The Calcutta School of Indology (also known as the 'Bengal School' of Indology[1]) consists of a group of Jesuit missionary scholars

based mostly in Calcutta and including William Wallace, SJ (18631922), Pierre Johanns (18821955), Georges Dandoy, Joseph Putz, Joseph Bayart, Robert Antoine, Camille Bulcke, Michael Ledrus, Pierre Fallon and Jan Feys.[2] They were joined in their efforts by Animananda, a disciple of Upadhyaya.[3] History The group drew its inspiration from Brahmobandhav Upadhyaya's efforts to think out and practice an original and fresh encounter of Christianity and Hinduism. The originator of this vision was William Wallace, SJ. Thanks to his representations to the Belgian Province of the Jesuits, brilliant young Jesuits like Pierre Johanns and Georges Dandoy were sent to India to study deeply the sources of the Hindu religion. Udayan Namboodiry says: "The Bengal School, which these came to be clubbed under, was the lasting contribution to India of Father William Wallace."[4] Johanns and his group tried to effect a rapprochement between Hinduism and Christianity at the doctrinal level. Their organ was a monthly publication with the title The Light of the East which began in 1922 and continued for two decades. In the very first issue, the journal declared its aim: "what we... wish... to do is... to help India... to know and understand Jesus.... We have no intention to put out the existing lights. Rather we shall try to show that the best thought of the East is a bud that fully expanded blossoms into Christian thought."[5] The school soon came to be known by its outstanding representative, P. Johanns,[6] whose most important piece of writing is now available under the title To Christ through the Vedanta,[7] but which was originally published in the form of articles regularly contributed to The Light of the East. Given his links with several of the members, Richard De Smet might also be included in the School. He pursued his study of Sanskrit in Calcutta with G. Dandoy, P. Johanns, R. Antoine, who held a masters degree in Sanskrit from the Calcutta University; P. Fallon, who knew not only Sanskrit but also Bengali.[8] Antoine and Fallon had started the first dialogue centre, Shanti Bhavan, in Calcutta.[9] De Smet did his doctoral dissertation at the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, under the direction of R. Arnou; he took help also from M. Ledrus, at the time Professor of Ascetical and Mystical Theology in the same university.[10] Bibliography
Primary

See Pierre Johanns. P. Johanns. Hinduism. London: Catholic Truth Society, 1934. P. Johanns. Introduction to Vedanta. Calcutta: Light of the East Series, 23. 42 pp. P. Johanns. A Synopsis of 'To Christ through Vedanta' Part I, Sankara. 3rd ed. Calcutta: Light of the East Series, 4. 40 pp. P. Johanns. Verse le Christ par le Vedanta. T. I. Cankara et Ramanuja. Tr. from the English by M. Ledrus. Louvain: Museum Lessianum, 1932. 264 pp. P. Johanns. La Pensee Religieuse de l'Inde. Tr. by L.M. Gauthier. Namur: Facultes Univ. / Paris: Vrin / Louvain: Nauwelaerts, 1952. 224 pp. The Light of the East (1922-1942?). Ed. P. Johanns and G. Dandoy. G. Dandoy. An Essay on the Doctrine of the Unreality of the World in the Advaita. Reprint from the Catholic Herald of India, Calcutta, Orphan Press, 1919. 66 pp. G. Dandoy. L'ontologie du Vedanta. Tr. of the above by Louis-Marcel Gauthier. Paris Desclee de Brouwer, 1932. G. Dandoy. Karma, Evil, Punishment. 2nd ed. Calcutta: Light of the East Series, 31. 96 pp. J.F. Pessein. Vedanta Vindicated. Tiruchirapally: St Joseph Press, 1925. J. Bayart. "Le triple visage du divin dans l'Hindouisme." Nouvelle Revue Theologique (mars 1933). C. Bulcke. The Theism of the Nyaya-Vaisesika. Calcutta: Oriental Institute, 1947. M. Ledrus. "Bhasya-agama-advaita-drstanta: An illustration of Catholic Advaita." Light of the East 10 (Dec. 1931). M. Ledrus. "Apavada in Catholic Advaita." Light of the East 10 (June 1932). M. Ledrus. "The Pratijna in Catholic Advaita." Light of the East 10 (Aug 1932). M. Ledrus. "L'Absolu Brahmanique." Gregorianum (1932) 261-272. M. Ledrus."Chronique de philosophie orientale." Revue Neo-scolastique de Philosophie 35 (aout 1933) 426-458.

M. Ledrus. "The Eternal Brahmanhood." The New Review [Calcutta] 2 (1935) 72-78. M. Ledrus. "Themes et tendances de la philosophie indienne." Gregorianum fasc. I (1942) 7-34. M. Ledrus. "De Recursu ad Deum apud ethnicos Indiae specimina classica." Studia Missionalia 2 (1946) 55-71. M. Ledrus. 'Cursus de Philosophia Samkhyana.' Unpublished. See Richard De Smet.

Secondary

Anathil, George M. Theological Formation of the Clergy in India. Pune: Pontifical Athenaeum, 1966, 160. Coelho, Ivo. Pierre Johanns, SJ of the Calcutta School of Indology. Review of Sean Doyle, Synthesizing the Vedanta: The Theology of Pierre Johanns, S.J. (Oxford, etc.: Peter Lang, 2006). Divyadaan: Journal of Philosophy and Education 22/1 (2011) 133-140. De Smet, Richard. 'The Theological Method of Samkara.' Doctoral dissertation at the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, 1953 (unpublished). De Smet, R. Philosophical Topics, The Clergy Monthly Supplement 4/2 (1958) 89-90. De Smet, R. akara Vedanta and Christian Theology, Review of Darshana 1/1 (1980) 33-48. De Smet, R. The Christian Encounter with Advaita Vedanta: A Survey of Four Centuries, unpublished. De Smet, R. Surrounded by Excellence: An Evocation, Jivan: Jesuits of South Asia: Views and News 11/10 (December 1990) 10-11. De Smet, R. Le dialogue vivifi par les textes, Rhythmes du Monde 15/3-4 (1967) 197-205. Doyle, Sean. Synthesizing the Vedanta: The Theology of Pierre Johanns, S.J. (Oxford, etc.: Peter Lang, 2006). England, John C., Jose Kuttianimattathil, John M. Prior, Lily A. Quintos, David Suh Kwang-sun, Janice Wikeri, ed. Asian Christian Theologies: A Research Guide to Authors, Movements, Sources. Vol. 1: Asia Region 7th-20th centuries; South Asia; Austral Asia. Delhi: ISPCK / Claretian Publishers; Maryknoll: Orbis, 2002. 220-1: Pierre Johanns, sj (18821955). [The other members of the school do not find mention in this important publication.] Mattam, J. Land of the Trinity: A Study of Modern Christian Approaches to Hinduism. Bangalore: TPI, 1975. 17-43. Mattam, J. Interpreting Christ to India Today: The Calcutta School, Indian Journal of Theology 23 (1974) 198-202. Wilfred, Felix. Beyond Settled Foundations: The Journey of Indian Theology. Madras: Dept. of Christianity at the University of Madras, 1993, 37-40. References
1. 2. ^ Udayan Namboodiry, St Xaviers: The Making of a Calcutta Institution (New Delhi: Viking/Penguin Books India, 1995) 116. ^ The term 'Calcutta School' is used by R. De Smet in the Preface to his doctoral dissertation, 'The Theological Method of Samkara,' Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, 1953 (unpublished) iv; by J. Mattam in 1974, and by F. Wilfred in 1993 (see bibliography), but more work will have to be done to determine its origin. ^ Felix Wilfred, Beyond Settled Foundations: The Journey of Indian Theology (Madras: Dept. of Christian Studies at the University of Madras, 1993) 37-38. Richard De Smet, "From Catholic Theology to Sankara Vedanta and Return with Fr F.X. Clooney, Review Article, Francis X. Clooney, Theology after Vednta: An Experiment in Comparative Theology (Albany: State University of New York, 1993), Vidyajyoti: Journal of Theological Reflection 58 (1994) 795-807. Id., "The Trajectory of My Dialogical Activity, Autobiographic text for Bradley Malkovsky, 23 April 1991, Typescript of 13 pp, unpublished. ^ Namboodiry 116. ^ The Light of the East 1 (1922) 1-2, cited in Wilfred 38. ^ See Wilfred 38. ^ P. Johanns, Vers le Christ par le Vedanta, 2 vols. (Louvain: Museum Lessianum, 1932-1933. P. Johanns, The Writings of P. Johanns: To Christ through the Vednta, ed. Theo de Greeff (Bangalore: United Theological College, 1996). J. Lipner notes that it was De Smet who initiated this publication: see Lipner, Richard V. De Smet, S.J.An Appreciation by Julius Lipner, Hindu-Christian Studies Bulletin 11 [1998] 54 note 3. ^ Depuis mon arriv en Inde au dbut de 1946, je me suis tourn la fois vers les hommes et vers les livres, vers les hommes que le Seigneur menvoyait rencontrer et vers les livres qui me permettaient de jeter vers eux des ponts qui ne fussent pas excessivement pr caires. Cette voie dapproche mtait trace par des hommes remarquables, un Pierre Johanns, un George Dandoy, un Pierre Fallon, pour nen citer que quelques uns, et elle avait t fraye par Robert de Nobili, le premier Europen sans doute qui arriva penetre dans les arcanes de la littrature sanscrite et simprgner de la sagesse brahmanique. R. De Smet, Le dialogue vivifi par les textes, Rhythmes du Monde 15/3-4 (1967) 197. ^ R. De Smet, Surrounded by Excellence: An Evocation, Jivan: Jesuits of South Asia: Views and News 11/10 (December 1990) 11. ^ See De Smet, "Preface," The Theological Method of Samkara, v.

3.

4. 5. 6. 7.

8.

9. 10.

Robert Antoine (1914 in Belgium 1981) was a Belgian Jesuit priest, missionary in India. Professor of Comparative Literature at theJadavpur University, he was a Sanskritist and musician. He was co-founder, with Pierre Fallon, of Shanti Bhavan, a dialogue centre atCalcutta. Education Antoine entered the Society of Jesus in 1932, was sent to Calcutta in 1939, dedicated himself to the study of Sanskrit, and became the first Jesuit to obtain a Master's

Degree from the University of Calcutta in Sanskrit philology. in Philosophy, a Licentiate in Theology, a B.A. Classics.

[1]

Besides this, he held a Licentiate

Work Antoine arrived in India in 1939 and became an Indian citizen in 1950. His untimely death from liver cancer occurred in 1981. During the 42 years he spent in India, mainly in Calcutta, he contributed much to the Bengali culture, the diffusion of Sanskrit and the life of the Church in Bengal. In the words of Felix Raj, he was an eminent priest, a scholar, an accomplished teacher, a gifted musician and singer and a dear friend. From 1956, he was lecturer in the Department of Comparative Literature of the Jadavpur University. He also taught at St. Xavier's College, Calcutta. An admiring student described him as follows: With his kurta, pyjamas, slippered feet and suntanned complexion he was virtually the established guru of the Bengali Hindu youth of the Jadavpur University, and the much-esteemed guide, philosopher and friend of many orthodox and influential Bengali Hindu families. He radiated among them from Shanti Bhavan. This he had founded with Pierre Fallon in 1951 as a centre of inter-faith, inter-cultural dialogue and their home amidst a population of middle-class intelligentsia. For many years, their periodical, Daran Cakra, attracted keen professors of philosophy and other intellectuals. But Shanti Bhavan was above all a centre of friendly conversations, music, songs, bhajans and Eucharistic liturgy. From there Antoine produced his ten books (Sanskrit manual, Bengali hymn book, translations, Indological essays, ecumenical dialogue, etc.) and as many [2] articles. Special mention must be made of Religious Hinduism, which Antoine, with some other Jesuit friends, had planned, first as a series of 24 monthly letters which appeared from June 1957 to June 1959, then, with Joseph Neuner and Richard De Smet as editors, as an enlarged book in 1964. Antoine contributed himself nine of the chapters of this book; a 'third' revised edition was produced in 1968, and a fourth in 1997. Bibliography Primary bibliography Religious Symbolism in the Kausitaki Upanisad. Baroda Journal of the Oriental Institute (1951). A Pioneer of Neo-Hinduism: Bankim C. Chatterjee. Indica, IHRI Commemoration Volume. Bombay: St. Xaviers College, 1953. The Gospel and Modern Indian Thought. Lumen Vitae (Brussels) (1953). A Sanskrit Manual for High Schools. 2 parts. Calcutta, St. Xaviers College, 1953. Music Indian and Western. The Annual Souvenir of 1958. Calcutta: Sarat Bose Academy, 1958. Where We All Meet: A Dialogue. Light of the East Series, no. 51, Calcutta: Catholic Orphan Press, 1957. Indian and Greek Epic. Quest (April 1958). Gan Kara Nava Git: A Bengali Hymn Book. Calcutta: Shanti Bhavan, 1963. Liturgy of Holy Week. [See R. De Smet, Foreword, Religious Hinduism: A Presentation and Appraisal, 3rd rev. edition, ed. R. De Smet and J. Neuner (Allahabad: St Paul Publications, 1968) 2.] The Eucharist and the Industrialization. India and the Eucharist. Ed. Bede Griffiths et al. (Ernakulam: Lumen Institute, 1964) 61-70. General Historical Survey. Religious Hinduism: A Presentation and Appraisal. 3rd rev. edition. Ed. R. De Smet and J. Neuner. Allahabad: St Paul Publications, 1968. 23-30. Sacred Books and Religious Literature. Religious Hinduism: A Presentation and Appraisal. 3rd rev. edition. Ed. R. De Smet and J. Neuner. Allahabad: St Paul Publications, 1968. 31-40. Hindu Ethics: 1. General Ethics. Religious Hinduism: A Presentation and Appraisal. 3rd rev. edition. Ed. R. De Smet and J. Neuner. Allahabad: St Paul Publications, 1968. 108116. Hindu Ethics: 2. Special Ethics (Caste, ramas, etc). Religious Hinduism: A Presentation and Appraisal. 3rd rev. edition. Ed. R. De Smet and J. Neuner. Allahabad: St Paul Publications, 1968. 117-125. Rituals and Worship. Religious Hinduism: A Presentation and Appraisal. 3rd rev. edition. Ed. R. De Smet and J. Neuner. Allahabad: St Paul Publications, 1968. 154-162.

Hindu Saskras. Religious Hinduism: A Presentation and Appraisal. 3rd rev. edition. Ed. R. De Smet and J. Neuner. Allahabad: St Paul Publications, 1968. 163-171. The Mahbhrata. Religious Hinduism: A Presentation and Appraisal. 3rd rev. edition. Ed. R. De Smet and J. Neuner. Allahabad: St Paul Publications, 1968. 215-224. Nineteenth Century Reform Movements. Religious Hinduism: A Presentation and Appraisal. 3rd rev. edition. Ed. R. De Smet and J. Neuner. Allahabad: St Paul Publications, 1968. 276-286. The Present Situation. [In collaboration with P. Fallon.] Religious Hinduism: A Presentation and Appraisal. 3rd rev. edition. Ed. R. De Smet and J. Neuner. Allahabad: St Paul Publications, 1968. 308-320. Introduction to Upanisads. Monograph. Pune: Papal Seminary, 1965. The Mystery of Man. Calcutta, Xavier Publication, 1967. Virgils Aeneid. Translated into Bengali. Calcutta, Jadavpur University, 1972. Kalidasas Raghuvamsa. Translated into English. Calcutta, Writers Workshop, 1972. Seven Theban Tragedies. Translated from the Greek to Bengali. Calcutta, Jadavpur University, 1974. Rama and the Bards: Epic Memory in the Ramayana. Calcutta: Writers Workshop, 1975. Homo Viator. The Visvabharati Quarterly (Calcutta) 41/1-4 (197576) 1-17. The Curse in Oedipus Rex and Abhijnanasakuntalam. Jadavpur Journal of Comparative Literature 18-19 (198081) 1-12. The Technique of Oral Composition in the Ramayana. Jadavpur Journal of Comparative Literature 21 (1983) 1-21. The Technique of Oral Composition in the Ramayana. (contd.) Jadavpur Journal of Comparative Literature 22 (1984). Hindu Ethics: 1. General Ethics. Religious Hinduism. 4th rev. edition. Ed. R. De Smet and J. Neuner. Mumbai: St Pauls, 1997. 149-158. Hindu Ethics: 2. Special Ethics (Castes, ramas, etc.). Religious Hinduism. 4th rev. edition. Ed. R. De Smet and J. Neuner. Mumbai: St Pauls, 1997. 159-169. Rituals and Worship. Religious Hinduism. 4th rev. edition. Ed. R. De Smet and J. Neuner. Mumbai: St Pauls, 1997. 200-209. The Hindu Saskras. Religious Hinduism. 4th rev. edition. Ed. R. De Smet and J. Neuner. Mumbai: St Pauls, 1997. 210-219. The Mahbhrata. Religious Hinduism. 4th rev. edition. Ed. R. De Smet and J. Neuner. Mumbai: St Pauls, 1997. 267-278. Reform Movements of Modern India. Religious Hinduism. 4th rev. edition. Ed. R. De Smet and J. Neuner. Mumbai: St Pauls, 1997. 343-356. References ^ "Avant-propos," R. De Smet and J. Neuner, eds., La quete de l'eternel: Approches chretiennes de l'Hindouisme, tr. Roger Demortier, Museum Lessianum, section missiologique n. 48 (Desclee de Brouwer, 1967) 7-8.^ De Smet, Foreword, Religious Hinduism, 4th rev. edition, ed. R. De Smet and J. Neuner (Mumbai: St Pauls, 1997) 16 Camille Bulcke (1 September 1909, Ramskapelle, Belgium -17 August 1982, New Delhi, India), was a Belgian Jesuit missionary inIndia, who attained pre-eminence in [1] the Hindi language and came to be known as "India's most famous Christian Hindi scholar".

Early life Camille Bulcke was born in Ramskapelle, a village in Knokke-Heist municipality in the [2] Belgian province of West Flanders Bulcke had already acquired a B.Sc. degree in civil engineering from Louvain University, when [3] he became a Jesuit in 1930 After doing his philosophical training in Valkenburg, Netherlands, (193234) he left for India in 1934 and after a brief stay in Darjeeling, he taught Mathematics for five years at Gumla (presentJharkhand). It was here that he developed his lifelong passion for learning Hindi, as later recalled: "When I arrived in India in 1935, I was surprised and pained when I realised that many educated people were unaware of their cultural traditions and considered it a matter of pride to speak in English. I resolved my duty would be to master the language of the people. " - The Faith Of A [2] Christian Devotion To Hindi And To Tulsi. Theological training (193942) was undertaken in Kurseong, India, during which he was ordained priest (in 1941). His interest in the classical language of India led him to do a Master's Degree in Sanskrit at Calcutta University (194244) and finally a doctorate in Hindiliterature at Allahabad University (194549) with a thesis titled, 'Ram Katha Ka Vikas'. ['The Development of the Rama Story'] Career In 1949 Bulcke was made Head of the department of Sanskrit and Hindi of St Xavier's College, Ranchi. But early hearing problems led him to go more for a scholar's than a professor's career. He felt much attracted by the 17th century's Hindi poet Tulsidas on whose writings he made his doctoral thesis. Bulcke was often invited to give conferences on the Hindi poet and his devotional Rama-songs, which he did with much enthusiasm. He brought people in touch with the profound values of their own spiritual traditions, and, according to him, Tulsidas was also an excellent introduction to the values of the Gospel. He obtained Indian citizenship in 1951, and - highly esteemed by the Government of India - was made a member of the National commission for the promotion of Hindi as the national language. He took on the [4] name Bihari after acquiring Indian citizenship. He died in Delhi on 17 August 1982 due to gangarin. Camille Bulcke and Ramcharitmanas To fulfill zealously the onerous duties of a missionary monk, Bulcke stayed for quite some time in Darjeeling to make an in-depth study of the scriptures, being deeply interested in Philosophy, but to acquire a systematic knowledge of Indian Philosophy and Literature, he studied for [4] his M.A. degree in Hindi from the University of Allahabad. It was, during this period of preparation for his M.A. in Allahabadthat he had an occasion to read and study [4] the Ramcharitmanas of Tulsidas. The Ramcharitmanas was a highly influential devotional book for Hindus in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and was frequently read by Europeans learning Hindi. The more Bulcke studied the Ramcharitmanas, the deeper became his [4] attachment to it. His sublime sense of righteous goodness, the lofty values and ideals of its characters and its poetic excellence fascinated him to such an extent that it almost became an
[5]

object of worship for him. He found a striking resemblance between the ethical aspect of righteous conduct and values of life as portrayed by the author of the Ramcharitmanas and [4] those propounded by Jesus Christ in his discourses. He, therefore, took up a relevant topic, viz. Ramkatha: utpatti aur vikas (The tale of Rama: its origin and development) and obtained [4] his D.Phil degree from the University of Allahabad on the subject. His thesis was hailed by scholars all over India and his name became known to litterateurs outside the Hindi world [4] also. Scientific output His lifelong involvement in Hindi research and translation work led him to gather material for an English-Hindi Dictionary (40,000 words) that is still the most widely used in North India. Till the end of his life he kept updating it. He prepared a life of Christ based on the four gospels, Muktidata ('The Saviour') and also translated the Bible into Hindi, as well as liturgical and devotional books. His love for the Hindi language, his imposing appearance as well as his constant willingness to help students and scholars and to listen to the simple and the distressed gave him the reputation of being a 'guru' and, for this reason, many approached him for advice even in matters that had little to do with literature. Main publications (Hindi) Muktidata (The Saviour), Ranchi, 1942. The Theism of Nyaya Vaisheshika, Calcutta, 1947. (Hindi) Rmakath, Utpatti aur Viksa, Allahabad, 1950. (Hindi) Ramkath aur Tulsds, Allahabad, 1977. (Hindi) Naya Vidhana (New Testament), Ranchi, 1977. English-Hindi Dictionary, Ranchi, 1981 (3d ed.). Recognition In 1974, the Government of India conferred on him the Padma Bhushan, one of the premier civilian awards, second only to the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan. The award was in recognition of his "outstanding contribution to Hindi literature." References 1. ^ sabrang.com a b 2. ^ Father Camille Bulcke The Telegraph, Wednesday, 3 January 2007. 3. ^ Obituary Indo-Iranian Journal, Publisher: Springer Netherlands. ISSN 0019-7246 (Print) 1572-8536 (Online). Issue: Volume 25, Number 4 / June 1983. a b c d e f g h 4. ^ Datta, Amaresh Datta (1987). Encyclopaedia of Indian literature vol. 1. Sahitya Akademi. p. 988. ISBN 978-81-260-1803-1. 5. ^ FR. CAMILLE BULCKE, S.J. (1909 1982) - Biography External links Profile, Biodata and Biography of Father Camille Bulcke at BiharSpider

[4]

William Wallace, born 2 March 1863, in Battibrack, Dublin (Ireland) and dead 2 March 1922 in Kurseong, West Bengal (India), was anAnglican pastor who became a Jesuit priest and Indologist. Life William Wallace was personally tutored by his father, an Evangelical minister. He attended Dublin University in 1882, received a degree in Divinity, and sought ordination in the Anglican Church at the age of 24. He took up parish work in the Midlands in England, but, after an illness, returned to Ireland to recuperate. Two years later, he decided to become a missionary with the Church Missionary Society, and was appointed to Krishnagar, West Bengal, in 1889. Disillusioned with the Christianity practiced by his fellow Anglicans, he left the Mission quarters and took up residence in a little hut in Krishnagar where he devoted himself to the study of Bengali and Gaudiya Vaisnavism. His life of simplicity and seeking endeared him to his

Indian neighbours. His contact with Bengali Hindus led him to the opinion that Protestant spiritualty was inadequate to meet the needs of his deeply spiritual Vaisnava friends. After serving seven years in Bengal, he returned to Ireland on home leave. There he made a study of Catholic doctrine and spirituality, and became convinced that only Catholicism could provide him with the means of dialoguing with his Hindu associates, and that only Catholic spirituality was worth preaching to the Bengalis. Having been rejected by the Mill Hill Fathers, he requested admission to theJesuit Order whose members were active in Bengal. He was accepted by the Belgian provincial and entered the novitiate on the 15 February 1898. Upon finishing the two years spiritual training in England, he arrived in Calcutta on 13 December 1901. He engaged in further studies in philosophy and theology at Shembaganur and St Marys, Kurseong before being appointed as a lecturer in English literature at St Xaviers College, Calcutta. He was later sent to Darjeeling as lecturer and parish priest among the Anglo-Indians. It was at this time that he composed his autobiography, From Evangelical to Catholic by Way of the East, and also several works on Hindu philosophy and yoga. He wanted to make use of Indian philosophy to make an acceptable presentation of Christianity to the Hindus. With his health beginning to fail, he was transferred back to St Marys, Kurseong, in 1921. He died on 13 [1] June 1922. Significance Wallaces significance rests on the influence he exerted upon his contemporaries and on younger Jesuits about the way mission was done in Bengal. He helped shift the mentality toward Indian spirituality among the Jesuits and influence the spiritual formation of the novices who were preparing for service in India. He entreated his superiors in Belgium to send their most talented scholastics to engage in the deep study of Hindu texts. Pierre Johanns and Georges Dandoy were fruits of this vision of Wallace. These St Xaviers Jesuits produced a durable synthesis of Catholicism and Hinduism.... The Bengal School, which these came to be [2] clubbed under, was the lasting contribution to India of Father William Wallace. The 'Bengal School' is also known as the 'Calcutta School of Indology'. Wallace was inspired by the efforts of Brahmabandhab Upadhyay and Animananda. With them he felt that Christianity had to be Indianized if it had to gain a successful hearing in Bengal. He had read Upadhyays articles in Sophia and had been impressed by his basic motivations. In his own writings, he reiterated Upadhyays approach regarding the suitability of Indian philosophy [3] as a natural foundation for supernatural religion. Bibliography Primary bibliography From Evangelical to Catholic by Way of the East. The Light of the East Series, no. 35. Calcutta: Catholic Orphan Press, 1923. Introduction to Hindoo Clairvoyance. Kurseong, 1920. Typescript, unpublished. MS at Goethals Library, St Xaviers College, Calcutta. A Bengali Commentary on the Yoga Philosophy. 1923. Polycopied, unpublished. MS at Goethals Library, St Xaviers College, Calcutta. The Everlasting Religion of the Hindoo Sages in Relation to the Catholic Religion of the Christian Fathers. Typescript, unpublished. Varia of Wallace, Goethals Library, St Xaviers College, Calcutta. Secondary bibliography Doyle, Sean. Synthesizing the Veda: The Theology of Pierre Johanns, S.J. Bern: Peter Lang, 2006. 123-126. Hosten, Henry. In Memoriam: William Wallace, 1863-1922. The Catholic Herald of India 5 (22 November 1922) 803-4. Namboodiry, Udayan. St Xaviers: The Making of a Calcutta Institution. New Delhi: Viking/Penguin Books India, 1995. References 1. ^ For this whole section, see Sean Doyle, Synthesizing the Veda: The Theology of Pierre Johanns, S.J. (Bern: Peter Lang, 2006) 123-124.

2. ^ Udayan Namboodiry, St Xaviers: The Making of a Calcutta Institution (New Delhi: Viking/Penguin Books India, 1995) 116. 3. ^ For this section, see Sean Doyle, Synthesizing the Veda: The Theology of Pierre Johanns, S.J. (Bern: Peter Lang, 2006) 125-126.

Le pre Pierre Johanns

Pierre Johanns, (1 avril 1882, Heinerscheid, G.D du Luxembourg - 8 fvrier 1955, Arlon, Belgique) tait unjsuite luxembourgeois, missionnaire Etudes et Carrire Aprs des tudes de thologie Louvain et d'indologie Oxford (Angleterre), Johanns fut envoy en Inde en1921 o il fut professeur aux Facults Saint Xavier de Calcutta, et au Thologat jsuite de Kurseong, prs deDarjeeling. Dialogue avec l'Hindouisme Examinant les crits des grands penseurs Hindous de la non-dualit (Advaita), Shankara (788820?), Ramanuja(1017-1137) et Vallabha (1479-1531), Johanns en fait une sorte de synthse vdantique cohrente qu'il confronte alors la philosophie et thologie chrtienne, dans son expression thomiste. Il y dcouvre de nombreuses 'pierres d'attente' du Christ, et estime, en retour, que l'expression spirituelle et mystique chrtienne peut s'affiner au contact de l'Advaitisme. Dans cette comprhension positive de la spiritualit et thologie hindoue Johanns fut un pionnier. Il la popularisa dans la revue Light of the East (publie par Georges Dandoy, Calcutta, partir de 1922). Il prparait ainsi le changement radical d'approche des religions orientales qui fut consacr par le concile Vatican II dans sa dclaration Nostra Aetate (sur les religions non-chrtiennes). Lui-mme mystique et disciple de Brahmabandav Upadhyaya, il fit des mules et eut des disciples parmi les jsuites belges de Calcutta; de manire informelle ce groupe est connu sous le nom de Calcutta School of Indologists. Ainsi se mit en route un mouvement d'inculturation de la foi chrtienne qui a depuis lors pris beaucoup d'ampleur. L'uvre principale de Johanns fut publie (en 1932-33) sous le titre de Vers le Christ par le Vdanta. De graves problmes de sant le forcrent rentrer en Europe; il mourut Arlon (Belgique) en 1955. uvres principales Vers le Christ par le Vdanta (2 vol.), Louvain, 1932-33. Hinduism, London, 1935. Introduction to the Vedanta, Ranchi (Inde), 1943.

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 La pense religieuse de l'Inde, Namur, 1952. Rfrences MATTAM Joseph, Land of the Trinity; a Study of modern Christian approaches to Hinduism, Bangalore (inde), 1975. de GREEFF T. (ed), The Writings of P.Johanns, Bangalore, 1996. DOYLE, Sean: Synthesizing the Vedanta: the Theology of Pierre Johanns S.J., Oxford, 2006 Brahmabandhav Upadhyay [real name: Bhavani Charan Banerjee] (February 1, 1861 October 27, 1907 (aged 46)) was an Indian freedom fighter, journalist, theologian, and a [1] mystic. Biography Early life and education He was born in Khanyan, a small village in the district of Hooghly in southern Bengal on February 11, 1861. He received his education in institutions such as Scottish Mission School, Hooghly Collegiate School ,Metropolitan Institution (now Vidyasagar College), and the General Assembly's Institution (now Scottish Church College in Calcutta. In the General Assembly's Institution, his classmate was Narendranath Dutta, the future Swami [2] Vivekananda. A quest for freedom and truth When he was in the high school, Upadhyay became inclined towards the Indian nationalist movement for freedom, and during his college education, he plunged into the freedom movement. It is regrettable that despite his active participation in the freedom struggle Upadhyay has not been given the due recognition that he deserves. In the words of his biographer, Professor Julius Lipner, (Brahmabandhab Upadhyay (1861-1907) made a significant contribution to the shaping of the new India whose identity began to emerge [3] from the first half of the nineteenth century. He was contemporary to and friend of the Poet Laureate, Rabindranath Tagore and Swami Vivekananda. It is said that Vivekananda lit the sacrificial flame or revolution, Brahmabandhab in fuelling it, safeguarded and fanned the [4] sacrifice. Upadhyay joined the Brahmo Samaj and was a disciple of Keshub Chunder Sen and was closely associated with Sen and his successor Protap Chunder Mozoomdar. Early on life, Upadhyay had been drawn to the person of Jesus Christ, and his association with Sen and Mozoomdar further deepened that devotion. Upadhyay who initially opposed his uncle, Kali Charan Banerjee's conversion, began to study the Christian faith more seriously under a Catholic priest and sought conversion. However, being denied, he sought and received baptism at the hands of an Anglican priest, R. Heaton. Later on, Upadhyaya was conditionally rebaptized and admitted into the Catholic Church. After his conversion, he assumed the new name Brahmabandhab Upadhyay. Upadhyay believed in the possibility of indigenizing Christianity in India through the use of Hindu categories, which he found to be an important task if Christianity were to take root in India. In this search for reconciliation, Upadhyay explored the feasibility of employing Hindu philosophy in interpreting the Christian faith for the Indian context in the same way Greek philosophy was used for articulating the Christian faith in the west. Upadhyay believed Christianity to be the true revelation of God and as a complete religion, which did not require any deletion from or any addition to it. However, he felt it necessary, in the Indian context, to seek the help of Indian philosophy, in order to strengthen revelation by preserving its unity through the process of reason. He found the Advaita Vedanta philosophy expounded by ankara, the great Vedanta philosopher, to be an appropriate aid in supplying new clothing to Christianity without affecting in the least the essential Christian tenets. But Upadhyay's vision was far in advance of the Roman Catholic Church of his time. His desire to begin a training school was not approved. His writings were declared forbidden reading. As he grew increasingly estranged from the Catholic Church his experiments with Hindu expressions of faith in Jesus became more radical. He finally was identified as a trouble maker by the British government as well, and died while imprisoned for sedition. Hindu friends saw to his cremation, but Christian friends always maintained that he had never renounced his faith in Christ even despite once having performed a cleansing ceremony from his associations with Christians. Animananda's writings especially began his reclamation by Christians, and today he has almost iconic status among Roman Catholic Christians who desire to express their faith consistently with classical Hindu traditions.

Excerpts Upadhyaya wrote in the Sophia, July 1897: Are we Hindus? By birth we are Hindus and we shall remain Hindu till death. But as dvija (twice-born), by virtue of our sacramental rebirth we are Catholics, we are members of the indefectible communion embracing all ages and times. In customs and manners, in observing caste and social distinctions, in eating and drinking, in our life and living we are genuine Hindus, but in our faith we are neither Hindu nor European, nor American nor Chinese, but all-inclusive.... The test of being a Hindu cannot therefore be in religious opinions. Yet, we have drunk of the spirit of Hinduism... We agree in spirit with Hindu law-givers in regard to their teaching that sacramental rites (samskaras) are vehicles of sanctification. With wondering reverence do we look upon their idea of establishing a sacred hierarchy vested with the highest authority in religious and social matters.... Upadhyay was the composer of the famous hymn Vande Saccidananda ("Saluting the Holy Trinity") which is today widely sung during vernacular services in Christian Churches all over India. This CANTICLE TO THE TRINITY was published in October 1898, and is widely regarded as a magnificent gem of Christian hymnology. This hymn is considered one of the most original contributions of Upadhyay to Indian Christian Theology. Upadhyay here has combined ideas from the Christian Scriptures with Greek and Hindu sources and adapted the Christian faith to the cultural patterns of Indian religious thought. CANTICLE TO THE TRINITY I bow to Him who is Being, Consciousness and Bliss. I bow to Him whom worldly minds loathe, Whom pure minds yearn for, The Supreme Abode. He is the Supreme, The Ancient of days, The Transcendent, Indivisible Plenitude, Immanent yet above all things. Three-fold relation, Pure, unrelated knowledge beyond knowledge. The Father, Sun Supreme Lord, unborn, The seedless seed of the tree of becoming, The cause of all, Creator, Providence, Lord of the Universe. The infinite and perfect Word, The Supreme person begotten, Sharing in the Father's nature, Conscious by essence, Giver of true Salvation. He who proceeds from Being and Consciousness Replete with the breath of perfect bliss The purifier, the Swift, The Revealer of the Word the Life-giver. Writing

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Hundreds of articles in Bengali and English in short-lived journals and magazines of Bengal such as Sophia, Jote, Sandhya, The Twentieth Century, Svaraj, etc. The Writings of Brahmabandhab Upadhyay (ed. by J.Lipner and G.Gispert-Sauch), 2 vols., Bangalore, 1991 and 2001. Reference Bhattacharya, Ramkrishna. Brahmabandhav Upadhyay: The Unvanquished Publicist in 175th Year Commemoration Volume, Scottish Church College, April 2008.

1. ^ Bhattacharya, pp. 89-90. 2. ^ Lipner, Julius. Brahmabandhab Upadhyay: The Life and Thought of a Revolutionary. Delhi: OUP, 1999, p. xv. 3. ^ Lipner, p. xv. Animananda, B. R. Swami Upadhyay Brahmabandhav: A Sketch in Two Parts. Calcutta: by the author, 1908. Animananda, B. R. The Blade: Life and Work of Brahmabandhab Upadhyay. Calcutta: Roy & Sons, n.d. [1946]. Bagal, Jogescandra. Brahmabandhab Upadhyay. Calcutta: Bangiya Sahitya Parisat, 1964. Debsarma, Bolai. Brahmabandhab Upadhyay. Calcutta: Prabartak Publishers, 1961. Guha, Manoranjan. Brahmabandhav Upadhyay. Siksa Niketan, Bardhaman, 1976. Lavaranne, C. Swami Brahmabandhab Upadhyay (1861-1907): Theologie chretienne et pensee du Vedanta. Ph.D. diss. Universite de Provence, 1992. Lipner, Julius. Brahmabandhab Upadhyay: The Life and Thought of a Revolutionary. Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1999. Mukhopadhyay, Uma. India's Fight for Freedom or the Swadeshi Movement (1905 06). Calcutta, 1958. Painadath, Sebastian and Jacob Parappally, eds. A Hindu-Catholic: Brahmabandhab Upadhyay's Significance for Indian Christian Theology. Bangalore: Asia Trading Corporation, 2008. Spendlove, Gregory Blake. A Critical Study of the Life and Thought of Brahmabandhab Upadhyay. Deerfield: Trinity International University, 2005. Tennent, Timothy C. Building Christianity on Indian Foundations: The Legacy of Brahmabndhav Updhyy. Delhi: ISPCK, 2000.

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