Gandhi greatly admired Jesus and many teachings of Christianity, but did not accept the exclusive claims of Christianity or the divinity of Christ in the traditional Christian sense[1][2][3]. He is well known for the remark: “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ,” expressing his disappointment at the contrast between Jesus’ teachings and the conduct of many Christians he observed[4][5][6][7].

Gandhi’s View of God and Religion

  • Gandhi gave primacy to Truth as the highest principle: “I reject any religious doctrine that does not appeal to reason and is in conflict with morality”[2][1].
  • He described his position as “equal respect for all religions” (sarvadharma samabhav) and considered all religions as valid paths to the Divine[2][1].
  • Gandhi often said: “For me, different religions are beautiful flowers from the same garden or branches of the same majestic tree”[2][1].
  • On the nature of God, Gandhi wrote, “God is Life, Truth, Light. He is Love. He is the Supreme Good. There is no evil in Him”[8].

Gandhi’s Relationship to Christianity and Jesus

  • Gandhi stated: “What does Jesus mean to me? To me, he was one of the greatest teachers humanity has ever had. Jesus was the most active resister known perhaps to history. His was non-violence par excellence”[2][1][9].
  • He deeply respected the Sermon on the Mount: “The New Testament gave me comfort and boundless joy… if I had a copy of the Sermon on the Mount, I should derive the same joy from it as I do from the Gita”[2].
  • Gandhi was inspired by the life and sacrifice of Jesus: “Jesus, a man who was completely innocent, offered himself as a sacrifice for the good of others, including his enemies, and became the ransom of the world. It was a perfect act”[1].

Limits to Gandhi’s Acceptance

  • Gandhi’s respect for Christ did not mean he became a Christian or accepted Jesus as the exclusive Son of God or as the only path to salvation[2][1][9].
  • He wrote that he was “a Christian and a Hindu and a Moslem and a Jew,” insisting on a universal, inclusive approach to religion and God[1].
  • Gandhi was troubled by what he saw as the intolerance, materialism, and hypocrisy among some Christians and missionaries, which contributed to his reluctance to formally convert[2][5][10].

In summary, Gandhi honored Jesus as a great teacher and found profound wisdom in his teachings, especially regarding love and nonviolence. However, Gandhi did not believe in the Christian God in an exclusive or dogmatic sense. Instead, he believed all religions reveal aspects of the same ultimate Truth, and he firmly opposed religious exclusion or superiority[2][1][8].

Sources [1] Gandhi, Christ and Christianity https://www.mkgandhi.org/articles/gandhi_christ.php [2] Gandhi and Christianity | Articles on and by Mahatma … https://www.mkgandhi.org/articles/christ&g.php [3] Mahatma Gandhi: What Jesus Means to Me https://publicseminar.org/2018/12/mahatma-gandhi-what-jesus-means-to-me/ [4] Quote by Mahatma Gandhi : “I like your Christ, I do not … https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/22155-i-like-your-christ-i-do-not-like-your-christians [5] The Bogus Gandhi Quote http://christiancadre.blogspot.com/2018/02/the-bogus-gandhi-quote.html [6] Mahatma Gandhi Quotes About Religion https://www.azquotes.com/author/5308-Mahatma_Gandhi/tag/religion [7] Mahatma Gandhi Quotes About Jesus https://www.azquotes.com/author/5308-Mahatma_Gandhi/tag/jesus [8] Gandhi Quotes on God | God | God-Truth-Religion https://www.mkgandhi.org/god/god_new.htm [9] Gandhi, Writing that “Jesus was one of the great teachers … https://www.raabcollection.com/foreign-figures-autographs/gandhi-jesus [10] MAHATMA GANDHI SAYS HE BELIEVES IN CHRIST BUT … https://www.thecrimson.com/article/1927/1/11/mahatma-gandhi-says-he-believes-in/ [11] How do you feel these Gandhi’s quotes about Christianity? https://www.reddit.com/r/AskAChristian/comments/13my9z4/how_do_you_feel_these_gandhis_quotes_about/ [12] “If it weren’t for Christians, I’d be a Christian” - Gandhi https://kevincarson.com/2019/07/25/if-it-werent-for-christians-id-be-a-christian-gandhi/ [13] Answering Gandhi’s Rebuke of Christians and Christianity https://bigccatholics.blogspot.com/2015/07/answering-gandhis-rebuke-of-christians_5.html [14] Mahatma Gandhi letter on Jesus up for sale in US https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-43252705 [15] The Influence of Jesus Christ on Mahatma Gandhi http://app.newlifeag.in/content/blog/influence-jesus-christ-mahatma-gandhi [16] Jesus and Gandhi: A Study in Commonalities https://christianethicstoday.com/wp/jesus-and-gandhi-a-study-in-commonalities/ [17] Gandhi on Religion, Faith and Conversion: Secular … https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3400300/ [18] Mahatma Gandhi’s View on Christianity (Originally … http://www.omijaffna.com/mahatma-gandhis-view-on-christianity-originally-published-in-catholic-weekly-the-messenger.html [19] Gandhi on Jesus https://chighland.com/2020/08/02/gandhi-on-jesus/ [20] Mahatma Gandhi on Christianity - Matthew Erickson https://mwerickson.com/2023/10/18/mahatma-gandhi-on-christianity-2/