Session 1: A Fireside Chat on Liberation Theology
In the first session of this three-part course, Professor Anantanand Rambachan introduces the foundations of a liberatory and pluralistic Hindu faith, exploring what it means to understand Hinduism as a tradition deeply concerned with human dignity, equality, and social transformation. The session examines how Hindu theology can respond to poverty, caste oppression, patriarchy, political powerlessness, and other forms of injustice, emphasizing that spiritual liberation cannot be separated from the realities of suffering and the pursuit of justice in this life.
Participants will be invited to reflect on the relationship between religious belief and social responsibility, considering whether liberation should be understood solely as an individual spiritual goal or also as a collective struggle for freedom from oppression. The discussion explores key themes in Hindu thought that affirm the interconnectedness of all beings and the sacred worth of every person.
Hindu Liberation Theology 101 with Anantanand Rambachan
Session Two: What Is Hindu Liberation Theology?
In the second session of the Liberatory Hinduism Course, Professor Anantanand Rambachan offers a deeper introduction to Hindu liberation theology and its relevance to contemporary struggles for justice. He distinguishes liberation theology from understandings of moksha that focus primarily on freedom after death, arguing that Hindu spirituality must also confront caste, patriarchy, poverty, political powerlessness, and other forms of suffering in the present world.
The session examines several theological barriers to justice, including world-denying interpretations of liberation, the use of karma to blame those who experience oppression, and the influence of Hindu nationalism. Professor Rambachan also introduces four major sources for developing a Hindu liberation theology: Sruti, Smriti, Sadachara, and Atma Santosha, inviting participants to consider how Hindu traditions can be interpreted critically and constructively in support of human dignity and social transformation.
Session Three: Building a Hindu Liberation Theology
In the final session of the Liberatory Hinduism Course, Professor Anantanand Rambachan examines the foundational sources that can guide the development of a Hindu liberation theology. He explores Sruti, Smriti, Sadachara, and Atma Santosh, emphasizing that religious teachings must be interpreted critically and rejected when they conflict with reason, lived experience, human dignity, or justice.
Drawing on Upanishadic teachings about the unity and equality of all beings, the session considers the gap between Hinduism’s spiritual ideals and the persistence of caste, gender, and other social hierarchies. Participants are invited to consider how contextual interpretation, individual conscience, and the teachings of Dalit and other marginalized communities can contribute to a living liberation theology grounded in both Hindu tradition and the struggle for social transformation.