Crucified Wisdom

This work provides the first systematic discussion of the Bodhisattva path and its importance for constructive Christian theology. Crucified Wisdom examines specific Buddhist traditions, texts and practices not as phenomena whose existence requires an apologetic justification, but as wells of tested wisdom that invite theological insight. With the increasing participation of Christians in Buddhist practice, many are seeking a deeper understanding of the way the teachings of the two traditions might interface. Christ and the Bodhisattva are often compared superficially in Buddhist-Christian discussion. This text combines a rich exposition of the Bodhisattva path, using Śāntideva’s classic work the Bodicaryāvatāra and subsequent Tibetan commentators, with detailed reflection on its implications for Christian faith and practice. Crucified Wisdom focuses on questions of reconciliation and atonement in Christian theology, and explores the varying interpretations of the crucifixion of Jesus in Buddhist-Christian discussion. The Bodhisattva path is central for major contemporary Buddhist voices such as the Dalai Lama and Thich Nat Hanh, who figure prominently as conversation partners in the text. S. Mark Heim is the Samuel Abbot Professor of Theology at Andover Newton Seminary at Yale and a Visiting Professor at Yale Divinity School