Vaishnavism, antievolutionism, and ambiguities: revisiting iskcon's darwin-skepticism

The International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), commonly known as the Hare Krishna Movement, has disseminated a flurry of antievolutionist media since its inception in 1966. Such communications frequently co-opt arguments employed by Christian creationists and Intelligent Design theoris...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Zygon
Subtitles:HINDUISM, BUDDHISM, AND SCIENCE
Authors: Zambon, Olivier (Author) ; Aechtner, Thomas (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Wiley-Blackwell [2018]
In: Zygon
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Hare-Krischna-Bewegung / Evolution / Scepticism
IxTheo Classification:AB Philosophy of religion; criticism of religion; atheism
BK Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism
VA Philosophy
Further subjects:B antievolutionism
B Creationism
B Hare Krishnas
B Vedic
B ISKCON
B Bhaktivedanta
B Vaishnavism
Online Access: Volltext (Verlag)
Volltext (doi)
Description
Summary:The International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), commonly known as the Hare Krishna Movement, has disseminated a flurry of antievolutionist media since its inception in 1966. Such communications frequently co-opt arguments employed by Christian creationists and Intelligent Design theorists. At the same time, however, there are indications that a scattering of ISKCON publications have articulated relatively ambiguous, less oppositional statements about evolutionary theory. This article reconsiders ISKCON's Darwin-skepticism by appraising recent, largely unexamined Hare Krishna publications, as well as responses to evolutionary theory expressed by ISKCON's founder, A. C. Bhaktivedanta, and his immediate Vaishnava forerunners. The analysis reveals that, although the majority of contemporary ISKCON materials are vehemently opposed to evolution, some leading voices demonstrate less combative, cautiously accommodating stances. These cases are suggestive of complexities in ISKCON's responses to evolution, both past and present, which are not necessarily encapsulated in the terms Vedic creationism or antievolutionism.
ISSN:1467-9744
Contains:Enthalten in: Zygon
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1111/zygo.12395