Monday, December 28, 2009

"Dulles Chaplain Walks Miles Helping Travelers, Airport Workers on Christmas Eve"

In their "On Faith" section, the Washington Post profiles a chaplain at Dulles Airport who worked the recent Christmas holiday. Dig it!

"Hard Choice for a Comfortable Death: Sedation"

Ozier Muhammad/The New York Times

There's a must-read article at the New York Times this week about "what some doctors call palliative sedation and others less euphemistically call terminal sedation." Take a look.

Monday, December 21, 2009

2009 a Record Year for Army Suicides

"Air Force Academy Calls Its Religious Climate Improved"

This from the Associated Press today:
The Air Force Academy says religious tolerance has improved dramatically since allegations five years ago that evangelical Christians harassed cadets who did not share their faith. Even the school’s most vocal critic agrees.
Get the rest of the story here.

Humanist Chaplains in Higher Education

Inside Higher Education has a write-up about humanist chaplains in higher education. Take a look. Here's a snippet:
Only Harvard University, Rutgers University, and Adelphi University retain humanist chaplains, according to Harvard’s Greg Epstein. Stanford University and Columbia University have had them in past years, Epstein said, but the positions are currently vacant.

Epstein, who grew up Reformed Jewish and studied Buddhism and Taoism before becoming certified as a "humanist rabbi" by the Harvard Divinity School, said the paucity of Humanist chaplains on college campuses is a shame.

“Right now, higher education is failing miserably to provide a place on campus where non-religious students can find purpose, compassion, and community,” Epstein says.

“A lot of students come to campus knowing they’re not religious, but also not knowing what they do believe,” says. The opportunities for discussion, meditation, and service that grow out a chaplaincy “help them learn more about the positive aspects of their identity,” he says, “not just what they don’t believe in.”

Friday, November 27, 2009

Buddhist Photographer Don Farber to Lecture and Present Photos This Tuesday, Dec. 1st, at University of the West

PRESS RELEASE

Contact:
Jason Kosareff
University of the West
(626) 571-8811, Ext. 311
jasonk@uwest.edu
http://www.uwest.edu

Buddhist Photographer Don Farber to Lecture and Present Photos at University of the West

ROSMEAD, CA, November 25, 2009 - The Buddhist Chaplaincy Program at University of the West is extremely honored to welcome Don Farber, the celebrated Buddhist photographer, to campus for a lecture/photo presentation this coming Tuesday, December 1st, at 7:00 p.m. in the WASC Room on the campus of University of the West (click here for directions).

Mr. Farber and his work are described well on the back flap of one of his recent books:
Inspired by Buddhism early in his career as a professional freelance photographer, Don Farber became a disciple of the late Vietnamese Zen master and scholar Thich Thien-An and in 1977 embarked on a ten-year photographic study of life in a Vietnamese Buddhist temple in Los Angeles. Following the publication of Taking Refuge in L.A. (1987, with text by Rick Fields and an introduction by Thich Nhat Hanh), Farber set out to photograph Buddhist life internationally and, to date, has carried out his work in eight Asian countries and the United States. His travels resulted in his critically acclaimed book Visions of Buddhist Life (California, 2002; foreword by Huston Smith) and Tibetan Buddhist Life (2003). This Fulbright scholar’s photographs have been exhibited at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Asia Society in New York, have appeared in magazines such as Life and Time, and are often published in the Buddhist magazines Tricycle and Shambhala Sun. His photographs have been featured on the covers of many books, including the international best-seller The Art of Happiness (1998) by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler.

Dr. Lewis Lancaster, President Emeritus of University of the West and Emeritus Professor in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at UC-Berkeley, has said of his work:
Farber provides us with pictures which give dignity to aspects of religion and culture that appear as a result of his careful focus and sensitivity to the energy and spirit of each event taking place before him...In his hands, the camera gives us the nuances that escape all but the most talented of artists. It is a pleasure to see the Buddhist tradition depicted in such a masterful fashion.

Mr. Farber’s other books include Portraits of Tibetan Buddhist Masters and the recently published His Holiness the Dalai Lama—a collection of his photographs of the Nobel Peace laureate taken over the span of the last thirty years. His lecture will revolve largely around the work that went into this new book.

This event is free and open to the public.

Founded in 1991 and accredited by WASC in 2006, University of the West is one of four accredited Buddhist universities in the United States. Its current enrollment is approximately 260 students. UWest is located at 1409 N. Walnut Grove Ave., Rosemead, CA 91770.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

"Faith and Arms in a Democratic Society: A Working Conference on Religion in the Military"

This from Yale Divinity School:
Yale Divinity School and Yale Law School will co-sponsor a working conference on religion in the military Nov. 13-14, bringing together religious and military leaders from across the country to address thorny issues that challenge chaplains, commanders and policy makers who are charged with providing spiritual and religious support in intentionally pluralistic communities.

The conference, free and open to the public, is entitled Faith and Arms in a Democratic Society: A Working Conference on Religion in the Military. It will be held at YDS on Friday night, Nov. 13, and at the Law School on Saturday, Nov. 14.

Organizing the conference are Kristen Leslie, associate professor of pastoral care and counseling at YDS, and Eugene Fidell, senior research scholar in law and the Florence Rogatz Lecturer in Law at the Law School. Several years ago Leslie was instrumental in raising questions about Christian proselytizing at the United States Air Force Academy based on observations during visits there. Fidell is among the most prominent attorneys in the country on issues relating to religion in the military.

The Conference will begin Friday night at the Divinity School with a keynote address by Anne C. Loveland, faculty emerita from Louisiana State University, who will address “Military Chaplains in Cultural Transition, 1946 to the Present.” The conference continues on Saturday at the Law School with a series of three panel discussions: The State and the Church: Constitutional Issues; Pastor to Some, Chaplains to All: Pastoral Implications for Chaplains; and The Path Ahead for Chaplaincy: Issues for the Future. Jeff Sharlet, visiting research scholar with the Center for Religion and Media at New York University will deliver a lunchtime lecture on “When Democracy is Not Enough.”

A letter of invitation sent by Leslie and Fidell refers to the “challenging” environment facing chaplains, commanders and policy makers, fueled in significant measure by the growth of the Evangelical community within the armed forces.

“The result has been to turn what should be a source of spiritual support and a constructive component of national defense personnel policy into a series of challenges and, at times, divisive litigation. The program will explore these issues in a setting that facilitates mutual understanding and respect.”

The invitation notes that there is no intention to reach conclusions or to frame recommendations.

Friday, November 06, 2009

"Improving the Quality of Spiritual Care in Palliative Care"

This from MahaSangha News:
A Consensus Conference was held in 2009 based on the belief that spiritual care is an essential ingredient of quality palliative care. The Journal of Palliative Medicine published a special report including guidelines and recommendations derived from that conference. Thanks to the Upaya Newsletter for pointing out this report.

UWest’s Religion & Film Series Continues Tonight with Water

Just a quick reminder that UWest’s Religion & Film Series will continue tonight with a screening of Water–Deepa Mehta's hugely controversial 2005 Academy Award-nominee for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year. The film is described by the All Movie Guide in this way:
Following the sudden and unexpected death of her husband, a widowed child bride lashes out against her fate in the Hindu ashram where she is expected to atone for her sins in this humanistic drama, the third installment of filmmaker Deepa Mehta's Elemental Trilogy. Chuyia's husband has died, and religious doctrine dictates that she now retire to an ashram to atone for the sins that caused her husband's untimely death. As Chuyia bides her time among widows both young and old -- some accepting of their fate and some bitterly resentful -- the preadolescent widow's spirit remains unbroken and hopeful for a brighter future.
A trailer for the film is at the end of the post.

The screening starts at 7 p.m. in Room ED309. It is free and open to the public. A discussion will follow. We hope to see you there!

Wednesday, November 04, 2009

Police Chaplains and Death Notifications

The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette has an interesting article this week about police chaplains and death notification. It's well worth reading.

Army Chaplains' Assistants are "More than Just Bodyguards"

The U.S. Army published a press release recently about chaplains' assistants. As they note, these are military personnel who are "more than just bodyguards." Take a look.

Friday, October 30, 2009

UWest’s Religion & Film Series Continues Tonight with Le Grand Voyage

Just a quick reminder that UWest’s Religion & Film Series will continue tonight with a screening of Le Grand Voyage–Ismaël Ferroukhi’s multi-award-winning film festival favorite from 2004. The film stars Nicolas Cazale and Mohamed Madj (both honored with Best Actor prizes for their work—from the Newport International Film Festival and Mar del Plata Film Festival, respectively) and is described by the All Movie Guide in this way:

Réda (Nicolas Cazale) is determined to better himself by pursuing a higher education. When Réda's headstrong father (Mohamed Madj) arrives demanding that his son drive him to Mecca for a religious pilgrimage, the troubled young man's resentment towards grows more powerful than ever as a result of the elder's demand for respect for both himself and his journey. Now, as the reluctant pair wind their way from France to Saudi Arabia, the bond shared between them will be tested and their lives forever changed.
A trailer for the film is at the end of the post.

The screening starts at 7 p.m. in Room ED309. It is free and open to the public. A discussion will follow. We hope to see you there!

Friday, October 23, 2009

UWest's Religion & Film Series Continues Tonight with Doubt

Just a quick announcement that University of the West's Religion & Film Series will continue tonight with a screening of John Patrick Shanley's Doubt--the Oscar-nominated adaptation of his Pulitizer Prize-winning play. The film stars Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, and Viola Davis (all Academy Award-nominated for their work), and is described by the All Movie Guide in this way:
1964, St. Nicholas, the Bronx: The winds of change are sweeping through this tight-knit religious community, and charismatic priest Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman) is doing his best to adapt by revisiting the school's notoriously strict disciplinary practices. Unfortunately Father Flynn's progressive ideas stand in stark contrast to the longstanding beliefs of Sister Aloysius Beauvier (Meryl Streep), the iron-willed principal, who believes that an oppressive environment of punishment and fear is the only way to keep the student body in line. Suddenly into this tempestuous environment appears young Donald Miller, St. Nicholas' first black student. When hopeful innocent Sister James (Amy Adams) reluctantly reveals to Sister Beauvier that Father Flynn and Donald have been spending an unusual amount of time together in the church rectory, the unrelentingly righteous headmistress begins a merciless crusade to reveal the beloved clergyman as a lecherous child molester and have him permanently expunged from the school. Yet despite her moral certainty that Father Flynn has committed such an unspeakable transgression, Sister Beauvier has not a shred of actual evidence to back up her audacious claim. Now, as Sister Beauvier and Father Flynn enter into an epic battle of wills, the shock waves set into motion by their explosive confrontation threaten to destroy one man's reputation and tear apart the entire surrounding community.

A trailer for the film is at the end of the post.

I've previously blogged about my affinity for Shanley's play, and you can read those thoughts here.

The screening starts at 7 p.m. in Room ED309. It is free and open to the public. A discussion will follow with Corrine Hinton, Coordinator of the Learning Center, and myself. We hope to see you there!



[Photo from Miramax Films.]

Monday, October 19, 2009

Register Now for the "Buddhism without Borders: Contemporary Buddhism in the West" Conference at the Institute of Buddhist Studies This March!

Via our pal in the Buddhoblogosphere Dr. Scott A. Mitchell of the buddha is my dj and the DharmaRealm podcast: the "Buddhism without Borders: Contemporary Buddhism in the West" conference at the Institute of Buddhist Studies in Berkeley, CA, is nearing--register now!

Buddhism without Borders: Contemporary Buddhism in the West
Institute of Buddhist Studies, Berkeley, Ca
March 18-21, 2010

Registration is now open for the conference "Buddhism without Borders: Contemporary Buddhism in the West," March 18-21, 2010 at the Institute of Buddhist Studies in Berkeley, CA. Conference schedule, details, and registration are available at http://www.shin-ibs.edu/eventreg/Berkeley2010.php.

How has Buddhism outside Asia been shaped by diaspora and immigration? How has the increase in global tourism, communication, and capitalism affected the way Buddhism is understood, taught, and practiced? These and other themes will be explored in a four-day conference hosted by the Institute of Buddhist Studies, in Berkeley, California.

Keynote Address by Prof. Thomas Tweed, author of The American Encounter with Buddhism and Crossing and Dwelling. Panelists include Galen Amstutz, Franz Metcalf, Charles Prebish, Richard Hughes Seager, Duncan Ryuken Williams, and others.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Chaplain Fired After Blogging about Interaction with Museum Shooting Victim

The Washington Post reports that several weeks after her reflection on attending to Holocaust Memorial Museum shooting victim Stephen T. Johns ran at their On Faith blog, Rabbi Tamara Miller has been fired from her post as head of the spiritual care department at George Washington University Hospital.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

New Religion & Film Series Begins Tomorrow at UWest

The Buddhist Chaplaincy Program at University of the West is pleased to announced that a new Religion & Film Series, sponsored by us, will officially begin tomorrow night. The series is part of a new bunch of activities on campus for both students and members of the local community. This being the case, we're excited and hoping for a good turnout. You can find out more about the series (including the full line-up of films) at MahaSangha News.

Films will be shown on video, using either an LCD projector or a large screen television. So, the screenings will be decidedly low-key, but it's open to the public and we hope to see you there.

Tomorrow at 7 p.m., we will start the series off in ED309 with a screening of Peter Weir's 1985 classic Witness. The film stars Harrison Ford as a police detective in hiding with the Pennsylvania Amish. Program Coordinator Danny Fisher will lead an informal discussion about the film right after the screening. The trailer is embedded below.

CNN on Buddhism Behind Bars

CNN did a feature last week about how Buddhism and "the art of meditation... has found a growing number of unlikely followers behind prison bars."

The work of our friend (and a past interviewee at my personal blog) Kobutsu Malone is mentioned. Take a look.

"Military Buddhist Chapel Represents Tolerance"

National Public Radio has a feature this week about a special space at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO: "the only Buddhist chapel on a U.S. military base."

I've previously blogged about religious controversy at the Air Force Academy. NPR explains how that played into the decision to build this chapel:
The controversy prompted the Air Force to issue guidelines for religious expression. The military also has made efforts to accommodate all faiths. These include the construction of the 300-square-foot Buddhist chapel at the Air Force Academy paid for by the Frederick P. Lenz Foundation for American Buddhism.

The floor is bamboo, and the walls are Port Orford cedar. The focal point is a cherry and ash altar with a Burmese Buddha statue on top.

Read the rest here.

[Photo by Jeffy Brady for National Public Radio. "Steve Honda, an Air Force Academy military trainer, kneels before the altar in the base's Buddhist chapel."]

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Come See Gary Gach at University of the West this Monday, Sept. 28th, at 7 p.m.!

The Buddhist Chaplaincy Program at University of the West is extremely honored and happy to welcome Gary Gach, the American Book Award-winning author and Zen teacher, to campus for a lecture this coming Monday, September 28th, at 7:00 p.m. in the WASC Room of the ED Building. Gary will speak to us on the topic “Free Nirvana: Buddhist Wisdom in Uncertain Times,” and take questions from the audience. (If you have copies of his books, bring them along—he’s happy to sign them.) The public is encouraged to attend.

Gary Gach is an American author, editor, and teacher. A student of Dainin Katagiri Roshi, he was later ordained as a Buddhist minister by the Very Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh. He leads mindfulness meditation at the Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples in San Francisco, and serves on the International Advisory Panel of The Buddhist Channel. He writes the blog “Where Buddha Meets Freud” for Psychology Today, and leads the Haiku Corner for the Tricycle Community’s Poetry Club. In addition, Gary is a prolific author, translator, and editor. His many books include the American Book Award-winning What Book!?: Buddha Poems from Beat to Hiphop (Parallax Press, 1998); translations of Ko Un’s Ten Thousand Lives (Green Integer, 2005), Songs for Tomorrow: A Collection of Poems 1960-2002 (Green Integer, 2009), and Flowers of a Moment (Green Integer, 2006), for which he won the Northern California Book Award; and The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Buddhism (Alpha Press, 2009), the bestselling guidebook which just last month went into his third printing. Gary and his work have been featured at The Huffington Post, Fora.TV, The Internet Writing Journal, and elsewhere.

University of the West was founded in 1991 and accredited by WASC in 2006. It is one of three accredited Buddhist universities in the United States and the only one of the three offering a Master’s in Business Administration degree. Its current enrollment is approximately 260 students. UWest is located at 1409 N. Walnut Grove Ave., Rosemead, CA 91770.

Driving Directions:

From the west (Los Angeles):
Take CA-60 EAST towards POMONA FWY/POMONA
Take SAN GABRIEL BLVD exit towards ROSEMEAD
Turn left on TOWN CENTER DR
Turn left on SAN GABRIEL BLVD
Turn right on WALNUT GROVE AVE


From the east (Rowland Heights/Hacienda Heights):
Take CA-60 WEST towards LOS ANGELES
Take SAN GABRIEL BLVD exit towards ROSEMEAD
Turn right on SAN GABRIEL BLVD
Turn right on WALNUT GROVE AVE

Buddhist Chaplaincy Symposium V – October 3rd, 2009

The Coordinator of the Buddhist Chaplaincy Program and several student at University of the West will be there. You going?

For more information or to register, go to http://www.buddhistchaplainsnetwork.org.

Even More about Buddhist Army National Guard Chaplain Thomas Dyer!

Last week, National Public Radio interviewed Buddhist Army National Guard chaplain Thomas Dyer. Give it a listen!

The New York Times on Hmong Shamans Caring for Hospital Patients

There's a neat article in the New York Times today about Hmong shamans visiting the sick in hospitals in New York. Not only is the piece really interesting in and of itself, but it points to a larger trend chaplains would do well to take note of:
    A recent survey of 60 hospitals in the United States by the Joint Commission, the country’s largest hospital accrediting group, found that the hospitals were increasingly embracing cultural beliefs, driven sometimes by marketing, whether by adding calcium-and iron-rich Korean seaweed soup to the maternity ward menu at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles, on the edge of Koreatown, or providing birthing doulas for Somali women in Minneapolis.

Roshi Joan Halifax on CBC Radio's Tapestry Program

Our friend Roshi Joan Halifax was recently a guest on CBC Radio's Tapestry program. Listen here.

More about the Army's First Buddhist Chaplain

I recently posted about Buddhist Army National Guard chaplain Thomas Dyer. Scripps Howard News Service, The Tennessean, and the Buddhist Military Sangha have even more about him. Take a look! (The big news is that Dyer is being deployed to Iraq.)

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

A Big News Day for Buddhist Military Chaplains

It was a big news day for Buddhist chaplains today.

First, Tricycle: The Buddhist Review's marvelous editor and publisher James Sheehan points us to The Commercial Appeal's profile of Buddhist Army National Guard chaplain Thomas Dyer (pictured).

Next, over at Shambhala SunSpace, web editor Rod Meade Sperry blogs about Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's "promised financial support to the Buddhist community and to place Buddhist chaplains in the military."

Lastly, Lt. Jeanette Shin at the Buddhist Military Sangha shares with us the news that "U.S. Air Force SSGT Henry Sims has just begun a new blog chronicling his attempt to become a military chaplain of Buddhist faith." Take a look!

[Photo by Mike Brown for The Commercial Appeal. "Chaplain Thomas Dyer of the Tennessee National Guard is the first Buddhist chaplain in the Army. According to Army Chaplain Carleton Birch, spokesman for the Office of Chief of Army Chaplains in Washington, there are at least 3,300 Buddhists in the Army."]

Monday, August 03, 2009

Check Out Program Coordinator Danny Fisher's Interview on the Buddhist Geeks Podcast

UWest's Danny Fisher (center) with Buddhist Geeks Vince Horn (left) and Ryan Oelke (right) at their studio in Boulder, CO, last week.

I was in Boulder, CO, last week to do an interview those utterly fantastic Buddhist Geeks, and that interview is now online. I hope you'll give it a listen here.

(P.S. I did a "Geeks of the Roundtable" segment with them too, and will post about that once it's up.)

Sunday, August 02, 2009

"The Integration of East and West"

Our friend and UWest colleage Jesse F. Tanner, a Unity minister-in-training and author of Progressive-Practical Christianity, returned to Unity.FM's "World of Spirituality" show this past week. You can listen to the interview online here. This is part two of a two-part series; you can listen to the first interview here.

Check Out UWest Prof Amy Demyan's New Website: AmyKnowsBest.Com

Our friend and UWest colleage in the Psychology department, Dr. Amy Demyan, just launched her new website, AmyKnowsBest.Com, yesterday. I was very pleased to have been able to contribute a short mindfulness meditation exercise to the "Mind|Body|Soul" section as part of its debut. Take a look!

Thursday, July 30, 2009

"Airport Chapels Offer Haven to More Faiths"

The Associated Press reports on efforts to make airport chapels interfaith. The write-up includes some good history of travel ministry:
    ...The nation's roughly 34 airports with chapels cater to a mixed community with a changing range of faith needs, according to the Rev. John A. Jamnicky, former chaplain of Chicago's O'Hare International Airport and a 20-year veteran of travel ministry.

    He said airport chapels date back to the 1940s when the explosion of commercial aviation, combined with a surplus of military chaplains home from World War II, gave church leaders the idea to mix faith with flying. The first known airport chapel was opened in 1951 at Boston's Logan International Airport, according to the International Association of Civil Aviation Chaplains.

    It started a trend. Over time, airport chapels became largely Catholic in northern cities like Chicago and New York, and Protestant in southern cities like Atlanta and Dallas, Jamnicky said.

    As travelers become more numerous and more diverse, Chicago's O'Hare and Midway airports now advertise prayer rugs and special Muslim facilities. Chapels created at airports in Norfolk, Va., and Tulsa, Okla., in the last decade have been interfaith. And in Cleveland, airport officials have discussed toning down the Catholic orientation of the airport's ornate chapel.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

"From Christian Seminary to Buddhist University"

Our friend and UWest colleage Jesse F. Tanner, a Unity minister-in-training and author of Progressive-Practical Christianity, is interviewed on Unity.FM's "World of Spirituality" show this week. You can listen to the interview online here. This is part one of a two-part series; I'll post about the second part when it airs.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Schedule for this Weekend's Two-Day Interview of Prospective M.Div. Students

SCHEDULE FOR THE TWO-DAY INTERVIEW
OF PROSPECTIVE M.Div. STUDENTS

FRIDAY, JULY 17th, SCHEDULE

9:30 a.m.
AD204
Welcome
Jason Kosareff and Rev. Danny Fisher

10:00 a.m.
AD204
Group Interview
Dr. Amy Demyan, Dr. Kenneth A. Locke, Rev. Danny Fisher, Corrine E. Hinton

12:00 p.m.
Cafeteria
Lunch with the Religious Studies Faculty
available REL faculty

1:00 p.m.
Campus Tour
Jason Kosareff

1:45 p.m.
AD207 (“Smart Classroom”)
Welcome from the Office of the President
Ven. Jue Wei, Special Assistant to the President

2:00 p.m.
AD207 (“Smart Classroom”)
Keynote Address: “UWest’s Buddhist Chaplaincy Program in Context”
Rev. Danny Fisher

2:30-4:30 p.m.
ED313
Introduction to Group Process Work
Rev. Danny Fisher


SATURDAY, JULY 18th, SCHEDULE

9:00 a.m.
ED225
Individual Interviews
Dr. Amy Demyan, Dr. Kenneth A. Locke, Rev. Danny Fisher
[Individual meeting times will be assigned to each student.]
[Breakfast food/snacks will be available in the employee break-room nearby.]

12:00 p.m.
WASC Room
Optional Lunch Out
Jason Kosareff and Rev. Danny Fisher

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

National Guard Units Strained By Chaplain Shortage

Our good buddy and UWest colleague Jesse F. Tanner over at Progressive-Practical Christianity posts about a piece at Faith in Public Life about how National Guard and other military units are struggling with chaplain shortages. Jesse notes the important statistics:
    Currently, there are about 200 positions are open in the Army National Guard and 45 in the Air National Guard.

California Prison Chaplains' Roles Threatened by Proposed Regulation

Tidings Online reports on the furor of proposed regulations in California that would violate inmates' rights and threaten the roles of prison chaplains.
    If a new lethal injection regulation is approved, chaplains will lose the right to keep the confidentiality of information provided by death row inmates by having to submit a written report to the warden, including an assessment of the "inmate's spiritual and emotional well-being and determining the inmate's religious preferences and needs."

    The proposed protocol also includes elimination of psychological support for the victims' families, and state and media witnesses.
Read the full story here.

Tuesday, July 07, 2009

Wendy Cadge on Intercessory Prayer Studies

Over at Religion Dispatches, sociologist Wendy Cadge, who currently teaches at Brandeis University, asks, "Can the efficacy of prayer be determined through a double-blind clinical trial? Do studies measure prayer in ways that even make sense?" She herself suspects that we might be "learning more about medical science than about the healing power of prayer" through these studies. This is a good piece for chaplains to take note of.

Earlier this year, Dr. Cadge authored another must-read piece for Religion Dispatches entitled "Bearing Witness: The Work of Hospital Chaplains". The author is currently at work on a book called Paging God: Religion in the Halls of Medicine, which "examines the historical and current institutional presence of religion and spirituality in hospitals." As part of her research, she's apparently spoken to quite a lot of chaplains.

Interestingly, Cadge has also contributed significantly to the ever-growing canon of literature about Buddhism in America. She's the author of a tremendously important book that I'd recommend if you haven't read it already: Heartwood: The First Generation of Theravāda Buddhism in America. It's an ethnographic study of both immigrant and convert communities in the United States, and offers insights that wil be valuable to American readers regardless of what Buddhist tradition they study and/or practice.

The Deadline for IBEF Scholarship Applications Is July 15th!

Over at his University of the West blog, Jason reminds us that the deadline for International Buddhist Education Foundation scholarships is right around the corner (July 15th).

As I mentioned last month, the IBEF is offering $3,000 scholarships to qualified students admitted into the M.Div. in Buddhist Chaplaincy Program. The organization makes 50 of these scholarships available to students each semester, and we're very lucky to be included.

Make sure you get those applications in soon, prospective students! All the relevant forms can be downloaded here. (You will also find information about other scholarships at that link. M.Div. applicants are welcome to apply for all scholarships benefitting graduate students.)

Rod Meade Sperry Continues His Interview with Frank Ostaseski at Shambhala Sun Audio

Over at Shambhala Sun Audio, the great Rod Meade Sperry continues his conversation with Frank Ostaseski of the Metta Institute and the Zen Hospice Project. Mr. Ostaseski also answers listener questions in the comments--so, leave him on! Get it all right here. (You can listen to the first part here.)

Thursday, July 02, 2009

Rod Meade Sperry Talks to Frank Ostaseski for Shambhala Sun Audio

The great Rod Meade Sperry speaks to Frank Ostaseski for Shambhala Sun Audio today. Mr. Ostaseski, of the Metta Institute and the Zen Hospice Project, is, as Rod says, "the consummate authority" in the Western Buddhist world on "care for sick and dying loved ones." Give their conversation a listen here. (This is the first of two conversations, and I'll be sure to post about the second when it is posted. Also, don't miss the opportunity for a Q&A with Mr. Ostaseski on July 6th at Shambhala Sun Space.)

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

UPCOMING LECTURE: “A Buddhist Reading Kant, a Kantian Reading the Buddha” by Justin Whitaker

I'm very pleased to announce that the Department of Religious Studies at UWest will soon host a lecture by my good friend Justin Whitaker of Goldsmiths College/The University of Montana. Friends of the university and our program are welcome to attend. You'll find all the pertinent information below:



The Department of Religious Studies at University of the West presents

“A Buddhist Reading Kant, a Kantian Reading the Buddha”

a lecture by
Justin Whitaker
of
Goldsmiths College/The University of Montana

Monday, July 13th, at 3:30 p.m.
AD207 (“Smart Classroom”)

Justin Whitaker is a Ph.D. candidate in Religious Studies at Goldsmiths College, University of London. His dissertation title is "Buddhist and Kantian Ethics: A Comparative Analysis." He holds an M.A. in Buddhist Studies from Bristol University in England and a B.A. in Philosophy from The University of Montana. In addition, before studying in London, he did graduate studies in Philosophy at The University of Montana. He was an Instructor in Buddhist Studies at The University of Montana in 2006-2007, and served as Administrative Officer at the institution’s Center for Ethics this past year. Justin has lectured on Buddhist ethics, meditation, and philosophy in Spain, England, and the U.S. A practicing Buddhist for eight years, he has led meditation groups since 2003. He currently resides in Missoula where he leads the UM Campus Sangha and meditates on Montana's mountains and rivers. His award-winning blog is American Buddhist Perspective (http://americanbuddhist.blogspot.com).

Lt. Jeanette Shin on "A Growing Chaplaincy"

Our friend Lt. Jeanette Shin, CHC, USN, the first commissioned Buddhist chaplain in the U.S. Armed Forces, offers a lovely reflection at Buddhist Military Sangha about the "a growing chaplaincy":
    Buddhist chaplains come from all three major Buddhist traditions: Mahayana, Theravada, and Vajrayana. There does not seem to be any one specific tradition or school which is more conducive to or works better within chaplaincy than others. Also, as chaplaincy is a new dimension for many of these traditions; this offers an opportunity for Buddhists of very different practices to come together and share ideas and theories on chaplaincy (which is already occurring via the Buddhist Chaplains Network and other venues). This is unique in the history of Buddhism itself!

    The importance of Buddhist Chaplaincy therefore lies in the interfaith and intra-Sangha dialogue it provides. One of the misconceptions of chaplaincy is that chaplains will simply care for their own. Chaplains are called upon often to provide spiritual care, counseling, or simply just to listen, for all persons. It is not the case that a chaplain will just sit in an office waiting for the buzzer to ring for a specific faith group. Chaplains very often are out and about, making visitations, counsel persons not of their own faith, and often those not belonging to any faith group. Proselytizing is not in the chaplain's job description. Negative media reports involving chaplains nearly always involve someone's blatant attempts at conversion, or ethical violations. Chaplains must navigate a thin line on when and where to share faith, and what behaviors are and aren't acceptable. Buddhists are not immune from this, and we can even learn something about this from our Christian and Jewish colleagues. Even as chaplaincy is "new," we must also have to explain it to other Buddhists who may not understand what it is, why it is important, or why a Buddhist teacher or monk or nun must associate with non-Buddhists: it has also been my experience that we must justify our presence not only to some non-Buddhists, but also to our fellow Buddhists who misunderstand chaplain work.
Read her full post here.

Monday, June 29, 2009

L.A.P.D. Names First Muslim Chaplain

"Sheik Qazi Asad prays five times each day. The Pakistani-born immigrant, who is now a U.S. citizen, first got involved with law enforcement after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, working with the Sheriff’s Department." Photo by Jake Stevens for the Los Angeles Times.

The Los Angeles Times reports today on the appointment of the Los Angeles Police Department's first Muslim chaplain:
    Sheik Qazi Asad, 47, will serve as a reserve chaplain at the LAPD's North Hollywood station.
Warmest congratulations and As-Salāmu `Alaykum, Imam!

Saturday, June 27, 2009

The New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care Graduates Its First Clinical Pastoral Education (C.P.E.) Students

"Back row (left to right): Rick Panteleoni, Robert Allen, Susan Small, Kate Kalin. Front row (left to right): Rev. Trudi Jinpu Hirsch, Mel Sebastiani, Chodo Campbell, Anne Reigeluth, Koshin Paley Ellison." Image via Koshin Paley Ellison.

This from our friend (and a past interviewee at my personal blog) Koshin Paley Ellison of the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care's Buddhist Contemplative Care Training Program:
    On June 26, 2009, the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care graduated it's first class of CPE students, each receiving one unit of Clinical Pastoral Education. We are proud to be the first Buddhist organization to graduate Buddhist Chaplain students with ACPE accreditation. This is made possible through our partnership with Healthcare Chaplaincy of New York. NYZCCC has expanded its programing to offer two Buddhist CPE units commencing in September 2009. Both classes are fully enrolled. Rev. Trudi Jinpu Hirsch, the Center's ACPE Supervisor leads the training.

    We will also commence our third year of Foundations in Buddhist Contemplative Care Training (a pre-requisite for our CPE enrolment). We are proud to announce that NYZCCC now has over 60 students that have completed the foundations program and this years enrollment is also complete.
We offer our warmest congratulations here at UWest!

For more information about the NYZCCC's work, follow this link.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Important News about U.S. Military Chaplains

Two important articles emerged this week about military chaplaincy. First, the Associated Press reported that the Rev. Tim Vakoc, a Catholic priest from Minnesota who lost an eye and was severely brain damaged by a roadside bomb in Iraq five years ago, has died.
    "A man of peace, he chose to endure the horror of war in order to bring the peace of Christ to America's fighting men and women," Archbishop John Nienstedt said in a statement. "He has been an inspiration to us all and we will miss him. We ask everyone to remember him in prayer."

    The major was hospitalized for four months at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, and was transferred in a near coma to the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Minneapolis in October 2004.

    After many surgeries and infections, he slowly started to recognize friends and family, and began to communicate with squeezes of the hand or slight smiles. In the fall of 2006, he spoke for the first time in 2 1/2 years.

    Vakoc, a Robbinsdale native, served as a parish priest before becoming an Army chaplain in 1996, and serving in Germany and Bosnia. He shipped out to Iraq shortly before his 44th birthday.
We say goodbye, and thank you for your service, Father.

[Image via CaringBridge.org.]



The other article, from Newsweek, offers a strong report on the "problem of an evangelical military culture that sees spreading Christianity as part of its mission." Here's a snippet filled with some good information:
    [This culture] is influenced in part by changes in outlook among the various branches' 2,900 chaplains, who are sworn to serve all soldiers, regardless of religion, with a respectful, religiously pluralistic approach. However, with an estimated two thirds of all current chaplains affiliated with evangelical and Pentecostal denominations, which often prioritize conversion and evangelizing, and a marked decline in chaplains from Catholic and mainstream Protestant churches, this ideal is suffering. Historian Anne C. Loveland attributes the shift to the Vietnam War, when many liberal churches opposed to the war supplied fewer chaplains, creating a vacuum filled by conservative churches. This imbalance was exacerbated by regulation revisions in the 1980s that helped create hundreds of new "endorsing agencies" that brought a flood of evangelical chaplains into the military and by the simple fact that evangelical and Pentecostal churches are the fastest-growing in the U.S.

    The chaplains minister to flocks that are, on the whole, slightly less religious than the general population and slightly less evangelical. According to a 2008 Department of Defense survey, 22 percent of active-duty members of the military described themselves as evangelical or Pentecostal (although the actual number of evangelical-minded believers is likely higher when encompassing personnel who follow more evangelical expressions of mainline Protestant denominations, as well as a sizable percentage of the additional 20 percent that describe themselves simply as "Christian").
We have two students in our program who are military chaplain candidates, but all kinds of chaplains and other clergy should definitely read the article in full here.

[Image via Newsweek.]

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Our Ad on the Buddhist Geeks Podcast!

Our enrollment counselor and co-blogger Jason Kosareff, community and media relations guru, recently bought some ad time for the M.Div. program on the very popular podcast Buddhist Geeks. I recommend the show highly to students of our program (it's one of the reasons I suggested the program as a possible ad venue), and encourage you to listen our ad below or here.

NEWS: Our Program Information Has Been Updated at UWest's Official Website

Good news, everybody: our program's information has been updated at UWest's official website. Take a look here:

http://www.uwest.edu/chaplaincy

One important note: we discovered that we had done our math wrong, and the correct number of total credit hours for the program is 75. This is three credits more than we had previously reported. Otherwise, there's nothing major to report and no surprises--just some long overdue corrections and clarifications and such.

I'm going to submit a couple more updates (including the FAQs that were posted here at this blog), so stay tuned for posting about that.

For these much-needed changes, we have our Office of Extended Studies' web design/media specialist Patrick Gonzaga to thank. Thanks, Patrick!

Saturday, June 20, 2009

A Tour of the Coordinator's Office

Ever wonder about all those signs and symbols and things in my office? Well, here's a personalized tour with explanations:

Friday, June 19, 2009

In Solidarity with Aung San Suu Kyi on Her 64th Birthday...

The Los Angeles Times on the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care's Buddhist Chaplaincy Training Program

"Bob Allen leads Victoria Exconde in Christian prayer after talking with her about her approaching breast cancer surgery. 'Thank you, Father,' said Exconde, a Roman Catholic from the Philippines. 'You don’t have to call me Father,' Allen replied good-naturedly as he got up to leave." Photo by Nicholas Roberts for the Los Angeles Times.

There's a good article about our friends at the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care's Buddhist Chaplaincy Training Program on the front page of the Los Angeles Times this morning. Take a look!

I previously interviewed article subject Robert Chodo Campbell and Koshin Paley Ellison for my personal blog. You can read the transcript of our conversation here.

Monday, June 15, 2009

Nursing Proposal to WASC Today

I know this isn't chaplaincy related:

UWest President Dr. Allen Huang and his team have sent a proposal to WASC today (June 15) that, if approved, would allow UWest to offer an RN-to-BSN nursing program.

WASC will review the proposal at its August 24 meeting in Sacramento. Wish us luck!

Friday, May 29, 2009

GREAT NEWS: The International Buddhist Education Foundation is Now Offering Scholarships to UWest's M.Div. Students!

University of the West has just received word that our friends at the International Buddhist Education Foundation are offering $3,000 scholarships to qualified students admitted into the M.Div. in Buddhist Chaplaincy Program.

IBEF makes 50 of these scholarships available to students each semester, and we're thrilled that they've included us.

Please be aware that the deadline for the IBEF scholarship is July 15, so prospectives and others should make sure to apply soon! Applications can be downloaded here. (You will also find information about other scholarships at that link. M.Div. applicants are welcome to apply for all scholarships benefitting graduate students.)

Meet UWest's New President

C.F. Lee, the new President of University of the West.

At our faculty retreat on campus this week, President Allen Huang delivered the sad news that he will be stepping down June 30th after two years of invaluable service to the university.

Dr. Huang also informed us that his successor, pictured above, will be C.F. Lee--the current Vice-Chancellor of The University of Hong Kong.

Those of us in the Chaplaincy Program look forward to meeting and working with Dr. Lee. We also extend a fond farewell to Dr. Huang, who has been such a great ally and advocate for us.

One interesting note: Dr. Lee delivered the Convocation Address at the International Buddhist College's first convocation in 2008. You can read that address here.

(Thanks to Bil Owen, our spectacular Extended Education Coordinator, for the links!)

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

New Books for the Library

I recently submitted a list of titles to our wonderful librarians, Ling Ling Kuo and Judy Hsu, for the UWest Library to acquire. These books will be the first volumes in our holdings purchased expressly for the chaplaincy program. Hopefully, we will see more and more come into the library in future years. I'm sharing the titles below, hoping it will be beneficial to our students as well as others who might be reading:
  • The Dictionary of Pastoral Care and Counseling (Expanded Edition with CD-ROM) by Rodney J. Hunter
    ISBN: 0687497515

  • Clinical Handbook of Pastoral Counseling: Vol. 1 (Expanded Edition) by Richard D. Parsons, Robert J. Wicks, and Donald Capps
    ISBN: 0809133512

  • Clinical Handbook of Pastoral Counseling: Vol. 2 by Robert J. Wicks and Richard D. Parsons
    ISBN: 0809133253

  • Clinical Handbook of Pastoral Counseling: Vol. 3 by Richard D. Parsons, Robert J. Wicks, and Donald Capps
    ISBN: 0809140616

  • Practical Psychology for Pastors (2nd Edition) by William R. Miller and Kathleen A. Jackson
    ISBN: 0131718290

  • Legal Issues and Religious Counseling by Ronald K. Bullis and Cynthia S. Mazur
    ISBN: 0664253865

  • Counseling for the Soul in Distress: What Every Religious Counselor Should Know about Emotional and Mental Illness (2nd Edition) by Richard W. Roukema
    ISBN: 078901629X

  • The Work of the Chaplain by Naomi K. Paget and Janet R. McCormack
    ISBN: 0817014993

  • Ministry in the Spiritual and Cultural Diversity of Healthcare: Increasing the Competency of Chaplains by Robert G. Anderson and Mary A. Fukuyama
    ISBN: 0789025566

  • Making Chaplaincy Work: Practical Approaches by Laurel A. Burton
    ISBN: 0866567437

  • Becoming a Healthier Pastor by Ronald W. Richardson
    ISBN: 0800636392

  • In Living Color: An Intercultural Approach to Pastoral Care and Counseling by Emmanuel Y. Lartey
    ISBN: 1843107503

  • Research in Pastoral Care and Counseling: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches by Larry VandeCreek, Hilary Bender, and Merle R. Jordan.
    ISBN: 155635889X

  • Pastoral Care of Older Adults by Harold G. Koenig and Andrew J. Weaver
    ISBN: 0800629647

  • Pastoral Care of Alcohol Abusers by Harold G. Koenig and Andrew J. Weaver
    ISBN: 080066261X

  • Hospital Ministry: The Role of the Chaplain Today by Lawrence E. Holst
    ISBN: 1597528145

  • Pastoral Care in Hospitals by Neville A. Kirkwood
    ISBN: 0819221910

  • Hospice and Palliative Care: The Essential Guide (2nd Edition) by Stephen Connor
    ISBN: 0415993563

  • The Sword of the Lord: Military Chaplains from the First to the Twenty-First Century by Doris L. Bergen
    ISBN: 0268021767

  • Chaplaincy in Law Enforcement: What is It and How to Do It by David W. De Revere, Wilbert A. Cunningham, Tommy W. Mobley, and John A. Price
    ISBN: 0398075964

  • Disaster Spiritual Care: Practical Clergy Responses to Community, Regional, and National Tragedy by Stephen B. Roberts and Willard W.C. Ashley
    ISBN: 159473240X

  • Ministry and the American Legal System by Richard B. Couser
    ISBN: 0800626036

  • The Zen of Helping: Spiritual Principles for Mindful and Open-Hearted Practice by Andrew Bein
    ISBN: 047033309X

  • Ethnicity and Family Therapy (3rd Edition) by Monica McGoldrick, Joe Giordano, Nydia Garcia-Preto
    ISBN: 1593850204

  • Genograms: Assessment and Intervention (3rd Edition) by Monica McGoldrick, Randy Gerson, and Sueli Petry
    ISBN: 0393705099

  • Basic Types of Pastoral Care and Counseling: Resources for the Ministry of Healing and Growth by Howard John Clinebell
    ISBN: 0687024927

  • Pastoral Care and Counseling: Redefining the Paradigms by Nancy J. Ramsey
    ISBN: 068702224X

  • Care of Persons, Care of Worlds: A Psychosystems Approach to Pastoral Care and Counseling by Larry Kent Graham
    ISBN: 0687046750

  • The Blackwell Reader in Pastoral and Practical Theology by James Woodward and Stephen Pattison
    ISBN: 0631207457

  • Religious Requirements and Practices of Certain Selected Groups: A Handbook for Chaplains by the U.S. Department of the Army
    ISBN: 0898756073

  • subscription to the Journal of Pastoral Care & Counseling
    ASIN: B00006KKLD
  • Tuesday, May 19, 2009

    UWest Badminton Tournament!

    Just a snapshot from some fun on campus. Watch out for Dr. Bill Chen in the Department of Business Administration (pictured, wearing khakis)--that guy's got game!

    Tuesday, May 12, 2009

    Schedule for this Weekend's Two-Day Interview of Prospective M.Div. Students

    SCHEDULE FOR THE TWO-DAY INTERVIEW
    OF PROSPECTIVE M.Div. STUDENTS

    FRIDAY, MAY 15th, SCHEDULE

    9:30 a.m.
    AD204
    Welcome
    Jason Kosareff and Rev. Danny Fisher

    10:00 a.m.
    AD204
    Group Interview
    Dr. Amy Demyan, Dr. Kenneth A. Locke, Rev. Danny Fisher

    12:00 p.m.
    Cafeteria
    Lunch with the Religious Studies Faculty
    available REL faculty

    1:00 p.m.
    Campus Tour
    Jason Kosareff

    1:45 p.m.
    AD207 (“Smart Classroom”)
    President’s Welcome
    Dr. Allen Huang

    2:00 p.m.
    AD207 (“Smart Classroom”)
    Keynote Address: “UWest’s Buddhist Chaplaincy Program in Context”
    Rev. Danny Fisher

    2:30-4:30 p.m.
    ED313
    Introduction to Group Process Work
    Rev. Danny Fisher


    SATURDAY, MAY 16th, SCHEDULE

    9:00 a.m.
    ED225
    Individual Interviews
    Dr. Amy Demyan, Dr. Kenneth A. Locke, Rev. Danny Fisher
    [Individual meeting times will be assigned to each student.]
    [Breakfast food/snacks will be available in the employee break-room nearby.]

    12:00 p.m.
    WASC Room
    Optional Lunch Out
    Jason Kosareff and Rev. Danny Fisher

    Frequently Asked Questions about Our Program

    1. What are the admissions requirements?

    The admissions requirements are as follows:
    1. A B.A. in any major from an accredited college or university with a G.P.A. of 2.5 or higher.
    2. Three (3) letters of recommendation.
    3. A 500-word autobiographical essay.
    4. Copies of diplomas for all degrees earned, and official transcripts.
    5. Attendance for a two-day, in-person interview process on campus. Individual and group interviews will evaluate assess interpersonal skills and assess the candidates' readiness for the program.
    6. A $50 application fee.
    2. What are the residency requirements?

    On-campus housing is available to students (see below), but they are not required to live on campus. Students living off-campus should be aware that the requirements are such that it would be very difficult to live too far outside of Los Angeles County and complete this program. The long hours and intensive nature require regular attendance on campus for classes, as do group processes and other events. This program was designed to serve students living locally, and should not be considered a low-residency program.

    3. Does UWest ordain monks, nuns or ministers?

    No. The purpose of the M.Div. in Buddhist Chaplaincy is to prepare students for ministries of care and counseling in vocational environments. Students interested in ordination should seek it from their temple, church, mosque, community, or practice center.

    4. Are UWest and the M.Div. in Buddhist Chaplaincy program accredited?

    Yes. Both University of the West and the M.Div. in Buddhist Chaplaincy have been accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

    5. Does UWest have housing? Can I live on campus with my spouse?

    University of the West has two residence halls, one for me and one for women. Spouses can cohabitate in a dorm room if space is available. Off-campus apartment housing can also be arranged through University of the West for married couples.

    6. Can I take the M.Div. in Buddhist Chaplaincy program online?

    The program in its entirety cannot be completed online. Some courses included in the program’s curriculum are offered online and count toward fulfillment of the program, but there is no M.Div. online degree program.

    7. Are international students accepted into the M.Div. in Buddhist Chaplaincy program?

    UWest will only accept Applications for Admission from students currently living inside the United States, including international students who reside in the U.S. at the time they submit their application. International students are also required to submit a TOEFL score or IELTS score in accordance with the University of the West admissions policy.

    8. Will UWest’s M.Div. in Buddhist Chaplaincy program help me become professionally certified as a chaplain?

    Yes. Professional chaplains are generally certified by whatever organization serves and supports spiritual care work in their particular area. (Healthcare and hospice chaplains are certified by the Association for Professional Chaplains, police chaplains by the International Conference of Police Chaplains, military chaplains by the National Conference on Ministry to the Armed Forces, and so on.) All of these organizations have their own standards and competencies. For all intents and purposes, though, we could think of board certification with the A.P.C. as the "gold standard" for professional chaplains. Among their requirements is 72 semester-hours of graduate education covering nine core areas (ritual/liturgy, comparative religions, religious education, pastoral care and counseling, spiritual formation, religious history, institutional organization and administration, sacred literature, and theology/philosophy). UWest has designed its program specifically to cover those nine areas in 72 semester hours (see curriculum design).

    Saturday, May 09, 2009

    HBO's The Alzheimer's Project Now Available to Watch Online for Free

    HBO has made their new documentary series The Alzheimer's Project available online for free download. I've embedded each segment below, and I especially encourage current/prospective students interested in health care chaplaincy to watch them.

    The Memory Loss Tapes



    Grandpa, Do You Know Who I Am? with Maria Shriver



    Momentum in Science, part one



    Momentum in Science, part two



    Caregivers

    Monday, May 04, 2009

    Danny's elephantjournal.com Post about Buddhist Chaplaincy Training Programs in the United States

    I recently blogged for elephantjournal.com about Buddhist chaplaincy training programs in the United States. I've blogged about these training programs here and elsewhere, but this post has the most up-to-date information. (There have been updates even in the couple of days since I posted about these programs here for this blog!) I hope you'll take a look.

    Saturday, May 02, 2009

    Updates on UWest's Website!

    Thanks to UWest's enrollment counselor (and blogger for this site) Jason Kosareff and web designer/media specialist Patrick Gonzaga, we've made some important updates to the website this week. As some of you might have noted, we did not have much information up on the website about the program until now. We're happy to be able to offer much more now. You can take a look at the new and improved page for the M.Div. program right here.

    Among other things, you will find:
  • application information;
  • a robust new description of the program;
  • a detailed breakdown of the curriculum;
  • faculty bios;
  • information about tuition and fees;
  • and updated contact information.
  • There are more changes and updates yet to come, but this information ought to answer some initial questions for prospective students out there. Take a look, and let us know what you think.

    Wednesday, April 29, 2009

    Congratulations to Our Friends at the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care!

    A photo from the graduation of the first Introductory Buddhist Chaplaincy Training Program at the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care in New York City, New York. Image via the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

    [This post has been updated as of 9:00 a.m. PST on 5.4.09. Thanks to Andrew Merz for the correction.]

    MahaSangha News brings us the report that our friends at the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care have been "given the green light to offer the first fully-accredited professional Buddhist ACPE CPE program in the United States." This is exciting news, and we are very pleased for them here.

    I had the pleasure of interviewing co-executive directors Robert Chodo Campbell and Koshin Paley Ellison last year for my personal blog. You can read that interview here.

    This accreditation is significant when one considers the limited educational resources for Buddhists with a view to a career in professional chaplaincy. Professional chaplains are generally certified by whatever organization serves and supports spiritual care work in their particular area. (Healthcare and hospice chaplains are certified by the Association for Professional Chaplains, police chaplains by the International Conference of Police Chaplains, military chaplains by the National Conference on Ministry to the Armed Forces, and so on.) All of these organizations have their own standards and competencies. For all intents and purposes, we could think of board certification with the A.P.C. as the "gold standard" for professional chaplains. They require:
    1. a B.A. plus a theological education at the graduate professional level, which involves a minimum of 72 semester hours or 108 quarter hours of credit taken at an accredited school
    2. 4 units of Clinical Pastoral Education (C.P.E.)
    3. documentation of one year (2,000 hours) full time chaplaincy experience completed after the candidate’s C.P.E. residency
    4. ordination or commissioning to function in a ministry of pastoral care
    5. ecclesiastical endorsement
    In terms of number one, there exist three institutions offering graduate-level training programs for Buddhists with a view to a career in professional chaplaincy: Naropa University, the Institute of Buddhist Studies, University of the West (there's still time to apply--applications are due July 1st!), and Harvard Divinity School. Our friend Andrew Merz notes that in the HDS's MDiv program, students can "focus on any faith tradition studied at the school, and there is a nice little community of Buddhist MDivs developing, with a curriculum specific to their needs." (In particular, the Buddhist Arts of Ministry courses have been designed to serve these students.)

    As far as other C.P.E. training units are concerned, there are a few that offer special sensitivity to Buddhist practitioners: Naropa University and the Samaritan Counseling & Education Center of the Pikes Peak Region in Colorado Springs, CO, have developed a C.P.E. training with a special emphasis on contemplative practice; Ven. Thom Kilts is a supervisor at the John Muir Medical Center's Concord, MA, campus; Bryan Ferry, who is ordained through Thich Nhat Hanh's Order of Interbeing, is an A.C.P.E. supervisory candidate in the Spiritual Care Department at Children's Hospital Los Angeles; and Julie Harada Lee serves as a supervisor at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, WA. It's also worth mentioning that before taking on the job as A.C.P.E. Supervisor for the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care's program, Rev. Trudi J. Hirsch, a Zen priest, was an A.C.P.E. supervisor at The Healthcare Chaplaincy in New York City.

    In terms of ordination or commissioning to function in a ministry of pastoral care, it seems that (at the moment) only the Upaya Buddhist Chaplaincy Training is designed to end with participants being ordained--in this case, as either "lay chaplains" or "Zen Buddhist chaplain priests."

    For those interested in investigating chaplaincy or developing some skills necessary to be a volunteer, there is the non-professional Sati Center Training in Buddhist Chaplaincy. The program states clearly that it will not qualify participants for full-time jobs as chaplains, but that their trainings "can serve as preparation and discernment for people considering a career in professional chaplaincy."

    Network with the UWest Buddhist Chaplaincy Program!

    Please join or "friend" us at the Tricycle Community, Facebook, and/or Twitter! These are some other great ways to stay current with us, and we'd also just appreciate connecting with you.