News

Nehru Centre Event: Divinity and Humanity: Indian Insights on the Nature of God

Nehru Centre Event
Monday, 16 May 2011 - 6:30pm to 7:30pm

A talk by Dr Nicholas Sutton of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies 

 
The Indian subcontinent has been the birthplace of many different religious and spiritual insights relating to the nature of the world, the nature of humanity and the nature of God.  In this talk we will consider the range of different ideas that India has offered to the world ranging from overt atheism to the most emotional forms of love of God and consider how it is that such diverse interpretations of the world have been able to coexist in a state of relative harmony.

Friends Event: Where's Your Sharia?

Leicester Friends Event
Saturday, 30 April 2011 - 7:00pm to 9:00pm

One of the traditional functions of religion has been to provide communities of believers with rules and guidelines that dictate how they should live their daily lives, the most obvious examples being Islamic Sharia and the Jewish Law. But what rules are Hindus obliged to follow and is there any source they can look to for guidance on matters such diet, marriage, sexuality, personal relations etc? In this talk, Nick Sutton will explore these questions and the different answers to them that might be considered.

Bridges and Barriers to Hindu Christian Relations research project

29 March 2011

In 2010 the nascent Hindu-Christian Forum won funding from the Department of Communities and Local Government to undertake a research project in the form of a 'listening exercise' exploring the relations between Hindu and Christian communities in the UK. This report is intended to guide the way for the future direction that the Hindu Christian Forum will take.

The OCHS took on this project, and with the consultation of the Oxford Centre for Christianity and Culture, Dr Jessica Frazier designed and carried out the research from June to December of 2010.

OCHS library receives large donation of titles

24 March 2011

The Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies library, already an excellent and well-stocked resource has been generously supplemented by a donation from Dr J. A. F. Roodbergen of Amsterdam, one of the world's great Sanskritists.

The donation of 10,000 titles has doubled the size of the OCHS library and presents Dr Rembert Lutjeharms, our librarian, with a welcome challenge – how to fit twice as many books into the same tight space.

OCHS alumnus given tenure at William and Mary

16 March 2011

OCHS alumnus, Dr Ravi Gupta has been awarded tenure at William and Mary College, one of the US's oldest and most prestigious universities.

 
Ravi completed his D.Phil. at Oxford in 2004 at the tender age of 22. He went on to teach at University of Florida shortly after and then to William and Mary College in 2008.
 
At William and Mary, Ravi was described as a "teacher's teacher" by his colleagues and was awarded two teaching awards in his first two years.

Friends Event: The Gunas

Leicester Friends Event
Saturday, 26 March 2011 - 7:00pm to 9:00pm

A talk by Anuradha Dooney of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies.

In the Hindu  Samkhya tradition, the three gunas, or ‘threads’ of sattva, rajas, and tamas weave together reality around us. They ‘colour’ our vision of  ourselves and others,  the choices we make, and how we act in the world.
 
Through visual and interactive exercises this presentation offers a fresh  opportunity for self-reflection and challenges us  to take responsibility for who we are and what we become in life.

Nehru Centre Event: Religious Values in a Secular World: Indian Perspectives

Nehru Centre Event
Wednesday, 23 March 2011 - 6:30pm to 7:30pm

A talk by Dr Nicholas Sutton of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies 

 
In this opening talk we will consider the role of religion in the modern world and particularly focus on the differences that can arise between religious values and secular principles.  One of the traditional functions of religion has been to provide guidelines and rules as to how individuals should conduct their lives in terms of marriage, sexuality, inheritance, gender roles etc, but in the modern world this role is increasingly called into question.

Friends Event: Holi Yatra: Sponsored Walk

Leicester Friends Event
Saturday, 10 March 2012 - 9:00am

Following the fun and success of last year’s Holi Walk, we are ready to do it all again, we would like you to join us to walk to all the mandirs of Leicester to raise funds for the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies. 

 
Please register your interest by sending an email to lf@ochs.org.uk and we will send you a sponsor form

Friends Holi walk in support of OCHS

22 February 2011

The Leicester Friends of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies (FOCHS) is organising a sponsored walk to take place on 19th March 2011. The walk coincides with Kartik Sud Punam, also known as Holika Day or Holi. Sposnsorships will go towards supporting the work of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies.

 
The walk will take participants to a dozen of Leicester's Hindu Temples on foot in one day. 
 
According to Ramila Chauhan, one of the walk's organisers, "The OCHS is making a great contribution to Hindu education in the UK.

OCHS alumnus awarded for theological promise

22 February 2011

Dr Jonathan Edelmann, OCHS alumnus and Assistant Professor of Religion at Mississippi State University, has been awarded the the 2011 Templeton Award for Theological Promise by the University of Heidelberg.

The award was based on his dissertation, "When Two Worlds Meet: A Dialogue Between the Bhagavata Purana and Contemporary Biological Theory".

Friends Event: Faith and Food in Hindu Traditions

Birmingham Friends Event
Saturday, 22 January 2011 - 7:00pm to 9:00pm

A Talk by Anuradha Dooney of the OCHS Continuing Education Department

"From food are made all bodies, which become food again for others after their death. Food is the most important of all things for the body; therefore it is the best medicine for all the body’s ailments. Those who look upon food as the Lord’s gift shall never lack life’s physical comforts." Taittirya Upanisad 2.1.1
 
From the earliest expressions of Hindu thought to the Ayurvedic remedies, tiffin wallas, and temples of today, food, fasting and feasting have been at the heart of Hindu ideology and practice.

Friends Event: Do Hindus Worship many Gods?

Leicester Friends Event
Saturday, 29 January 2011 - 7:00pm to 9:00pm

A talk by NIck Sutton of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies.

The images of Vishnu, Devi, Shiva, Krishna, Rama, Ganesh, Hanuman and other deities have led people to suppose that Hinduism is a religion of many gods. But is this the really so? In this talk Nick Sutton will explore the issue with reference to various sacred texts and attempt to untangle the different Hindu teachings concerning the nature of God.