by Tattvavit Dasa
An important publication in pursuit of ISKCON’s mission sees new life.
For a little more than a decade, Shaunaka Rishi Dasa, from Ireland, published the original ISKCON Communications Journal (ICJ) in England in his capacity as the director of ISKCON Communications Europe. Biannual issues appeared from 1993 through 1999, and five issues between 2000 and 2005. The digital back issues are online (content.iskcon.org). The journal presented to the general public ISKCON’s values and understandings on a variety of topics, while also promoting internal analysis among its membership.
Shaunaka Rishi wrote and published, in 1999, the first statement on interfaith dialogue specific to the Caitanya Vaisnava tradition: “ISKCON in Relation to People of Faith in God.” Thanks to his perseverance, articles by scholars from within and outside ISKCON addressed dozens of issues and challenges that ISKCON was navigating. But because he needed to serve exclusively as the executive director of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, the ICJ became dormant after 2005.
The ICJ was reawakened and revived this year in Belgium by Mahaprabhu Dasa, the current director of ISKCON Communications Europe. The ICJ returns to continue the work begun almost thirty years ago of covering topics crucial to ISKCON. ICJ will again contain scholarly articles on obstacles to religious freedom, moral and ethical challenges, scientific and philosophical thought, abuse (child, domestic, pastoral), and topics about or directly related to ISKCON. The audience includes academics, the media, faith communities, political and cultural leaders, and more.
Akhandadhi Dasa, Founder of the Science and Philosophy Initiative, contributed an article to the 2021 Journal based on a talk he presented at the “Consciousness in Science” Conference in Gainesville, Florida (January 2019): “Why Consciousness Is a Big Deal for Science.” The Bhaktivedanta Institute members are welcome to submit ICJ articles.
Anuttama Dasa, the Global Minister of ISKCON Communications, mentions in his introduction to this revived and revamped journal, that ISKCON “has much to offer the world and much to learn from the world.” By publishing this needed communication, ICJ will help ISKCON fulfill its ambitious purposes and inspired mission.
To order the 2021 ICJ, contact Ijya Dasa at Krishna.com or contact Bhaktivedanta Library Services (BLS), Petite Somme 2, 6940 Durbuy, Belgium; orders@blservices.com; www.blservices.com; phone: +32 (0)86 32 32 80. To subscribe to ISKCON Communications Journal contact BLS.
Tattvavit Dasa co-edited the first issue of the revived ISKCON Communications Journal.