Skip to main content.
Bard
  • Bard College Logo
  • Academics sub-menuAcademics
    • Programs and Divisions
    • Structure of the Curriculum
    • Courses
    • Requirements
    • Academic Calendar
    • College Catalogue
    • Faculty
    • Bard Abroad
    • Libraries
    • Dual-Degree Programs
    • Bard Conservatory of Music
    • Other Study Opportunities
    • Graduate Programs
    • Early Colleges
  • Admission sub-menuAdmission
    • Applying
    • Financial Aid
    • Tuition + Payment
    • Campus Tours
    • Meet Our Students + Alumni/ae
    • For Families / Familias
    • Join Our Mailing List
    • Contact Us
  • Campus Life sub-menuCampus Life
    Living on Campus:
    • Housing + Dining
    • Campus Services + Resources
    • Campus Activities
    • New Students
    • Visiting + Transportation
    • Athletics + Recreation
    • Montgomery Place Campus
  • Civic Engagement sub-menuCivic Engagement
    Bard CCE
    • Engaged Learning
    • Student Leadership
    • Grow Your Network
    • About CCE
    • Our Partners
    • Get Involved
  • Newsroom sub-menuNews + Events
    • Newsroom
    • Events Calendar
    • Press Releases
    • Office of Communications
    • Commencement Weekend
    • Alumni/ae Reunion
    • Fisher Center + SummerScape
    • Athletic Events
  • About Bard sub-menuAbout
      About Bard:
    • Bard History
    • Campus Tours
    • Mission Statement
    • Love of Learning
    • Visiting Bard
    • Employment
    • Support Bard
    • Open Society University Network
    • Bard Abroad
    • The Bard Network
    • Inclusive Excellence
    • Sustainability
    • Title IX and Nondiscrimination
    • Inside Bard
    • Dean of the College
  • Giving
  • Search
Bard Commencement Weekend, May 23–25, 2025
Information For:
  • Faculty + Staff
  • Alumni/ae
  • Families
  • Students

Giving to Bard
Quick Links
  • Apply to Bard
  • Employment
  • Travel to Bard
  • Bard Campus Map

Join the Conversation
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Instagram
Read about us on Threads
Bluesky
Watch us on You Tube

Bard Press Releases

News Menu
  • Newsroom
  • Events Calendar
  • News Archive
  • Press Releases
  • special sub-menuSpecial Events
    • Commencement + Reunion
    • Family + Alumni/ae Weekend
    • Fisher Center
    • Bard Summerscape
    • Bard Athletics
  • Home

THE INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED THEOLOGY AT BARD COLLEGE PRESENTS A THREE-DAY CONFERENCE ON “ALTRUISM IN WORLD RELIGIONS,” NOVEMBER 16–18

Participants will discuss altruism in Buddhism, Chinese and Japanese religious traditions, Christianity, Graeco-Roman paganism, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y.—The Institute of Advanced Theology presents a three-day conference exploring “Altruism in World Religions” on November 16–18. Free and open to the public, the program will begin at 9:00 a.m. each day in the multipurpose room of the Bertelsmann Campus Center. The Institute for Research on Unlimited Love and the Templeton Foundation have provided support for this conference. Conceived by Jacob Neusner, Research Professor of Theology and senior fellow of the Institute of Advanced Theology at Bard College, and Bruce Chilton, Bernard Iddings Bell Professor of Philosophy and Religion and executive director of the Institute of Advanced Theology at Bard College, the conference will explore the concept of altruism in Buddhism, Chinese and Japanese religious traditions, Christianity, Graeco-Roman paganism, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism. Two social science papers will examine concrete evidence of altruism in contemporary religious life. “Professor Chilton and I see altruism as a central trait of religious teachings in various world religions, and through the comparative study of religions we hope to clarify how, where, and why uncompensated concern for the other, even the outsider, forms a religious imperative,” explains Professor Neusner. “In an age of violence and terror in the name of religion, we choose to emphasize what is uncommon but much needed.” Participants include Alan J. Avery-Peck, Robert Berchman, Bradley Clough, Mark Csikszentmihalyi, Richard Davis, Adriana Destro, Carolyn Dewald, William Scott Green, Ruben L. F. Habito, Emil Homerin, Daniel Jorgensen, Todd Lewis, Nancy K. Morrison, Paul Murray, Mauro Pesce, Stephen G. Post, Nerina Rustomji, Sally Severino, and Kristin Scheible. For further information, call 845-758-7279 or e-mail [email protected]. # Conference Schedule: Tuesday, November 16, 2004 9:00 a.m.: Welcome: Michèle Dominy, Dean of the College 9:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.: “Altruism and the Study of Religion: Preliminary Questions,” William Scott Green, University of Rochester World Religions on Altruism 10:30 a.m. – 12 noon: “Altruism in Classical Judaism,” Jacob Neusner, Bard College Commentator: Alan J. Avery-Peck, College of the Holy Cross 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.: “Christianity,” Bruce Chilton, Bard College Commentators: Paul Murray, Bard College and Mauro Pesce, University of Bologna 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.: “Graeco-Roman Paganism in Late Antiquity,” Robert Berchman, Dowling College Commentator: Carolyn Dewald, Bard College 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.: “Islam, in Its Classical Writings (Quran, Sunna, Hadith),” Emil Homerin, University of Rochester Commentator: Nerina Rustomji, Bard College 7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.: “Buddhism,” Todd Lewis, Holy Cross College Commentator: Kristin Scheible, Bard College Wednesday, November 17, 2004 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.: “Altruism in Buddhism: Thich Nhat Hanh and Engaged Buddhism,” Bradley Clough, American University in Cairo Commentator: Kristin Scheible, Bard College 10:30 a.m. – 12 noon: “Hinduism,” Richard Davis, Bard College 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. “The Religious and Philosophical Traditions of China,” Mark Csikszentmihalyi, University of Wisconsin-Madison 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.: “The Religious and Philosophical Traditions of Japan,” Ruben L. F. Habito, Southern Methodist University Thursday, November 18, 2004 Empirical Counterpoint 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.: “Religion and Empirical Study of Altruism,” Stephen G. Post, Case-Western Reserve University Commentators: Daniel Jorgensen, University of South Florida and Adriana Destro, University of Bologna 10:30 a.m. – 12 noon: “Attuning Consciousness: The Origins of Altruism,” Nancy K. Morrison and Sally Severino, University of New Mexico School of Medicine # # # (10/20/04)

This event was last updated on 11-19-2004

Back to Top

Bard Press Contact:
Emily M. Darrow
845-758-7512
[email protected]
Recent Press Releases:
  • The Fisher Center At Bard Presents The World Premiere Of Pam Tanowitz’s Pastoral, A Collaboration With Visual Artist Sarah Crowner And Pulitzer Prize-Winning Composer Caroline Shaw, June 27–29
  • Bard College Holds One Hundred Sixty-Fifth Commencement on Saturday, May 24, 2025
  • James Romm in Conversation with Leon Botstein at Plato and the Tyrant Book Launch on May 13
  • Bard Music Festival Explores Life and Times of Preeminent 20th-Century Czech Composer in “Martinů and His World” (August 8–17), as Part of Bard SummerScape 2025
Bard College
30 Campus Road, PO Box 5000
Annandale-on-Hudson, New York 12504-5000
Phone: 845-758-6822
Admission Email: [email protected]
Information For
Prospective Students
Current Employees
Alumni/ae 
Families

©2025 Bard College
Quick Links
Employment
Travel to Bard
Search
Support Bard
Bard IT Policies + Security
Bard has a long history of creating inclusive environments for all races, creeds, ethnicities, and genders. We will continue to monitor and adhere to all Federal and New York State laws and guidance.
Like us on Facebook
Follow Us on Instagram
Threads
Bluesky
YouTube