Religion in Culture Lecture

Wednesday, March 8, 2006, marked this semester's third Religion in Culture lecture, delivered by Prof. Kurtis Schaeffer of the University of Virginia. Formerly of the University of Alabama (2000-2005), Prof. Schaeffer now works in UVA's large Department of Religious Studies, as one of their two Tibetanists, working in their program's "History of Religions" area.

Introduced by Dr. Rob Stephens--who has worked in the Department this academic year while Prof. Ted Trost is on sabbatical (he returns for Fall 2006 classes)--Prof. Schaeffer's lecture was entitled "Tibetan Buddhism in the Academic Imagination" and concerned widespread notions about the history of Tibet and the role they play in past and current scholarship.

The Autonomous Region of Tibet (pictured in orange), today part of the People's Republic of China

Although he has edited books, Prof. Schaeffer's first two books of his own writings were both published while at the University of Alabama; Himalayan Hermitess, his first, is concerned with the life and autobiography of a medieval Tibetan hermitess. His second, also published by Oxford University Press, was entitled Dreaming the Great Brahmin (visit the publisher's site) and is the first scholarly book on the cultural and literary history of the well-known Indian Buddhist poet saint, Saraha.

On the day following his public lecture, Prof. Schaeffer was the guest for the semester's third Religion in Culture lunchtime discussion, which involved a pre-distributed reading on the manner in which Tibet is imagined in both popular culture and the academy.

The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso (learn more here and here)

The Potala, built in is in the city of Lhasa and completed in 1648, is a World Heritage Site.

Learn more about the Potala here and here

Learn more about the new faculty member hired in March 2006 (to begin work in August 2006) into the opening created by Prof. Schaeffer's departure

Thanks again to Betty Dickey and Donna Martin for organizing this event. And, once again, the photogrpahic evidence is the result of Melanie Williams's inspiration--sadly, we could not post all ninety-two of her photos.

Betty Dickey (left), chats with Prof. Schaeffer (right) prior to his lecture, as guests stock up on punch and cookies.

REL major Justin Nelson looks a little puzzled, apparently searching for his pen.

Prof. Ted Miller, of the Department of Political Science, attended the lecture and speaks here with Prof. Schaeffer prior to the beginning of his talk.

Using slides to situate Tibet geographically as well as to provide his audience with an image of the Potala--the Dalai Lama's traditional palace fortress--Prof. Schaeffer begins his lecture on the comingling of politics and religious life in medieval Tibet.

Religion in Culture lectures have increasingly attracted the interest of people from outside the Department, even outside the University.

The Henry Jacobs Reading Area of Gorgas Library has become the new home of our public lectures.

Prof. Marouan (left) and Jacobs (right) also attended the event.

At the close of the lecture, and the questions that followed, Dr. Stephens--who studies the sociology and politics of religious conversion in modern India--presented Prof. Schaeffer with a copy of the flyer that advertised his lecture.

Prof. McCutcheon strikes a pose with Prof. Marouan (who begins tenure-track work as an Assistant Professor in August 2006) at the post-lecture reception; in mid-March 2006 she flew back to the U.K. to defend her doctoral dissertation. Keep posted to learn when she can be addressed as "Dr. Marouan"!