Assr: Mission

Located at Jnana-Deepa Vidyapeeth, Pune, Association of Science, Society and Religion (ASSR) seeks to foster creative dialogue between science and religion. Convinced that the future of humanity depends on critical interaction between the two pillars of our civilization, ASSR attempts to draw the best from science and religion.

We are inspired by the famous mathematician-philosopher, Alfred North Whitehead who reminds us: "When we consider what religion is for mankind, and what science is, it is no exaggeration to say that the future course of history depends upon the decision of this generation as to the relation between them."

Motivated by this spirit, ASSR seeks to bring about harmony and interaction between science and religion, respecting the autonomy of each disciplines and affirming the dignity of human beings and respect for life.

So we resonate with the American civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr. "Science investigates; religion interprets. Science gives man knowledge, which is power; religion gives man wisdom, which is control. Science deals mainly with facts; religion deals mainly with values. The two are not rivals.”

Our Mission: ASSR attempts to create young scholars who are open to the world outside and in touch with their own world inside. While being appreciative of the great technological and scientific progress, they are also aware of the dangers posed by technology. Hoping in the goodness of human beings they want to harness their internal and external energies to guide the world to be a place of living harmony, joy, peace and love.

Our Vision is to enable a world that is open to both science and religion, to the material and spiritual, to the external and internal, to this-worldly and other-worldly, so that human beings can enjoy the joys of the earthly and the bliss of the Divine.

To realise our vision we need to:

• Put in rigorous academic work, study and research

• Trust in oneself, the others and God

• Surrender ourselves to the Reality larger than everyone and everything, The Divine

• Learn to love everyone and thus become LOVE

Our Motto: Let good thoughts come to me from all sides! (Aano bhadra krtavo yantu vishwatah, Rig_Veda 1.89. 1). We welcome noble thoughts coming from all directions, be they from scientific, religious, Eastern or Western directions. Transcending our negative thoughts and embracing the positive thoughts from every one and everywhere, we can become agents of change and transformation in the society.