Francis X. Clooney
Encyclopedia
Francis Xavier Clooney, S.J.
, is a professor
and a Roman Catholic priest
.
in South Asian Languages and Civilizations at the University of Chicago
in 1984, he taught at Boston College
until 2005, when he became the Parkman Professor of Divinity
and Professor of Comparative Theology
at Harvard Divinity School
.
His primary areas of scholarship are theological commentarial writings
in the Sanskrit
and Tamil
traditions of Hindu
India
, and the developing field of comparative theology, a discipline distinguished by attentiveness to the dynamics of theological learning deepened and complexified through the study of traditions other than one's own. He has also written on the Jesuit missionary tradition, particularly in India, and the dynamics of dialogue in the contemporary world.
Clooney sits on a number of editorial boards, was the first president of the International Society for Hindu-Christian Studies
and, from 1998 to 2004, was coordinator for interreligious dialogue for the Jesuits of the United States
. Clooney has authored several articles and books; his current projects include an introductory volume on comparative theology, and a study of yoga
and Jesuit spirituality.
in 1996 and was later developed into a book.
The book's introduction is significant to understanding Clooney's interest in eastern religions. As part of his early Jesuit training, Clooney was expected to teach high school. He chose to travel to Kathmandu, Nepal
and teach ninth grade boys at St. Xavier’s High School
. Looking for a way to teach moral values to his students, Clooney turned to the Bhagavad Gita
. He used the stories of the Buddha's life and teachings to relate to the Nepali boys he was teaching. This was the first time that Clooney studied the Bhagavad Gita
.
and Hindu theology by taking a look at four specific topics of discussion. The topics he explores include: the existence of God
, what is the true God, divine embodiment, and the revelation of God. Clooney takes a look at the similarities between Christianity and Hinduism's theological answers to these topics. Clooney then draws four major conclusions about God: the world is complex and there is a God who created the world, this God can be further identified by drawing reasonable conclusions about who God is and how He will likely act, God is not limited to the restrictiveness of a body but can choose to assume this limited form, and there is divine revelation. This book is helpful in seeing how Clooney is trying to learn about God through his studying of theology of religions outside of Christianity.
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
, is a professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
and a Roman Catholic priest
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
.
Career
After earning his doctorateDoctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in South Asian Languages and Civilizations at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
in 1984, he taught at Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
until 2005, when he became the Parkman Professor of Divinity
Divinity
Divinity and divine are broadly applied but loosely defined terms, used variously within different faiths and belief systems — and even by different individuals within a given faith — to refer to some transcendent or transcendental power or deity, or its attributes or manifestations in...
and Professor of Comparative Theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
at Harvard Divinity School
Harvard Divinity School
Harvard Divinity School is one of the constituent schools of Harvard University, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the United States. The School's mission is to train and educate its students either in the academic study of religion, or for the practice of a religious ministry or other public...
.
His primary areas of scholarship are theological commentarial writings
Exegesis
Exegesis is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text, especially a religious text. Traditionally the term was used primarily for exegesis of the Bible; however, in contemporary usage it has broadened to mean a critical explanation of any text, and the term "Biblical exegesis" is used...
in the Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
and Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
traditions of Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, and the developing field of comparative theology, a discipline distinguished by attentiveness to the dynamics of theological learning deepened and complexified through the study of traditions other than one's own. He has also written on the Jesuit missionary tradition, particularly in India, and the dynamics of dialogue in the contemporary world.
Clooney sits on a number of editorial boards, was the first president of the International Society for Hindu-Christian Studies
Religious studies
Religious studies is the academic field of multi-disciplinary, secular study of religious beliefs, behaviors, and institutions. It describes, compares, interprets, and explains religion, emphasizing systematic, historically based, and cross-cultural perspectives.While theology attempts to...
and, from 1998 to 2004, was coordinator for interreligious dialogue for the Jesuits of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Clooney has authored several articles and books; his current projects include an introductory volume on comparative theology, and a study of yoga
Yoga
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
and Jesuit spirituality.
Hindu Wisdom for All God's Children
Hindu Wisdom for All God’s Children is an introduction to comparative theology. It provides a brief history of his experience with Hinduism during Clooney's time spent teaching in Nepal. This book doesn’t initially require much previous knowledge of Hinduism or Indian culture to understand and therefore provides a good initial introduction to comparative theology and Clooney. It also shows what we can learn about God from the Hindu religious tradition by taking a look at various Hindu gods. Hindu Wisdom for All God's Children began first as a series of lectures given at John Carroll UniversityJohn Carroll University
John Carroll University is a private, co-educational Jesuit Catholic university in University Heights, Ohio, United States, a suburb of Cleveland. The university was founded in 1886 by the Society of Jesus as Saint Ignatius College.The university was founded in 1886 by the Society of Jesus, as...
in 1996 and was later developed into a book.
The book's introduction is significant to understanding Clooney's interest in eastern religions. As part of his early Jesuit training, Clooney was expected to teach high school. He chose to travel to Kathmandu, Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
and teach ninth grade boys at St. Xavier’s High School
St. Xavier's School, Godavari
St Xavier's School, located in Godavari, Nepal, about 15 k.m. outside the capital, is a school started by Jesuit Fathers in 1951. After the initial start of the school and due to increasing number of students, the primary school was shifted to Jawalakhel and the high school at Godavari...
. Looking for a way to teach moral values to his students, Clooney turned to the Bhagavad Gita
Bhagavad Gita
The ' , also more simply known as Gita, is a 700-verse Hindu scripture that is part of the ancient Sanskrit epic, the Mahabharata, but is frequently treated as a freestanding text, and in particular, as an Upanishad in its own right, one of the several books that constitute general Vedic tradition...
. He used the stories of the Buddha's life and teachings to relate to the Nepali boys he was teaching. This was the first time that Clooney studied the Bhagavad Gita
Bhagavad Gita
The ' , also more simply known as Gita, is a 700-verse Hindu scripture that is part of the ancient Sanskrit epic, the Mahabharata, but is frequently treated as a freestanding text, and in particular, as an Upanishad in its own right, one of the several books that constitute general Vedic tradition...
.
Hindu God, Christian God: How Reason Helps Break Down the Boundaries Between Religions
In Hindu God, Christian God, Clooney compares Christian theologyChristian theology
- Divisions of Christian theology :There are many methods of categorizing different approaches to Christian theology. For a historical analysis, see the main article on the History of Christian theology.- Sub-disciplines :...
and Hindu theology by taking a look at four specific topics of discussion. The topics he explores include: the existence of God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
, what is the true God, divine embodiment, and the revelation of God. Clooney takes a look at the similarities between Christianity and Hinduism's theological answers to these topics. Clooney then draws four major conclusions about God: the world is complex and there is a God who created the world, this God can be further identified by drawing reasonable conclusions about who God is and how He will likely act, God is not limited to the restrictiveness of a body but can choose to assume this limited form, and there is divine revelation. This book is helpful in seeing how Clooney is trying to learn about God through his studying of theology of religions outside of Christianity.
Major publications
- The Truth, the Way, the Life: Christian Commentary on the Three Holy Mantras of the Srivaisnava Hindus (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing CompanyWm. B. Eerdmans Publishing CompanyWm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company is a religious publishing house based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1911 by William B. Eerdmans [c.1880-1966] and still independently owned with William's son Bill Eerdmans as President, Eerdmans has long been known for publishing a wide range of Christian...
, 2009) ISBN 978-0802864130 - Beyond Compare: St. Francis de Sales and Sri Vedanta DesikaVedanta DesikaVedanta Desika was a Sri Vaishnava Guru. He was a poet, devotee, philosopher and master-teacher...
on Loving Surrender to God (Washington, DC: Georgetown University PressGeorgetown University PressGeorgetown University Press, founded in 1964, is an American publishing house that publishes forty new books a year. The press is a member of the Association of American University Presses and a founding member of the Association of Jesuit University Presses .It supports the academic mission of...
, 2008) ISBN 978-1589012110 - Divine Mother, Blessed Mother: Hindu Goddesses and the Virgin Mary (New York: Oxford University PressOxford University PressOxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
, 2004) ISBN 978-0195170375 - Hindu God, Christian God: How Reason Helps Break Down the Boundaries between Religions (New York: Oxford University Press, 2001) ISBN 978-0195138542
- Hindu Wisdom for All God’s Children. (Orbis BooksOrbis BooksOrbis Books, is an American imprint of the Maryknoll order, that has been a small but influential publisher of liberation theology works, founded by Nicaraguan Maryknoll priest Miguel D'Escoto with Philip J. Scharper in 1970. It was the first to publish Gustavo Gutiérrez's seminal work A Theology...
, 1998) ISBN 978-1597520683 - Seeing through Texts: Doing Theology among the Srivaisnavas of South India. (State University of New YorkState University of New YorkThe State University of New York, abbreviated SUNY , is a system of public institutions of higher education in New York, United States. It is the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States, with a total enrollment of 465,000 students, plus...
, 1996) ISBN 978-0791429969 - Theology after Vedanta: An Exercise in Comparative Theology. (State University of New York Press, 1993) ISBN 978-0791413661
External links
- Center for Indic Studies - Harvard Divinity School
- Personal site of Francis X. Clooney http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k5866
- America Magazine, In All Things (group blog) http://www.americamagazine.org/blog/blog.cfm?blog_id=2&category_id=4A03E29A-3048-741E-7E0C76FB5CD0D40D
- Journal of Comparative Theology http://www.comparativetheology.org