Zen in Interfaith

About this event:

Interfaith practice offers countless opportunities to engage in liberative Zen practice: creating communities devoted to collective well-being, deeply hearing voices of different views, shedding fixed ideologies, finding your own particular expression of truth, and more.

Whether you are a person who follows more than one faith tradition, have engaged for years in the interfaith community, or are just curious about the possibilities, this is a place to look into how and why to give ourselves to interfaith practice. 

This offering will include words from the panelists on their particular paths, and provide ample time for attendees to connect and share in small and large groups. It will be an opportunity to hear many voices, and bring your own, to find and create inspiration for finding commonalities and connecting through differences.

Location and schedule:

The event is online-only via Zoom.

Sunday, April 13, 2025
3:30 pm- 5:00 pm Eastern Time (Click here for a time converter.)

Fees:

The Soto Zen Buddhist Association relies on the generosity of its supporters to offer programming.  All fees offered through registration will be shared with speakers and panelists. We suggest a sliding scale registration fee of $10-15 for online participation. No one will be turned away due to lack of funds.

Meet the Featured Speakers:

Rev. Ruben Habito, PhD, a Zen teacher and former Jesuit priest from the Philippines, served in Japan before teaching for many years at Perkins School of Theology, SMU, in Texas. An authorized teacher in the Sanbo Zen International lineage, he is the Guiding Teacher at Maria Kannon Zen Center in Dallas. An accomplished author, his books, including Be Still and Know and Zen and the Spiritual Exercises, explore Christian-Buddhist intersections and the spiritual depth of Zen practice. 

Pamela Ayo Yetunde, J.D., M.A., Th.D:  Dr. Pamela Ayo Yetunde is a Soto Zen practitioner and Community Dharma Leader certified by Spirit Rock, is a renowned educator and scholar in pastoral and spiritual care. An accomplished author, her works include Buddhist-Christian Dialogue, U.S. Law, and Womanist Theology for Transgender Spiritual Care and Casting Indra’s Net: Fostering Spiritual Kinship and Community.  Ayo has worked extensively in multifaith spaces and was the keynote speaker at the SZBA 2022 conference. Her scholarship also explores spirituality in Prince's music and Audre Lorde's poetry. 

Meet the Facilitator: 

Rev.  Ben Connelly, is a Soto Zen Priest and SZBA board member. He was the first president of Minnesota Multifaith Network, and has partnered with many interfaith groups focused on race and climate justice. He is author of several books for Wisdom publications and serves as assistant guiding teacher of Minnesota Zen Meditation Center.