Author: user

Nehru Centre Partnership

Posted on May 10, 2012November 9, 2020 by user

Nehru Centre Partnership

Thursday, 10 May 2012

The OCHS and the Nehru Centre are natural partners in promoting Indian thought in their respective fields. This partnership was consolidated with a series of OCHS talks at the Nehru Centre.

The OCHS talks at the Nehru Centre included three from Dr Nicholas Sutton: How to Understand the Bhagavad-gita; Indian Insights on the World’s Oldest Questions; and Vedantists, Buddhists and Jains. Anuradha Dooney spoke on Women in Hinduism; Dr Rembert Lutjeharms on Interpretation of Hindu Sacred Texts; and Shaunaka Rishi Das on Paradigms of Indian Thought in the Modern World.

One regular attendee, Mr Manu Duggal says, ‘I am a supporter of the OCHS and try to attend all their talks at the Nehru centre. Although born into a Hindu family, I am non-practising. I enjoy the comparative approach to theological discourse taken by the OCHS speakers. The speakers I have heard have brought the subject alive by showing the depth and diversity of the Hindu tradition.’

Discussions continue on how the Nehru Centre can work with the OCHS to promote Hindu studies at Oxford. This has included Nehru Centre sponsorship of the 2011 Sakta conference and an undertaking to source books from India for the OCHS Library.

A new series of OCHS talks at the Nehru Centre is scheduled to begin in August.

Prof. Joseph O’Connell passes away

Posted on May 10, 2012September 27, 2020 by user

Prof. Joseph O'Connell passes away

Thursday, 10 May 2012

Former OCHS Academic Director, Prof. Joseph (Joe) O’Connell, passed away on Sunday 6 May at the age of 72, following a brain haemorrhage while in New York. He was born in Boston in 1940.

In 1999–2000 Professor O’Connell was the Academic Director at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies since which time he has also been a Senior Associate Fellow of the Centre. He revisited the Centre as a visiting fellow in 2001 and once more in the spring of 2011.

He was an exceptional scholar, who did much for the study of Gaudiya Vaishnavism since his PhD in the 1950s on the social aspects of the Chaitanya movement. He has published widely on the history of Vaishnavism in Bengal, and on the social and ethical issues in the tradition.

Joe was Professor Emeritus in the Department of Religion at the University of Toronto after more than three decades as Professor of Hinduism, and in the last decade was a visiting professor at the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, where he was instrumental in the development of a department of World Religions – a discipline that is largely non-existent in South Asia. He is survived by his wife, Kathleen O’Connell (a very fine scholar and OCHS Visitng Fellow herself), a daughter and two sons.

He is remembered by OCHS colleague, Dr Kenneth Valpey, as, “a wonderfully personable and genuinely helpful soul. I was always amazed at how much he would go out of his way to spend time reading things I had drafted and give detailed – ever so detailed – helpful comments and suggestions. In his presence, one always felt that scholarship is one of the most fun, worthwhile, and ‘humanistic’ things to do with life.”

Another colleague, Dr Ravi Gupta, remembers, ‘perhaps the most important thing that I learned from his work was not about the content of his scholarship, but rather the manner in which he pursued that scholarship. Joseph carried a deep respect for the people and traditions he studied. He listened to those whom he studied, gave them the benefit of the doubt, and worked with them to bring about effective change where it was needed. He demonstrated a mode of Religious Studies scholarship where the practitioner is not a patient to be cured, but a collaborator in a shared quest to understand our world.’

Joe was known to all at the OCHS as a true gentleman and a man of integrity and character. He has been a friend to the Centre and mentor to many of its staff, scholars and students and will be missed greatly.

The OCHS will host a memorial lunch for Prof. O’Connell on Wednesday 16 May.

Friends Event: Why We are Hindus

Posted on April 28, 2012November 9, 2020 by user

Friends Event: Why We are Hindus

Leicester Friends Event

Saturday, 28 April 2012 – 6:30pm to 9:00pm

Belgrave Neighbourhood Centre,

Rothley Street,

Leicester LE4 6LF

In this talk Nick Sutton will consider the specific reasons one might have for displaying a commitment to the Hindu religious tradition and the motivations for seeking to ensure the preservation and wider understanding of the ideals of Hinduism. Most of those who adhere to the Hindu tradition and consider themselves Hindus were born into the religion but in this talk we will discuss whether this is enough and consider reasons why a person should seek to play an active role in the propagation of Hindu values.

Organiser:

Friends of the OCHS – Leicester

lf@ochs.org.uk

Friends Event: Creation or Evolution: Hindu Perspectives

Posted on March 31, 2012February 20, 2025 by user

Friends Event: Creation or Evolution: Hindu Perspectives

Leicester Friends Event

Saturday, 31 March 2012 – 6:30pm to 9:00pm

Belgrave Neighbourhood Centre

Rothley Street

Leicester LE4 6LF

A talk by Dr Nick Sutton of the Oxford Centre For Hindu Studies

In recent decades religion has increasingly become involved in the debate over the extent to which scientific theories about the origins of the world and of life threaten the integrity of religious revelation. Such debates usually focus on Christianity and to a lesser extent Islam as these are religious traditions that emphasise the importance of scriptural revelation, but how do such questions affect Hindu teachings and Hindu ideas about the world? In this talk we will consider the responses that Hinduism has to offer to the challenges presented by modern scientific theory.

lf@ochs.org.uk

Hindu Forum Of Europe Meeting, 2012

Posted on March 30, 2012February 20, 2025 by user

Hindu Forum Of Europe Meeting, 2012

Friday, 30 March 2012

From 27–29 March, OCHS Director Shaunaka Rishi Das visited Belgium, speaking at the Hindu Forum of Europe on the future of Hindu education in the continent.

The two-day program was hosted by the Hindu Forum of Europe, an organisation founded in 2006 as the voice of Hindus in Europe. There were delegations from Belgium, England, France, Portugal, Holland, Hungary and Austria. The first day saw a meeting of the delegations while the second day featured a series of presentations at the European Parliament and was attended by a distinguished guest list.

Among the many important issues raised, one of the key matters addressed by Shaunaka was the development of Hindu education in Europe and the role of the OCHS in this development.

“The advancement of awareness, education and research in Hinduism is still an emerging field. The responsibility of providing such support lies not only with government, but also with private followers, academics and institutions related to Hinduism, ” says Shaunaka. “The focus on Hindu education in Europe and especially Oxford is critical. The academic tradition here can bring a uniquely dispassionate and evaluative approach to the subject. The study of Hinduism in Europe can offer fascinating insights into the way Hindu civilization has spread and adapted around the world. Britain, France, Germany, Holland and Denmark are rich in resources and research material. Understanding the national and local identities developed by Hindus will all feed into better models for integration.”

The meeting also benefited from contributions from Sir Graham Watson, MEP for Somerset and North Devon and Prof Nathu Ram Puri, founder and CEO of Purico Group Limited.

Nehru Centre talk: Does that mean I am God?: Understanding Vedanta?

Posted on March 19, 2012November 9, 2020 by user

Nehru Centre talk: Does that mean I am God?: Understanding Vedanta?

Nehru Centre Event

Monday, 19 November 2012 – 6:30pm

Nehru Centre
8 South Audley Street
London, W1K 1HF

A talk by Dr Nick Sutton of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies

Vedanta is today the predominant form of Hindu religious philosophy and has been so for many centuries. But what does Vedanta actually teach? And how accurately do the writings of Shankaracharya reflect the ideas of the Upanishads on which Vedanta is supposed to be based. In this talk we explore these and other questions with particular emphasis on the Vedantic notion of inner divinity and what that implies for human life.

Organiser:

Nehru Centre – London

Friends Event: Living as a Hindu in the 21st Century

Posted on March 17, 2012November 9, 2020 by user

Friends Event: Living as a Hindu in the 21st Century

Birmingham Friends Event

Saturday, 17 March 2012 – 5:00pm to 7:30pm

Birmingham University Students Guild

Living as a Hindu in the 21st Century, a talk by Shaunaka Rishi Das of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies

In this talk we will explore the Indian ideas and principles that have formed the basis of the worlds oldest existing religion and examine why it still exists today. For centuries Hindu culture has proven to be very adaptable but can it survive the challenges of modern times. How do Hindus in Birmingham negotiate their lives in a multimedia age. Essentially, how cool is Hindu. Among the concepts discussed are secularism and modernity, women and caste, the balance of salvation and sexuality, the role of the family, duty, spirituality, truth, happiness and love. Bring a brain.

Shaunaka Rishi Das is the Director of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies. The Centre is the home of Hindu research and teaching in Oxford, the Hindu Studies Journal, Hindu Studies Online, and The Bhumi Project – coordinating Hindu responses to the environment. He is a lecturer, a broadcaster, and Hindu Chaplain to Oxford University.

Organiser:

Friends of the OCHS – Birmingham

bf@ochs.org.uk

Friends Event: South Indian Religion, a lecture by Professor M. Narasimhachary

Posted on February 25, 2012November 9, 2020 by user

Friends Event: South Indian Religion, a lecture by Professor M. Narasimhachary

Leicester Friends Event

Saturday, 25 February 2012 – 6:30pm to 9:00pm

Belgrave Neighbourhood Centre

Rothley Street

Leicester LE4 6LF

A lecture by Professor M. Narasimhachary, Shivdasani Visiting Fellow of the Oxford Centre For Hindu Studies

These highly acclaimed lectures – brought to you each month – are presented by renowned, expert speakers from the Oxford Centre For Hindu Studies. They explore challenging issues connected to Hindu scripture and dharma which provide a forum for education and debate. The speakers actively encourage audience participation and interaction.

Organiser:

Friends of the OCHS – Leicester

lf@ochs.org.uk

Friends Event: Hindu approaches to religious pluralism

Posted on January 28, 2012February 20, 2025 by user

Friends Event: Hindu approaches to religious pluralism

Leicester Friends Event

Saturday, 28 January 2012 – 6:30pm to 9:00pm

Belgrave Neighbourhood Centre,
Rothley Street,
Leicester LE4 6LF

A talk by Lucian Wong Student of the Oxford Centre For Hindu Studies

Religious plurality is a pervasive feature of the multi-cultural society in which we live, presenting challenges and opportunities to persons of faith. The existence of multiple and divergent religious currents is, of course, nothing new to Hinduism. This talk will explore the ways in which Hindu texts and traditions address the issue of religious pluralism.

Organiser:

Friends of the OCHS – Leicester

lf@ochs.org.uk

OCHS Academic Director publishes on Importance of Religion

Posted on January 17, 2012September 27, 2020 by user

OCHS Academic Director publishes on Importance of Religion

Tuesday, 17 January 2012

Professor Gavin Flood, OCHS Academic Director and author of The Tantric Body: The Secret Tradition of Hindu Religion; The Ascetic Self: Subjectivity, Memory and Tradition; Beyond Phenomenology: Rethinking the Study of Religion; and the widely prescribed Introduction to Hinduism has published with Wiley-Blackwell.

The Importance of Religion argues for the central importance of religion in modern times and how it provides people with meaning to their lives and guides them in their everyday moral choices. Professor Flood argues that modern religions do not just represent passive notions about the nature of reality but are active and inspirational: they show us ways of living, dying, choosing a good life and inhabiting the world.

Professor Flood discusses the nature and meaning of religion and spirituality, and religion’s relationship with politics, science, evolutionary biology, human rights, culture, humanism and more.

The title is an excellent addition to the body of publishing that has sprung from the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies. It has been well-received by scholars of religion including Gavin D’Costa of the University of Bristol: ‘Flood presents a thesis about “religion” that is provocative, irenic, learned and wide-ranging. His interdisciplinary intervention is an elegant challenge to those who think religion is dead or dying. It is a sensitive exploration of religion as the textual and ritual generator of meaning.’

Professor Flood has been the Academic Director of OCHS since October 2005. In 2008 he was granted the title of Professor of Hindu Studies and Comparative Religion from the University of Oxford.