism. In contrast, my first encounter with Hinduism was through symbols and scriptures. It was not until the seventh year in India that I had a first hand experience of purity and pollution rules. I still remember what a shock it was. My approach and that of many foreigners can be rather naive. Our uncritical enthusiasm for high caste hindu practices can be a source of confusion in the debates on inculturation, especially at present when the focus is increasingly on Dalits (ex-untouchables) and Tribals. 

I think that I need to take responsability of my relationship with Hinduism as a European living in Europe. Here I am inspired by the way in which Hindus have found their own methods for integrating certain features they admire in Christianity. Several hindu or Indian artists like Jamini Roy and Krishan Khannan have depicted Christ and christian subjects. It is said that the Rama Krishna Mission has been influenced by the organisation of the Jesuits. Many Hindus keep a picture of Christ on their shrine. All these are exemples of cross cultural fertilisation and a testimony to the evolving nature of hindu culture. 

I went to India because I was dissatisfied with the materialistic culture I found myself. I went because I was religiously, spiritually and artistically poor. I brought nothing except my search and my questions. I feel I have been profundly blessed through what I found in India, some small part of which I have tried to describe above. In Hinduism and through inculturation theology I found answers to my questions as a European. I found that Christianity is not fixed and static but constantly evolving. I found that imagination, celebration as well as the most interior forms of contemplation can be integrated. I found that immanence can be expressed in christian symbols as well as transcendence. I found that women as well as men really are made in the image of God. I found a sens of the Cosmic Christ alive in the whole creation. I could not have made these discoveries in the christian context if it had not been for the Indian theology. 

During the seven years I have been in Europe I have been struck by the static nature of the church culture, in spite of a certain theological openness to other faiths. To be sure there are western Christians who give Zen retreats and the 1994 John Main Seminar brought together the Dalaï Lama and Laurence Freeman O.S.B. However, this is a different situation from in India because there is not the same commitment to culture as a creative expression of theology/spirituality. In that sense there is not the same importance given to incarnation as this is articulated in art and architecture. 

Outside the church structures in Europe, the people who are searching into, for exemple Hinduism or Buddhism, tend to be open to the whole culture within which the religion comes. Thus, here in Wales, the young western monks at the hindu ashram called The Community of the Many Names of God’ are very happy to sing bhajans (devotional chants) in Sanskrit, to squat on the floor, and to offer worship to a feminine image of the divine. The ashram has evolved in a traditional Indian way, growing up around a guru. The buildings are simple and do not have the feeling of an institution as is the case with many western monastic buildings. There are several Buddhist centres, both Tibetan and Japanese, as well as a Yoga Ashram. In all these places the western seekers seem to feel inspired by the cultural forms. I can very well appreciate this as it was the cultural forms of Hinduism that helped me to discover my imagination and a more whole approach to religious life. Because of being in India I was able to integrate these discoveries back into christian faith in the context of inculturation, which meant I could go to a christian Ashram, do yoga, sing christian bhajans and so forth. 

Christian Culture in Europe 

There is a story that is told in many traditions about a man who went on a journey in search of treasure. In a foreign country he meets another traveller on a bridge, who tells him hat he has had a dream about a treasure hidden in a particular house. The first seeker recognises it as his own house and goes home do discover it. For some reason he could not find it until he had gone on a long journey. In Europe today there is a great openness to participate in non-western cultures and religions. As a European, I have been astonished by the creative potential in working with Christians who are really convinced of the value of relating Christianity to Hindu, Tribal, Dalit, Buddhist and Islamic cultures and religions. Since Vatican II there has been the idea that inculturation is appropriate for Indians but quite unnecessary for Europe and America. The actual fact of many western seekers rediscovering christian faith in Indian christian ashrams has not been taken into serious consideration for their life in Europe/America. 

As a european christian with roots in Hinduism, I would like to be involved in a theology and culture in Europe where the type of creative contribution that was possible in India might also be possible here. There is much that can be learnt from the Indian inculturation theology. Starting with our experiences as Europeans, perhaps we can evolve a theology of inter-culturation, thus suggesting the idea of openness to other religions and to other parts of the church. However, nothing can be done until there is a commitment to the idea that we in Europe can learn from and be inspired to create christian culture that arises from contact with non-western cultures and religions. This may lead us to re-evaluate and make new connections with our own Celtic and contemplative traditions. We need to be open to experimentation, risk-taking and the readiness to learn from our mistakes. It is this sense of openness to growth within the context of serious debates about theology and spirituality that could help to create a relevant christian culture in Europe.

ILLUSTRATIONS during the exhibition in Brussel's Cathedral (1996) 

1.Ranganatha - Vishnu lying on Ananta Sesha, The Cosmic Serpent 

2. Nandi Bull 

3.  Nativity with Bull Lying Down-Lino-cut print 

4.  Nativity - Stained Glass Window 

5.  Entombment 

6.  Father and Child-Summer 

7.  Shiva and Parvati 

8.  The Good Shepherd and the Woman with the Found Coin 

9 .Plan of Ananda Matha Ashram Chapel 

10.  Ananda Matha Chapel with mountain 

11.  Ananda Matha Chapel - interior of sanctuary 

12.  Ananda Matha Chapel - window grills - The Hen and the Samaritan Woman 

13.  Ananda Matha Chapel - window grills - the Peaceable Kingdom and the Eye of Consciousness 

14. Ananda Matha Chapel - window grill - The Parable of the Sower.