News
2022 Numata Lecture
Last Friday, Dr. Paula Arai joined Dr. Nancy Lin, Vanessa Sasson and Mutsumi Wondra for a compelling talk on gratitude, healing rituals, and the role of women in Buddhism throughout history. The talk was followed by a rousing discussion […]
Students Reflect on Impact of Certificate in Sōtō Zen Buddhist Studies
Last month, Admissions and Communications Director Gesshin Greenwood sat down with Rev. Dr. Daijaku Kinst and Certificate in Sōtō Zen Buddhist students James Farwell, Naomi Noble and Apriel Jessup. They discussed the role of studying Dōgen in their own life […]
Dr. Paula Arai to Join IBS Faculty: She Will Be First Eshinni and Kakushinni Professor of Women and Buddhist Studies
The Institute of Buddhist Studies (IBS) is pleased to announce that acclaimed scholar and author Dr. Paula Arai will be joining the faculty in January 2023 as the first Eshinni and Kakushinni Professor of Women and Buddhist Studies. Dr. Arai […]
Announcement of Professorial Chairs
The Dharma Forward Campaign The Buddhist Churches of America (BCA) and Institute of Buddhist Studies (IBS) have adopted the Dharma Forward as a shared vision to build the future of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism in America. Dharma Forward is […]
IBS Celebrates Commencement 2022 In Person!
Joy and relief at being able to celebrate in person was a theme resonating throughout the Institute of Buddhist Studies’ commencement, held at the Jodo Shinshu Center on May 20th, 2022 in Berkeley, CA. Joy, but also grief and sadness […]
Panel on Chaplaincy Highlights Importance of Spiritual Care
On Thursday, April 28, 2022, Institute of Buddhist Studies alumni gathered online for a panel entitled “Buddhist Spiritual Care for Our Times.” Rev. Jo Laurence, Blayne Higa, and Trent Thornley work in ministry and chaplaincy in a variety of settings, […]
Spotlight on a Course: Buddhism and the West
This spring, the Institute of Buddhist Studies will be offering a staple of our Buddhist Studies curriculum, taught by Dean Scott Mitchell: “Buddhism and the West.” It is scheduled to be offered in person, at our campus, Thursdays 2:10pm-5pm. This […]
Celebrating Public Theologies of Technology and Presence
The Public Theologies of Technology and Presence (PTTP) is a three-year program, launched in 2018 and funded by the Luce Foundation. This program gathered and funded a cohort of leading scholars of religion, theologians, and journalists for their work addressing […]
Spotlight on a Course: Buddhism and Medicine
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the fragility of the human body to the forefront of our minds and imaginations. What tools does Buddhism offer us in confronting health and illness? This spring semester, we are excited that Dr. Courtney Bruntz […]
Pacific World Series 4 Volume 2 Now Online
The Pacific World: Journal of the Institute of Buddhist Studies has published the second volume of its fourth series, and it is now available to view online. This volume contains book reviews by Richard Payne, Gereon Kopf, Matt Orsborn, Ray Buckner, […]
Takashi Miyaji Named Ohtani Chair
The Institute of Buddhist Studies is pleased to announce that Rev. Dr. Takashi Miyaji has been appointed to the H.E. Kosho Ohtani Professor of Shin Buddhist Studies professorial chair. Rev. Dr. Miyaji has been a core faculty member of IBS […]
Meet Chenxing Han, Our New Chaplaincy Program Coordinator
The Institute of Buddhist Studies is excited to announce our new chaplaincy program coordinator, Chenxing Han. Han is a graduate of IBS’ Buddhist chaplaincy program, and is well-known for her recent book Be the Refuge: Raising the Voices of Asian […]
GTU Welcomes Institute of Buddhist Studies as Member School
The Graduate Theological Union (GTU) and Institute of Buddhist Studies (IBS) are pleased to announce the deepening connection between their scholarly communities as IBS becomes the GTU consortium’s ninth member school, following thirty-six years of collaboration as a GTU affiliate. […]
Buddhist Japanese Course Trains Beginning Students to Read Complex Texts
This fall, IBS is excited to offer Buddhist Japanese I, the first of a four-course sequence. Students will begin with basic Japanese grammar and build up their skills and knowledge of kanbun (Chinese characters) to eventually tackle more complex Buddhist […]
Nancy Lin Joins the IBS Faculty
This fall, the Institute of Buddhist Studies is pleased to have Dr. Nancy Lin join us as full-time faculty member in support of the Buddhist chaplaincy program. Dr. Lin joins us after four years at Vanderbilt University, where she taught […]
Pacific World Publishes Special Section on Apologetics
The Pacific World, the peer-reviewed journal of the Institute of Buddhist Studies, has published a special section on Buddhist Apologetics, featuring essays by Charles B. Jones, Thomas Calobrisi, Kwi Jeong Lee, and Wei Wu. The articles in this issue “examine ways in […]
Call for Papers – 2021 Virtual Graduate Student Symposium
We are delighted to announce the Graduate Student Symposium at the Institute of Buddhist Studies for the fall of 2021. The Symposium will be held virtually on October 22nd, 2021. The theme of the 2021 Symposium is “Authority and Normativity […]
Rev. Dr. Yamaoka Retires From IBS
Former Bishop Rev. Dr. Seigen Haruo Yamaoka had never planned on his amazing path — which has now nearly spanned 60 years — with the Buddhist Churches of America. He wanted to become a journalist, a newspaper reporter. But he […]
2021 Graduation and Commencement
On Friday, May 21, faculty, students, trustees, and friends of the Institute of Buddhist Studies gathered online to celebrate the graduating class of 2021, along with the class of 2020, who was not able to celebrate last year due to […]
IBS Faculty (and Alum) Thomas Calobrisi Co-Edits Journal
Current IBS adjunct faculty member and recent IBS grad Thomas Calobrisi has co-edited this autumn’s Journal of Dharma Studies. The journal’s theme is histories of science in Buddhism, and looks at how various Buddhist cultures produced knowledge. What goes into editing […]
