Conference Discussion Leaders

Huston Smith (May 31, 1919 – December 30, 2016), a sage in the world of religion. wrote, "Religion is the call to confront reality; to master the self."

His book, "The World's Religions," is still widely used on college campuses. Published in 1958, his book sold more than three million copies. The book examines the world’s major faiths as well as those of indigenous peoples, observing that all express the Absolute which is indescribable.

He had trained with Zen masters in Japan, camped with aborigines in Australia, practiced yoga with Hindu holy men, whirled with ecstatic Sufi Islamic dervishes and dropped peyote with Native American shamans. He didn't just study religions; he lived them. Yet he never stopped being a Christian saying, "God is defined by Jesus but not confined to Jesus.”

"Anyone who is only Japanese or American, only Oriental or Occidental, is but half human," Smith wrote at the beginning of "The World's Religions." "The other half that beats with the pulse of all humanity has yet to be awakened."

This presentation is an introduction to a framework designed to help educators develop authenticity and agency. It is based on the ancient wisdom of the ages that all human beings are made up of mind, body and spirit and have access to a creative divine intelligence. Rios will discuss how teachers need to activate all three domains in order to teach the whole child and to transform our work for equity in education.

With advancements in social neuroscience, educators now recognize that threatening thoughts and emotions impact our behavior and cognitive functioning. Rios will discuss how this is a critical time to bring together science and ancient traditions, beliefs and practices that speak to our capacity to develop consciousness of our underlying Oneness. Rios will outline six principles for Conscientious Engagement that help educators heighten awareness of the nature of thoughts and language, how we behave in professional relationships and how we channel our energy.

Stories and anecdotes derived from nature (in the form of oral literature) have since ancient times played an important role in shaping minds and personalities. The article would look at the Sufi stories and anecdotes translated by Idries Shah and their relevance to a world in a state of moral and emotional collapse as a result of its disposing off spiritual values as irrelevant and useless. Ancient mythical stories from South America or India for example have shown the way to spiritual awakening and enlightenment. The Jataka stories for instance make use of birds and animals to teach moral truths. In Sufi stories too a number of animals, birds and insects serve as analogies to enlighten the soul to rid itself of lower passions in order to bring it closer to the Divine Being.

The article would also see Sufism in the light of the writings of Seyyed Hossain Nasr who feels that a reconnection with God is essential to save the earth from imminent destruction. In fact he sees a close connection between the Earth’s calamities and the spiritual degradation of humanity.

Thus the article would attempt to interpret what it means to seek God on various levels, literal, psychological and spiritual in order to bring healing and harmony to the Earth. It would dwell chiefly on Sufi perceptions for its interpretation but a comparative perspective with spiritual values from other religions would not be ruled out.

Theodicy or the “Problem of Evil” is often presented, in theological terms, as the consequence of ascribing three attributes to God: Omnipotence (that He is “all powerful”), Omniscience (that He is “all knowing”), and Goodness. How can we account for the existence of evil  while simultaneously affirm these attributes? The lecture will explore this question from the unique vantage of a thinker who, in line with much of the Sufi tradition, sees the presence of evil and also human suffering as necessary elements in the economy of human existence, and essential for final human liberation.