The Reverend Alvin Van Pelt Hart is a noted Christian theologian and has been an Ordained Episcopal priest since 1949, when he received his Master of Divinity degree from the General Theological Seminary in New York City. In the mid-1950s he was called upon to write a chapter on "Religion and the Handicapped" for a book entitled The Handicapped and Their Rehabilitation (St. Louis, Thomas Pub., 1957). This work is today regarded as a significant contribution in its field. Reverend Hart has served as chaplain and supervisor of Clinical Pastoral Education at Bellevue Hospital from 1953 to 1966. From that year to the present day Reverend Hart has occupied this same position at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital.
Satyaraja Dasa Adhikari (Steven Rosen) is a free-lance writer and the author of several books, including Food for the Sprit: Vegetarianism and the World Religions (new York, Bala Books, 1988), and Archeology and the Vaishnava Tradition: The Pre-Christion Roots of Krishna Worship (Calcutta, India, Firma KLM Ltd., 1989). He is an initiated disciple of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder and spiritual master of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). Although Satyaraja Dasa was not born in India, his writing and scholarship has developed for him a reputation as an important voice in the Indian religious community. As an American Vaishnava, he serves as the Minister of Interreligious Affairs for the New York chapter of ISKCON.
Introduction
Unlike many of my colleagues, I have always believed in the importance of recognizing the differences between adherents of the various world religions. At first glance, I know, this perspective appears rather uncompromising. In a traditional sense, it even appears "un-Christian," since a true Christian should be able to overlook people's differences and, indeed, appreciate then. But this is the point. It is my contention that one can only appreciate differences if one first acknowledges them. It is otherwise quite impossible.
Although many would claim that it is praiseworthy to drop the differences altogether and pretend that they are not there, these are the same people who often become so entrenched in prejudice and religious exclusivity that their initial claim becomes absurd. In superficially denying all differences, such people never give themselves, again, the opportunity to develop an understanding or appreciation of these differences.
In my dialogue with Satyaraja Dasa, I have found a kindred spirit, a soul who also appreciates the differences (and similarities) that exist within the world's great religions. Over the course of four years, we've had numerous interreligious conversations, and while these started in quite a formal manner, they are now friendly discussions. This, I think, stands as testimony to my hypothesis. This, I think, stands as testimony to my hypothesis. Satyaraja and I have developed a closeness through our differences.
After several of our initial conversations, we chose to tape them, primarily as a reference. Recently, however, I decided to approach Satyaraja with the idea to turn our conversation into a book. When I suggested the idea to him, he laughingly told me that he had already transcribed several of our taped conversations-he had had the idea several weeks earlier. We were on the same wave-length.
So here you have it. A carefully edited transcript of hours of interreligious dialogue. Those interested in the humanities and social sciences will not doubt find this book interesting. Believers and aspiring seekers-from both Eastern and Western traditions-will also find merit in these conversations. The lively and friendly interdisciplinary communication found within these pages, however, will have its greatest appeal in the hearts of those who seriously desire to understand their neighbors. And if such understanding leads to appreciation, both Satyaraja and I will consider this small book a great success.
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