Stand Alone Pages on 'Musings of an Old Curmudgeon'

01 February 2025

How Can Catholic Natural Theology Help Us Engage with Non-Christian Religions?

With Gavin D’Costa, DTheol, Professor of Catholic Theology, University of Bristol.


A common natural law tradition has been developed within certain strands of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. This relates to a positive relationship with Aristotle and philosophy within streams of these three traditions. Eastern religions have posed a real challenge due to the very different philosophical traditions drawn on compared to the Christian. I turn to Hinduism to seek a connection between natural law and the dharma, to both facilitate an appreciation of Hinduism and a critical engagement. This is developed in interaction with the very specific and contentious practice and theory underlying the Rajput tradition of the suttee. This instances one example of a fruitful avenue for further exploration.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Comments are subject to deletion if they are not germane. I have no problem with a bit of colourful language, but blasphemy or depraved profanity will not be allowed. Attacks on the Catholic Faith will not be tolerated. Comments will be deleted that are republican (Yanks! Note the lower case 'r'!), attacks on the legitimacy of Pope Leo XIV as the Vicar of Christ, the legitimacy of the House of Windsor or of the claims of the Elder Line of the House of France, or attacks on the legitimacy of any of the currently ruling Houses of Europe.