Translating the lotus sūtra into social action: hermeneutics and public dharmology
Journal article
Scherer, B. 2019. Translating the lotus sūtra into social action: hermeneutics and public dharmology. Buddhist-Christian Studies. 39 (1), pp. 147-168. https://doi.org/10.1353/bcs.2019.0012
Authors | Scherer, B. |
---|---|
Abstract | In this article, I investigate the principles and possible applications of scriptural exegesis of the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka Sūtra (SDP, Lotus Sūtra)—a core Mahāyāna Buddhist scripture—for social advocacy and activism. I approach this process of emic-critical interpretation in dialogue with Christian Public Theology as Public Dharmology and suggest utilizing the principles of established in Christian 'theological hermeneutics' (Klemm 1986). By adducing the existentialist philosophical theology of Paul Tillich (Systematic Theology 1951-1963) and Martin Buber's theology of relationality (I and Thou [1923] 1970), a Buddhist dharmological prius can be analogously established. An applied scriptural dharmology emerges in dialogue with Christian theologies, in particular Latin-American Liberation Theology (La Teología de la Liberación Latinoamericana), Feminist, Queer and 'Crip' Theology. The latter becomes the focus of a case study; on textual, literary, philosophical and theological levels ableist language and imagery in the SDP are scrutinized and the potential of translating the Lotus Sūtra for 'crip liberation' is gauged. |
Year | 2019 |
Journal | Buddhist-Christian Studies |
Journal citation | 39 (1), pp. 147-168 |
Publisher | University of Hawaii Press |
ISSN | 0882-0945 |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1353/bcs.2019.0012 |
Official URL | http://doi.org/10.1353/bcs.2019.0012 |
Related URL | https://www.uhpress.hawaii.edu/title/bcs/ |
Publication dates | |
Online | 08 Oct 2019 |
Publication process dates | |
Deposited | 21 Mar 2019 |
Accepted | 11 Mar 2019 |
Accepted author manuscript | |
Output status | Published |
https://repository.canterbury.ac.uk/item/88z25/translating-the-lotus-s-tra-into-social-action-hermeneutics-and-public-dharmology
Download files
Accepted author manuscript
79
total views292
total downloads1
views this month0
downloads this month