2,723 research outputs found
A Christian Vedanta? Bede Griffiths and the Hindu-Christian Encounter
No full textBede Griffiths (1906-1993) was an English convert to Catholicism who spent almost half his life as a monk in India. Like many other prominent Christian writers of the twentieth century he was influenced by Indian religions; yet while others primarily sought to compare Christianity to these traditions, Bede Griffiths even implemented notions from Hinduism into his own theology, and desired to express Christian doctrines in the terminology of Vedanta, which is one of the most prominent traditions within Hinduism.
Bede Griffiths’ exposition on Hinduism is part of his theological project, and I will discuss to what degree his exposition on Hinduism is influenced by the development of his theological understanding at large, and how his evaluation of different Hindu traditions changes throughout his work.
Interestingly, of all the different systems of Vedanta, Bede Griffiths was particularly fascinated by the school of Advaita, which is perhaps more dissimilar to conventional Christian theology than any other system of Vedanta. I will explore how his evaluation of Advaita Vedanta and other Hindu traditions is not only based on, but also affected by how he chooses to present Hinduism.
My dissertation will show how Bede Griffiths may serve as an example of interreligious encounter, and how interreligious ecumenism is affected not only by the participants’ outlook, but also by their description of the religious traditions with which they seek to engage. While Bede Griffiths considered his conclusions to be in line with his Catholicism, I will discuss to what extent notions found in his writings are actually representative of the beliefs of Christianity and Hinduism as they are normally understood.
My survey of Bede Griffiths’ writings will show that while he was taken with the idea of interreligious dialogue, his engagement with Hinduism may rather be described as an encounter with Hindu beliefs than with Hindu believers. I will also show that his theology is based on the understanding of a common mystery referred to by all the world religions, a notion which may be at odds with the very premises of Vedanta
TOWARDS A CHRISTIAN VEDANTA: THE ENCOUNTER OF HINDUISM AND CHRISTIANITY ACCORDING TO BEDE GRIFFITHS
No full textBede Griffiths has sought for many years to formulate and express the relationship of the Christian and Hindu faiths. And he has done this within the context of a historical movement which is identified as sannyasic monasticism. In this study, the author attempts to discover how these two traditions are relatable and what precisely the terms of the relationship are in Bede Griffiths\u27 understanding. In order to answer these questions, the author considers Bede\u27s views on knowledge, metaphysical reality and his mystical or contemplative theology, for the nature of knowledge is answered in Bede\u27s version of the perennial philosophy which itself rests on spiritual wisdom or contemplative awareness. The author then examines the main themes of Bede\u27s theology, and considers the primordial link between the Judeo-Christian tradition and Hinduism in Bede\u27s notion of the Cosmic Revelation/Covenant which unites them in an original, pure experience of the Divine in nature and in the depths of the soul. Thus the first indication of relatability is discovered. Hinduism is shown to be a religion of the Cosmic Revelation/Covenant in which all traditions share. The author then explores the terms of the relationship on the more ultimate level of both traditions, as Bede regards them: advaita/saccidananda and the Trinity. He finds that Bede understands the Trinity as a deeper grasp of the mystery because of the note of interpersonal relationship, which is one of communion in knowledge and love. The author shows how Bede relates saccidananda and Trinity in the same ontological mystery of ultimate depth, but does not identify them, or equate them. Furthermore, it is also shown hows accidananda, in Bede\u27s view, can be a term for the Trinity in an Indian Christian theology which is also a Christian form of the Vedanta, though it is not itself the Trinity in its Hindu meaning. It can, however, be appropriated as a term for the Trinity. The author goes on to examine Bede\u27s Christology, his notions of Christian Tantrism, Christian sannyasa and his vision of the Church\u27s role as the unifying center of the world\u27s religions. Arising out of this study of Bede Griffiths\u27 contemplative, dialogical theology, the author identifies three creative implications: existential convergence, the ontological continuum/spiral, and a new model of the Church
Littérature et Origine, actes du colloque international de Clermont-Ferrand (17-18-19 novembre 1993), textes réunis par Simone Bernard-Griffiths, publiés par Simone Bernard-Griffiths et Christian Croisille, présentation de Christian Croisille, Librairie Nizet, Saint-Genouph, 1997
No full textAlexandre Didier. Littérature et Origine, actes du colloque international de Clermont-Ferrand (17-18-19 novembre 1993), textes réunis par Simone Bernard-Griffiths, publiés par Simone Bernard-Griffiths et Christian Croisille, présentation de Christian Croisille, Librairie Nizet, Saint-Genouph, 1997. In: Littératures 42, printemps 2000. p. 197
Book Review: Exploring the Christian-Hindu dialogue: A Visit with Bede Griffiths and Russill Paul
No full textA review of the video Exploring the Christian-Hindu dialogue: A Visit with Bede Griffiths and Russill Paul
Algorithms to Live By
No full textThe authors of Algorithms to Live By , Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths, are joined in conversation by CIIS President Joseph Subbiondo to explore how computer algorithms can be applied to our everyday lives. This conversation is part of our Technology and Consciousness Series.https://digitalcommons.ciis.edu/publicprograms/1018/thumbnail.jp
Quantum Griffiths Inequalities
No full textWe present a general framework of Griffiths inequalities for quantum systems. Our approach is based on operator inequalities associated with self-dual cones and provides a consistent viewpoint of the Griffiths inequality. As examples, we discuss the quantum Ising model, quantum rotor model, Bose-Hubbard model, and Hubbard model. We present a model-independent structure that governs the correlation inequalities
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Gaming addiction in adolescence (revisited)
No full textGaming addiction has become a topic of increasing research interest. Over the last 25 years, I have written many articles on adolescent video gaming for Education and Health as it is one of the research fields that is constantly evolving. In fact, over the last decade, there has been a significant increase in the number of scientific studies examining various aspects of online addiction particularly among adolescents and young adults (Kuss & Griffiths, 2012; Kuss, Griffiths, Karila & Billieux, 2014). Although the amount and the quality of research in the field has progressed much over this period, it is still in its infancy compared to other more established behavioural addictions (such as pathological gambling). This article briefly examines (i) how adolescent gaming addiction research has changed over the last three decades, (ii) how online gaming addiction has gained genuine psychiatric status, (iii) excessive gaming as an addiction, and (iv) where the gaming addiction field is going
Christian Saṃnyāsis and the Enduring Influence of Bede Griffiths in California
No full textThis article thematizes a spiritual movement of ascetic hermits in California, which is based on the religious practice of Bede Griffiths. These hermits took their religious vows in India as Christian saṃnyāsis, in the hands of Father Bede, and then returned to California to ignite a contemplative renewal in the Christian dispirited tradition. Some tried to integrate such Indian tradition in the Benedictine order, while others traced new paths
Response to Griffiths
No full textFirst of all, I would like to thank Prof. Griffith for his comments. The exchange has reminded me of the series of letters that appeared in Physics Today following the publication of an article by Chandralekha Singh, Mario Belloni, and Wolfgang Christian on improving the teaching of undergraduate quantum mechanics (see http://ptonline.aip.org/ journals/doc/PHTOAD-ft/vol_60/iss_3/8_1.shtml). In those responses, both Griffiths and Travis Norsen argued that students’ understanding of quantum mechanics would be vastly improved if they were taught more about the foundations of quantum theory, and I wholeheartedly agree with that sentiment. The thing is, Griffiths argued vociferously that this should be done by teaching students according to his approach, as outlined in his textbook Consistent Quantum Theory, whilst Norsen argued that it should be done by teaching students the de Broglie-Bohm theory, i.e. precisely the sort of theory that Griffiths argues strongly against in his response to my article
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