| Francis X. Clooney, S.J. | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1950 New York |
| Fields | Theology |
| Institutions | Harvard Divinity School Boston College |
| Alma mater | Ph.D., University of Chicago, 1984 M.Div., Weston School of Theology, 1978 B.A., Fordham University, 1973 |
| Known for | Comparative theology |
Francis Xavier Clooney, S.J., is a professor and a Roman Catholic priest.[1]
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After earning his doctorate 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.[2]
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 University 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.
In Hindu God, Christian God, Clooney compares Christian theology 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.[3]