Friday, October 25, 2013

Holy Books and Life after Life

Holy Books and Life after Life

The Intertextuality series of conferences under the auspices of Dr. Alexander Marthoma Centre for Dialogue, Kottarakkara and Cosmic Community Centre, Karickam was initiated in the year 2005. The theme of the first conference was “Intertextuality of the Holy Books”. The second conference in 2007 dealt with the subject “One Word Many Versions: A Re- Reading of the Holy Books”. The third conference was held at Santhigiri Ashram Aluvae and its subject was “Holy Books and Violence”. The fourth International Seminar was conducted again at Kottarakara in the year 2011 with the theme “Holy Books and People of differing faith”. The fifth conference was held at the International Public Karickam School from 30th September to 3rd October 2013. Several eminent scholars from different parts of the world presented papers on “Holy Books and Life after life”.

            The program was inaugurated by His Holiness Presanna Venkittacharya Chaturvedi Swami (President, Ramanuja Mission Trust, India). Rt. Rev Thomas Mar Timotheos Episcopa, (President, AMCD) gave the keynote address. Swami Sachidananda Bharathi released the Book (Holy Books and Life After Life- Edited by Dr. Abraham Karickam and Dr. Ruwan Palapathwala) by presenting the first copy to the Bishop. Dr. Alexander Marthoma Peace Award 2013, was presented to Rev. Dr. M. J. Joseph. Sidhartha Siva (President’s award for the best debutant Director), Cosmic Rajan (best URI Cooperation circle award), P.A Sajimon (best teacher award), Afna Jaleeb (First Prize winner, URI essay contest) were also given cash award and citations on the occasion. Ian Fry, Australia (The Tripwire to More Questions than Answers), Bishop Kumara Illangasinghe, Sri Lanka (Aryubovan :A Wish for (long or more) Life), Dr. Shanthikumar Hettiarachchi , Sri Lanka (The Living WORD in the Words of the Living),  Emmanuel Ande Ivorgba, Nigeria (Examining the concepts of God, death and the life hereafter in African Traditional Religions) Rev.Dr.M.J.Joseph, Kerala (Affirming the Power of Life) Dr.Galina Ermolina, Russia (Life after death), Jayanti R  Chavan, Mumbai (The Eternity of Holy books and Life ) Rodrijo, Enzo and Luis, Uruguay  (Life After Life),  Sidhar  Dr. B. Rajaram, Coimbatore (Holy books  &  life after life – interpretation)  Rev. Dr. K.V. Mathew, Kerala  (Life After Life )     Greshma, Punalur (After life) , Dr. Abraham Karickam, Kottarakara (The Journey of the Soul )Tinumeren Ozukum, Andhra Pradesh     (Life after life: Biblical Implication), Dame Dr. Prof. Meher Master- Moos, President, Zoroastrian college (Holy books and life after life From the view point of the ancient Avestan Mazdayasnie Zarathushtrian Daena) Rev.M.O Ommen Jr., Bangalore (Resurrection of the dead: Towards a Pauline understanding) Kesava Dasa Swami, Argentina (After Life: References from the Srimad Bhagavatam)Reid Shelton Fernando (Intertextuality of the Holy Books: An interview with Santhi Hetterachchi)Kamal Waleboda, Srilanka (The concept of the life after death in Buddhism)Sankara Rameswaran, Tirunelveli (Life after life: A Vedic experience), Vasudeva Rao , Vedanda Institute, Calcutta (Vedas and life after life), Fr. O Thomas, Kottarakara (Expedition of the soul: A personal experience) were among the scholars who presented papers at the conference.
            Dr. Alexander Marthoma Centre for Dialogue was founded twenty years ago as a project of Marthoma Students’ Conference. The Intertextuality conferences were started with the intension of developing a philosophical foundation for Interfaith dialogue by analyzing the connecting threads among the Holy Books. The underlying concept is that there is only one Holy Book and all the scriptures are to be read like different chapters of one book.



   

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