What is Cao Dai?

Answer

Cao Dai, also known as Caodaism, is a syncretic religion originating in Vietnam. Cao Dai translates to “High Tower” or “High Palace,” referring to the abode of the “Supreme Being” or to God himself. Presently, Cao Dai ranks as the third most prominent religion in Vietnam, boasting approximately 6 to 8 million adherents.

The establishment of Cao Dai is credited to Van Chieu, who professed to have received divine revelations during a séance in 1919. The spirit that communicated with Van Chieu identified itself as “Duc Cao Dai,” leading Van Chieu to believe he was in direct communion with God. Van Chieu subsequently disseminated the teachings received through spiritism, assuming the role of the religion’s prophet. Caodaism was officially founded in 1926.

The belief system of Caodaism integrates elements from Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, Roman Catholicism, and other faiths. Followers of Cao Dai uphold beliefs in karma and reincarnation, adhere to the moral values of Confucianism, and function within a hierarchical structure akin to Roman Catholicism, with the leader of Cao Dai resembling a pope.

Adherents of Cao Dai worship God the Father, the Holy Mother, and various other entities deemed divine, including Jesus Christ, Confucius, Buddha, and Khuong Thai Cong. Ancestral figures are revered, and saints such as Victor Hugo, Joan of Arc, Pericles, and Muhammad are esteemed.

Given its amalgamated nature, Cao Dai does not claim exclusivity to truth. As stated on the official Cao Dai website, the religion aims “to unite all of humanity under a shared perception of the Supreme Being, despite our minor discrepancies, to foster global peace and comprehension . . . to cultivate a more inclusive world, where individuals view each other as siblings from a common divine origin, striving towards a shared divine destiny to achieve inner and outer peace.”

The Bible asserts the existence of a singular source of Truth. Jesus Christ proclaimed, “I am theWay, the truth, and the life; no one goes to the Father except by me” «Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. », (John 14:6). Truth, by nature, excludes falsehood. Any teaching that contradicts God’s Word, the Bible, is actually contradicting God Himself. Jesus Christ is the only Savior, and He is infinitely high above all the “saints” and “divine beings” venerated by Cao Dai «Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. », (Acts 4:12).

Cao Dai does not teach the true gospel, for there is no other gospel but the message preached by Christ and His apostles. The true gospel is that salvation is by grace alone through faith in Christ alone. Caodaism teaches that ceremony, diet, and good works are the way to be one with the “supreme being.” The Bible teaches that no one is righteous, not even one «as it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: », (Romans 3:10) and that no amount of good works can atone for our sin. The only way that man can be accepted by God is by placing his trust in the finished work of Christ on the cross (Romans 10:9-10;John 1:12).