Self Study Course

Shin Buddhism in Modern Culture

Shin Dharma Net is pleased to present Rev. Dr. Al Bloom’s “Shin Buddhism in Modern Culture: A Self Study Course,” which explores Shin Buddhism, also known as Jodo Shinshu, historically and in modern context.

Course outline

  1. Introduction: Personal Observations and Perspectives
  2. The Contemporary Age
  3. The Mahayana Background — The Sword of Wisdom
  4. The Mahayana Background –The Logic of Compassion
  5. Kamakura Buddhism: Buddhist Responses to History
  6. A Perspective on the History of Shin Buddhism in Japan
  7. Shin Buddhism in the American Context
  8. Life as Story: Its Importance in Religion and Modern Thought (Part 1)
  9. Life as Story (Part 2)
  10. Religion as Manifesting Truth
  11. The Symbolic Structure of Faith
  12. The Metaphysical Structure of Shin Buddhism
  13. The Traditional Structure of Shinran’s Thought
  14. Faith and Practice: Shinran’s Perspective
  15. Assurance of Liberation
  16. The Expression of Faith: Joy and Gratitude
  17. The Nembutsu
  18. The Nembutsu: Myokonin
  19. The Ultimate End of Faith (Part 1)
  20. The Ultimate End of Faith (Part 2)
  21. The Ultimate End of Faith (Part 3)
  22. Shin Buddhism in the Modern Ethical Context
  23. Shin Buddhism in Encounter with a Religiously Plural World

**Supplemental Reading for Study of Shin Buddhism