# Different Paths and Shared Perspectives Two Professors from Two Traditions Find New Ways to Explore Hindu Studies at HDS November 19, 2024 ![Clooney and Bagaria standing together](/sites/g/files/omnuum5526/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/092324-bagaria_clooney-00009-900x600.jpg?itok=DmdnJEEG) From left to right: Francis X. Clooney, S.J., Parkman Professor of Divinity and Professor of Comparative Theology, and Swayam Bagaria, Assistant Professor of Hindu Studies. Photo: Marisol Andrade Muñoz One might not think that a Jesuit priest interested in ancient Hindu texts and a mathematician interested in medical anthropology would be developing new courses together at a divinity school, but such is the case at HDS. Professors Francis X. Clooney, S.J., and Swayam Bagaria have more in common than their areas of expertise may suggest. One commonality in both their vastly different stories is that neither faculty member envisioned a career at a divinity school. Discussing his anticipated profession, Clooney recalls that he was “on track to teach high school” before a transformational trip to India in the 1970s. Bagaria remembers being “absolutely certain” that he would become a mathematician focused on advanced logic. Yet, they were both drawn to the rich traditions found throughout Hinduism and how religion can inform, influence, and improve the world. ## A Jesuit Journey ![Hindu and Catholic, Priest and Scholar book cover](/sites/g/files/omnuum5526/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/hds2/files/hindu-catholic-book-cover.jpg?itok=UgPn04Kv) Professor Clooney’s most recent book, with a photo from the hills of Nepal in 1974.As a young man, Clooney followed the Jesuit passion for education, which led him to the study of Hinduism and comparative theology with Catholicism. “I entered the Jesuit order to become a Catholic priest right after high school, which we did in those days—56 years ago,” he shares. “I was on the course to become a priest, which I did, but part of the training is to do some practical work between studying. In short, I ended up going to Kathmandu, Nepal, from 1973 to 1975. And what began to emerge there was that my studies as a Catholic, my study of philosophy and theology, opened up into an exploration of what, loosely, I could call Hindu philosophy, and theology—and the worship element of the Catholic church, the mass and so on, analogous to Hindu temples and traditions.” After earning his doctorate in South Asian languages and civilizations from the University of Chicago in 1984, Clooney taught at Boston College for 21 years before coming to Harvard. He joined the HDS faculty in 2005 as the Parkman Professor of Divinity and Professor of Comparative Theology. His primary areas of Indological scholarship are theological commentarial writings in the Sanskrit and Tamil traditions. In addition to authoring several books and articles, he has been a member of the Society of Jesus for 56 years and a Roman Catholic priest for 46 years. He serves regularly in a parish on weekends and attends to spiritual life on campus. ## From Advanced Mathematics to Interdisciplinary Anthropology Bagaria vividly remembers being a committed math major with the intention to go to UC Berkeley for a graduate program in advanced mathematical logic. However, during his time as an undergraduate student, he began reading books by a well-known Indian anthropologist who serendipitously became his PhD advisor at Johns Hopkins University. For his doctoral degree, Bagaria studied anthropology, which led him to the burgeoning field of computational social sciences. Remembering this shift in his area of focus, he notes: “Some of the most intriguing things that I’ve read on culture, tradition, and religion have come from cognitive anthropology and evolutionary anthropology; I hope to bring those connections together in my current work.” Bagaria explored the psychosocial aspects of religion— particularly Hinduism—as a graduate student, and received his PhD in anthropology in 2020. His work combines computational, cognitive, and sociocultural methods. He uses these methods to understand the formation and persistence of multidimensional and compositional beliefs, especially religious beliefs, in contemporary societies and the effect they have on a range of outcomes, including psychological health, social resilience, and political stability. He joined HDS in 2022 as a postdoctoral fellow and was promoted to Assistant Professor of Hindu Studies in 2023. Known as an excellent teacher and prolific writer, he also frequently attends School gatherings, playing a role in the vibrant community life at HDS. ![Hindu altar display](/sites/g/files/omnuum5526/files/styles/hwp_1_1__960x960_scale/public/hds2/files/hds-ganga-altar.jpg?itok=SCIOK-yI) Photo of altar from a March 2024 Noon Service led by HDS Ganga. Photo: Amie Montemurro## Preserving and Promoting Academic Curiosity and Intellectual Boundaries Despite their different paths, both professors find themselves on a similar journey with shared perspectives. When asked about their approach to teaching, both emphasize the importance of rigorous debate, respectful disagreement, and academic curiosity that can be explored without the fear of alienating those who may think about issues differently. In the words of Clooney: “To be in the classroom with students creates an environment in which we think together, we read together, and we discern together. I try to tell students, ‘you can disagree with me, but you have to know what you’re talking about, because I can learn from you just as you can learn from me.’ That is to say, the teacher is a role model for being a lifelong learner. So, if you, as a teacher, are a learner yourself, then the students might get the sense that they can also teach and learn simultaneously.” > “For me, by focusing too much on overly simplified articulations of doctrinal differences, you are missing the point of religion, per se. . . . There are, of course, distinctions between the evolution of different religions and their histories, but I think that’s something that you have to arrive at rather than begin from.”—Professor Swayam Bagaria In true philosopher fashion, Clooney continues: “And I’ll say the same of the opposite side of that argument to my students: ‘I don’t want you just to agree with me without doing the reading. I want you to show me what it is you agree with and where your thinking is going.’ There’s no way that somebody 25 or 30 years old now at Harvard Divinity School thinks exactly the way I think. Therefore, we, over a semester, cross the divide and begin to think together—which I find endlessly exciting.” Similarly, Bagaria sees the benefits of healthy dissonance: “I have been most influenced by teachers who have been more interested in the contrast of disciplines—areas of study that do not seem to go together at first glance.” Sharing more about his teaching style, he notes: “I learn best when there is a clear question that one is addressing. Once there is a question, then you can explore several different frameworks from different disciplines to address that question. And the point is not to decide or triage for one or the other, but to explore a question from multiple perspectives to see what might be illuminated with a different view.” ![Students and school leaders posing in the chapel](/sites/g/files/omnuum5526/files/styles/hwp_1_1__960x960_scale/public/hds2/files/hds-ganga.jpg?itok=eGLSbcKd) HDS Ganga members and School leaders with Professors Bagaria and Clooney after a March 2024 Noon Service. Photo: Amie Montemurro## Deepening and Expanding Hindu Studies at HDS Hinduism is one of the oldest living religions in the world. With roots that date back to more than four thousand years ago, the tradition’s influence on culture can be seen through art, architecture, language, literature, philosophy, and theology. Professors Clooney and Bagaria both joined the faculty at HDS to deepen and expand course offerings related to comparative and Hindu studies with work that complements their varied areas of expertise. In broad terms, Clooney explores the ancient texts and traditions of Hinduism with respect to the texts and traditions of Catholicism from a comparativist viewpoint. Bagaria focuses on a range of contemporary policy and social issues that arise in predominantly Hindu societies. Bagaria also has a background in medical anthropology, psychological anthropology, and mental health—topics Clooney has been keen to explore further. With Clooney’s interests in the Vedanta texts related to the philosophy of the mind, the two scholars have found another fascinating overlap in their work that has resulted in expanding the curriculum at Harvard. “I am excited for the new yearlong course Swayam has created titled ‘Mind Spirituality and Mental Health in Hinduism,’” Clooney shares. Bagaria further explains: “Fall semester is focused on theology, cognitive sciences, and philosophy of mind, and spring semester is focused on medical anthropology, public health, and psychological anthropological perspectives.” This course is but one example of how cross-disciplinary work can create a kaleidoscope of ideas—inspiring new foundations of scholarship for generations to come. ![Three monastics smiling at the camera](/sites/g/files/omnuum5526/files/styles/hwp_1_1__960x960_scale/public/hds2/files/102819_hindu_003-900x6000.jpg?itok=YAF5Qr-L) From left to right: Sadhak Akshar Parsana, Brahmacharini Shweta Chaitanya, and Swami Sarvapriyananda, the inaugural visiting Hindu monastics at HDS in 2019. Photo: Kris Snibbe, Harvard Staff Photographer## Visiting Hindu Monastics at HDS [In 2019, three Hindu monastics joined HDS](https://hds.harvard.edu/news/2019/10/30/learning-each-other) as in-residence community members. They were the first to participate in a new program made possible by a generous gift from Vibh and Ajit Nagral out of their interest in strengthening the Hindu presence at Harvard. The program, led by Professor Francis X. Clooney, S.J., was designed with two main objectives: to enrich HDS’s multireligious community and to enable the participating monastics to return to their home communities with expanded horizons. Since the inaugural cohort, six more monastics have visited Harvard—thanks to additional support from Akhil Gupta and the Dean’s Office. This program has been instrumental in creating opportunities for learning from religious leaders with different perspectives, which helps combat the myth that Hinduism is a monolith—giving students, staff, and faculty the opportunity to witness pluralism across and throughout traditions. HDS welcomes discussion about supporting the Visiting Hindu Monastics program, and multifaith ministry more broadly, to continue building these vital efforts. ## On *Cura Personalis* and Pluralism As their course collaborations and enthusiastic interviews may suggest, the two faculty members—with careers that span generations—share a genuine interest, care, and intellectual curiosity that is palpable to those fortunate enough to share in their company. On campus, they can be found attending each other’s classes, spending time with visiting Hindu monastics, and enjoying events such as the South Asian Devotional Music Night. In word and in practice, Professors Clooney and Bagaria model multireligious community. Clooney cites a concept from the Jesuit tradition while discussing this remarkable collegiality—cura personalis (Latin for “care for the whole person”). The respect each scholar asks of their students in the classroom is meant not merely for intellectual pursuits, but also for life as a whole. Honoring our collective humanity with an open mind and compassionate heart is yet another commonality shared by the professors. > “Whatever is true, beautiful, helpful, healthy—think on those things and they will lead you to the peace of God. I think that has inspired not just me, but many a Jesuit for many a century, to trust the educational process. . . . If you teach well, it opens up the nature of reality.”—Professor Francis X. Clooney, S.J. When asked about insights from their respective traditions or areas of expertise, Bagaria leans into the importance of pluralism. “For me, by focusing too much on overly simplified articulations of doctrinal differences, you are missing the point of religion, per se. And the other thing to remember, which makes a lot more sense given the context of India, is that historically most traditions were built in interaction with each other. There are, of course, distinctions between the evolution of different religions and their histories, but I think that’s something that you have to arrive at rather than begin from,” he explains. Building on this teaching, Clooney offers a reading from Saint Paul’s letter to the Philippians: “Finally, sisters and brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. As the things that you have learned and received and heard and noticed in me, do those things, and the God of peace will be with you.” As if giving an impromptu homily, he continues: “And, in that sense, Saint Paul is saying that you don’t have to stop being a Christian or being a zealot for the gospel, but you can just leave your understanding of the world open. Whatever is true, beautiful, helpful, healthy—think on those things and they will lead you to the peace of God. I think that has inspired not just me, but many a Jesuit for many a century, to trust the educational process. You don’t have to layer preaching on top of it; if you teach well, it opens up the nature of reality.” Professors Bagaria and Clooney may not have envisioned paths leading to a divinity school when they first began their academic careers—but their intellectual curiosity and care for the study of religion have made all the difference. *—By Amie Montemurro, Senior Communications Officer* See also:- [ Faculty and Research ](/discover-stories-about/faculty-and-research) - [ Hinduism ](/featured-topics/hinduism)