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One may feel legitimate concern prior to a meeting or conference
that the time will simply be filled with, rather than opened by,
words. What differentiates an intellectually stimulating lifeless
gathering from one in which the spirited synergy that is dialogue?
Perhaps it is a gift. Nevertheless, receptivity to such a gift is
not accidental; the conditions need to be set with attentiveness
and devotion.
The conditions for this one-day dialogue were indeed splendidly
set by Anuttama dasa and the ISKCON temple in Potomac, Maryland
and by John Borelli, Director of Inter-religious Relations for the
National Conference of Catholic Bishops. In addition, Rockwood Manor
was surrounded by the bright colours of woods and perennials in
mid-April. The morning's weather report had predicted a day of rain;
we enjoyed instead a day of sun. As we gathered, self-introductions
happened easily and the range of backgrounds became apparent: natives
of England, Kenya, India, Korea, Vietnam, as well as the USA; Gaudiya
Vaishnavas and a Madhvite, as well as Methodists, Episcopalians
and Catholics, ordained and lay; academics, Church and ISKCON administrators,
a bank manager, a pastoral counsellor and the owner of two craft
galleries.
As would happen frequently during the day, Kenneth Cacknell had
some difficulty in pulling us away from energised conversations,
to our seats around the table. After soliciting more formal self-introductions,
he described 'Our Place in the History of Hindu-Christian Dialogue.'
Focusing upon the past one hundred years, he applauded the fact
that Christians are now turning their attention from what has been
a fruitful but limiting fascination with Advaita Vedanta to engage
'other vital streams' of Hinduism-specifically, fellow 'religions
of the heart.' Drawing from M. Thomas Thangaraj's The Crucified
Guru, Rev. Cracknell suggested criteria relevant not only to
the theological task but also to our own dialogical one. Rooted
in commitment, dialogue must exemplify accountability to our own
traditions and to those of others. On this basis, dialogue may then
branch out in conversation both with one's own tradition and with
others', blossoming in a 'holistic vision' of God, world and humanity,
and bearing fruit in transformative praxis. As insightful as this
was to our perspective task, it was Rev. Cracknell's own heartfelt
enthusiasm for the Vaishnava-Christian dialogue that set the tone
for the day.
Ravindra Svarupa dasa then guided us through the Vaishnava theory
of the soul. He explained that what we usually think of as a person
is comprised of a gross body, a subtle body or mind and the eternal
soul or atman, whose nature is sat-chit-ananda (being-knowledge-bliss).
Given that most of us are unaware of who we truly are, the Vaishnava
theory of the soul also elucidates why we suffer and indicates how,
in three stages, we can escape this suffering: initially, we identify
with the body and thus wilfully desire to enjoy the world independent
of God. In order to purify our intentions we must then negate body
and world temporarily to glimpse who we are apart from them, the
eternal soul or atman. Only then are we ready to embrace
body and world as divine creations and use them as the basis of
activity that serves God, rather than self. Such loving service
is the soul's natural activity and thereby generates no consequences
necessitating rebirth. Having shed our misidentification, when the
body dies, the soul remains as our eternal position, qualitatively
identical to God though not quantitatively so.
Rev. Peter Phan's presentation on the Catholic view of the eternal
soul evoked intriguing resonances with Ravindra Svarupa. Rev. Phan
also utilised a three-stage schema, though his categories were historical
rather than mystical. According to Biblical teachings, human beings
are created in the image of God (imago dei) and thus are
not autonomous but essentially related to God-stewards over creation,
not simply users of it. In this early, Jewish and Christian context,
the human person is a unity of body, soul and spirit. This unity,
however, is eventually weakened in the Patristic period, especially
under the influence of the dualistic Neoplatonic view of the soul
as imprisoned within and seeking liberation from the body. Beginning
with Thomas Aquinas in the thirteenth century and continuing in
the contemporary period, the implications of the imago dei
are recovered and advanced: if we are created in the image of God,
and if God is constituted by relationships (Father, Son and Holy
Spirit), then we, too, are not monads, but are only persons to the
degree that we are in relationship. Reluctant to use the term 'soul'
because of the dualistic connotations it conveys, contemporary theologians
have retrieved the Biblical sense of the unity of the person in
terms such as 'spirit in the world' and 'embodied spirit'-a unity
more in line with current sensibilities, such as ecological awareness
and liberation theologies, both of which are grounded in a rejection
of the older dualism.
One may note in passing the intriguing similarity in the trajectories
of the two theories of the eternal soul (one mystical, the other
historical), moving from an identification with the body and world,
through a necessary and dualistic negation of them, to a stage in
which body and world are reintegrated and reappropriated in relation
to the eternal soul (atman, spirit) and to God-Thangaraj's
'holistic vision' located at the heart of both traditions.
In the hour-long discussion following the two talks, there were
lively interchanges both across and within traditions, as Christians
and Vaishnavas questioned each other, revealing important distinctions
between the views of Protestants and Catholics, and between Vaishnava
sampradayas. Specifically, Hindus asked Christians about
what is the state of the soul after death and about eternal damnation.
Discussion moved logically to the question of predestination and
then to grace in relation to free will. It was agreed that grace
is fundamental to both traditions.
Conversation paused only briefly as we broke for a delicious 'karma-free'
lunch prepared by Tungavidya devi dasi and the Potomac ISKCON temple.
Seated at tables outside in the sun, participants talked informally
but animatedly on topics ranging from dahl to Docetism.
Discussion after lunch focused on the following topics: the possible
relation of past karma to original sin, as explanations for
the human's wilful separation from divine will; Christian explanations
for different birth situations and the parallels (or lack of them)
to karma and reincarnation in Christianity and Judaism. Reflecting
a general sense of appreciation for such interchanges, Christian
participants employed the scriptural analogy of 'looting Egyptians
of their riches,' suggesting thereby that just as Christian theologians
borrowed from Greek philosophers in the past to explicate the Gospel
so some now are borrowing from Indian sources to explore Christ's
teachings further. Christians noted, for example, that we have tended
to focus on the servant-master relationship between human and divine
and thus benefit from the 'sweetness' of Gaudiya theology. To flesh
out the assumed mutuality of such gatherings, one might ask what
it is that Vaishnavas 'learn' from Christians -perhaps a question
for our next dialogue.
Kenneth Cracknell then turned the group's attention to future meetings
in this area. A consensus quickly emerged that we would convene
at Rockwood Manor again next April for a weekend. Efforts would
be made to extend the invitation to other Vaishnava sampradayas,
while keeping the overall size of the gathering small (about twenty
to twenty-five). Various topics were suggested: most attention was
given to a dialogue based on two devotional texts, perhaps poetry,
one from each tradition to be distributed in advance.
Our words indeed opened possibilities rather than limited them,
possibilities that collectively the participants felt compelled
to honour with more time in the future. Why meet again? However
learned we may become, the gift of that love to which both traditions
bear witness remains irresistible. Rev. Cracknell echoed this sentiment
in concluding the conference: Such events represent 'the dawn chorus
of a new creation . . . the first fruits of the messianic age.'
Vaishnava participants: Anuttama dasa, Hari dasa, Trikalajna
dasa, Rukmini devi dasi, Tungavidya devi dasi, Mukunda Goswami,
Balaji Hebbar, Vishaka Khanna, Ravindra Svarupa dasa.
Christian participants: John Borelli, Kenneth Cracknell,
Diedra Kriewald, Paul Lee, Peter Phan, David Rodier, Erik Swartz,
Judson Trapnell.
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