2013 Conference of Engaged Buddhists and Liberation Theologians

Ever get that fist-pump gleeful feeling from buying a great used book, and then finding twenty bucks tucked between the pages?  On a spiritual level, this is how I felt this morning about an upcoming April conference at the Union Theological Seminary in New York: "Enlightenment and Liberation: Engaged Buddhists and Liberation Theologians in Dialogue."  I registered for it before I even knew that Dr. Cornel West would be speaking.  Grin!Sponsored by Great Seon Master Jinje, Supreme Patriarch of the Jogye order of Korean Buddhism, and the Union Theological Seminary, the four-day event is free to UTS students, with a reduced rate for non-UTS students and a limited number of scholarships available based on the relevance of the event to a student's area of study.  Judging from the speakers list alone, this looks like it will be a wonderful gathering.

Confirmed Participants:

Buddhism:

• A.T. Ariyaratne, Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement, Sri Lanka
• Somboon Chungprampree, International Network of Engaged Buddhists, Thailand
• Ven. Dobup, Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, Korea
• Bernie Glassman, Zen Peacemakers, U.S.
• Rita M. Gross, University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, U.S.
• Ruben Habito, Southern Methodist University, U.S.*
• Ven. Jijung, International School of Buddhist Studies, Korea
• Ouyporn Khuankaew, International Women’s Partnership for Peace and Justice, Thailand
• Sallie B. King, James Madison University, U.S.*
• David R. Loy, Independent Scholar and Zen Teacher, U.S.
• John Makransky, Boston College, U.S.
• Pat Enkyo O’Hara, Village Zendo, U.S.
• Ven. Pomnyun, Jungto Society, Korea
• Sulak Sivaraksa, International Network of Engaged Buddhists, Thailand
• Robert Thurman, Columbia University, U.S.
• Jan Willis, Wesleyan University, U.S.*

Christianity:

• Nancy Cardoso, Ecumenical Pastoral Commission on Land, Brazil
• Chung Hyun Kyung, Union Theological Seminary, U.S./Korea*
• James H. Cone, Union Theological Seminary, U.S.
• Ulrich Duchrow, University of Heidelberg, Germany
• Ivone Gebara, Sisters of Our Lady/Visiting Professor different Faculties, Brazil
• Roger Haight, Union Theological Seminary
• Melanie Harris, Texas Christian University, U.S.
• Kim Yong-Bock, Asia Pacific Graduate School for Integral Study of Life, Korea
• Paul F. Knitter, Union Theological Seminary, U.S.*
• Gustavo Gutierrez, University of Notre Dame, U.S./Peru
• Mary John Mananzan, Missionary Benedictine Sisters, The Philippines
• Mercy Amba Oduyoye, Trinity Theological Seminary, Ghana
• Larry Rasmussen, Union Theological Seminary, U.S.
• Joerg Rieger, Southern Methodist University, U.S.
• Rosemary Radford Ruether, Pacific School of Religion and the GTU, U.S.
• Sung Jung-Mo, Methodist University of São Paulo, Brazil
• John Thatamanil, Union Theological Seminary, U.S.
• Jose Maria Vigil, The Ecumenical Association of Third World Theologians, Panama
• Cornel West, Union Theological Seminary, U.S.
• Wilfred Felix, Asian Centre for Cross-Cultural Studies, India

* Double-BelongerAnd equally exciting are the topics of conversation, including "Buddhist and Christian Nuns Compare Notes," "Buddhist and Christian Grassroots Organizing," and "Ecological Suffering."Check it out, BPFers, and let us know if you're planning to be there!