Forum: Learning from the Buddha 

The Buddhist and Christian traditions hold many things in common, not the least of which is their reverence for the virtues of love and compassion. The story of the Buddha even appears in Christian lore in the guise of a Christian saint. But there also are striking differences. This talk will explore how Buddhists might view some of the fundamental features of Christianity and how they can help us understand our own tradition in a new way. We welcome Malcolm David Eckel, Professor Emeritus of Religion at Boston University as our guest speaker.

Malcolm David Eckel is Professor Emeritus of Religion at Boston University. He has taught widely across the religious traditions of Asia, with a special interest in the transformation of Buddhism from its origin in India to its reception in China and Japan. He received his B.A. from Harvard, B.A. and M.A. from Oxford, and Ph.D. in the Study of Religion from Harvard. Before joining the faculty at Boston University, Professor Eckel served as Assistant and Associate Professor at Harvard Divinity School. At Boston University, he has received the Metcalf Award for Teaching Excellence, the university’s highest award for teaching, and has served as director of the university’s Core Curriculum. He preaches regularly as Priest-Associate at the Church of Our Saviour, Brookline.