A photo showcasing a devotee meditating before a serene portrait of Jesus, symbolizing the harmony and respect between the Hare Krishnas and their belief in Jesus as a spiritual figure.

What Do Hare Krishnas Believe About Jesus?

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness, commonly known as the Hare Krishnas, has a unique perspective on Jesus Christ. They recognize him as a great spiritual teacher, but do not accept the essential Christian doctrines relating to his divinity as God’s only incarnate Son.

If you are short on time, here is the quick answer: Hare Krishnas view Jesus as a shaktyavesha-avatara, or empowered incarnation of God who was a pure devotee of the Supreme Lord but not God himself. They respect Jesus’ teachings but incorporate him as part of a succession of Vedic spiritual masters.

In this approximately 3000 word article, we will explore in depth the Hare Krishna conception of Jesus Christ, looking at the roots of their theology in ancient India, their views on his spiritual status, his relationship to Lord Krishna, the authority they give to his teachings, his role and validity in the succession of Vedic gurus, and how ISKCON devotees seek to follow and honor him today.

The Roots of the Hare Krishna View of Jesus

Jesus as Part of the Parampara

Hare Krishnas, also known as devotees of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), view Jesus Christ as part of the disciplic succession (parampara) of spiritual masters coming from the spiritual world.

Though Jesus is not seen as the supreme Lord, as Krishna is, he is honored as a great devotee and powerful preacher coming in disciplic succession from God Himself.

More specifically, ISKCON’s founder Srila Prabhupada comments that Jesus is a shaktyavesha avatar, or an expansion of God invested with power. As such, Jesus is seen as a very exalted devotee who preaches love of God and surrender to God’s will.

His life of dedication is seen as an example for Krishna devotees to follow.

The Concept of Shaktyavesha Avatar

The concept of shaktyavesha avatar in ISKCON comes from ancient Vedic scriptures of India. Unlike regular living beings, these expansions of the Supreme Lord descend to accomplish specific missions. Jesus’s mission is seen as reclaiming people who have drifted away from God back to the spiritual path.

Srila Prabhupada comments specifically, “So Lord Jesus Christ, he’s powerful representative to reclaim the conditioned souls from paralyzed condition to make them stand to understand the science of God. So we accept Lord Jesus Christ as saktyavesa avatara…he had to do that.

That is specially empowered representative of God.”

Thus while Krishna Himself is said to only descend once in a “day of Brahma,” a duration spanning billions of years, His shaktyavesha forms like Lord Jesus descend whenever there is a decline of the true spiritual path to restore it again when needed.

Jesus’ Identity and Spiritual Status in Hare Krishna Theology

A Pure Devotee But Not God

Hare Krishnas view Jesus as a pure devotee of Lord Krishna, but not as the Supreme God or source of all existence. They acknowledge Jesus’ spiritual purity and closeness with God, calling him “His Divine Grace Lord Jesus Christ”.

However, in Hare Krishna theology only Krishna is seen as the original Supreme Personality of Godhead.

His Relationship to Lord Krishna

Although not viewed as God Himself, Jesus is respected in Hare Krishna as an empowered incarnation and prophet of Lord Krishna. When Krishna incarnates on Earth, He empowers certain pure devotees to represent Him.

Hare Krishnas believe that Jesus was one such empowered living entity who was given the role of spreading God-consciousness in the Western world.

So while Christ is not identical to Krishna, he connects people with the Supreme through his teachings. As a powerful guru guiding others to divine love, Jesus has an intimate relationship with the Lord, similar to other guru-prophets like Buddha or Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Contrast With Christian Doctrine

A key difference from mainstream Christianity is that Hare Krishnas see Jesus as separate from God – not as the “only begotten Son” who “was God” (John 1:1). Rather, he is seen as part of Krishna’s energies(SB 1.3.28).

So while very dear to the Lord, Jesus is not the Supreme Absolute Truth itself in human form.

Related concepts like Jesus dying for the sins of humanity, the Trinity, and Jesus being the only way to salvation, do not feature in the Hare Krishna view. They see many genuine paths to God, with faith in Christ being one of them.

So while Hare Krishnas deeply respect Lord Jesus and his teachings, they see Krishna as supreme, the fountainhead from whom Christ and all other divinities emanate.

The Authority of Jesus’ Teachings for Hare Krishnas

For Hare Krishnas, also known as members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), the teachings of Jesus Christ do not hold the same authority as the teachings of Krishna and the Vedic scriptures.

However, Hare Krishnas generally have a positive view of Jesus and see him as a genuine spiritual teacher, albeit not on the same level as Krishna or Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the founder of their tradition.

According to ISKCON doctrine, the highest authority comes from the Vedic scriptures originating in India. These include texts like the Bhagavad Gita and Bhagavata Purana, which contain the direct words of Krishna and descriptions of his activities.

As a manifestation of Krishna himself, no other spiritual figure can match Krishna’s authority or superiority.

Jesus appears in Vedic scripture as an empowered incarnation meant to spread God-consciousness to part of the world. However, from an ISKCON perspective, the message he spread became distorted over time and evolved into Christianity as we now know it.

Furthermore, having appeared long after Krishna, Jesus would naturally have less authority than the direct words of God Himself in the form of Krishna.

Still, most Hare Krishnas appreciate the selfless love and devotion Jesus demonstrated, as well as his teachings on ethics and morality. They see Jesus as a saintly person and a bona fide messenger of God, though his level of authority and intimacy with God cannot approach that of Krishna’s. His teachings may contain universal truths also found in Vedic wisdom but need to be considered within their historical and geographical context, not as the immutable words of God.

Additionally, Hare Krishnas believe that much of Jesus’ original teachings in the Bible became distorted over time, as fallible humans interpreted them through their limited material senses and capacities.

Only Krishna’s words as revealed in Vedic scripture provide an undistorted view of absolute transcendental knowledge. So while Jesus’ words may have some value for devotees, they require perfect interpretation through the lens of higher authorities like Krishna and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to have practical spiritual relevance.

Jesus’ Place in the Vedic Guru Parampara

In the Succession from Krishna

According to Vaishnava theology, Jesus holds an exalted position in the disciplic succession (guru parampara) coming from Lord Krishna. As an empowered incarnation of God, Jesus is situated above the regular spiritual masters (acharyas) but below Krishna Himself in the hierarchy.

Jesus taught a message of love for God that aligns with core Vedic principles. His teachings to love God with all one’s heart and soul resemble the bhakti-yoga process practiced by Vaishnavas. In this sense, Vaishnavas consider Jesus an acharya empowered to preach bhakti in the West.

They see Jesus as a guru in the succession coming from Krishna through great teachers like Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Above the Acharyas, Below God

As an exceptionally empowered guru, Jesus outranks most other Vaishnava teachers in status and authority. Yet he remains subordinate to the Supreme Lord Krishna. Vaishnavas honor Jesus as God’s son and pure devotee but not as the Supreme Godhead.

Rather, they see Jesus as an acharya specially deputized to spread God-consciousness in the Western world just as Chaitanya did in India.

So while ISKCON devotees revere Jesus greatly, they stop short of worshiping him as the absolute truth. For Vaishnavas, Krishna alone is svayam bhagavan, or God in His original form. Still, as a leader sent directly by God to preach bhakti, Jesus holds a special place in the guru parampara.

How ISKCON Devotees Honor Jesus Today

Through Study, Quotation and Distribution of his Teachings

Members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), commonly known as Hare Krishnas, have great respect for Jesus Christ. They study his words in the New Testament and often quote his teachings in their books, articles, and lectures.

ISKCON founder A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada called Jesus “our spiritual master” and devoted an entire chapter to him in his book Teachings of Lord Chaitanya. He wrote that Jesus “sacrificed everything for spreading God consciousness.”

ISKCON devotees distribute books by and about Jesus Christ to help spread his teachings on love of God. These include an edition of the King James Bible and the Jesus Christ Biography, which chronicles Jesus’s life and mission based on the gospels.

ISKCON temples also hold readings and discussions about Jesus’s teachings. By studying and sharing his message, they hope to develop pure love of God as exemplified by Lord Jesus Christ.

Finding Harmony Between Vedic and Christian Traditions

ISKCON devotees see Jesus as a shaktyavesha avatar, or an empowered incarnation of God who transmits divine grace. They point out similarities between Lord Krishna, whom they revere as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and Lord Jesus Christ.

Both descended from the spiritual world and spoke about love of God and service to humanity. ISKCON founder Prabhupada wrote that Jesus lived in India before beginning his mission in the Middle East. This led to parallels between Jesus’s teachings and the Vedic wisdom of ancient India.

ISKCON devotees find harmony between Vedic and Christian traditions. They believe Lord Krishna and Lord Jesus Christ both taught paths back to the spiritual kingdom. By following the practices of devotion, prayer, meditation, and service, anyone can develop their dormant love for God.

Members of ISKCON hope to collaborate with Christian communities to spread these universal messages for the benefit of all.

Conclusion

In summary, while rejecting the doctrine of Jesus’ ontological oneness with God, Hare Krishnas deeply respect Jesus as a holy person, a pure devotee of Krishna and an empowered preacher whose appearance and teachings were predicted in the Vedic scriptures.

They follow a tradition of saints who incorporated Jesus into the disciplic succession of Vedic spiritual masters while retaining the monotheistic theology of Krishna/Vishnu as the Supreme Personality of the Godhead.

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