ZOOM

America is an angry nation. Much of Buddhist practice fosters tranquility. And Buddhism has come bigly to our shores. How so? What might it become? Might it sooth our roiled emotions? How will it play in our religiously highly plural culture? We will look in depth at two American Theravada Buddhist communities: One mainly of Thai immigrants, Buddhist by birth and upbringing; and one mainly of American converts. 

SUGGESTED READING: Wendy Cadge, HEARTWOOD. THE FIRST GENERATION OÏ THERAVADA BUDDHISM IN AMERICA.

Steve is an anthropologist..... two years field work in Thailand, Thai Buddhism a main interest; research on religious conversion in the U.S.; 44 years at Swarthmore College; 35 courses offered at four of Maine's senior colleges.  

ZOOM

Observers have noted the emergence of extremely fundamental Islamic groups such as Boko Haram, Taliban, the Islamic State among others. These groups did not suddenly appear but have a long ideological history and rationale behind them. This class explores the major thinkers that led to a divergence of Islamic ideology - both the more accommodating worldviews and the far more intolerant beliefs that have dominated much of the news since 2000.

After teaching chemistry from the time of four known elements, Chuck Parker decided upon retirement not to take up golf but to earn a master's degree in history at Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas, where he studied radical Islamic groups. Since graduating in 2014, Chuck has offered a series of classes in Middle Eastern history in Maine Senior Colleges.