The example of a religious community that lives from the sources of Christian and Hindu tradition

Lecture and discussion with Brother John Martin

Brother John has been living as a Benedictine monk in the Shantivanam Ashram in India since 1984. Living in this religious community enables him to live a daily life that does honour to his Christian and Hindu roots. Joint religious services and meditations are not only based on Christian sources, but also incorporate the wisdom of Hindu scriptures such as the Upanishads and the Baghavad Gita. This living synthesis of a religious community is still a rare phenomenon in the religious world. What does such an „interreligious“ everyday life look like in the Shantivanam Ashram? How can a person unite different religious currents? What is the history behind the ashram? Is this kind of interfaith community a model of peace for the future?

These are some of the questions that Brother John Martin will address. There will also be plenty of time for a dialogue with him.

Speaker:

John Martin, born 1955 in South India. Studied theology and philosophy. Benedictine monk at Shantivanam Ashram since 1984. Expert in Hindu and Christian spirituality. Bridge builder between West and East, in the tradition of the monk Bede Griffiths. Regular lecture tours in North America and Europe several years ago.