Henri Le Saux
Material about the French Benedictine monk Henri Le Saux (Swami Abhishiktananda) has often appeared in the pages of this Bulletin. We would here like to bring to our readers’ attention a fine article by Bradley Malkovsky that appeared in the Journal of Ecumenical Studies 36 (Summer-Fall 1999): 397-422. Entitled “Advaita Vedanta and Christian Faith,” it offers helpful reflections about Abhishiktananda’s significance.

Professor Malkovsky begins by noting that “non-duality” is a term used variously by Hindus, Buddhists, and Taoists to express some fundamental insight about the unity of reality. In Hindu Sanskrit literature, the most commonly used term for this is advaita, the negation of duality. Several Christians living in India in the twentieth century sought to build bridges between Advaitic and Christian experience. A Jesuit scholar, Richard De Smet (1916-1997), did so primarily on a conceptual level and, in recognition of his work, found himself increasingly accepted as a Christian philosopher at international philosophical meetings attended mostly by Hindus.

On the other hand, Abhishiktananda (1910-1973) was wary of this approach because of the danger of conceptual reductionism. His writings are still valuable today in the dialogue between Advaitic Hindus and Christians precisely because of their relentless reminder that the experience of non-duality escapes all attempts at articulation and objectification. He affirmed that “advaita is already present at the root of Christian experience. It is simply the mystery that God and the world are not two.”

Malkovsky concludes his article by saying that the major Christian figures involved in this dialogue are convinced that “the conceptual and spiritual encounter that has progressed thus far has done so under the influence of the Holy Spirit” and are hopeful that “the Spirit will continue to guide both Christian and Hindus to an ever-greater awareness of truth in the future.”

Graymoor Ecumenical and Interreligious Institute
This institute, founded by the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement-Graymoor in 1967, is an information and service organization serving the Church in the United States in its mission of Christian Unity and interreligious dialogue. Among its five “specialization desks” is one for interreligious dialogue. Through collaboration and research, the staff of this desk cooperates with Christian and non-Christian agencies in this country and abroad, providing information and expertise on the present state of interreligious dialogue and helping educate religious leaders and laity on the issues involved and the skills needed for a respectful and mutually enriching encounter with members of other faith traditions. The institute has two periodical publications. Ecumenical Trends is a journal published monthly (except in August) whose purpose is to keep readers abreast of developments in the ecumenical and interreligious movements. It does so by reporting on dialogues and consultations, by publishing relevant documents and the results of bilateral and multilateral dialogues, by reporting on new trends and progress, and by noting the availability of resources from elsewhere. The institute’s other publication is the newsletter AtOneMent, published five times annually. It reports on ecumenical and interreligious news and serves as a resource for the exchange of ideas and events among persons active in the field.

Further information about the Graymoor Institute may be obtained from its office at 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 1960; New York, NY 10115-1999. Telephone: 212-870-2330.

International Interfaith Centre
One of the most active interfaith institutes in the United Kingdom is this center, located in Oxford. Among its activities during the present year was an eight-week series of lectures from January 18 to March 8 on various aspects of interreligious dialogue; a late-summer tour to Jordan and Israel, which will be led by the prominent author Marcus Braybrooke and will include interreligious dialogue in both of those countries; and the ongoing publication of its newsletter. The center’s website, www.interfaith-center.org, contains further information about its work.

The Interreligious Dialog List
This Internet list was founded by two Christians who practice Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina and is dedicated to promoting interreligious dialogue among Christians on the contemplative journey who are also traveling or have previously traveled on paths in other religious traditions, such as Zen, Transcendental Meditation, Yoga, Sufism, Judaism, and the like. It is also open to members of other world religions who are meditators and who desire to engage in helpful dialogue with contemplative Christians. The founders, Mercedes and Cecile, are hopeful that the list will increase the participants’ understanding of one another so that they may live more peacefully and nonviolently in our world. To subscribe, please write to the list at interreligiousdialog-subscribe@yahoogroups.com, including information about your formation history, your daily prayer or meditation practice, and what you expect to receive as well as give to the list. The founders also caution that before joining any list you should have virus protection and keep it up to date.

Videotape from the P.C.I.D.
The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue has produced a videotape that not only covers the Interreligious Assembly held in the Vatican in October of 1999 but also informs the viewer about the nature of the Church’s dialogue with other religious traditions. This is a useful resource for use at interreligious meetings, formation sessions, etc. It runs for 45 minutes and is available for an offering of $10 plus postage. Further information is available by email at pcid-office@interelg.va. The council’s mailing address is: Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue 00120 Vatican City (Europe)

New Journal
The inaugural issue of Religion East & West, published by the Institute for World Religions, appeared in June, 2001. This institute was founded in 1976 under the inspiration and planning of the Buddhist Master Hsuan Hua and the Roman Catholic Cardinal Yu Bin, both of whom shared the conviction that harmony among the world’s religions is an indispensable prerequisite for a just and peaceful world. In 1994 the institute moved to Berkeley, California. It is affiliated with and supported by the Dharma Realm Buddhist University and furthers the goals of the Dharma Realm Buddhist Association. Among the articles in the inaugural issue were the following: “Whither the World’s Religions: A Response & Dialogue,” by Huston Smith and Henry Rosemont Jr.; “Filial Respect and Buddhist Meditation,” by Rev. Heng Sure; and “Buddhism and Modernity: An Ancient Tradition Faces the Twenty-first Century,” by Douglas Powers. This annual journal is distributed free of charge. To subscribe, contact:

The Institute for World Religions
2304 McKinley Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94703.

We apologize...
In the previous issue of this Bulletin, the quotation on page 13 was in fact from Swami Vivekananda and not from his master, Ramakrishna.

Bulletin 67• Index