Rudolf Otto’s Encounter with Rāmānuja as a Model for Comparative Theology

Among his more noteworthy achievements, Rudolf Otto introduced Vaiṣṇava theism, Rāmānuja’s Viśiṣṭādvaita in particular, to a broader theological audience. In this paper, I argue that despite the well-known shortcomings of Otto’s comparative work, in particular, his tendency to essentialize the compared traditions and his presumption of Christian superiority, Otto’s encounter with Rāmānuja and Vaiṣṇavism nevertheless anticipates some of the characteristic features of the contemporary practice of Comparative Theology. The article describes how Otto’s work on Vaiṣṇavism exemplifies two such features of the new Comparative Theology in particular. The first of these is this discipline’s concern with problematizing the often invidious representations of non-Christian traditions that have historically sustained notions of Christian uniqueness. The second is its skillful use of comparison to foreground features of the home tradition that might otherwise escape notice. As is well known, the German Lutheran theologian Rudolf Otto undertook a serious study of Sanskrit and the theological traditions of Hinduism in the second half of his academic career. Arguably his greatest Indological achievement was introducing Vaiṣṇava theism, Rāmānuja’s Viśiṣṭādvaita in particular, to a broader theological audience.1 In this short paper I would like to argue that not only does Otto’s encounter with Rāmānuja and Vaiṣṇavism represent a significant moment in the reception history of Indian religious thought in the West, but it also exemplifies some of the characteristic features of the contemporary practice of Comparative Theology. Indeed, as I have argued elsewhere, Otto was a comparative theologian avant la lettre.2 There are two characteristic features of the new Comparative Theology in particular that I wish to highlight, the first of which is critical, the second constructive. The first of these is the discipline’s concern with problematizing the often invidious representations of non-Christian traditions that have historically sustained notions of Christian uniqueness. The second, more constructive aspect of Comparative Theology is its skillful use of comparison to foreground features of the home tradition that might otherwise escape notice. I shall discuss each of these in turn with reference to Otto’s encounter with Rāmānuja and the Śrī-Vaiṣṇava tradition

Book Review: \u3cem\u3eChrist and Krishna: Where the Jordan Meets the Ganges\u3c/em\u3e

A review of Christ and Krishna: Where the Jordan Meets the Ganges by Steven J. Rosen

Book Review: \u3cem\u3eJournal of Vaishnava Studies 20.2 (Spring 2012)\u3c/em\u3e

A review of the anthology Journal of Vaishnava Studies 20.2 (Spring 2012) edited by Stephen J. Rosen and Graham M. Schweig

Defiled and deified: profane and sacred bodies in Caitanya Vaisnava theology

It is well known that there is no dearth of stereotypes when it comes to religion and the body. Christianity is a body-negative religion, Judaism is body-positive, ascetic practices automatically lead to a negative view of the body, and Eastern religions are more positive towards the body than Christianity. Such truisms are of little value. Still, they are voiced often enough to warrant occasional replies. In this article one instance is highlighted, from within the Hindu tradition, that offers an interesting take on how the conception of the body may vary greatly within one and the same religious tradition. Caitanya Vaiṣṇavism, also known as Bengali or Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism, is the devotional movement of Kṛṣṇa-bhakti begun by Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya (1486–1533) in Bengal, India. Kṛṣṇadāsa’s work may be used as an entrance into the theology of Caitanya Vaiṣṇavism. What, then, does Kṛṣṇadāsa have to say about the body? The body may be anything, from an obstacle to divine service, to its instrument, both in this life and the next. It is also an object of worship—in fact, by far most of the instances of words in Sanskrit or Bengali indicating body in the texts of Kṛṣṇadāsa refer to the forms of Caitanya and Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, that are described with loving, painstaking detail. The differences between these types of bodies may or may not be apparent to an outsider, and indeed, the body need not be physical at all. This example from the Hindu tradition, highlights some of the complexities inherent in terms such as ‘the body’, or ‘body-negative spirituality’

Book Review: Bringing the Sacred Down to Earth: Adventures in Comparative Religion, Corinne G. Dempsey

A book review for Corinne G. Dempsey\u27s Bringing the Sacred Down to Earth: Adventures in Comparative Religion by Chad Bauman

Act Properly: Rāmānuja and Luther on Works

2017 offered a reason to celebrate and compare two great theologians. In April 2017, Hindus celebrated the 1000th anniversary of Śri Rāmānujācārya. In October, Christians celebrated the 500th anniversary of Luther’s reformation. The occasion to compare was also an opportunity to show that the ideas of Rāmānuja and Luther converge in certain ways. This paper explains that Rāmānuja’s teachings on proper acts prefigure Luther’s commentary on good works. This echo is threefold in nature. First, the idea of merit or reward-inspired actions preoccupied and shaped their respective theologies. Second, their teachings on merit reflect a shared interest in placing the work of a gracious God at the center of soteriology. Third, their occupation with the idea of merit inspired them to differentiate good or proper acts from improper acts. I further explain that this convergence is more than an accident. Rather, Luther echoes Rāmānuja on works because both theologians faced a common quandary – what should I do to be saved? – to which their responses were shaped by a shared set of theological commitments. Both asserted the importance of proper acts or good works even as they exhorted a dependence on God for liberation

The Devotional Metaphysics of Śaṅkaradeva (1449–1568): The Advaitic Brahman as the Beloved Friend

Various forms of Advaita Vedānta as well as devotional Vedānta developed during the medieval centuries diverse hermeneutic strategies of positioning and repositioning jñāna and bhakti in their own conceptual-soteriological systems. These Vedāntic systems do not place jñāna and bhakti in hermetically sealed compartments but interweave them from within their distinctive metaphysical structures. Our discussion of the Assamese poet-saint Śaṅkaradeva (1449–1568) will highlight these broader themes in the reception histories of the Vedāntic materials. Śaṅkaradeva developed a distinctive pattern of devotional metaphysics rooted primarily in the Bhāgavata-purāṇa, where the ultimate reality, which is indicated with highly characteristic Advaitic analogies, is also repeatedly described as the beloved friend who lovingly protects the devotees and who even becomes subservient to them

Doctoral Research In Indian Universities, (A Survey On Study And Research In Philosophy In India Vol. Ii)

“A Survey on Study and Research in Philosophy in India” is a multivoloume series. It is an attempt to present an overview about status of teaching and research in Philosophy in India. Present volume aims to serve two basic purposes: (1) To provide aid to prospective researcher to refer already carried out works in the area. This is helpful to save time, energy and money of a researcher and making him/her aware of existing works so that he/she could forego further in the area. Conversely, it avoids duplication in research work. (2) To present an overview of the Ph.D. research areas, where neglected area or over pursued area may be observed and planning and support may be implemented. So far, there has been no attempt to gauge the research trends in the area of Philosophy in our country. This is partly because of unavailability of database involving long correspondences and poor responses and partly because of lack of methodology for analyzing the trends. A novel concept of ‘research inclination’ and innovative methodology for measuring the trends, have been developed in this book, which may be helpful for analyzing the status/trends in Ph.D. researches in other subjects also