Voices
Francis X. Clooney, S.J., is the Parkman Professor of Divinity at Harvard University, and a scholar of Hinduism and Hindu-Christian studies. He wrote for America’s In All Things column between 2007 and 2016. His latest book, The Future of Hindu-Christian Studies, has recently been published by Routledge.
In All Things
Cambridge MA I recently wrote a remembrance of a very old swami Swami Sarvagatananda of the Ramakrishna Vedanta Society This time I write of a middle-aged swami who is by all accounts still very active in his ministry nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp The occasion is that recently I was sent a copy of
In All Things
Cambridge MA On May 3 Swami Sarvagatananda a senior monk of the Ramakrishna Vedanta Society and long-time head of the Vedanta Society in Boston died at the age of 96 While his death did not make national headlines it is good to reflect for a moment on his life and its meaning so I will tell
In All Things
Cambridge MA I am sure many of you read Mark C Taylor s End the University as We Know It op-ed piece in the New York Times on April 27 It is about the need for radical reform in higher education academe including a radical refashioning of what counts as scholarly research But be sure also to
In All Things
Cambridge MA My impression from the Catholic press and the debates that make the news is that many people assume that theology is just a matter of expressing opinions liberal or conservative loyal or dissident about how things should be in the Church Everyone jumps up with opinions theology
In All Things
Cambridge MA Here is the third installment in my Triduum exercise in listening to Paramahamsa Yogananda whose reflections on the Gospel accounts of the Last Supper and Crucifixion I sampled for you in the preceding days Like many a preacher I find Easter a rather daunting feast on which to prea
In All Things
Cambridge MA As indicated in my previous entry several days ago I am offering you three entries this Holy Week in meditation on the mysteries of the Last Supper the death of Jesus and the Resurrection But not my own thoughts rather recognizing that we have so many resources within the Chris
In All Things
Cambridge MA In this Holy Week we are of course invited to quiet ourselves down pull back a bit and reflect on the meaning of our lives in light of the death and resurrection of Jesus We are fortunate to have an abundance of aids in this reflection ranging from the Bible and the liturgies o
In All Things
Cambridge MA It has been a pleasure to write this occasional blog for America but perhaps never more than today when I have the opportunity to celebrate in this small way the birthday of my father James J Clooney who turns 90 on March 30th nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Born in Jersey City in 191
In All Things
Cambridge MA Once again allow me to speak in an area where I am by no means expert I am sure that many of you have already read Pope Benedict rsquo s letter of March 10 ldquo concerning the remission of the excommunication of the four bishops consecrated by Archbishop Lefebvre rdquo In it t
In All Things
Cambridge MA In my last contribution to this blog I wrote about my lecture course God Hindu and Christian This time still the comparative theologian I would like to tell you about my seminar a course dedicated almost entirely to one Hindu text the Vedarthasamgraha ldquo The Summary of th