A New Article I Wrote Published in SIS Journal

A recent article I've written has just been published in the peer-reviewed journal Studies in Spirituality, which approaches the subject of religious spirituality from a scholarly-academic perspective. My article is an outline and critical comparison of the Buddhist "perfection of wisdom" in The Perfection of Wisdom in 8000 Lines and the Christian "righteoused by faith" in Paul's letter to the Romans - both as paradigms of ultimate transformation.

To view abstracts and ordering information, visit here.

Jurgen Moltmann to Speak at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary

Jurgen Moltmann, one of the world's foremost Protestant Christian theologians, will deliver the academic convocation address at my alma mater Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, IL at 11am on Sept. 9, 2009.

Dr. Moltmann will deliver the Opening Convocation address, "A Theology for Life -- A Life for Theology" in the seminary's Chapel of the Unnamed Faithful (a gorgeous and wonderfully contemplative chapel, by the way).

Dr. Moltmann came to the faith while a prisoner of war during WWII and went on to serve as a distinguished professor of systematic theology at the University of Tubingen in his native Germany. He has written some of the most widely studied and highly influential books of the past 50 years in the area of Christian systematics. Most notable is his luminous A Theology of Hope. In this insightful work Moltmann argues that life in Christ is a life of hope that has power over the future. Hope strengthens faith, assists believers in living a life of love, and engenders a passion for the possible. This hope is the driving force behind the liberation of peoples and the world.

Learn more about Dr. Jurgen Moltmann and his upcoming address here.

Claremont School of Theology Rebounds, Plans Multifaith University

After recent financial problems, Claremont School of Theology (CST) in Claremont, CA is in the preliminary stages of establishing a multi-faith graduate university. The Methodist-affiliated seminary is in the process of transforming itself into an institution of higher learning that will include the role of training United Methodist ministers but will include at least two other colleges (allegedly to be called "school of ethics, politics, and society" and the intriguing "school of world spiritualities and the healing arts"), which will constitute an institution dedicated to higher education towards promoting interreligious understanding and peace by training leaders in these areas of expertise.

CST's endeavor is an ambitious plan to build a multifaith, multicultural graduate university "to create active rapport among religions" for dealing with world problems. This must be an extremely challenging and exciting time for those at CST, but I can't express enough how absolutely magnificent this transformation will be. As of now, there are certainly a number of universities or colleges that offer courses and/or programs in comparative religion and interreligious studies. However, there are very few places with the enormous credentials and ability to attract superior scholars and students like CST to create an academic institution that structures its programs under the mission and purpose of being a multi-faith educational forum for promoting interreligious understanding and peacework. Universities and colleges with this directive are greatly needed and helpful in this increasingly pluralistic society and globalized world.

I wish CST's transition all the best and hope to contribute somehow. I'm eagerly waiting to see how this institution transforms into an interfaith center of scholarly learning.

John Dart reports on CST's transition in The Christian Century.