LAUSR

The Hindu tradition consists of a collection of ancient and new spiritual lineages (sampradāyas), each with their own teachings, loosely connected through recognition of a set of common sacred texts. One of the larger and growing Hindu lineages is the Swaminarayan tradition, founded by Sahajānanda Swami (1781–1830) who adopted the name Swaminarayan, and is himself worshiped as the highest reality (Parabrahman) within the tradition. It is estimated to have over twenty million followers, and it has been constructing majestic Hindu temples throughout the world. In the course of the time, the movement has split over such perennial questions as leadership (hereditary versus elected), the admission of women to ascetic life, and interpretation of the teachings of the founder. The largest group or denomination is the Bochanawasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (of BAPS), to which the author of this book belongs as an ordained monk. In the introduction to the book, Swami Paramtattvadas develops his understanding of theology by drawing on methodological reflections of Christian theologians (Alister McGrath, Jeffrey Stout, David Kelsey), or Christian theologians involved in the study of Hinduism (Francis Clooney, Julius Lipner). Why, one may wonder, would a Hindu theologian need to lean on Christian and Western conceptions of theology to develop a Hindu theology? Could he not have drawn from classical Hindu models such as Śankara, Rāmānuja, Vedantadeśika, or Rupa Goswami? Theology seems to be regarded as a typically Western or even