The following is the program for the “Vedānta and theology” workshop, UofT, December 5 and 6 2024. Careful readers will notice that we will move from Advaita Vedānta to Viśiṣṭādvaita Vedānta and from a literary approach to sacred texts to a theological-philosophical one.

Place: room 318, JHB

December 5:

breakfast: 8.30–9

Morning session: Advaita Vedānta, theology and literature (chaired by Ajay Rao (tbc))

—Anusha Rao (PhD student, Religion) “Literary Chameleonism and Advaita in Early Modern South India” (9–10)
—Shashank Rao (PhD student, Religion) “The Heart Lotus in the Ragale of Akka Mahadevi: A Literary Vedanta” (10.05–11.05)
—Sarang Patel (PhD student, Religion) “The Role of Metaphor in Material Vitality and Śaṃkara’s Advaita Vedānta” (11.10–12.10)

lunch break: 12.10–1pm

Afternoon session: Viśiṣṭādvaita Vedānta theology (chaired by Srilata Raman)

—Francis X. Clooney “Between Indology and Theology: Śrīvaiṣṇava Studies in Our Times” (1–2pm)
—Nick Halme (PhD student, Philosophy, Viśiṣṭādvaita Vedānta) (2.05–3.05)
—Zihao Wu (PhD student, Philosophy, Viśiṣṭādvaita Vedānta) (3.10–4.10)

December 6

breakfast: 8.30–9

Morning session: Viśiṣṭādvaita Vedānta theology (chaired by Elisa Freschi)

—Nirali Patel (PhD student, Philosophy, Viśiṣṭādvaita Vedānta) (9–10)
—Chakravarthi Ram-Prasad (via zoom), “On the methodological challenges of cross-cultural theology” (10:05–11:05 am)
—Vivek Shah (PhD student, Religion, “Rāmānuja on space in BS 2.2.23” (11.10–12.10)

The 60′ slots are conceived to be up to 30′ speaking time (if one wants to speak for only 20′, no worries, but the 30′ should give one enough time to unpack ideas, read texts together and suggest areas where one wants to receive feedback) and then discussion. The discussion is meant to be supportive and aimed at helping the speaker in the next steps of developing their arguments. In the unlikely event that we run out of things to say, we’ll just add a short coffee break.