This week marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Mohandes Gandhi, the Indian mystic and activist and martyr. Gandhi became known as "Mahatma" which is Sanskrit for "Great Soul" and is more or less equivalent to the English term saint.
As with many Christian saints Gandhi was flawed, but he had a resolute commitment to non-violence. Gandhi is famous for observing that he admired Christ but not Christians, although no concrete evidence exists that he actually said so. It wouldn't be surprising because the Sermon on the Mount was Jesus' manifesto of non-violence but the supposedly Christian British Empire was viewed as the oppressor of the Indian people.
Some scholars claim that it was the Hindu Gandhi who revived the gospel teaching on non-violence and his life and approach inspired Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. There are books written about Gandhi and Christianity and the day may come when I'll read one of the them. In the meantime I'll simply appreciate his commitment to change without violence.
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