The Nature and Possibility of Christian Sannyāsa

Abstract

The article begins by comparing the ‘Western’ and traditional Indian views of the stages of spiritual development during the life-cycle. The former is characterized as a period of education,
work and activity finally ending in retirement and relative inactivity. The latter, drawing upon the ancient Indian tradition as re-evaluated by writers such as Tagore and Thottakara, envisages the life-cycle as comprising four elements: the periods of education, householder, the forest-dweller and, ultimately, the renouncer or Sannyāsi. The article will concentrate on this latter stage, in particular, asking the question: is a Christian Sannyāsa possible? To answer this question case studies are explored from the contemporary and recent history of Christianity in India. In particular, the article concentrates on three main figures: Henri le Saux (‘Abhishiktananda’), Fr Francis Vineeth CMI and Swami Sadanand.