Benedict’s Dharma: A Conference of Buddhist and Christian Monastics gathered on September 19-21, 2001 at Our Lady of Grace Monastery in Beech Grove, Indiana to launch and discuss the book, Benedict’s Dharma: Buddhists Reflect on the Rule of St. Benedict, edited by Patrick Henry and published by Riverhead Press. Harcover copies of the book are available through www.Monastery Greetings.com

Hosted by Sister Mary Margaret Funk and Fr. William Skudlarek, the conference was convened only just over a week after the events of September 11, the conference was without two participants in the book, Joseph Goldstein and Norman Fischer, who felt it was more appropriate to be with their Buddhist communities at the time. However, the editor, Patrick Henry, and contributors Judith Simmer-Brown and Ven. Yifa were able to attend, along with about 100 attendees, both from Buddhist and Christian communities.

In addition to these, there were talks from Sr. Sarah Schwartzberg, Fr. Francis Kline, Ven. Heng Sure, Fr. Columba Stewart, Fr. Patrick Barry, Fr. James Wiseman, and Brother David Steindl-Rast. There were also many contributions from the attendees, and each day began and ended with a ceremony. The Conference was sponsored by Monastic Interreligious Dialogue with a grant from the Fetzer Institute.

The conference was brought to a close by a ceremony that affirmed the two religious traditions and called for healing and peace in the wake of September 11th.

You are invited to follow the conference day by day, or to go to the list of speakers for a particular talk. Be sure to check out all the information on the book that made the conference possible.