Arvind Sharma — LLMpedia

Arvind Sharma
Name	Arvind Sharma
Birth date	1940
Birth place	India
Occupation	Scholar of Hinduism, comparative religion, theology
Employer	McGill University

Contents

Arvind Sharma is an Indian-born scholar of Hinduism and comparative religion, known for extensive work on theology, religious pluralism, and comparative philosophy. He has held professorships and research positions in North America and Europe, contributing to debates involving Adi Shankara, Mahābhārata, Bhagavad Gita, and interreligious dialogue among Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Sikhism. His scholarship intersects with studies at institutions such as Harvard University, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, and University of Toronto.

Early life and education

Born in India, Sharma received early schooling in Indian institutions before pursuing higher education abroad. He earned degrees that connected him to traditions including Vedanta, Nyāya, and Mīmāṃsā, and completed advanced studies at universities linked to scholars from Banaras Hindu University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, and later institutions such as Harvard Divinity School. His formation engaged influences from thinkers associated with Ramakrishna Mission, Sri Aurobindo, Mahatma Gandhi, and modernists tied to Rabindranath Tagore.

Sharma has held academic appointments across North America and Europe, including posts at McGill University, where he chaired departments connected to the study of religion and philosophy. He has served as visiting professor or research fellow at centers such as Harvard University, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, University of Toronto, University of California, Berkeley, Columbia University, and Yale University. His career includes affiliations with institutes like the Centre for Studies in World Religions, the International Association for the History of Religions, and the American Academy of Religion. He participated in conferences hosted by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, World Council of Churches, and regional symposia in London, New York City, Montreal, and New Delhi.

Sharma is author and editor of numerous monographs and edited volumes addressing Hinduism and comparative theology. Notable works include studies on Advaita Vedānta, analyses of texts such as the Bhagavad Gita and the Upaniṣads, and edited collections on religious pluralism that engage with scholarship from Paul Tillich, Karl Barth, John Hick, Wilfred Cantwell Smith, and Alister McGrath. His publications have been reviewed in journals affiliated with Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, Routledge, and Brill. He contributed chapters to handbooks used in programs at McGill University, Harvard Divinity School, University of Chicago, and the University of Notre Dame.

Sharma's research spans Hinduism, comparative theology, ethics rooted in texts like the Bhagavad Gita, and dialogues among Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Sikhism. He advanced discussions on religious pluralism, comparative hermeneutics, and the philosophical interpretation of Vedanta traditions, engaging with figures such as Adi Shankara, Rāmānuja, Madhva, and modern scholars like S. Radhakrishnan. His work interfaces with debates in journals and forums connected to Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, International Journal of Hindu Studies, and meetings of the American Philosophical Association. He also explored intersections with literary studies referencing Rabindranath Tagore and dialogues with contemporary theologians including Hans Küng and Jürgen Moltmann.

Sharma has received honors from academic bodies and learned societies, including fellowships and awards associated with Canada Council for the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, and international fellowships linked to All Souls College, Oxford and institutes such as Jawaharlal Nehru University. He is a member or fellow of organizations including the American Academy of Religion, the International Association for the History of Religions, and has been invited to lecture at venues like Royal Society of Canada and universities across Europe, Asia, and North America.

Sharma's personal commitments to scholarship influenced generations of students and colleagues across institutions such as McGill University, Harvard University, University of Toronto, and Oxford. His legacy includes curated bibliographies, edited volumes, and doctoral supervisees who continue work on Vedanta, comparative theology, and interreligious ethics. He is remembered in circles connected to the World Council of Churches, the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, and conferences in New Delhi and Montreal for fostering dialogues among scholars of Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism.

Category:Hindu studies scholars Category:Comparative religion scholars