The comparative theology of Francis X. Clooney SJ and the question of theological dual belonging

Abstract

Christian theologians who engage with the thought of other religious traditions have often claimed that their work constitutes a form of dual belonging. However, this is a subject of some controversy. This chapter considers the comparative theology of Francis X. Clooney SJ, who is the leading modern proponent of a sustained encounter specifically with Hindu theological traditions. This chapter surveys his theological project in general, before considering one place where Clooney characterises it as a form of multiple religious belonging. The chapter argues that Clooney’s comparative theology itself is invulnerable to any charge of incoherence or syncretism. Whether it actually counts as a form of religious dual belonging is something for each tradition engaged with to determine. In the final analysis, the controversial nature of religious dual belonging means that it may well be best to dispense with this label in order not to detract from the value and success of Clooney’s approach taken on its own terms.