Fall 2011: Religion, Spirituality, Contemplative Inquiry and Social Action

Full-time, 15 credits (DIAL 390W, 391W, 392W)

The semester will probe how spiritual, religious and contemplative practices can inform the way we address social and civic issues, particularly poverty, health, peace and the environment.

Organized religions including indigenous traditions, as well as less formal spiritual thought and practices, can provide deep wisdom to address social and environmental concerns. We have much to learn from religious leaders, indigenous elders, artists, activists, civic officials, youth leaders, and others of faith and good will who want to make a positive difference. However, organized religions also have been at the heart of problematic outcomes and we are aware of historical and contemporary instances where organized religions may have contributed to injustice.

Our approach will be to explore creative visions and constructive solutions arising where ideas, institutions, and practices -- religious, indigenous, spiritual and contemplative -- intersect with social activism. We will explore the essential human capacity to reach beyond and connect to practices for well-being within and without: the original impulse behind religiosity.

FACULTY

Mark L. Winston is the Academic Director of the Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University.

Rabbi Robert Daum is an Associate Professor of Rabbinic Literature and Jewish Thought and the first Director of the Iona Pacific Inter-Religious Centre at the Vancouver School of Theology.

Heesoon Bai is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education at Simon Fraser University.