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.