Defending the Dharma
25-06-2013 Defending the Dharma: Buddhist Activism in a Global City-State
Speaker
Jack Meng-Tat Chia
Date Time
25 Jun 2013 10:30 AM -
25 Jun 2013 10:30 AM
Venue
Bilik Mesyuarat Dekan II, FSSS, UM
Language
English
Jack Meng-Tat Chia, a PhD student in Southeast Asian history at Cornell University, was invited to share his research on the topic of“Defending the Dharma: Buddhist Activism in a Global City-State, 1965-2000s.” The talk was held on 25 June 2013 at BilikMesyuaratDekan II, FakultiSasteradanSainsSosial. In the speech, he had demonstrated the pivotal role of Singapore Buddhist Federation—the representative body for Buddhist community in Singapore—in the promotion of religious activism. Drawing on Buddhist periodicals, local newspapers, and a recently published annals on Chinese Buddhism in Singapore, he revealed that Buddhist activists in Singapore sought to defend the Dharma by advocating on three issues: critiquing misrepresentations of Buddhism in the mass media; clarifying misconceptions about Buddhist teachings and emphasizing doctrinal accuracy; and defining heterodoxy by criticizing “unorthodox” Buddhist practices and new religious movements.His seminar had led to a lively discussion among the participants.
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