陸校長與哈佛神學院院長暨教授們的初相遇
陸校長與哈佛神學院院長暨教授們的初相遇
第一篇：崇德學院校長和哈佛大學神學院世界宗教研究中心的主任查爾斯.史丹教授歷史性的第一次拜會。
2018 年5月23日星期三下午，正值哈佛大學畢業典禮的季節， 很多哈佛校友，專家學者齊聚哈佛。陸隆吉校長和陳進隆點傳師，由許恆源，廖綺琪，張茗，黄筑筠等講師們陪同，一同參訪哈佛大學神學院世界宗教研究中心。世界宗教中心的副主任歐布來恩女士和神學院開發中心及主禮捐款主任丹尼斯女士陪同中心主任史丹教授一起出席會議。
史丹教授熱忱的接待陸校長一行人，先從介紹世界宗教中心環境開始，從窗明几淨，帶有東方色彩的會議室，牆上掛了幾幅回教女性畫，走過有藏傳佛教擺設的靜坐室，穿過有各宗教藝術展覧的迴廊，幾幅佛教古代的畫作，最後到一個大會議廳，平時有各種來自世界各宗教的講座和演説發表。會議廳也展示了很多各宗教的雕塑作品。會議廳外是東方式庭院設計，有特别活動時是個社交談天的花園。 也介紹了學者宿舍，約可容納30人。之後史丹教授帶一行人上二樓參觀主任辦公室，下樓就是唐代有名的大秦景教流行中國碑的拓印於大廳牆上為鎮壇之寶。景教就是現今的天主教，基督教。史丹教授特别介紹這個碑文的意義，一是頂上有十字於蓮花上，十字是人生十字路口，道路之義，二是以佛道詮譯景教，完全没有耶穌受難的象徵，三是底部的希伯來文，才確定是天主教，基督教。由於大唐的盛世才有東西文化經絲綢之路的交流。史丹教授的研究專長在基督教早期二，三世紀的發展，對此時唐朝的交流特别有興趣。
之後大家回到會議室，談到此次拜訪的目的。講師們先介紹多倫多法會的英文訓 United, 仙佛以英文出訓文並且有押韻的英文訓中訓，在場的中心同仁無不稱奇，之後介紹道之宗旨，白陽聖訓，更是嘆為觀止。基督教自聖經以後沒有經典，知道一貫道仍有經典出現，感到非常好奇和不可思議。陸校長以此兩聖訓送給世界宗教中心主任作為見面禮，開啟東方崇德學院和西方哈佛神學院的正式交流。
陸校長也請問史丹教授的研究興趣。史丹教授指出基督教到中國也用東方思想來詮釋，道也是上帝的意思，古希臘也用道，中西有共同的思想。
許講師提出許多合作的計劃和方式，可能的崇德學院8月學院教授來訪或12月份能邀請史丹教授參與崇德學院的學術論談。
史丹教授請問校長是不是佛道在台灣比較容易傳，校長回覆説完全看人的心胸和智慧與緣份。史丹敎也很贊同。
最後史丹教授也回贈每位來賓世界中心的簡介和紀念記事本，並誠摯邀請一行人参加下午在哈佛紀念教堂的神學院畢業典禮，星期四下午的畢業茶會，一個愉快和未來的交流就此開始。
第二篇：2018 年5月24 日，陸校長和哈佛神學院院長的首次交流。
哈佛早上全校畢業典禮後，下午是各學院的茶會。陸校長由許講師，廖講師陪同，受邀參加神學院畢業茶會於世界宗教中心。
由許講師介紹，陸校長正式和神學院漢普頓院長會面和互換名片。院長很高興校長前一天的參訪並對世界中心有所了解，也很支持未來和崇德學院的交流，大家是因受到上帝的感召而開啟交流，時候到了自然水到渠成。校長進一步解釋學修講辦行，和在日常生活中以身示道和行道。漢普頓院長同意並且提供他對於受美國憲法保障的多元信仰的認同，和對道的研究涵蓋五大宗教的興趣，讃同五教同源的想法，並且很驚訝知道在中國歷史上道的傳承。
漢普頓院長很願意參訪崇德學院，光慧道務中心。校長也即時邀請院長12 月到學院論壇做交流。院長希望讓更多來訪者了解神學院是研究各宗教，關懷社會，喚起人的良知良能，一起参與社會。 漢普頓院長認為和崇德學院和世界各宗教組織合作，能打開神學院視野並為人類地球和天上家園一起努力。在今天是哈佛創校以來第367次的畢業典禮，特別有意義。
茶會中，非洲奈及利亞裔的烏路普那敎授特別主動找校長和講師們聊天，他也很有興趣參與交流和拜訪崇德學院。
最後校長非常感謝哈佛神學院這兩天熱情的招待，漢普頓院長也非常肯定未來交流計劃並且期待和崇德學院一起影響全世界。
撰稿與攝影： Ming Chang, M.A. (張茗) Lesley University. Charles Hsu, Ph.D. (許恒源) MIT EECS Chi-Chi Liao, Sc.D. ( 廖綺琪) Harvard University HSPH
Historical Meetings between I-Kuan-Tao Chong-De School (IKTCDS) President Lu and Harvard Divinity School (HDS) Dean Hempton and HDS Center for the Study of World Religions (CSWR) Director Stang
Part 1：Historical Meeting between IKTCDS President Lu and HDS CSWR Director Stang on May 23, 2018
The first meeting with Harvard Divinity School on Wednesday, May 23, 2018: An afternoon with Harvard Divinity School (HDS, https://hds.harvard.edu/) Professor Charles Stang (https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/people/charles-stang), the director of Center for the Study of World Religions (CSWR, https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/home)
In a beautiful late May Boston afternoon, the season of graduations of all universities and colleges of this scholarly city, President Lung-Chi Lu, alongside with Master Chin-Lung Chen, Lecturer Charles Hsu, Lecturer Chi-Chi Liao, Lecturer Chu-Yun Huang and Lecturer Ming Chang, paid a visit to CSWR. Greeted by Associated Director Corey O’Brien (https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/people/corey-obrien) and Harvard Divinity School Director of Principal Gifts Sheila Dennis (https://hds.harvard.edu/people/sheila-dennis) we were led to a peaceful and sunny conference room with provocative art of various religious themes on the wall. Professor Stang greeted us, generously gave us a tour of the Center, starting from the meditation room across from the conference room on the first floor, then walked through a narrow hallway with many religious arts, including Asian Buddhist art, that led to a spacious meeting room with many religious sculptures representing various deities decorated the room where they host talks and discussions several nights a week, open to scholars as well as people from the community. Outside of the meeting room is a beautiful garden, with colorful flowers blooming and Asian style of rocks and mini waterfalls. What a quiet sanctuary! As we walked up the stairs to the second floor, a Chinese tombstone writing caught our eyes. It is the copy of 大秦景教流行中國碑. The main body of the text was in Chinese while Professor Stang pointed out that on the side, there are traces of Manichaeism. He also emphasized the picture of a cross rose out of the lotus on top of the tombstone writing, which represented the intersection of Western Christianity mixing with Chinese Buddhism and Taoism in the Tang Dynasty. On the second floor of the Center, we saw Professor Stang’s office as well as the library and visiting scholar’s residence.
When we sat down after the tour, before we talked about the purpose of our meeting, we first presented our gifts to Professor Stang, two forms of revelations, one in English from Toronto and of course one in Chinese, the Purpose of Tao. As we read the English revelation with rhyme and showing the revelation within the revelation, all three of them were amazed by both the message and the composition of the revelation. Professor Stang even jokingly indicated that he needed to work on his temper when we read through part of the Purpose of Tao. Then when we expanded the whole book of the Purpose of Tao, they were once again astonished by the intricate design and collection of revelations. These two gifts truly gave us a great introduction of Tao and the opening to collaborate with HDS from I-Kuan-Tao Chong-De School (IKTCDS).
President Lu started respectfully by asking Professor Stang what his research interest is. When Professor Stang pointed out how the Christian messages transformed under the Asian influence, using the cross as an example, even the context seemed changed but the main point stayed the same. Also, professor Stang recognized that in the text, “Tao” is used essentially as another way to say God. He continued by explaining before there was a word Christian, there was a word in Greek that means “the way” and the way is Tao! All of us smiled and nodded! What a confluence of East and West!
Lecturer Hsu then started by proposing the various possibilities to collaborate with HDS CSWR, offering our openness to support its rigorous research and studies and the study of Tao from Chong De School can be examined and critiqued by excellent scholarly advices. There are two possible opportunities coming up in August and December this year. We highly anticipate to see an arrangement of a meeting with scholars from Taiwan IKTCDS and Cambridge HDS in August 2018 and the participation of the IKTCDS Annual Conference in December 2018 in Taiwan!
When Professor Stang asked President Lu if propagation of Buddhism and Taoism is easy in Taiwan, President Lu replied, “The result of propagation is truly depended on the openness and acceptance of the people.” Professor Stang nodded in complete agreement.
Lecturer Liao also offered the collection of President Lu’s art in the Tao community and the journal of Chong De School, giving them the concrete example of various manifestation of Tao. Professor Stang wholeheartedly praised President Lu’s artistry and clearly indicated welcoming of scholarly exchange between two schools in the near future.
At the end, Professor Stang presented the brochure of CWSR to all of us, and a small token of gift of a notebook with the mark of CWSR. Then they enthusiastically invited us to the pre-graduation ceremony at Memorial Church of Harvard and the commencement tea celebration on Thursday May 24, 2018. A mutually delighted and with great potential relationship between the two schools has begun!
Part 2：Historical meeting between IKTCDS President Lu and HDS Dean Hempton on May 24, 2018
The first meeting between IKTCDS President LU and HDS Dean David Hempton took place in the beautifully cultivated CSWR garden on Harvard Commencement Day, May 24, 2018.
Lecturer Charles HSU and Lecturer Chi-Chi LIAO accompanied IKTCDS President LU to HDS CSWR at around 4:15pm on May 24, 2018 to attend the HDS Commencement Tea Party. Other than enjoying excellent companies and mingling with world-renowned scholars, President LU has a focused mind to a courtesy meeting with HDS Dean David Hempton. Dean Hempton arrived at CSWR promptly at 4:40pm and started working his way around the CSWR garden to greet HDS scholars, students, and many supporters.
Lecturer HSU led President LU and Lecturer LIAO to meet up with Dean Hempton and exchanged business cards and greetings. Dean Hempton started by welcoming President LU’s presence to be a part of HDS Commencement Tea Party and he extended his warmest regard to President LU’s meeting with CSWR Director Professor Charles Stang on May 23, 2018. President LU then briefly explained his purpose for this meeting with HDS Dean Hempton by stating that both scholarly focused yet spiritually connected IKTCDS and HDS shall have profound and deep-rooted collaborations in the making as God’s calling and affinity bind these two schools together. President LU further explained the Study of Tao, the Appreciation of Tao, the Cultivation of Tao, the Self Realization and Enrichment of Tao, and most important of all, the Practice of Tao in our daily lives to Dean Hempton. Dean Hempton nodded in complete agreement and offered his own views on HDS’ multi-religious/multi-faith scholarly exchange environment protected by United States of America’s Constitution yet he was intrigued by the concept of Tao and the five major religions that may possibly transcribe Tao – Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Christianity, and Islam – in the Study of Tao at IKTCDS. Dean Hempton was especially intrigued by the Lineage of Tao through recorded history in China. He was so intrigued that Dean Hempton would welcome an invitation from IKTCDS to visit Taiwan and especially IKTCDS campus and Kuang Hui Cultural and Educational Center. President LU promptly invited Dean Hempton to come to IKTCDS Annual Scholarly Conference in mid-December 2018 right there and then. Dean Hempton asked Lecturer HSU to check with his Executive Assistant Ms. Suzanne Rom (https://hds.harvard.edu/offices/deans-office) on his December schedule for planning purpose.
Dean Hempton continued with his view on HDS today and in the future. He stated that he is proud to trace HDS’ origins and mission back to the early days of American history. He also believes, however, that a crucial goal today for HDS—a nonsectarian school of religious and theological studies based within a major research university—is to advance understanding of religion and to educate leaders for a religiously complex world. Since its founding in 1816, HDS has kept its attention on the future and the challenges it must meet in order to remain a relevant, progressive institution. Dean Hempton continue by saying that President LU along with all visitors to HDS will get to know Harvard Divinity School as a diverse and inclusive, outward-turning, and caring community, within which intellectual ideals and the ideals of social awareness and participation naturally inform one another. Dean Hempton believes that working together with IKTCDS and many other find institutions will only broaden HDS’ view of the whole world that we humans call home and he is excited to have this brief yet insightful meeting with President LU on this important day of Harvard University history, Harvard’s 367th Commencement, May 24, 2018.
After the two school leaders met each other, Professor Jacob K. Olupona (https://hds.harvard.edu/people/jacob-k-olupona) came to greet President LU and offered his own insights about HDS and HDS’ outreach strategies with IKTCDS delegates. Professor Olupona will be back in Nigeria during the summer and will not be present during IKTCDS scholars’ visit in mid-August; however, he also demonstrated great interests in visiting IKTCDS campus and meeting with his scholarly colleagues at IKTCDS whenever the opportunity comes. Lecturer HSU shall work closely with IKTCDS President’s Office to draft Open Invitation Letters to Dean David Hempton, Professor Charles Stang, and Professor Olupona to name a few.
At the end, President LU circled back to say good-bye to Dean Hempton for his hospitality and his warm welcome to HDS and in return Dean Hempton also said farewell to President LU and a first meeting between IKTCDS President LU and HDS Dean Hempton concluded with a very positive note and a new beginning for scholars from these two schools to start working collaboratively to impact the world together!
Written and photographed by Ming Chang, M.A. Lesley University. Charles Hsu, Ph.D. MIT EECS Chi-Chi Liao, Sc.D. Harvard University HSPH
