An appreciation of Ninian

RC. Zaehner once asked me to interpret for him, when we were going to hear a paper read by Ninian Smart. As a matter of fact, I always found Ninian’s spoken words easier than the written. His open and friendly personality helped in understanding the most intricate Indian or Chinese religions and philosophical concepts. We met first at King’s College in London, and then at the SHAP Wells Hotel in Cumbria at the first conference where the most famous Shap approach to the study of world religions was initiated. Ninian’s move to Birmingham and then to Lancaster gave him wider opportunities and we envied the administrative and financial support that he was given to build up an outstanding northern centre, with linguistic, theological and philosophical experts. The new University of Lancaster became as famous for the study of religions as for any other discipline and in all of this Ninian was at the centre, both academically and personally. His department and his home welcomed those of us who were new to the northern universities. Ninian’s linguistic abilities and his philosophical interests, not to mention his ‘pisky’ (Scottish Episcopalian) church background, made an outstanding combination, so necessary in the study of a complex subject like religion. In British, American and other international circles Ninian’s friendship as much as his learning were of unique importance, and we miss his departure from the stage at a relatively young age.

Geoffrey Parrinder, May 2001