Speaker’s story engages Eastern spirituality

Oklahoma City University welcomes John Thatamanil to present the Willson Lecture series on Oct. 15.

"The Promise of Religious Diversity" is the theme of the Willson Lectures this year. It’s a timely topic and one that draws on Dr. Thatamanil’s academic research and personal experience.

He is associate professor of theology and world religions at Union Theological Seminary in New York.

Thatamanil is a frequent lecturer in churches and universities both in the U.S. and internationally. He blogs periodically for The Huffington Post and other online publications and has published editorials in The Los Angeles Times and The Washington Post.

A native of southern India, he was raised in the Mar Thoma Syrian Church there.

His first lecture at OCU will be at 1 p.m. that Thursday in the sanctuary of the Bishop W. Angie Smith Chapel, following a brief prayer service. At 2:30, he will speak in Watson Lounge, in the building’s lower level. The day concludes with a final presentation at 7.

Specifically, Thatamanil writes on Hindu-Christian Dialogue and Buddhist-Christian Dialogue. His first book on Hindu-Christian dialogue is "The Immanent Divine: God, Creation, and the Human Predicament." He is at work on a second book, titled "The Promise of Religious Diversity: Constructive Theology After Religion."

Thatamanil’s courses have covered diverse topics such as the theology of Paul Tillich, process theology, and Eastern Orthodox theology and spirituality.

His research specializes in comparative theology and theologies of religious pluralism. He chairs the American Academy of Religion’s (AAR) Theological Education Steering Committee and is project director of the AAR/Luce Summer Seminars on Theologies of Religious Pluralism and Comparative Theology.

Prior to his appointment at Union Theological Seminary, he taught at Boston University, Millsaps College, and Vanderbilt Divinity School.

There is no admission fee for any of the presentations. Everyone is welcome.
 

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