Bard's Institute of Advanced Theology Presents a Three-Day Conference, "The Golden Rule in Religions of the World," April 15-17, 2008
ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y.—The Institute of Advanced Theology is pleased to present a three-day conference devoted to the study of the Golden Rule in the Religions of the World, held at Bard College from Tuesday, April 15, through Thursday, April 17, 2008. The conference presents views and interpretations of the Golden Rule in Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Graeco-Roman religions, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, and philosophy.
“The study of comparative religions can find no more suitable arena for its work than the Golden Rule in world religions. That is for a simple reason. The Golden Rule—‘do to others as you would have them do to you’ and ‘what is hateful to you, to your fellow, don’t do,’ to take the two most familiar formulations—defines a meeting place for many fields of learning. There the study of comparative religion, philosophy and ethics, anthropology and sociology, and the whole range of cross-cultural studies in the social sciences and the humanities intersect,” states Jacob Neusner, the coorganizer of the conference. “Both the Golden Rule itself and how it attests to the human condition demand study. Defining the rule and explaining its universality in religion and culture require attention.”
Organized by Bard professors Bruce D. Chilton and Jacob Neusner, participants include Robert Berchman, Dowling College; Chris Boehm, University of Southern California; Mark A. Csikszentmihalyi, University of Wisconsin–Madison; Harry Gensler, John Carroll University; William Scott Green, University of Miami; Charles Hallisey, University of Wisconsin; Th. Emil Homerin, University of Rochester; Baruch A. Levine, New York University; Mahnaz Moazami, Columbia University; Olivier du Roy, Paris; Jeffrey Wattles, Kent State University; David Sloan Wilson, Binghamton University; and Daniel Berthold, Richard Davis, Carolyn Dewald, Kristin Scheible, Bard College. During the conference, Bard undergraduates from Professors Chilton and Neusner’s seminar on the Golden Rule join in the discussion of the papers at the conference. The conference papers will be published in two volumes: The Golden Rule: Analytical Perspectives by University Press of America, and The Golden Rule in World Religions by Continuum.
In addition to the academic presentations, there will be a screening of the film, The Golden Rule, which explores programs of Scarboro Missions in Toronto that promote the Golden Rule in various faiths. The screening is followed by a discussion with Canadian filmmaker Tina Petrova, and representatives of Scarboro Missions: Paul McKenna and Rev. Leslie Gabriel Mezei. A series of posters illustrating the Golden Rule, created by Scarboro Missions, are also on display during the conference.
The conference is presented at the College with a grant from the Institute for Research on Unlimited Love. Reservations are requested as space is limited. There is no charge for attendance at the sessions, however there is a nominal charge for meals. For additional information or for a reservation, contact the Institute of Advanced Theology at 845-758-7279, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.bard.edu/iat.
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Conference Schedule: The Golden Rule in the Religions of the World
Tuesday, April 15
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Registration, Weis Cinema
1:00–1:15 p.m.
Welcome, Michèle Dominy, Dean of the College
1:15–2:15 p.m.
Keynote address: Defining the Golden Rule, William Scott Green, University of Miami
HOW THE GOLDEN RULE FIGURES IN WORLD RELIGIONS
2:15–3:15 p.m.
The Golden Rule in Ancient Israelite Scripture, Baruch A. Levine, New York University
3:30-4:30 p.m.
The Golden Rule in Graeco-Roman Religion and Philosophy, Robert Berchman, Dowling College
4:30–5:30 p.m.
The Golden Rule in Graeco-Roman Religion and Philosophy, Carolyn Dewald, Bard College
5:30–7:00 p.m.
Dinner, Faculty Dining Room, Kline Commons (preregistration required)
7:00–8:00 p.m.
The Golden Rule in Confucianism, Mark A. Csikszentmihalyi, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Wednesday, April 16
9:00–10:00 a.m.
The Golden Rule in Judaism, Jacob Neusner, Bard College
10:00–11:00 a.m.
The Golden Rule in Zoroastrianism, Mahnaz Moazami, Columbia University
11:00–12 noon
The Golden Rule in Earliest Christianity, Bruce D. Chilton, Bard College
12:00–1:00 p.m.
Lunch, Kline Commons (preregistration required)
1:00–2:00 p.m.
The Golden Rule as the Law of Nature, from Origen to Martin Luther, Olivier du Roy, Paris
2:00–3:00 p.m.
The Golden Rule in Islam, Th. Emil Homerin, University of Rochester
3:15–4:15 p.m.
The Golden Rule in Buddhism [I], Kristin Scheible, Bard College
4:15-5:15 p.m.
The Golden Rule in Buddhism [II], Charles Hallisey, University of Wisconsin
5:30–7:00 p.m.
Dinner, Faculty Dining Room, Kline Commons (preregistration required)
7:00–8:00 p.m.
The Golden Rule in Hinduism, Richard Davis, Bard College
8:00–10:00 p.m.
The Golden Rule. Film screening and discussion with filmmaker Tina Petrova, and representatives of Scarboro Missions: Paul McKenna and Rev. Leslie Gabriel Mezei
Thursday, April 17
ANALYTICAL PERSPECTIVES
9:00–10:00 a.m.
Philosophical Perspectives on the Golden Rule, Daniel Berthold, Bard College
10:00–11:00 a.m.
Philosophical Perspectives on the Golden Rule, Jeffrey Wattles, Kent State University
11:00–12 noon
Lunch in Kline Commons (preregistration required)
1:00–2:00 p.m.
How the Golden Rule Can Lead to Reproductive Success: A New Selection Basis for Alexander’s “Indirect Reciprocity,” Chris Boehm, University of Southern California
2:00–3:00 p.m.
Gold or Fool’s Gold? Ridding the Golden Rule of Absurd Implications, Harry Gensler, John Carroll University
3:00–3:30 p.m.
Discussion and Conclusion
Please note: Presentation order and titles, subject to change.
Events occur in the Weis Cinema of the Bertelsmann Campus Center, unless otherwise noted.
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(4/3/08)
To download high-resolution press images of conference organizers Bruce Chilton and Jacob Neusner, click on the thumbnail images below.
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| Bruce Chilton | Jacob Neusner |