One Religion Too Many; The Religiously Comparative Reflections of a Comparatively Religous Hindu

by Arvind Sharma

Enlightening encounters with the world s religions from a Hindu perspective. One Religion Too Many is a Hindu pilgrim s progress through the world s religious traditions. An eminent scholar of comparative religion, Arvind Sharma provides a firsthand account of how he came to be a party to the dialogue of religions first with his own religion, then with the comparative study of religion, and finally with the religious universalism he has come to espouse because of this heritage. Starting with an account of the Hinduism of his family in Varanasi, India, Sharma then heads west, finding himself initially dumbfounded by the Christian Eucharist, wondering if there is a Hinjew connection, grappling with Zen in Massachusetts, and pressed into service to teach about Islam. Sharma writes with a light touch, but even when his encounters and perceptions are amusing, they are always insightful and thought provoking. Western readers, in particular, will enjoy seeing their own traditions through the eyes of an Easterner who has come to know them well. Sharma s ultimate perspective on religious universalism is a welcoming vision for the globalizing world of the twenty-first century. Arvind Sharma is Birks Professor of Comparative Religion at McGill University. His many books include Hinduism as a Missionary Religion; Religious Studies and Comparative The Case for Reciprocal Illumination; and Sleep as a State of Consciousness in Advaita Ved nta.

174 pages, Paperback

First published May 9, 2011

About the author

Arvind Sharma, Ph.D. (Sanskrit & Indian Studies, Harvard University, 1978; M.A. Theological Studies, Harvard Divinity Schookl, 1974; M.A. Economics, Syracuse University, 1970; B.A. History, Economics, & Sanskrit, Allahadad University, 1958), was appointed Associate Professor in the Faculty of Religious Studies at McGill University in Montreal, Canada in 1987, where he is now the Birks Professor of Comparative Religion. Previously he has been associated with the Universities of Sydney and Queensland (Brisbane) in Australia and Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.