Research

I received my Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge in 2023. My research specialization is Vedānta, one of the most influential schools of Hindu thought. I am particularly interested in putting Vedānta into dialogue with important contemporary scholarly debates, and thus, my research has a heavy comparative focus.

My biggest research project thus far has been my doctoral dissertation. I have revised this dissertation into a monograph titled A Hindu Response to the Problem of Evil: A Caitanya Vaiṣṇava Theodicy. This monograph presents the most comprehensive scholarly response to the problem of evil from a Hindu perspective in recent years and addresses a wide variety of issues found within the literature on the problem of evil. I submitted this monograph to Oxford University Press and have received favorable reviewer reports. I am currently revising this monograph in light of reviewer suggestions.

I have also written papers on other topics pertaining to Vedānta and my dissertation research. These papers are as follows.

Articles

1. "A Vaiṣṇava Theory of Consciousness." Philosophy East and West. Forthcoming. Link.

In this paper, I develop and defend a Vaiṣṇava theory of consciousness.

2. "Arguing for a Devotional Reading of the Gītā. Journal of Dharma Studies 8: 421-441. 2025. Link.

In this paper, I argue for a devotional reading of the Bhagavad Gītā, a highly influential Hindu text.

3. "A Cross-Cultural Perspective on God's Personhood." Religious Studies 61: 37-54. 2025. Download.

In this paper, I discuss the topic of God's personhood and present an argument for personal theism that is applicable across various religious traditions.

4. "A Close Examination of Beginningless Karman and Vedāntic First Causes." Sophia 63 (Special Edition on Indian Traditions): 497-512. 2024. Download.

In this paper, I argue for various interpretations of the concept of beginningless karman, including those that do not entail an actual infinite or an infinite regress. I also examine the extent to which these various interpretations are compatible with different formulations of the cosmological argument for God's existence.

5. "Reincarnation and Universal Salvation." (With Alex Gallagher). Faith and Philosophy 40: 112-129. 2023. Link.

In this paper, we argue for universal salvation, which states that all individuals will eventually attain salvation.

6. "The Alchemy of Suffering in the Laboratory of the World: Vedāntic Hindu Engagements with the Affliction of Animals." (With Ankur Barua) Religious Studies 59: S82-S95. 2023. Link.

In this paper, we examine Vedāntic perspectives on why animals suffer and draw on these to respond to the problem of animal suffering, a variant of the problem of evil.

7. "Caste and Devotion: A Casteless Framework for (Some) Forms of Hindu Devotionalism." Journal of Religious Ethics 50: 623-644. 2023. Link.

In this paper, I argue that there is there is a societal framework that does not maintain the caste system but which is consistent with the soteriological vision of important Hindu devotional texts and can be implemented in lieu of such a system.

8. "The Bhāgavata Purāṇa and the Problem of Evil." Philosophy East and West 73: 66-81. 2023. Download.

In this paper, I draw on the insights of the Bhāgavata Purāṇa, a highly influential Hindu text, in order to respond to the problem of evil.

9. "Is a Guru as Good as God? A Vedāntic Perspective." Journal of Dharma Studies 5: 153-165. 2022. Link.

In this paper, I examine the sphere of authority a guru has within the context of Vedānta, an influential school of Hindu thought. I also examine some of the social implications of the view I develop.

10. "Are There De Jure Objections to Mādhvic Belief." Religious Studies 58: 732-744. Link.

In this paper, I bring the religious epistemology of the Vedāntic thinker Madhva into dialogue with the religious epistemology of the Christian philosopher Alvin Plantinga. A modified version of this paper is a book chapter in a forthcoming volume (Springer) on intuitions.

11. "Constructing a Hindu Black Theology." Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies 34: 42-51. 2022. Link.

In this paper, I develop a Hindu Black Theology by drawing on the concept of samatva (equality), which is found within influential Hindu texts such as the Bhagavad Gītā.

12. "Exploring and Applying a Socially Progressive Hermeneutical Lens in Hindu Thought." Religions 12: 595. 2021. Link.

In this paper, I develop a hermeneutical lens that can be used to combat patriarchal attitudes within Hindu contexts.

13. "An Intra-Hindu Comparative Analysis of Caitanya Vaiṣṇavism's Eco-Theological Motifs." Journal of Dharma Studies 4: 5-27. 2021. Link.

In this paper, I survey various Hindu responses to environmental degradation, note their shortcomings, and the teachings of the Caitanya Vaiṣṇava tradition relevant to environmentalism. I then highlight some of the strengths and weaknesses of these teachings.

14. "Re-envisioning a Caitanya Vaiṣṇava 'Perfect Being Theology' and Demonstrating Its Theodical Implications." Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies 33: 42-42. 2020. Link.

In this paper, I argue that the Caitanya Vaiṣṇava tradition holds to a perfect being theology. I also highlight some implications of this tradition's views.

Encyclopaedia Entries

1. "Caitanya Vaiṣṇavism." St. Andrews Encyclopaedia of Theology. 2024. Link.

An overview of the Caitanya Vaiṣṇava tradition.