Project Noon

Ramana Maharshi’s Message for the Present

Professor Patrick Laude’s examination of the Indian sage Ramana Maharshi’s teachings delves into themes and questions particularly relevant to the contemporary spiritual crisis and search for meaning. Prof. Laude touches upon the role of religion in Self-inquiry; the relationship between devotion and knowledge; the role and limitations of traditional forms; and the implications in our postmodern era of both the Maharshi’s emphasis on surrender, and his basic question: ‘Who am I?’

Professor Patrick Laude, Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service in Qatar.

Why We Need to Study Religion

Prof. Arvind Sharma talks about the need for religious literacy as Indian and wider global citizens. He distinguishes between the confessional study of a religion that believers of a religion do, and the academic study of religion that can be done even by a non-believer. He advocates for the latter to be a part of our education. The secular dismissal of religious studies from educational curricula has been a mistake in his view. Finally, he suggests phenomenology as a useful method in the study of religion.