By Lysa Allman-Baldwin
Dr. Donald Rothberg and Rev. Dr. Paul Laughlin, noted scholars in East-West religious studies, and Bhante Wimala, a renowned Buddhist spiritual teacher, will be featured presenters at Unity's Lyceum 2011, April 13–16 at Unity Village, Missouri.
This year's Lyceum theme is Spiritual Studies From a Global Perspective: The Ongoing East-West Dialogue.
Open to teachers, writers, scholars, students of spiritual and theological studies and the general public, this annual educational symposium offers an opportunity to listen, learn and discuss groundbreaking, provocative topics in religious studies.
In addition to keynote presentations, the Lyceum will feature workshops and academic papers presented by selected Unity Institute® students. Panel discussions will include topics relating to global spirituality, theology, pastoral studies, theological ethics, world religions, history and metaphysical Christianity.One of the discussions is entitled, "Islam and the Family of Faiths," featuring three Muslim panelists and moderated by Dr. Thomas Shepherd, a Unity Institute and Seminary faculty member, and Theodore Collins, dean of Unity Institute and Seminary.
“Our Lyceum is designed to raise the discussion in the Unity and New Thought community to the level of professional discourse in scholarly circles,” says Shepherd, founder of Unity's Lyceum. He also notes that the program will appeal to a wide range of people. “You don't need a Ph.D. to follow the presentations, but you'll come away with a new excitement about learning.”
Collins is pleased with this year's presenters. “It's exciting to have a program that puts Unity on the leading edge of theological discussion with top scholars from around the globe. This is a wonderful opportunity for people to learn more about Unity and New Thought and to interact with established scholars on current topics that affect how we view the world.”
Shepherd says opportunities for theological dialogue, such as the Lyceum, expose the wider community to the principles and practices of metaphysical Christianity.
“The world of religious thought has much to gain from these types of discussions when explored and critiqued with the tools of theological inquiry,” he says. “The goal is to raise consciousness by demonstrating how to think theologically, making it possible for future generations of Unity thinkers to contribute their creative energies to the ongoing dialogue, both in scholarly and popular publications."
Key Note Presenters
Dr. Donald Rothberg is author of The Engaged Spiritual Life: A Buddhist Approach to Transforming Ourselves and the World. He is one of the nation's foremost leaders in socially engaged spirituality. His experience combines activism, teaching and leadership roles in pioneering programs, which weave together social action and spirituality. Rothberg has practiced Buddhist meditation for over 25 years and has been significantly influenced by other spiritual traditions, particularly Jewish, Christian and indigenous traditions. His Lyceum talk is entitled “The Engaged Spiritual Life: Connecting Spiritual and Social Transformation.”
Rev. Dr. Paul Laughlin is a former Methodist minister, an ordained Unity minister, former chair of the Department of Religion and Philosophy at Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio and author of Getting Oriented: What Every Christian Should Know about Eastern Religions, but Probably Doesn't. He teaches Comparative Religions, American Religious History and courses relating to Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Religion in America and Islam. Laughlin is also the author of numerous books and articles on a broad range of topics in religious studies. His Lyceum talk is titled “Play Mystic for Me: Unity Theology and Spirituality From an Eastern Perspective.”
Bhante Wimala has been a Buddhist monk for 36 years, and is known throughout the world as a compassionate spiritual teacher. He is the chairperson and spiritual director of Triple Gem Society, the Center for Conscious Evolution in Princeton, New Jersey; a Chief Sangha Nayaka of the Council of Monks in the United States, Canada, Sri Lanka, the Czech Republic and Kenya; and is the recipient of many awards for his peace efforts and humanitarian activities, including the Global Peace Award from the Peace Center in the United States. He will speak about compassion in an East-West context during Lyceum 2011.
Register for Lyceum 2011.
Hear Rev. Dr. Laughlin on a recent Unity Online Radio program.
Hear Dr. Rothberg on a recent Unity Online Radio program.
