The Soul of Higher Education: Contemplative Pedagogy, Research and Institutional Life for the Twenty-first Century (Advances in Workplace Spirituality: Theory, Research, and Application)
The Wabash Center Journal on Teaching March 30, 2021 DOI: 10.31046/wabashcenter.v2i1.2836 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Edited volume of essays Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that contemplative studies should move beyond privileging Buddhism and Western science by presenting Eastern and Western perspectives together, including Buddhist, Christian, and naturalistic approaches, and by having scholars acknowledge the value-based assumptions behind their work. |
Abstract
Benefiel and Lee assembled this volume to advance a newer thread of conversation in the field of contemplative studies: the attempt to move beyond its privileging of Buddhism and Western science.Their own experience as scholars of Christian spirituality who attended meetings of the Association for Contemplative Mind in Higher Education and of the Contemplative Studies Unit of the American Academy of Religion confirmed for them the importance of this newer direction of conversation, which they credit Louis Komjathy with initiating.The editors' approach is to "present Eastern and Western perspectives together, to let those with different perspectives inhabit the same territory, and perhaps begin to speak to one another and learn from one another" (xiii).The result is an intriguing collection of essays.Authors write from Buddhist, Christian, and naturalistic perspectives.Chapters variously address university and seminary research, teaching, and organizational process, and key philosophical issues at stake in the contemplative studies movement.The overall result is a provocative collection in which scholars unapologetically acknowledge the value-based assumptions behind all of their work and, by so doing, shed light on the profoundly human character of