Axial Imagination and the Hindu Paradigm:
Reframing Comparative Public Theology
Abstract
Comparative theology is a significant endeavor that engages sacred texts through the practice of co‑reading, generating new forms of meaningful exchange for collaboration and mutual benefit. This paper advances the socio‑cultural dimension of comparative theology by drawing on the sociological study of Axial religion, investigating how religious ideas within the textual world operate as constructions of socio‑political reality and its cultural stratification. Moving beyond a solely textual focus, comparative public theology highlights the importance of cultural‑narrative inquiry together with the ethical demands of responsibility, conviction, and reparative justice for those on the margins.