The Raft Is Not the Shore: Conversations Toward A Buddhist-Christian Awareness. .The Raft raft, floating platform of wood, cork, or air-inflated rubber for conveying goods or people. Originally, several logs, bound together by vines, strips of animal skin, and later rope, formed a flat surface upon which goods and people could move across bodies of water. Is Not the Shore: Conversations Toward A Buddhist-Christian Awareness. By Thich Nhat Hanh and Daniel Berrigan Daniel Berrigan, S.J. (born May 9, 1921) is a poet, American peace activist, and Roman Catholic priest. Daniel and his brother Philip performed non-violent protests against war and were for a time on the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. . Foreword fore·word n. A preface or an introductory note, as for a book, especially by a person other than the author. foreword Noun an introductory statement to a book Noun 1. by bell hooks Bell Hooks (or bell hooks, born Gloria Jean Watkins, on September 25, 1952) is an African-American intellectual, feminist, and social activist. Her writing has focused on the interconnectivity of race, class, and gender and their ability to produce and perpetuate . Maryknoll: Orbis, 2001. xii and 153 pages. Paper. $15.00. In 1974 Daniel Berrigan retreated to Paris in order to take time for personal healing and reflection. He had been intensely involved in resistance to the war in Vietnam, serving 18 months in prison for acts of protest. Thich Nhat Hanh was a native of Vietnam, a Buddhist monk and poet, active in the service of nonviolence. In 1974 he was living in Paris because his passage home had been denied due to his activism for peace. This book is the fruit of the encounter of these two contemplative con·tem·pla·tive adj. Disposed to or characterized by contemplation. See Synonyms at pensive. n. 1. A person given to contemplation. 2. A member of a religious order that emphasizes meditation. social activists at that time and place. At first glance, the world in which these conversations first took place no longer exists. An entire generation of children has grown up with no recollection of the Vietnam conflagration. Even the framework of East-West conflict and the communist threat are fading from memory. Anti-war activism seems more a matter of nostalgia than substance. And the encounter between Buddhism and Christianity Buddhism and Christianity are two major religions that are compared and contrasted by scholars, with parallels between the two revolving around perceived similarities in the teachings and in the spiritual intent and practices. has progressed far beyond these initial recognitions. Nevertheless, the core convictions of the authors continue to challenge the reader of this book to get on the raft and negotiate the current. Though the causes today seem far more ambiguous, the call to risky discipleship dis·ci·ple n. 1. a. One who embraces and assists in spreading the teachings of another. b. An active adherent, as of a movement or philosophy. 2. remains to be heeded. Still children die each day from lack of bread and basic medicine. Still women and children suffer at the hands of violent men. Nations continue to betray their sacred trust, favoring the powerful at the expense of the weak. In a globalized economy, responsibility has become so diffuse that we scarcely know where to turn. In many respects the way before us seems murkier and far less certain. What remains impressive is to see through this book how Daniel Berrigan and Thich Nhat Hanh have stayed the course. Christian and Buddhist together, they inspire faithful and courageous activism rooted in a deep spiritual foundation. To join them on the raft means a dangerous ride. The woodcuts throughout the book by Mai Vo-Dinh are exquisite. |
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