Rev. Fr. Aloysius Pieris S.J.

Rev. Fr. Aloysius Pieris S.J. received his Ph.D. in Buddhist Philosophy at the University of Sri Lanka, Vidyodaya Campus in 1971 and his Th.D. in Ecclesiastical Studies at the Tilburg University, the Netherlands in 1987. He held professorship for Franciscan Chair of Mission Studies, Washington Theological Union in Maryland in 1987, Henry Luce Chair of World Christianity, Union Theological Seminary in New York, and A.P. Wilson Distinguished Visiting Chair of Theology, Divinity School at the Vanderbilt University, Nashville, the USA. He was appointed to special lectureships at Teape Westcott Lectures, University of Cambridge in 1982; Martin D’ Arcy Lecture, University of Oxford in 1990; Drawbridge Lecture, King’s College, University of London in 1990; Von Hugel Lecture, St. Edmund’s college, University of Cambridge in 1990. He also taught courses at the Gregorian University, Rome, Pontifical Theological Faculty, Naples, Graduate Theological Union, Berkley, East Asian Pastoral Institute of the Athaneo de Manila University, Philippines, Vidyodaya Pirivena, Pali and Buddhist University, Colombo, etc.
Rev. Fr. Aloysius Pieris S.J. held numerous public lectures in theology around the globe, including University of California in the USA, Munster University in Germany, Birmingham University in the UK, Utrecht University in the Netherlands, University of Leeds in the UK, Dublin University in Ireland, Athaneo de Manila University and St Xavier’s University in the Philippines, Sophia University in Tokyo and Kelaniya University in Sri Lanka.

He was also appointed to various editorial positions. He is the co-founder and co-editor of Dialogue NS since 1974 and also the current editor; member of Editorial Board of Directors of Concilium (International Theological Journal) in 1986, currently serving in the Advisory Board; member of the Board of Editorial Advisory Panel of World Faith Encounter in London; editor of Vagdevi, Journal of Religious Reflection, Kelaniya. Other than the aforementioned positions, Rev. Fr. Aloysius Pieris S.J. is also the founder-director of the Tulana Research Centre in Kelaniya since 1974, the co-founder of Patron and Trust Board Member of Sr Greta Nalawatta’s Centre for Education of Hearing Impaired Children in Dalugama since year 1982. He is also the member of the International Board of Advisors on Inter-faith and Inter-Church Relations from 2011 to 2013, and advisor of DilaltatoCorde Inter-Monastic Dialogue.

Rev. Fr. Aloysius Pieris S.J. had written numerous publications,including An Asian Theology of Liberation, Love Meets Wisdom: A Christian Experience of Buddhism, El Rostro Asiatico de Cristo, Fire and Water: Basic Issues in Asian Buddhism and Christianity, God’s Reign for God’s Poor: A Return to the Jesus Formula, Mysticism of Service, Christhood of Jesus and the Discipleship of Mary: An Asian Perspective, Studies in the Philosophy and the Literature of Pali Abhidhammika Buddhism, Prophetic Humour in Buddhism and Christianity: Doing Inter-Religious Studies in the Reverential Mode, Our Unhidden Agenda: How We Jesuits Work, Pray and Form Our Men, ssThe Genesis of an Asian Theology of Liberation: An Autobiographical Excursus on the Art of Theologizing in Asia, and many others,he has also written and published more than 330 articles. Stephen B. Bevans acknowledged Rev. Fr. Pieris as one of the significant theologians to represent a serious effort to overcome exclusivism and pluralism.