8:30-9:00

Registration

9:00-10:30

Welcome and plenary session: Reading Texts Inside Out - Lonnie Valentine

Eastern religious texts have held the interest of many Friends in the past century, and many Quakers today draw on these texts for alternatives to the Bible and for their own spiritual growth. This session will provide an introduction to sample texts from Hinduism and Buddhism that touch on Quaker themes. We will then do some comparison to biblical texts.

10:30-11:00

Break

11:00-12:15

Workshop (choose one)

A: Bodhisattvas and the Bible - Lonnie Valentine

This will be a continuation of the plenary session drawing on the texts presented and other examples in Hinduism and Buddhism. We will also pursue the comparison to selected biblical texts.
Workshop Leader: Lonnie Valentine has been Professor of Peace and Justice at the Earlham School of Religion since 1989. He has taught courses in world religions, including courses exploring religion and peace and war. He has published articles related to this topic in the Journal of Psychology and in the Encyclopedia of Violence, Peace and Conflict. He is a 1983 Peace and Justice Studies graduate of ESR and received his doctorate from Emory University in Constructive Theology.

B: Reading the Sacred Text of Muslims - Jim Higginbotham

This workshop will explore selected passages from the sacred text of Islam: The Qur’an. Some of the questions that will be addressed include: Who is God for Muslims? How does Islam understand issues of peace and justice? What is jihad?
Workshop Leader: Jim Higginbotham is Assistant Professor of Pastoral Care and Counseling at ESR. He has taught at colleges and seminaries in Indiana, Ohio, and China; and he has broad experience in pastoral ministry, counseling, chaplaincy, and community organizing.

C: Dances of Universal Peace, As Quakers, As Christians – Jennie Dove-Isbell

This workshop centers around the Dances of Universal Peace, which draw on the world’s religious traditions and involve simple music and movements. Participation, not presentation, is the focus. Participants will spend time dancing and reflecting on the songs, words, movements, and most importantly on the experience of engaging sacred phrases from other traditions. We will explore how Quakers and other Christians understand intersections between spirituality and the body.
Workshop Leader: Jennie Dove-Isbell is Coordinator of Annual Fund and Constituent relations at ESR, and a full-time Christian Spirituality student. She is a supervised dance leader in the Dances of Universal Peace network, a massage therapist and a yoga teacher. Jennie’s husband, Craig Dove-Isbell, musician, philosopher, and ESR student, will provide music.

12:15-1:15

Lunch on site

1:15-2:30

Workshop (choose one of above)

A B C

2:30-3:00

Wrap up