[Buddha-l] Loving your object of study

[Blumenthal, James]

"I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a Christian theologian--no matter how avant-garde or rebellious against institutionalized forms of worship--who didn’t have some sort of Christian practice."

I may be nitpicking word choice here, but "theology," by definition is normative; it is done by a person of faith, albeit with the benefit of the tools of the academy.  There are historians of Christianity who are not Christian, just as there are scholars of Buddhism, historians and otherwise, who do not identify as Buddhists.  I raise this distinction because in recent years there has a movement among scholars of Buddhism who are also practitioners to speak "theologically", that is to say from within the tradition in constructive ways while using the critical tools of the academy to carry out this function.  They have been doing this to address questions and concerns that affect contemporary practice communities such as feminist critiques of Buddhism, the ecological crisis, engaged Buddhism, etc.


I understand the question people are raising.  It seems odd to an insider that somebody would take such a strong interest in a tradition and not have a personal committment.
Jim Blumenthal


James Blumenthal
Department of Philosophy
Oregon State University
102-A Hovland Hall
Corvallis, OR 97213