Krishnology (also spelled Krishnaology) is an academic neo-logism. It is a scholastic vehicle for placing theological discourse concerning Lord Krishna, within the context of Vaishnava Theology, and claims to be a specific area of the latter.

As a term, Krishnology differentiates itself from other Vaishnava theologies by centering its discourse on the Krishna Avatara of Vishnu and distinguishes itself from other Vaishnava theologies centered on Vishnu avatara other than Krishna.

Recent scholarship

Guy Beck, a well published scholar on Hinduism in general, and on Krishna in particular, has published on the Krishnology of the Vaishnava sect known as the Radha-vallabha Sampradaya. Dr. Beck expounds upon this research in his book Alternative Krishnas: Regional and Vernacular Variations on a Hindu Deity. Through this research he establishes the Krishnology of the Radhavallabha sampradaya.

Tamala Krishna Gosvami, a Hindu studies scholar and Vaishnava guru, elaborated on this term during his research at the University of Cambridge. While a doctoral student, Tamala Krishna Gosvami studied under Dr. Julius J. Lipner and devoted his time to researching the 'Krishnology' of ISKCON's founder.

Intra-Denominational

An important outcome of Beck and Gosvami's work is that they have demonstrated how 'Krishnology' is intra-denominational by exploring two uniquely different denominational theologies of Vaishnavism, Gaudiya Vaishnava Theology and Radhavallabha Theology.

Krishna Centered Vaishnava Theological Discourse

Theology which concerns itself with the Hindu deity Krishna is only found in a few established academic institutions outside of India, though the number is slowly growing. Also, theological discourse on Krishna takes place in the larger context of Vaishnava Theology, itself an aspect of Hinduism.

Within the academic study of Hinduism, Vaishnava Theology has been engaged by academic institutions such as the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies and Bhaktivedanta College^*. The discource on Vaishnava theology has been advanced by the work of scholars such as; Graham Schweig, Kenneth R. Valpey, Tamala Krishna Gosvami and Guy Beck.

Academic Papers

• ISKCON from the Perspective of Diacritical Theology
• For Whom Does Hinduism Speak
• Reform in Tradition: Bhaktivinoda's Apologetic for the Bhagavata-Purana
• The Sampradaya of Sri Caitanya
• Dr. Julius J. Lipner's Comments
• Books by Tamala Krishna Gosvami