All posts tagged: Harvard Divinity School

Administrators at Harvard Divinity School quit, say school condoned hate

Administrators at Harvard Divinity School quit, say school condoned hate

Published by skeptic

(RNS) — A program at Harvard Divinity School is the latest casualty of the ongoing tensions related to the Israel-Hamas war, with the departure of two administrators and the cancellation of a class on Israel-Palestine. Diane L. Moore, the associate dean of the Religion and Public Life program at the Harvard Divinity School, was scheduled to retire at the end of the school year in May but departed suddenly in January. A spokesperson for the divinity school would not comment on why she left early or whether she was fired. Moore could not be reached for comment. Then, earlier this month, the assistant dean for the Religion and Public Life program, Hussein Rashid, wrote to his students that he too was resigning at the end of the semester. In the letter, Rashid, who is a Muslim American, accused the university of tolerating racist and defamatory statements against the program without challenging or disputing them. “Since I was a student here decades ago, I have been acutely aware of the anti-Muslim bias (amongst other racisms and …

Christian Nationalism and Hate Violence: What Can We Do?

Christian Nationalism and Hate Violence: What Can We Do?

Published by skeptic

 This week, Zev Mishell, National Programs Associate at Interfaith Alliance, joins host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush to discuss the intersection of systemic violence, hate crimes, and religious and political ideologies in America. Zev is the author of Interfaith Alliance’s new report, Together Against Hate, which closely analyzes how interfaith movements can address hate-based violence by uniting across differences while also examining how White Christian Nationalism is driving the alarming rise of hate in America. The report comprises case studies of successful strategies, practical recommendations, and a guide to organizations working to combat hate and extremism in the U.S. It is based on extensive research and interviews with nearly two dozen advocacy organizations dedicated to faith-based organizing, upholding civil rights and confronting hate. The full report will be released on Monday, January 13th, on the Interfaith Alliance website. “Religion is contextual, and it can manifest itself in extremely damaging and violent ways. It can divide us from one another. It can create supremacist outlooks. It can create and be influenced by ethno-nationalist outlooks. And maybe …

Lama Rod describes himself as a Black Buddhist Southern Queen. He wants to free you from suffering

Lama Rod describes himself as a Black Buddhist Southern Queen. He wants to free you from suffering

Published by Sam

ROME, Ga (AP) — Instead of traditional maroon and gold Tibetan Buddhist robes, Lama Rod Owens wore a white animal print cardigan over a bright yellow T-shirt with an image of singer Sade, an Africa-shaped medallion and mala beads — the most recognizable sign of his Buddhism. “Being a Buddhist or a spiritual leader, I got rid of trying to wear the part because it just wasn’t authentic to me,” said Owens, 44, who describes himself as a Black Buddhist Southern Queen. “For me, it’s not about looking like a Buddhist. It’s about being myself,” he said at his mother’s home in Rome, Georgia. “And I like color.” The Harvard Divinity School -educated lama and yoga teacher blends his training in the Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism with pop culture references and experiences from his life as a Black, queer man, raised in the South by his mother, a pastor at a Christian church. Today, he is an influential voice in a new generation of Buddhist teachers, respected for his work focused on social change, …