Book Review

Abstract

The article presents George A. James’s critical review of Lance E. Nelson’s edited volume Purifying the Earthly Body of God: Religion and Ecology in Hindu India (SUNY Press, 1998). James evaluates how well the book addresses the intersection of Hindu theological traditions and environmental ethics. He appreciates the volume’s attempt to counter the common perception that Hinduism is world-negating and indifferent to ecological concerns. Highlighting essays that deal with Vaiṣṇava traditions—especially contributions on Rāmānuja’s Viśiṣṭādvaita and Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism—James notes that the book makes a compelling case for a theologically grounded Hindu ecological sensibility. However, he also critiques areas where the contributors, in his view, stretch textual interpretations to fit contemporary environmental agendas. The review ultimately frames the volume as a significant, though uneven, step in integrating Hindu philosophy with eco-theological discourse.