Press Release

Buddhist-Christian Dialogues Conference to Be Held at Naropa University

Participants to Explore Common Ground, Spirituality in America

Conference Marks Revival of Ground-Breaking Series During 1980s

BOULDER, Colo. (February 25, 2005) -- Revisiting an innovative series of conferences that took place during the 1980s, Naropa University will host the Buddhist-Christian Dialogues Conference at the Naropa University Nalanda Campus, 6287 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder, on March 4 to 6, 2005. The conference is entitled "Buddhist-Christian Dialogues Conference: Contemplation, Practice and the Crossroads of Spirit." Naropa University President Thomas B. Coburn will open the conference with his remarks. The Friday evening keynote speech, entitled "The Christian Contemplative Tradition," will be given by Father Thomas Keating. The Saturday evening keynote, entitled "The Prophetic Voice in Buddhist and Christian Origin," will be given by Reginald Ray. For more information, the public can call 303-245-4800. (See conference hours and cost, below.)

Many of the current conference participants -- well-known teachers and religious practitioners -- are among those who pioneered this unique interfaith dialogue format at Naropa University in 1981. This year's conference is in fact a reunion for the presenters, who developed close relationships as a result of their dialogue work throughout the '80s. One goal of this year's conference is to examine the impact of the original dialogues on the practitioners in the intervening 20 years. The current conference, much like the earlier ones, focuses on shared conversation, spiritual practice and study. The dialogues were initially launched by Naropa's founder, Chögyam Trungpa, Rinpoche, who drew upon his encounter with Father Thomas Merton in India in 1968. Inspired by that first dialogue, Trungpa Rinpoche sought to create a public forum where practitioners of authentic contemplative traditions could engage one another in an atmosphere of mutual respect.

The early conferences were captured in a book entitled "Speaking of Silence: Christians and Buddhists on the Contemplative Way," in which author Susan Walker documented these landmark conversations between Buddhist and Christian monastic and lay contemplatives. The publication of the second edition of "Speaking of Silence" has been timed to coincide with the March 2005 conference.

Conference participants include Mother Tessa Bielecki, cofounder of the Spiritual Life Institute; Bruce Coriell, chaplain and instructor at Colorado College; Dr. Jack Engler, clinical instructor in the Harvard Medical School Department of Psychiatry and teacher at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies; Father Thomas Keating, Trappist monk and abbot; Judy Lief, senior Buddhist teacher (acharya); Dr. Reginald Rey, acharya and professor of religious studies at Naropa University; and Dr. Judith Simmer-Brown, acharya and professor of religious studies at Naropa University.

Conference hours are 2 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, March 4; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, March 5; and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 6, 2005. The Friday and Saturday night keynotes are priced separately at $15 each. The cost of the entire conference is $275. More information and a detailed schedule are available at http://www.naropa.edu/extend/Buddhist-Christian.html.

Naropa University is a private, non-profit, non-sectarian liberal arts institution whose core mission is contemplative education. Contemplative education is an approach to learning that integrates the best of Eastern and Western educational traditions, creating and implementing a new paradigm in higher education. This model seeks to help students know themselves deeply so that they can engage constructively in a world of individuals who are not like themselves. The university comprises a four year undergraduate college and graduate programs in the arts, education, environmental studies, psychology, religious studies, and creation spirituality. It offers BA, BFA, MA, MFA, MDiv and MLA degrees, as well as professional development training and classes for the community through its School of Extended Studies. In addition, the university runs study abroad programs in Sikkim, North India and Prague, Czech Republic. For more information, visit www.naropa.edu.

Contact:

Jane Rubinstein
Manager, Public Relations
Naropa University
PH 303-245-4643
FAX 303-245-4676
Jrubinstein@naropa.edu
www.naropa.edu