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South Asian Christianity by Enrico Beltramini
Horizons, 2024
The Modi dispensation provides a unique vantage for assessing the role, program, and self-underst... more The Modi dispensation provides a unique vantage for assessing the role, program, and self-understanding of the emergence of a local, indigenous style of theology within Roman Catholicism in India during the Nehruvian era. The style has often been linked to the internal history of Catholicism in the aftermath of Vatican II. In this article, the emphasis is rather located in the Indian context, and more specifically in the Nehruvian India.
Fortress Press, 2024
Michael Amaladoss is a major figure of contemporary Indian theology. He is considered to be one o... more Michael Amaladoss is a major figure of contemporary Indian theology. He is considered to be one of the pioneers of an indigenous theology in the subcontinent. It is difficult to study India through a theological viewpoint and not come across his work; this is the first monography on his life and work.
Journal of Indian Theology, 2023
In this article I first introduce the category of empire as a hermeneutical key to interpreting t... more In this article I first introduce the category of empire as a hermeneutical key to interpreting the current state of the political affairs in India and, second, I offer a theological discussion of that category. The aim is to propose a different angle from which to address the unresolved question about whether India is becoming an illiberal democracy.
Journal for the Study of Spirituality, 2022
This article is primarily a study of Raimon Panikkar's engagement with monasticism as a positive... more This article is primarily a study of Raimon Panikkar's engagement with monasticism as a positive resource for spirituality but also as an avoidance of accountability. While reviewing both Panikkar's intellectual constructions and personal aspirations, reframed within the concept of 'cosmic monasticism,' I identify their main characters and limits.
Spirituality Studies, 2022
This study focuses on the relationship between spirituality and life in Raimon Panikkar and pursu... more This study focuses on the relationship between spirituality and
life in Raimon Panikkar and pursues how to make sense of certain of his character traits such as indecision, indifference, and estrangement. The
portrait I offer is that of a genial and troubled man in search
of a compatibility between acosmism and cosmic existence.
Exchange. Journal of Contemporary Christianities in Context, 2021
In this paper I suggest that Roman Catholic theologians in India take a second look at the distin... more In this paper I suggest that Roman Catholic theologians in India take a second look at the distinction between western and Indian secularisms. Blurring the lines between western and Indian secularisms may help the theological reflection on the so-called crisis of Indian secularism.
Religions, 2021
This paper offers a synthetic introduction to Michael Amaladoss and his thought. In this study, I... more This paper offers a synthetic introduction to Michael Amaladoss and his thought. In this study, I focus on Amaladoss, his theological style, his main intellectual concern, and his theological context.
Journal of Indian Theology, 2021
The Unknown Christ of Hinduism stands as one of Raimon Panikkar’s defining works. In this paper I... more The Unknown Christ of Hinduism stands as one of Raimon Panikkar’s defining works. In this paper I offer a way to understand Panikkar’s claim that Christ is unknown to Christians.
Wipf & Stock, 2021
In this book, the focus is primarily on Abhishiktananda’s concern for the sacramental character o... more In this book, the focus is primarily on Abhishiktananda’s concern for the sacramental character of all created existence in terms of the connection between the ecclesial character of his spiritual search and the underlying theme of his theological and literary writings. It is argued that the character of his quest and the overall theme of his writings were closely connected in Abhishiktananda’s mind, and it was his concern for the sacramental order of reality that drew humanity to a deeper participation in the divine life that provided the link between the two.
Peter Lang, 2020
Refusing to isolate Panikkar's concerns with the Hindu-Christian dialogue from much larger theolo... more Refusing to isolate Panikkar's concerns with the Hindu-Christian dialogue from much larger theological and biblical debates occurring in the period before and during the Vatican Council II, this book suggests that the unknown Christ of Christianity is the plastic representation of an insufficient degree of universality of the Church.
International Bulletin of Mission Research, 2020
In this article I consider the administration of the Roman Catholic Church mission to Tibet in th... more In this article I consider the administration of the Roman Catholic Church mission to Tibet in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. I show that
government in the history of mission to Tibet cannot be seen merely through the lens of politics (bureaucracy, etc.) but as an activity that is a significant element in the economy of salvation.
Journal of Asian Mission, 2020
In this article, I delve into the history of the Nepal mission and deliver a tentative assessmen... more In this article, I delve into the history of the Nepal mission and deliver a tentative assessment of that mission while considering the theological meaning and relevance of government in the Roman Catholic mission.
Vidyajyoti Journal of Theological Reflection, 2019
The article argues that for Abhishiktananda, a retrieval of the sacramental order of reality prov... more The article argues that for Abhishiktananda, a retrieval of the sacramental order of reality provides the link between the character of his spiritual search and the overall theme of his theological and literary writings.
Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies, 2018
In this article, I present an evaluation of the scholarly reception history of Abhiṣiktānanda. I ... more In this article, I present an evaluation of the scholarly reception history of Abhiṣiktānanda. I argue for an identifiable threefold division in Abhiṣiktānanda scholarship: the earliest biographies and appraisals focused on his ‘spiritual search;’ a second wave of scholarship stressed Abhiṣiktānanda’s role as a pioneer in the interreligious dialogue; and, most recently, a third ‘turn’ has emerged in which a generation of scholars are concentrating on ‘internal’ Christian doctrinal critiques of Abhiṣiktānanda’s theology. I also suggest that today’s escapable and perplexing Abhiṣiktānanda is not necessarily the same Abhiṣiktānanda who inspired scholars in the past.
Mission Studies, 2018
While in the past two decades the Roman Catholic Church has reaffirmed an inclusivist stance with... more While in the past two decades the Roman Catholic Church has reaffirmed an inclusivist stance with respect to other religions, there is reason to explore the question of whether Catholic teaching is as much about offering a definition of what is true in other religions as it is about defining Catholic identity. In this article, I investigate the representations of Eastern religions within ordinary expressions of Catholic teaching between 1990 and 2000, and I show how Catholic teaching seems to adopt a binary ontology in which the representation of the Other serves to define oneself. Keywords inclusivism – Eastern religions – Roman Catholic Church – representation – identity
Exchange. Journal of Contemporary Christianities in Context, 2018
This article presents an intellectual analysis of different streams of Hindu-Christian dialogue. ... more This article presents an intellectual analysis of different streams of Hindu-Christian dialogue. The focus is on a group of Western Catholic clergymen who relocated to India, specifically from 1939-55, to establish an advanced form of interreligious encounter with Hinduism. The article focuses on the difference among these priests' and monks' distinct interpretations of the interfaith dialogue rather than the general goals behind their engagement with India. In the light of Dominus Jesus, their distinct interpretations, rather than their convergent motivations, deserve detailed consideration.
Studies in World Christianity, 2014
In the last decade, the question of multireligious identity has begun to receive academic attenti... more In the last decade, the question of multireligious identity has begun to receive academic attention. In particular, scholars are beginning to explore examples of people who have experienced two religious traditions equally seriously – that is, the experience of 'double religious belonging'. This paper reframes, in the light of the notion of double belonging, the lives and experiences of three Roman Catholic priests and monks who moved from Europe to India in the twentieth century and are regarded as 'founders' of the Saccidananda Ashram in South India, while providing insights on how we understand double religious identity and the process of religious identity formation.
Christianity and Technology by Enrico Beltramini
Religions , 2023
In this essay, I return to Guardini’s concept of a Christianized industrialism, a modern culture ... more In this essay, I return to Guardini’s concept of a Christianized industrialism, a modern culture that is embedded in technology and yet open to transcendence. I show the groundlessness of such a concept in continuity with Hans Urs von Balthasar’s concise assessment of Guardini’s work, which Balthasar saw as firm and groundless.
Theology and Science, 2023
Cosmologists and philosophers have not limited themselves to discussing the multiverse hypothesis... more Cosmologists and philosophers have not limited themselves to discussing the multiverse hypothesis within the confines of their own fields; they have, instead, extended their reflections to the realm of Christian religion and theology. I redesign the spheres of competence between secular knowledge and theology, giving priority to true theology not only in proper religious realms but also in the religious margins of scientific realms, when these realms, as in the case of multiverse hypothesis, are not subjected to empirical verification.
European Journal of Science and Theology, 2022
In this article, I investigate the relationship between the sacred and technology through the len... more In this article, I investigate the relationship between the sacred and technology through the lens of the Metaverse. I place theological anthropology in relationship with the Metaverse and the related, although theoretical, hypothesis of an invasive computer simulation.
Horizons, 2024
The Modi dispensation provides a unique vantage for assessing the role, program, and self-underst... more The Modi dispensation provides a unique vantage for assessing the role, program, and self-understanding of the emergence of a local, indigenous style of theology within Roman Catholicism in India during the Nehruvian era. The style has often been linked to the internal history of Catholicism in the aftermath of Vatican II. In this article, the emphasis is rather located in the Indian context, and more specifically in the Nehruvian India.
Fortress Press, 2024
Michael Amaladoss is a major figure of contemporary Indian theology. He is considered to be one o... more Michael Amaladoss is a major figure of contemporary Indian theology. He is considered to be one of the pioneers of an indigenous theology in the subcontinent. It is difficult to study India through a theological viewpoint and not come across his work; this is the first monography on his life and work.
Journal of Indian Theology, 2023
In this article I first introduce the category of empire as a hermeneutical key to interpreting t... more In this article I first introduce the category of empire as a hermeneutical key to interpreting the current state of the political affairs in India and, second, I offer a theological discussion of that category. The aim is to propose a different angle from which to address the unresolved question about whether India is becoming an illiberal democracy.
Journal for the Study of Spirituality, 2022
This article is primarily a study of Raimon Panikkar's engagement with monasticism as a positive... more This article is primarily a study of Raimon Panikkar's engagement with monasticism as a positive resource for spirituality but also as an avoidance of accountability. While reviewing both Panikkar's intellectual constructions and personal aspirations, reframed within the concept of 'cosmic monasticism,' I identify their main characters and limits.
Spirituality Studies, 2022
This study focuses on the relationship between spirituality and life in Raimon Panikkar and pursu... more This study focuses on the relationship between spirituality and
life in Raimon Panikkar and pursues how to make sense of certain of his character traits such as indecision, indifference, and estrangement. The
portrait I offer is that of a genial and troubled man in search
of a compatibility between acosmism and cosmic existence.
Exchange. Journal of Contemporary Christianities in Context, 2021
In this paper I suggest that Roman Catholic theologians in India take a second look at the distin... more In this paper I suggest that Roman Catholic theologians in India take a second look at the distinction between western and Indian secularisms. Blurring the lines between western and Indian secularisms may help the theological reflection on the so-called crisis of Indian secularism.
Religions, 2021
This paper offers a synthetic introduction to Michael Amaladoss and his thought. In this study, I... more This paper offers a synthetic introduction to Michael Amaladoss and his thought. In this study, I focus on Amaladoss, his theological style, his main intellectual concern, and his theological context.
Journal of Indian Theology, 2021
The Unknown Christ of Hinduism stands as one of Raimon Panikkar’s defining works. In this paper I... more The Unknown Christ of Hinduism stands as one of Raimon Panikkar’s defining works. In this paper I offer a way to understand Panikkar’s claim that Christ is unknown to Christians.
Wipf & Stock, 2021
In this book, the focus is primarily on Abhishiktananda’s concern for the sacramental character o... more In this book, the focus is primarily on Abhishiktananda’s concern for the sacramental character of all created existence in terms of the connection between the ecclesial character of his spiritual search and the underlying theme of his theological and literary writings. It is argued that the character of his quest and the overall theme of his writings were closely connected in Abhishiktananda’s mind, and it was his concern for the sacramental order of reality that drew humanity to a deeper participation in the divine life that provided the link between the two.
Peter Lang, 2020
Refusing to isolate Panikkar's concerns with the Hindu-Christian dialogue from much larger theolo... more Refusing to isolate Panikkar's concerns with the Hindu-Christian dialogue from much larger theological and biblical debates occurring in the period before and during the Vatican Council II, this book suggests that the unknown Christ of Christianity is the plastic representation of an insufficient degree of universality of the Church.
International Bulletin of Mission Research, 2020
In this article I consider the administration of the Roman Catholic Church mission to Tibet in th... more In this article I consider the administration of the Roman Catholic Church mission to Tibet in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. I show that
government in the history of mission to Tibet cannot be seen merely through the lens of politics (bureaucracy, etc.) but as an activity that is a significant element in the economy of salvation.
Journal of Asian Mission, 2020
In this article, I delve into the history of the Nepal mission and deliver a tentative assessmen... more In this article, I delve into the history of the Nepal mission and deliver a tentative assessment of that mission while considering the theological meaning and relevance of government in the Roman Catholic mission.
Vidyajyoti Journal of Theological Reflection, 2019
The article argues that for Abhishiktananda, a retrieval of the sacramental order of reality prov... more The article argues that for Abhishiktananda, a retrieval of the sacramental order of reality provides the link between the character of his spiritual search and the overall theme of his theological and literary writings.
Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies, 2018
In this article, I present an evaluation of the scholarly reception history of Abhiṣiktānanda. I ... more In this article, I present an evaluation of the scholarly reception history of Abhiṣiktānanda. I argue for an identifiable threefold division in Abhiṣiktānanda scholarship: the earliest biographies and appraisals focused on his ‘spiritual search;’ a second wave of scholarship stressed Abhiṣiktānanda’s role as a pioneer in the interreligious dialogue; and, most recently, a third ‘turn’ has emerged in which a generation of scholars are concentrating on ‘internal’ Christian doctrinal critiques of Abhiṣiktānanda’s theology. I also suggest that today’s escapable and perplexing Abhiṣiktānanda is not necessarily the same Abhiṣiktānanda who inspired scholars in the past.
Mission Studies, 2018
While in the past two decades the Roman Catholic Church has reaffirmed an inclusivist stance with... more While in the past two decades the Roman Catholic Church has reaffirmed an inclusivist stance with respect to other religions, there is reason to explore the question of whether Catholic teaching is as much about offering a definition of what is true in other religions as it is about defining Catholic identity. In this article, I investigate the representations of Eastern religions within ordinary expressions of Catholic teaching between 1990 and 2000, and I show how Catholic teaching seems to adopt a binary ontology in which the representation of the Other serves to define oneself. Keywords inclusivism – Eastern religions – Roman Catholic Church – representation – identity
Exchange. Journal of Contemporary Christianities in Context, 2018
This article presents an intellectual analysis of different streams of Hindu-Christian dialogue. ... more This article presents an intellectual analysis of different streams of Hindu-Christian dialogue. The focus is on a group of Western Catholic clergymen who relocated to India, specifically from 1939-55, to establish an advanced form of interreligious encounter with Hinduism. The article focuses on the difference among these priests' and monks' distinct interpretations of the interfaith dialogue rather than the general goals behind their engagement with India. In the light of Dominus Jesus, their distinct interpretations, rather than their convergent motivations, deserve detailed consideration.
Studies in World Christianity, 2014
In the last decade, the question of multireligious identity has begun to receive academic attenti... more In the last decade, the question of multireligious identity has begun to receive academic attention. In particular, scholars are beginning to explore examples of people who have experienced two religious traditions equally seriously – that is, the experience of 'double religious belonging'. This paper reframes, in the light of the notion of double belonging, the lives and experiences of three Roman Catholic priests and monks who moved from Europe to India in the twentieth century and are regarded as 'founders' of the Saccidananda Ashram in South India, while providing insights on how we understand double religious identity and the process of religious identity formation.
Religions , 2023
In this essay, I return to Guardini’s concept of a Christianized industrialism, a modern culture ... more In this essay, I return to Guardini’s concept of a Christianized industrialism, a modern culture that is embedded in technology and yet open to transcendence. I show the groundlessness of such a concept in continuity with Hans Urs von Balthasar’s concise assessment of Guardini’s work, which Balthasar saw as firm and groundless.
Theology and Science, 2023
Cosmologists and philosophers have not limited themselves to discussing the multiverse hypothesis... more Cosmologists and philosophers have not limited themselves to discussing the multiverse hypothesis within the confines of their own fields; they have, instead, extended their reflections to the realm of Christian religion and theology. I redesign the spheres of competence between secular knowledge and theology, giving priority to true theology not only in proper religious realms but also in the religious margins of scientific realms, when these realms, as in the case of multiverse hypothesis, are not subjected to empirical verification.
European Journal of Science and Theology, 2022
In this article, I investigate the relationship between the sacred and technology through the len... more In this article, I investigate the relationship between the sacred and technology through the lens of the Metaverse. I place theological anthropology in relationship with the Metaverse and the related, although theoretical, hypothesis of an invasive computer simulation.
Scientia et Fides , 2021
In this article I propose a theological reflection on the philosophical assumptions behind the id... more In this article I propose a theological reflection on the philosophical assumptions behind the idea that intelligent machine can be governed through ethical protocols, which may apply either to the people who develop the machines or to the machines themselves, or both.
European Journal of Science and Theology, 2020
This essay investigates the epistemological foundations of some computational visions of human de... more This essay investigates the epistemological foundations of some computational visions of human destiny and unveils their unreligious character. It is argued that the technological simulation is the product of a positivist philosophy while the computer simulation hypothesis reveals a nihilistic impulse.
Theology and Science, 2019
In this essay I discuss the question of Christian unmanned interstellar missions. I argue that su... more In this essay I discuss the question of Christian unmanned
interstellar missions. I argue that such a question is relevant
for missiology. I acknowledge the change of paradigm in space
travel, from “space exploration” to “space civilization” and I
investigate the implication for evangelization. I discuss the option
of a coupling between space travel and Artificial Intelligence as a
means to operate interstellar flights. As an output of this merger,
the terrestrial man is replaced by the cyber, a posthuman species
who embarks on multi-hundreds years travel to evangelize
alien species. I conclude that this option must be investigated
theologically.
European Journal of Science and Theology, 2018
The so-called simulation hypothesis' claims that there is the possibility that we live in a compu... more The so-called simulation hypothesis' claims that there is the possibility that we live in a computer simulation. Nick Bostrom's simulation argument' presents a probabilistic analysis of such possibility. In this article, I discuss both the simulation hypothesis and Bostrom's argument (understood in combination as the simulation theory), focusing on their ontological assumptions. I argue that the simulation theory emphasizes volition and, as such, is a form of voluntarism.
Cosmos and History: The Journal of Natural and Social Philosophy, 2018
This note addresses the thought of Stephen Hawking on machine intelligence in form of a prelimina... more This note addresses the thought of Stephen Hawking on machine intelligence in form of a preliminary reflection. The note focuses on the gap between the possibility of an artificialized science, which was considered by Hawking, and that of an artificialized humanity, a possibility that Hawking did not consider. In this context, the artificialization of the human is led not by human scientists and technologists, but by artificialized science.
Religions, 2024
In this study, I explore the area of possibility of a historiography that recognizes and incorpor... more In this study, I explore the area of possibility of a historiography that recognizes and incorporates the sacred as an essential part of how reality is conceived. The opportunity is the crisis of the secularization
thesis and the loosening of secularism’s grip on historiography that open the space for alternative historiographical approaches. These alternative approaches would prioritize understanding the sacred on its own terms, rather than subordinating it to secular explanations.
History and Technology, 2024
This essay argues that the harmonization of religion and history of technology requires a reconsi... more This essay argues that the harmonization of religion and history of technology requires a reconsideration of the secularization argument, that is, the theoretical apparatus that governs the religion-secular divide.
Amsterdam University Press, 2023
The essential objective of this study is to unpack the complicity between historians and seculari... more The essential objective of this study is to unpack the complicity between historians and secularization theory in the study of late ancient and early medieval Christianity—and then suggest a way out. In this work of historiography of religion, the author argues that religious history is inherently secular and produces distorted representations of the Christian past. He suggests moving from an epistemological to a hermeneutical approach so that the supernatural worldview of the Christian past can be addressed on its own terms. This work also engages Markus’s saeculum and replaces Markus’s secularized relationship between the Kingdom and the government of the civitas with the Augustinian association of the Kingdom and divine government.
Religions, 2021
How to deal with religious ideas in religious history (and in history in general) has recently be... more How to deal with religious ideas in religious history (and in history in general) has recently become a matter of discussion. In particular, a number of authors have framed their work around the concept of ‘sacramental ontology,’ that is, a unified vision of reality in which the secular and the religious come together, although maintaining their distinction.
Ephemera, 2020
This review discusses some of the most prominent contributions of Giorgio Agamben to philosophy a... more This review discusses some of the most prominent contributions of Giorgio Agamben to philosophy and political theories that are relevant to management scholars.
Philosophy and Technology, 2019
This article addresses the difficulty in pursuing a philosophical engagement with management with... more This article addresses the difficulty in pursuing a philosophical engagement
with management without falling into the trap of scientism. It also explores the option
to turn management theorists away from science to seek insights from technology. The
article is organized in four parts: a preliminary discussion on management from a
philosophical viewpoint, a crucial distinction between philosophy of management as a
mode of inquiry and a field of study, an analysis of the risk of scientism in the current
philosophical work on management, and an initial inspection across the waters separating management and philosophy of technology.
Philosophy of Management, 2019
This article examines how theology and social science can contribute to the specific task of talk... more This article examines how theology and social science can contribute to the specific
task of talking about God in management without compromising the integrity of the Triune God. To talk about God in management studies initially requires a discussion on the character of modernity and about whether modernity is absence or transformation of religious forms; to follow is an examination of the governing assumptions operating in social theory from a religious perspective. The conclusion is that without the correct hermeneutics, what management scholars mean by God cannot be more than an idea.
Baltic Journal of Management, 2018
The author suggests that Coeckelberghs’ considerations of an anthropology of vulnerability have t... more The author suggests that Coeckelberghs’ considerations of an anthropology of vulnerability have the potential to provide a rich and insightful exploration of the machine-human interface, which is not afforded by many of the current approaches taken in this field. Their development of an anthropology of vulnerability suggests an approach to the machine-human interface that re-frames the machine-human interface in terms of human vulnerability, rather than machine’s performance, and sustains that the machine-human interface can be understood in terms of the transfer of human vulnerability.
AI and Society , 2017
I address the issue of evil and roboethics in the context of management studies and suggest that ... more I address the issue of evil and roboethics in the context of management studies and suggest that management scholars should locate evil in the realm of the human rather than of the artificial. After discussing the possibility of addressing the reality of evil
machines in ontological terms, I explore users’ reaction to robots in a social context. I conclude that the issue of evil machines in management is more precisely a case of
technology anthropomorphization.