SPRING 2014-15 – Religion 393: Theological Seminar
Studying Theology Comparatively
Instructor: Anantanand Rambachan
In the words of Harvard University, Professor of Comparative Theology, Frank Clooney, comparative theology, “marks acts of faith seeking understanding which are rooted in a particular faith tradition but which, from that foundation, venture into learning from one or more other faith traditions, This learning is sought for the sake of fresh theological insights that are indebted to the newly encountered tradition/s as well as the home tradition.”
Doing theology comparatively has emerged as an exciting new method of interreligious learning that is appropriate in our contemporary context of religious diversity. Its practitioners argue that it fosters a deeper understanding of self and others. In the words of Paul Knitter, to answer the questions “Who am I? and Who is my God? we have to ask Who are you? and Who/What is your God?
This seminar will explore the nature of comparative theology as a method of doing theology, considering both its strengths and limits. We will also read and assess seminal works of comparative theology drawn, among others, from the traditions of Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism and Islam.