Harvard online group for Religious Studies

[Dominik Wujastyk]

This announcement appeared today in the HUMANIST discussion group.
I thought it might be of interest to those of you who might
not already receive HUMANIST.
 
Dominik
 
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Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 4, No. 1062. Wednesday, 20 Feb 1991.
 
Date:         Tue, 19 Feb 91 14:48:05 EST
From: Tim Bryson <TBRY at HARVARDA>
Subject: New List for Scholars in Religious Studies
 
The Harvard Center for the Study of World Religions has inaugurated an
online seminar for scholars concerned with the comparative and
historical study of religions.  We invite members of the Humanist list
who might be interested to join us.  An extract from our charter
follows.  Let me add that we recently invited subscribers to contribute
syllabi and bibliographic references to be made available to the rest of
the group through archived files.
 
The Religion Seminar was inaugurated in February 1991.  It is sponsored
by the Harvard Center for the Study of World Religions.  The CSWR was
founded in 1958 to foster research in the comparative and historical
study of religions.  It continues this program under its fourth
director, Dr. Lawrence E. Sullivan.
 
Our aim is to encourage scholarly discussion relating to the academic
study of religion and religions.  We do not intend to compete with
groups which discuss personal faith or personal theologies.  Our
interest lies more in history, sociology, aesthetics, psychology,
anthropology, and philosophy - in other words, study of religion in the
academic mode.  In this discussion we wish to include scientists as well
as phenomenologists, generalists as well as specialists.
 
Relevant issues include methodology in the study and teaching of
religions; comparative themes such as myth, ritual, mysticism, art, and
community; and issues specific to particular religious traditions.  We
wish to include local or non-literate religions as well as world
religions.
 
We could exchange syllabi if we are teachers or discuss books of
interest whoever we are.  We could discuss the use of computers in the
study or teaching of religions: for example, machine readable texts and
multi-media programs.  In this connection, we welcome historical
background about religious movements in the news but will leave partisan
discussion of religious politics and polemics to other lists who may
wish to host such conversations.
 
This is a "moderated" list.  The editors reserve the right not to post
inappropriate submissions.  The seminar serves as an arena for exchange
of informed views in a spirit of balanced criticism and with a tone of
mutual respect.
 
Please address inquiries to Religion at HarvardA or to the editors at
TBRY at HarvardA.
 
Thank you.
Lawrence E. Sullivan, Director
Tim Bryson, Administrator
Center for the Study of World Religions
Harvard University
tbry at harvarda
617-495-4486
 
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