Christianity and the Challenge of Buddhism

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

In 1997 Cardinal Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI) suggested that in the future Buddhism, rather than Marxism, might be the principal challenge to the Church. He has also, of course, fully endorsed the declaration of the Second Vatican Council that the Church "rejects nothing that is true and holy" in other religions, including Buddhism. Against the background of these two judgments - which may seem, but really are not, mutually contradictory - this course will consider: The fundamental differences between Christianity and Buddhism, both in matters of doctrine and in matters of spiritual and moral practice. The reasons why - despite, or perhaps because of, those differences - Buddhism today attracts increasing interest in cultures once shaped chiefly by Christianity The beliefs and values that both Buddhism and Christianity can legitimately be said to share and the ways in which they can reasonably be expected to collaborate with one another. Our overriding purpose will be to explore the ways in which Christians, especially Catholic Christians, can, should, or must view and relate to Buddhism. In the course of this exploration, the course will also provide a basic introduction to the fundamentals of Buddhism.