sign in sign up
<<
Home , Anantanand Rambachan, Dharampal, Richard De Smet

Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies

Volume 21 Article 5

January 2008

A Retrospective of Hindu-Christian Studies: Establishment of the Journal and Formation of the Society

Harold Coward

Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.butler.edu/jhcs

Part of the Religion Commons

Recommended Citation Coward, Harold (2008) "A Retrospective of Hindu-Christian Studies: Establishment of the Journal and Formation of the Society," Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies: Vol. 21, Article 5. Available at: https://doi.org/10.7825/2164-6279.1404

The Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies is a publication of the Society for Hindu-Christian Studies. The digital version is made available by Digital Commons @ Butler University. For questions about the Journal or the Society, please contact [email protected]. For more information about Digital Commons @ Butler University, please contact [email protected]. Coward: A Retrospective of Hindu-Christian Studies: Establishment of the Journal and Formation of the Society

A Retrospective of Hindu-Christian Studies: Establishment of the Journal and Formation of the Society

Harold Coward Professor Emeritus of History and Founding Director of the Centre for Studies in Religion and ~ociety University of Victoria

A retrospective look at "How We Do Hindu­ In volume 2, the 1989 issue of the Bulletin, Christian Studies" can be had by going through the death of Richard Taylor is noted. A the issues of our journal from 1988 to the missionary of the United Methodist Church, present. In the first issue of the journal the USA, Dick Taylor served in for 35 years approach was described as follows: "Materials as Research Secretary for the Christian Institute selected for publication will be balanced for the Study of Religion and Society in between historical research and contemporary and Bangalore. Taylor's books assessed the practice, and, where possible, should employ contributions of early pioneers in inter-faith analytical and theoretical analysis set within the dialogue from a sociological perspective. He context of our shared human experience."] The also wrote on Christian art and the Ashram issue contained two articles illustrating this Movement in India. In volume 2 of the Bulletin, approach: an overview of Hindu-Christian the focus on Hindu-Christian dialogue continues dialogue in India in the 1970s and .1980s by with articles by Anand Amaladass and Klaus Anand Amaladass, and an assessment of the Klostermaier. Amaladass draws attention to the various approaches to dialogue in the modem encounter between Christian Europe and Hindu West by . While Amaladass India in Wilhelm Halbfas' book India and fmds the focus in India in the 1980s to be on· Europe: An Essay in Understanding. For the church organizations and their of ~. European, India fascinates as a pristine guardian dialogue (with some Christians linking dialogue of primordial wisdom and offers hidden pieces with prose1ytisation), Klostermaier sees dialogue of one's self-understanding. By contrast, on the is the West occurring at the academic level in side of India there is no such searching toward Religious Studies courses where he feels there is the West - instead, there is only a stance of self­ a greater openness and honesty ''where formerly satisfaction and a lack of curiosity towards the dissimulation and hypocrisy were the rule.,,2 In outside. In India there is traditionally no search each tradition, says Klostermaier, our study for challenges and alternatives from foreign requires scholars who are willing "to fight hard shores. Indeed India discovers the West and against prejudice and pretense, against petrified through the process of being tradition and vested religious interest" if the discovered by the West - although this Hindu-Christian dialogue is to be open and insulation was broken through by the nineteenth honest.3 century Indian Renaissance thinkers who set the

Harold Coward is Professor of History and Founding Director of the Centre for Studies in Religion and Society, University of Victoria. He has authored eighteen books, the most recent of which is The Perfectibility of Human Nature in Eastern and Western Thought (SUNY, 2008). He was the founding Editor of the Journal ofHindu-Christian Studies.

Journal ofHindu-Christian Studies 21 (2008):3-10 Published by Digital Commons @ Butler University, 2008 1 Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies, Vol. 21 [2008], Art. 5 4 Harold Coward

stage for today's Hindu-Christian dialogue. In Dabholkar sees Gandhi as a living embodiment her article, Margaret Chatterjee (Director, Indian of Hindu-Christian dialogue. 1o S. Gangadaran Institute of Advanced Studies, Shimla) identifies and Israel Selvanayagam offer a comparison to six principles for Hindu-Christian interaction the communion of Saints from Tamil Saiva and including the felt need of Indian Christians to Christian perspectives.ll It is worth noting that inculturate their faith in Hindu cultural practice, in the 1992 issue of the journal a balanced thus requiring the study of in engagement of both Hindu and Christian Christian seminaries. Chatterjee also notes that scholars is achieved for the first time. there is a draw for some few Christians to the The comparative approach continued in the mystic route (e.g. Advaita ) of 1993 issue of the journal but with a' context shift Hinduism. 4 One such person, Jacques-Albert from dialogue to the question of human Cuttat (son of a wealthy Swiss banker, Professor responsibility for the environment. Articles from of Philosophy at the Sorbonne, later the Swiss Klaus Klostermaier and Roger Hutchinson along Ambassador to India) was fascinated by the c with O. P. Dwivedi and Sehdev Kumar once mysticism of Vedanta. The "Cuttat Study again showed a balance of Christian and Hindu Group" which he established during his tenure scholars. The passing of Bede Griffiths, a leader as the Swiss Ambassador in Delhi focused on in Hindu-Christian dialogue was noted. In the the notion of "inner dialogue" which must reviews, the publication of Francis Clooney's precede "external dialogue" Cuttat stressed the first venture into comparative theology was need to develop methods for an encounter of examined. In the 1994 issue the focus on Hindu­ spiritualities rather than a mere engagement in Christian dialogue reappears but now in the comparative religion. 5 context,of religious pluralism in India, America. The focus on "dialogue" as the key to and Australia with articles by Clooney, Hindu-Christian studies continued in the 1990, Chatterjee, Carman, Ayookuzhiel and Bilimoria. 1991 and 1992 issues of the journaL Robert . In a viewpoint essay, David Scott (of the United Baird examined the relationship between Theological College in Bangalore) examines the dialogue and academic study, and was relationship between religious fundamentalism complemented by Francis Clooney's analysis of and pluralism in India. 12 Also in 1994, the the transformation of the scholar as a factor in founding meeting of the Society for Hindu­ Hindu-Christian Studies.6 In the same issue ,Christian Studies was held in conjunction with Bettina Baumer of the , Society the American Academy of Religion meetings in in Varanasi points out three levels of dialogue: Chicago. In relation to the question, "How do on the lay level between neighbours, at work or we do Hindu-Christian Studies?" the founding in the family; on the academic or intellectual of the Society provided a permanent home for level; and on the bhakti or devotional level like the journal and fostered a yearly gathering of the sharing of festivals, prayers and rituals. 7 scholars in the field - a gathering that has grown offers an assessment of "de from an initial group ,of twenty to our current Nobili as Forerunner of Hindu-Christian sessions of fifty or sixty scholars. The program Dialogue," and John Carman suggests that for the Society's, first meeting was a panel Protestant Bible translations in India constitute review of Diana Eck's Encountering God, with a an unrecognized example of Hindu-Christian response from the author. dialogue.8 Art and' architecture are seen as locus During the five-year period 1995-2000 we for dialogue by Caroline MacKenzie and Jyoti see a shift from the focus on dialogue to a series Sahi.9 In the 1992 issue the focus on dialogue of thematic studies. In the 1995 and 1996 issues continues but in an academic comparative voice. of the journal, the topic of the role and function Julius Lipner offers a comment on the concept of scripture takes center stage with a of in relation to the Christian Roman comparative me,thod frequently being adopted. Catholic ascetic, Brahmabandhab Upadhyay The Hindu approach to scripture is analyzed in (1861-1907). Ronald Neufeldt looks at the articles by and Bibhuti contribution of to the comparison of Yadav with the Christian approach being Christianity and "other religions," and Devadatta examined by Michael Deroche and R. S. https://digitalcommons.butler.edu/jhcs/vol21/iss1/5 DOI: 10.7825/2164-6279.1404 2 r Coward: A Retrospective of Hindu-Christian Studies: Establishment of the Journal and Formation of the Society A Retrospective of Hindu-Christian Studies 5

Sugirtharajah. Also in these issues Frances in the Bible that support the ending of any Clooney led a cultural and cross-cultural study conflict between science and religion. The of the Hindu mind as found in the work of methodology here is not really comparative but Professor and seen in his book rather an inner attempt of each tradition to relate Bharattya Chitta Manas and Kala released in itself positively to modem science. In the 1998 Madras in 1993. Responses to Dharampal's issue the theme of "The Hindu Diaspora" is statement of the need to decolonize the Hindu studied through a series of historical surveys: in mind are offered by Lance Nelson, Anantanand Trinidad (Marion O'Callaghan); in Australia \ Raffibachan, Nilima Chitgopekar and Anand (Purushottema Bilimoria); in North America Amaladass. In Viewpoint essays Murray Rogers (Raymond Williams); and in Europe (Martin reflects on the dawn of human-nature ecology Baumann). In his Viewpoint essay "On Being a reflections in both Hinduism and Christianity, Hindu-Christian," Tinu Ruparell reflects on his and Fred Clothey asks to what degree Hindu­ experience of diaspora and living as "a Hindu­ Christian studies goes beyond monologue to Christian." This he understands through the become dialogue, and argues for the method of literary method of the application of metaphor - "collaborative research" that may change our "The metaphorical nature of being a Hindu­ personal religious experience. 13 In the book Christian," says Ruparell, "means that such a reviews, two comparative studies are noted: state is highly particular, open-ended, and Michael Stoeber's Theo-Monistic Mysticism, creative ... taking on almost limitless forms." 15 reviewed by Anantanand Rambachan; and The 1998 issue closed with tributes to two Monastic Life in the Christian and Hindu colleagues at their passing: Richard De Smet by Traditions, edited by Austin Creel and Vasudha Julius Lipner; and M. M. Thomas by S. Wesley Narayanan, reviewed by Harold Coward. The Ariarajah. It is also noted that Kenneth 1995 issue also contains a most valuable Index Cracknell has compiled a bibliography of "One of the first seven volumes of the joUrnal - Hundred Books on Hindu-Christian Dialogue." offering a fine snapshot of the methods adopted "Time in Christian and Hindu Thought" is in Hindu-Christian Studies in articles, vieWpoint the theme adopted for analysis in the 1999 issue, essays and book reviews. Looking over this and the method is mainly philosophical. Robert index impresses one with the depth of Neville and David Hawkin look at "Christianity stimulation that both the journal itself, along and Time" while Vasudha Narayanan and with the formation of our society, has provided Harold Coward examine "Time in Hinduism." In to the development of Hindu-Christian Studies. the same issue Francis Clooney offered a It is also clear that it is time for an Index of vols. Viewpoint essay highlighting discussion on the 8-20 to be compiled. Society's web-based list of violence in India The theme for the 1997 issue of the journal involving Hindus and Christians connected with was the relationship between science and conversion. In a two month period over 150 religion from the perspective of Hindu-Christian contributions had been made on the Hindu­ Studies, Klaus Klostermaier introduces' the Christian Studies List on matters relating to theme by calling it a "'Hindu-Christian-Science religion and religious ,conflict in India - often Trialogue' ... which accepts a plurality of focusing on conversion and proselytization. This religions and sciences as given and understands online discussion among Society members their relationship in an ecology of the spirit.,,14 prompted a panel on "conversion" at the 1999 Varadaraj a Raman, a Hindu and a physicist, Annual General Meeting with the method of delineates the lines of demarcation between analysis being mainly historical. In the midst of Vedanta and modem science. , a the continuing online controversy over Hindu and a computer scientist, reads the conversion the 2000 issue of the journal offered as a code for ancient science - a background for a scholarly analysis of Christian misperceptions the development of Vedanta as he sees it. Robert of Hindus and' Hindu misperceptions of Russell sees a positive, creative interaction Christians. Articles by Thomas Thangaraj on between science and Christian theology. Gordon "Mutual Misperception", Brian Pennington on Winder, a Christian and a geologist, finds quotes ~"Rev. William Ward," Ronald Neufeldt on

Published by Digital Commons @ Butler University, 2008 3 r Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies, Vol. 21 [2008], Art. 5 6 Harold Coward

"Conversion and the Courts," Deepak Sarma on methods employed being largely those of "Is a Hindu?" and Tinu Ruparell on theological, historical and textual study. Michael "Hindu Occidentalism" offer clear corrections Amaladoss places the controversy within the and constructive new approaches to the way context of the history of India, and notes that Hindus and"Christians perceive and misperceive conversions are not just spiritual acts but also each other. The methods used in these articles e'Vents with psychological, social, cultural, are historical and philosophical. economic and political aspects. Conversion, he In the 2001 issue the focus on "perceptions" argues, is a free individual decision and needs to continues in the theme "How My Thinking Has be respected by all. Arti Dhand examines the Changed." The method adopted is largely one of issue from the context ofa close readillg of the introspective analysis. Murray Rogers reflects Mahabharata's attitude to other faiths. She finds on a half-century of living Hindu-Christian that the Mahabharata never advocates violence dialogue and finds that the loss of faith he used as a way of dealing with believers of other I to fear from studying and sharing with Hindus faiths, rather a broadrninded tolerance is has in fact turned into the opposite - a deepening advocated. In his article, Judson Trapnell and enrichment. Seshagiri Rao describes how his compares two Hindu and two Christian Hindu thinking has changed as a result of approaches to the issue. On both sides intolerant participating in dialogue with Christians, and more open views are found. For example, especially through the W orId Council of Roman Catholic liberation theologians in India Churches. Rao reports that this has led to a advocate not a conversion of people from one deepening of understanding of both traditions. religion to the other but a conversion of all - Anantanand Rambachan reflects on how his both Christian and Hindu - to the Gospel values encounter with Christianity has changed his of dialogue, justice, freedom and community. assessment of the Advaita doctrine of God. Anantanand Rambachan, in his analysis, notes Rambachan invokes the Christian concepts of that exclusivistic and inclusivistic approaches immanent and transcendent to influence his have long existed among both Hindus and understanding of the Upanisadic concepts of Christians, but what has been characteristic of nirguna and saguna to be complementary rather the Hindu approach to conversion is the idea that than exclusive and hierarchical - pointing to a there are many ways of being religious. creator that is both immanent and in the modern era, by contrast, transcendent. William Cenkner, reflecting on his has often been linked to Western colonialism own scholarly experience, argues that dialogical and arrogance, showing little regard for Indian approaches to Hindu-Christian studies have culture and customs - leading to a widespread more to offer than dialectical approaches - Hindu resentment and distrust of Christianity. because the latter fail to lead one back to the This stereotyping of Christianity needs to be foundational insight of the tradition whereas the overcome and Hinduism challenged to recognize dialogical method often does. In his Viewpoint why some of its members ·become disillusioned essay Kenneth Cracknell observes that Martin and turn to the Gospel proclamation of the Buber, Wilfrid Cantwell Smith, and Ninian inclusive love of God, and of human Smart have each shown ways through the community, dignity-and equality. obstacles of "mutual misunderstanding, "Vedanta and Christianity" is the theme of suspicion and cultural arrogance" which marked the 2003 issue of the journal with articles by what Cracknell calls the old relationship Klostermaier, Rukmani, Ulrich and Rambachan. between the Hindu and Christian traditions. The impact of on Christianity With the 2002, vol. 15 of our journal the is examined by two Hindu and two Christian editorship shifts from Harold Coward to Bradley scholars. These essays are mainly historical and Malkovsky, with the theme of "the Conversion theological in tJ:?eir method of study. Controversy" (the meaning and legitimacy of Klostermaier summarizes the achievements and mission and conversion) being picked up again failings of three twentieth century European from our 2000 issue. Two Hindu and two Christian sannyasins living in India: Father Jules Christian assessments are offered with the Monchanin, Dom Henry Ie Saux, and Dom Bede

https://digitalcommons.butler.edu/jhcs/vol21/iss1/5 1.1 J.1 DOI: 10.7825/2164-6279.1404 4 ~.. Coward: A Retrospective of Hindu-Christian Studies: Establishment of the Journal and Formation of the Society A Retrospective of Hindu-Christian Studies 7

Griffiths. While many Hindus regard such compas'sionate appearances, and their attempts at inculturating Christian monasticism association with the cult of blood sacrifice. into Hindu garb as illegitimate, Klostermaier McDermott adopts the method of historical finds a real affinity between some Hindu and survey in her study of Christian attempts to find Christian spiritualities in their common quest to a rapprochement with this version of Hindu realize the presence of the eternal in this world Saktism, noting the absences, peculiarities and T. S. Rukmani focuses her analysis on the challenges of the Christian responses to Kali and attempt of Richard De Smet (1916-1997) to Durga. She fmds that Christian scholars, interpret Sankara's Advaita Vedanta. Rukmani whether focusing on theological/philosophical or concludes that De Smet ends up devotional analysis in their assessment of misunderstanding Sankara mainly because of his Hinduism, have avoided engaging with Saktism inadequate understanding of exegetical - mainly because they find the goddess worship method and due to a very selective reading of . they encountered in Bengali Hinduism off­ Sankara's texts. Rukmani concludes by noting a putting. McDermott cites Hans Kung's response necessary opposition between the Christian and that Saktism and Tantrism are "extraordinarily Advaita understanding of the Ultimate - alien to Christians" as typical. 16 In spite of a few Christianity's personal creator God, and attempts at what she calls "theological Advaita's impersonal and non-relational crossings" (e.g. John Woodroffe, Diana Eck and Brahman. Ted Ulrich finds that like De Smet, David Kinsley), McDermott concludes that these Henri Le Saux (Swami Abhishiktananda) does efforts are rather minor and need further not adequately follow the path of scholarly exploration. She suggests that Christian concepts exegesis of Upanisadic texts as laid down by the such as the Holy Spirit, the acceptance of death Advaita tradition. Instead he read the Upanisads and of God· as intimately merciful may provide repetitively and prayerfully, as prescribed by "bridges" for the Christian approach to the , side by side with the understanding of Saktism· and goddesses such as passages from the Bible. This process led to Ka1i. The [mal essay in the 2003 issue is a deepening his understanding of both sacred texts Viewpoint call by Deepak Sarma for scholars of and a transforming encounter with the Divine. In Hinduism and Christianity to respond to the his article Anantanand Rambachan examines the instances of violence between Christians and work of the contemporary biblical scholar Hindus . within India - that scholars should Marcus Borg in terms of its significance for the acknowledge their duty as public intellectuals Advaita-Christian encounter. Borg proposes as and come down from the ivory tower to engage an alternative to Christianity's traditional their voices in interreligious dialogue on the anthropomorphizing , a theology that issues of violence and justice taking place on the asserts God as an all-pervasive reality - a view street. 17 that has similarities to the Advaita teaching of The 2004 issue marked the. change of name Brahman. In place of the usual Christian from "Bulletin" to "Journal," and a return to the categories of sin and guilt, Borg proposes topic featured in the first issue of our journal, "blindness to the presence of God" which namely, "Hindu-Christian Dialogue." However, Rambachan sees as akin to the Advaita concept the 2004 articles signal a new approach with its of or ignorance. In Borg's interpretation title "Dialogue: 'On the Ground'" - a focus on Rambachan finds that Christian theology has the encounter that takes place between Hindus much to gain from Advaita, but he also argues and Christians in India. Rather than studying that Advaita could learn from Christianity a historical, colonial, missiological or doctrinal heightened sense of the reality of the world and dimensions of dialogue (which often leave out its need for social justice and the alleviation of the lived experience of people on the ground), physical suffering. Also in the 2003 issue is an this new approach observes the more fluid and essay by Rachel Fell McDermott who asks what spontaneous dialogical models embraced by Christians learn when they study the Bengali Hindu and Christian laity in India. At that level devotional traditions and the Hindu goddesses the dialogue is more anchored in the grassroots Kali and Durga with their wrathful and encounter of religious praxis, rather than in

Published by Digital Commons @ Butler University, 2008 5 Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies, Vol. 21 [2008], Art. 5 8 Harold Coward

theological abstractions and conceptual, elitist ethical analysis using feminist theory on the institutionalized activities~ In this lay, on the ordination of women to the Roman Catholic ground dialogue, what is often revealed are the priesthood, and argues that such ordination complex and complicated identities of Hindus would be an expression of social and and Christians in India. As Brad Malkovsky humanitarian justice. Concerning the Hindu points out, there is an increasing number of traditions, Laurie Patton offers evidence from Ph.D. dissertations in this "popular religion" antiquity that women recited mantras in certain area of study. These studies "should add breadth sacrifices and rituals as well as presiding over and depth to traditional. notions of what marriage rites. According to Mimamsa women constitutes 'Hinduism,' 'Indian Christianity,' enjoyed ritual authority by virtue of being and the Hindu-Christian encounter.,,18 The married. Vasudha Narayanan explores the many articles are by B. K. Bajaj and M. D. Srinivas meanings and functions associated with Hindu (dialogue around the issue of idol-worship, cow­ priesthood in both the home and the temple. She protection, and conversion), Francis Clooney (a finds that today women have an increasing critique of a statistical analysis of India's access to priestly duties such as reciting and shifting demographics), Vasudha Narayanan teaching scripture, performing death rites, (description of Hindu and Christian religious conducting Vedic sacrifices, officiating over practice in two South Indian Christian churches temple rituals, and wearing the sacred thread. where worshippers of both religions come She suggests that it is the very diversity and lack together and all experience "spiritual power"), of centralized authority in Hindu traditions that and Selva Raj (a study of shared religious space enables such spontaneous changes to occur. In and practice at the shrine of St. Anthony, Uvari, the same issue Michael McLaughlin offers an Tamilnadu). The last two articles, especially, essay comparing Mimamsa ritual and the show an "on the ground dialogue" that involves Eucharist and Tinu Ruparell compares Leibniz communion across religious boundaries and the with Ramanuja, with both essays using blurring of identities between Hindu and Clooney's comparative theology method. Christian. Other very useful articles in the 2004 The 2006 issue examines the topic of book issue include Matthew Smaltz's bibliographic banning and religious censorship in recent years, essay on Hindu and Christian Dalit Religiosity, with essays on the 2004 Bhandarkar Oriental and Thomas Thangaraj's six year experience in Research Institute library being ransacked by the teaching a course titled "A Christian Encounter Sambhagi Brigade in response to the publication with Hinduism" at Emory University in Atlanta, of James Laine's biographical study, Shivaji: which involves the advanced Christian Hindu King in Islamic India, a book that was theological students and their experiences of subsequently censored throughout India. He visiting a Hindu temple and of meeting with suggested that the controversy seems to be Hindu visitors to the class - both being caused by Hindu objections to Western situations of creative on the ground dialogue "outsider" scholarship redefIning a Hindu hero - rather than an encounter between "Christianity" an issue which JeffreyKirpal also examines in and "Hinduism" as religions. 19 The 2004 issue his essay. Gerald Larson enlarges the question of also contained tributes to two recently deceased censorship in India. by noting that since members of the Society: William Cenkner Independence the major book banning (1925-2003) and Judson Trapnell (1954-2003). controversies have involved Hindu-Muslim "Can women be priests?" is the topic for the interactions and Neo-Hindu revisions of the 2005 issue of the journal. The four essays history and meaning of Hinduism. Daniel offered take up the question ethically, Sheridan's essay provides a historical overview theologically and historically with special . of the banning or prohibiting of books in the attention to contemporary debates and , starting with the formation of innovations. Susan Ross examines the the biblical canon and the condemnation of the arguments advanced for and against women's works ofOrigen, John Wyclif, John Hus, Martin ordination to the priesthood, especially in the Luther, John Calvin and the formation of the Roman Catholic church. Maura Ryan offers an Index of Prohibited Books which remained in https://digitalcommons.butler.edu/jhcs/vol21/iss1/5 DOI: 10.7825/2164-6279.1404 6 f Coward: A Retrospective of Hindu-Christian Studies: Establishment of the Journal and Formation of the Society A Retrospective of Hindu-Christian Studies 9

force from 1557 to 1966. In her Viewpoint essay Conclusion Corinne Dempsey offers an ethnographic reflection on her "out of place" studies of Reading through the twenty issues of the popular Christian practice in predominantly Journal (1988-2007) I found myself impressed Hindu South India, and a Hindu temple within with the great variety of methods and diversity the Christian context of rural upstate New York. of subject matter. The methods of study In the book reviews, the resurrection of an employed in the one hundred plus articles important research tool, "Genealogy of the published in our J oumal include: historical, South Indian Deities" via English translation and phenomenological, comparative (using scripture, textual analysis is discussed by Francis Clooney theology, worship and ritual as 'content), as a scholarly contribution that informs us about philosophical, ethnographical, ethical, feminist, 18th century India, and places the study of and even statistical. The topics covered include: Protestant missionary scholarship in India on a dialogue (perhaps the most dominant topic solid textual basis. This comment leads me to especially from 1988-92), ecology/environment, observe that the rich offering of book reviews religious pluralism, scripture, religion and throughout all twenty issues of the journal are a science, the Hindu diaspora, time in Hindu and most important tool for us in our doing of Christian thought, mutual misperceptions, Hindu-Christian studies. Re-reading them gives conversion (a recurring theme), Vedanta and one a fme sense of the enlarging and deepening Christianity, women and the priesthood, and of Hindu-Christian scholarship between 1988 censorship (book-burning). The Viewpoint and the present. essays have added a valuable additional In the 2007 issue of the Journal (about to scholarly dimension to our studies, as have the appear), the theme is "Love of God" and the over one-hundred and fifty reviews of the key main method adopted seems to be that of books published in our field. Indeed, re-reading comparative theology. The Viewpoint essay by many of these reviews, which in our Journal Raimundo Panikkar argues for a dialogical tend to be longer and thus be able to engage approach to Hindu-Christian studies that goes issues more deeply, left me convinced that the beyond doctrines and theories and situates itself reviews themselves play an important role in the in the living experiences of people in their way we do Hindu-Christian Studies. languages, cultures and rituals. Panikkar brings The tools identified for study included a this "Retrospective" full circle back to the 1988 Journal Index covering the 1988-95 issues (a 'OF oreword" he wrote to the book Hindu­ follow-up index to bring us to the present is Christian Dialogue where he describes how badly needed), the Bibliography of 100 books throughout his life he has shared in the put together by Kenneth Cracknell in 1997, the languages, cultures, scriptures, and rituals of online discussions list maintained for many both the Hindu and Christian traditions without years by Lance Nelson, and the work of our absolutizing either. It is in this way that he has . longtime co-editor Anand ,Amaladass to keep us lived a life of dialogue - a dialogue among engaged with scholars and scholarship in India. cultures and religions upon which, as he puts it, All in all, this Retrospective study of how the peace of our planet depends. 20 Panikkar's we have done Hindu-Christian Studies, from two reflections are fitting "bookends" to the 1987 to the present, through our Journal and twenty years of Hindu-Christian Studies initiated Society, convinces me that a firm foundation has by the 1987 book project in Calgary, the 1988 been laid for future scholarship in this field. vol. 1 of our Journal, the 1994 founding of our Soceity and the 2007 methods reflection on Notes "How We Do Hindu-Christian Studies." I feel 1 Hindu-Christian Studies Bulletin, vol. 1, 1988, p.l. sure Panikkar will have appreciated the voL 17 2 Ibid., p. 9. approached of "Dialogue - on the Ground," for 3 Ibid. ' that has been his way of life. 4 Margaret Chatterjee, "The Prospect for Hindu­ Christian Interaction," Hindu-Christian Studies Bulletin, vol. 2, 1989, p. 2.

Published by Digital Commons @ Butler University, 2008 7 Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies, Vol. 21 [2008], Art. 5 rI 10 Harold Coward

5 Klaus Klostermaier, "Jacque-Albert Cuttat: a Pioneer of Hindu-Christian Dialogue," Hindu­ Christian Studies Bulletin, voL 2, 1989, p. 4 6 See Robert Baird, "Academic Study and the Phinomena of Dialogue," and Francis Clooney, "The Transformation of the Scholar as a Factor in Hindu­ Christian Studies," in voL 3, 1990, pp. 7-11 and pp. 1-6, Hindu-Christian Studies Bulletin. 7 Bettina Baumer, "Levels of Dialogue," Hindu­ Christian Studies Bulletin, voL 3, 1990, pp. 33-34. 8 See Richard de Smet, "R. de Nobili as Forerunner of Hindu-Christian Dialogue," and John Carman, "Protestant Bible Translations in India: An Umecognized Dialogue?" in voL 4, 1991, Hindu­ Christian Studies Bulletin, pp. 1-9 and pp. 11-2l. 9 Ibid., pp. 31-38. 10 See Julius Lipner, "On 'Hindutva' and a 'Hindu- ,Catholic' with a Moral for our Times," Ronald Neufeldt, "Christianity and 'Other Religions: Contributions from the Work ofF. Max Muller," and Devadatta Dabholkar, ": A Living Embodiment of Hindu-Christian Dialogue," in voL 5, 1992, see pp. 1-8,9-12 and pp. 23-28. 11 Ibid., pp. 13-19. 12 David Scott, "Religious Fundamentalism and Pluralism in India," Hindu-Christian Studies Bulletin, voL 7, 1994, pp. 45-47. 13 Fred W. Clothey, "Hindu-Christian 'Studies': Some Confessions from the Boundaries," Hindu­ Christian Studies Bulletin, voL 9, 1996, pp. 42-45. 14 Klaus Klostermaier, "The Hindu-Christian-Science Trialogue," Hindu~Christian Studies Bulletin, voL 10, 1997, pp. 5-1l. 15 Tinu Ruparell, "On Being Hindu-Christian," Hindu-Christian Studies Bulletin, voL 11, 1998, pp. 45-48. See p. 47. 16 Rachel Fell McDermott, "Meeting 'the Mother Who Takes Across': Christian Encounters with Fierce Goddesses of Hinduism," Hindu-Christian Studies Bulletin, voL 16,2003, pp. 48-57. See p. 5l. 17 Deepak Sarma, "Fostering Dialogue and Interreligious Conversation," Hindu-Christian Studies Bulletin, voL 16,2003, p. 56. 18 Bradley Malkovsky, "Editor's Introduction," Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies, voL 17,2004, p. l. 19 M. Thomas Thangaraj, "Pastors, Pujaris, and Swamis: Hindu-Christian Encounter in a Classroom," Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies, voL 17, 2004, pp.66-68. 20 Raimundo Panikkar, ''The Methodic of Hindu­ Christian Studies," Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies, voL 20, 2007.

https://digitalcommons.butler.edu/jhcs/vol21/iss1/5 DOI: 10.7825/2164-6279.1404 8