My new name

I’ve decided to take on a new name, a Bengali name. And it is, (drum roll please)...

“Sotten”, pronounced Shot-ten, written as সত্যেন. It’s a Hindu name that means truth. So in this part of the world that’s how I intend to introduce myself.

So why do I feel the need to take a new name? There are a couple of reasons.
Firstly, as I’ve introduced myself to Bengalis using my English name, the response I’ve most often had is something like a slight tilting of the head and scowling of the eyebrows as they have tried (unsuccessfully) to pronounce it back to me. The sounds do not roll naturally off the tongue of a native Bangla speaker.

Secondly, I think taking a Hindu name is a small something I can do to communicate something important. Let me explain.

Generally when Hindu’s have decided to follow Christ in this part of the world, that decision has come along with a big break from their culture and social networks. Most have essentially left their place in society, and often their families to assume their primary identity within the Christian/church community. Among other things this involves adapting to “Christian” (i.e. read western) forms of worship that are very alien to the Hindu culture, and often also taking of a western, “Christian” name.

To join the Christian religion here you need to get accustomed to its culture, which unfortunately carries with it a lot of western baggage. The result is that the new Christ follower is seen not only to be giving their allegiance to Jesus, but also as forsaking their family, heritage and traditions. They often change their diet and appearance, and are seen as abandoning their cultural identity. This usually causes immense heartache to Hindu families and subsequent hostility towards the gospel. Abandoning the Hindu community is far more offensive to Hindu families than any new doctrine that has been believed.

So it is that Christianity is perceived as the religion of foreigners, and the leaven of a new disciple of Jesus is removed from the lump of the natural Hindu community.

One of the things I’m really keen to explore is how to worship and follow Jesus in ways that more naturally express many of the beautiful facets of this culture. Much discernment will be needed, and the leading of the Spirit essential. But by choosing to take a Hindu name and find ways to worship that are more natural to my neighbours, I hope something will be communicated to them about the God we love and serve. He is not a westerner, but also loves their culture, desiring to be worshipped through it just as much as through any American, Australian, Jewish, African, Chinese, or any other culture.