“So, when you get embedded in a network, what happens is your freedom to think wider than what the interests of the network represents is compromised. What happens is that your faithfulness to a tradition becomes unfortunately, unfaithfulness to your own personal integrity. Because there are very many questions with which you’re struggling in your life. And no system in the world, no religious institution or structure in the world can accommodate those questions, much less answer them.”

Professor Valson Thampu is a former teacher and academic administrator in higher education, as well as a theologian and freelance contributor to the national print media. He was a member of the Delhi Minorities Commission (2000-2004) and the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (2004-2007). He was nominated twice to the National Integration Council (2004-2014) under the category, ‘distinguished citizens of India’. He now lives in retirement in Kerala, South India, actively addressing issues pertaining to religious reform. His recent book titled Beyond Religion: Imaging a New Humanity is the manifesto of his reformist agenda.  

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