Month: August 2024

October 24^th at 6:00pm in Drake’s Sussman Theater (Olmsted Center): Dr. Bee Scherer, Prof. of Buddhist Studies at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (Netherlands) speaks (virtually) about “Is Buddhist Karma Ableist? Challenging Reductionist Assumptions around Causality, Merit, and Virtuous Bodies.”

In this presentation, the Buddhist notions of causality will be explored against the backdrop of systemic ableist rhetoric and disabling societal playbooks. First, Buddhist approaches to karma (action; cause and effect) are introduced in the context of wider core Buddhist notions such as no-self and the tensions between sociological and soteriological modes of thinking, reflecting the Buddhist distinction between preliminary (‘unenlightened’) and ultimate experiences of reality. Further, the concept of merit/meritoriousness and its relation to birth as a human being are introduced. Then, examples of poetic, narrative and devotional texts are presented that appear to employ reductionist and ableist notions of karma in relation to variable human embodiments. Finally, ‘dharmological’ (i.e., Buddhist constructive-critical reflection) strategies are explored to counter popular ableist (mis)use of karma theories in contemporary Buddhist traditions.   

Prof. Dr. Bee Scherer (they/their) is the Chair of Buddhist Studies at the Vrije Universiteit (VU) Amsterdam (Netherlands), and the rector of the Dutch Buddhist Seminary that oversees the national Buddhist chaplaincy training programme. Before that, Bee was Chair of Religious Studies and Gender Studies at Canterbury CCU, in the U.K. They are the founder of the interdisciplinary Social Justice institute INCISE (http://incise.center) and Queering Paradigms network. Trained in the classical Buddhist languages and thought systems, Bee has published on a wide range of topics in Buddhist Studies, Queer Theory, and Critical Disability Studies.

NOTE THAT THIS LECTURE WILL BE DELIVERED REMOTELY FROM AMSTERDAM. THOSE WHO WISH TO VIEW IT FROM SUSSMAN THEATER, MAY DO SO (AND ALSO ENJOY THE REFRESHMENTS PROVIDED THERE!). THOSE WHO WISH TO VIEW IT FROM HOME (OR ELSEWHERE), MAY ALSO DO SO. IF YOU WISH TO DO THE LATTER, PLEASE SIGN ON HERE BY 5:55 (AS THE LECTURE BEGINS AT 6:00 PM): https://drake-edu.zoom.us/j/81809413064.

https://drake-edu.zoom.us/j/81809413064.

See below for a video of the lecture:

On September 26^th at 6:00pm in Drake’s Meredith 106, Dr. Brad Crowell will facilitate a student-centered discussion about childhood religious trauma, its lingering effects into early adulthood, and different attempts to address and overcome it.

Have you struggled with mental health effects, fears, or questions from religion? Join us on September 26th at 6 pm for a safe and empowering conversation with The Comparison Project; Dr. Brad Crowell facilitates a student-centered discussion about childhood religious trauma, its lingering effects into early adulthood, and different attempts to address and overcome it. Come and join a stimulating and healing discussion made complete with a light dinner. 

We welcome all students who can help create a kind and respectful environment.

On Thursday, September 12 in Drake’s Sussman Theater (lower level of Olmsted Center), Dr. Cody Dolinsek will deliver the inaugural lecture of the 2024–26 lecture & dialogue series on religion, disability, and work: “Disability and Religion: A Dialogue of Dissonance in Search of Harmony.”

Religion and disability, at least as conceived in biblical religion, particularly in Judaism and Christianity, are out of harmony. For example, the Torah forbids the disabled offspring of the Levitical priests to participate in the priestly service. The blind and the lame, among others, are explicitly excluded from administering the most sacred rituals of their faith. In the Christian New Testament, Jesus is portrayed as healing those with disabilities–speech impediments, deafness, and blindness. The implication is that living without these disabilities makes one more whole, more complete. At the same time, the Bible seems to celebrate disability. When Moses protests that he has a speech impediment and therefore is not the best man for the job of speaking to Pharaoh, demanding that Pharaoh release the Israelites from slavery, God reminds Moses that it is God who has made the lame, the blind, etc. This talk seeks to navigate these tensions and to propose that while the tensions are probably irresolvable, the Bible provides its adherents with constructive ways to acknowledge and celebrate disability.

Dr. Dolinsek, blind from birth, has taught philosophy for Drake University since the fall of 2015, and he also teaches philosophy for the Des Moines Area Community College, Urban Campus. He earned his B.A. in Philosophy from Drake University in 2005 and his PhD in Philosophy in 2020. His areas of specialization are Ancient Philosophy and Philosophy of Religion. He is the author of Philosophy is for Everyone: An Introduction to Something You’ve Already Been Doing, published by Kendall Hunt in 2024. 

Those wishing to attend this lecture by zoom can sign-in here by 5:55pm: https://drake-edu.zoom.us/j/83530174120. 

Please see below for an audio recording of Dr. Dolinsek’s lecture.