Abhishiktananda and Roman Catholicism’s Retrieval of the Sacramental Order of Reality (original) (raw)

Passage of India. Abhishiktananda and the Retrieval of the Supernatural in Roman Catholicism

Wipf & Stock, 2021

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.

Abhiṣiktānanda: A Reception History

Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies, 2018

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.

Buddha, Bhakti, and Brahman: Sebastian Kappen S.J.’s Dialogue with Indian Religions

Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies, 2017

This article analyzes how Sebastian Kappen S.J. (1924-1993), a social thinker and one of the most radical Indian liberation theologians, related to Indian religions. It argues that Kappen, in spite of his criticism of the caste system, also found inspiration in Hinduism. He especially appreciated the ontic and cosmic understandings of transcendence and immanence, the inclusive interpretation of the divine, and the religious approach to nature. In addition, Kappen also valued other Asian religious traditions, such as Buddhism and the Bhakti movement. Being an anti-institutional and anti-hierarchical progressive theologian, Kappen used Indian religions as a challenge to his own Christian faith. Sebastian Kappen (1924-1993) was an Indian liberation theologian and social thinker who has been eclipsed by other progressive theologians from India, such as M.M. Thomas and Samuel Rayan, though he was certainly as important, and maybe even more pioneering. Kappen is especially reputed for his book Jesus and Freedom (1977), which in 1980 was censored by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith because it challenged Jesus' godhood and accused the Church of giving too much weight to cult and institutions. 1 Kappen, however, also Mathew Thekkemuriyil Antony is a Catholic priest from Kerala, India, belonging to the Missionary Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament (MCBS). He earned a B.A. from Bangalore University and a B.Th. from Paurastya Vidhyapitham in Kottayam. Later, he secured an MPhil in Religious and Cultural Studies (KU Leuven, Belgium). He is also a visiting lecturer at Sanathana Divyakarunya Vidyapitham, the theological seminary of the MCBS. He is currently preparing a doctoral dissertation on Sebastian Kappen S.J.