Robert Thurman

Robert Thurman

Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University.

"On Faith" panelist Robert A.F. Thurman is the Jey Tsong Khapa Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies in the Department of Religion at Columbia University, President of the Tibet House U.S., a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Tibetan civilization, and President of the American Institute of Buddhist Studies, a non-profit affiliated with the Center for Buddhist Studies at Columbia University and dedicated to the publication of translations of important texts from the Tibetan Tanjur. He is the author of several books including "Inner Revolution: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Real Happiness," which Publisher's Weekly chose as one of the best books of 1998. Close.

Robert Thurman

Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University.

"On Faith" panelist Robert A.F. Thurman is the Jey Tsong Khapa Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies in the Department of Religion at Columbia University. more »

Main Page | Robert Thurman Archives | On Faith Archives


Interfaith Issues Archives



July 13, 2007 9:14 AM

Lovely Language, Ugly Words

In my opinion, it's fine to do the Catholic Mass in Latin, if the priest
and the audience want to. Ancient languages are wonderful to give a
sense of connection to tradition - though Jesus himself spoke Aramaic,
and much of the New Testament was written in Greek, not Latin.

The worrisome aspect of Pope Benedict's recommending of the Latin Mass is
that the old form of it contained language that is highly offensive to
many Jews. IS the newly recommended Latin Mass to be the same one in use
long ago, that contains statements to the effect that the Jews have a
bad religion and should all be converted to Christianity? If so, its
renewed use is a negative decision.

It is fine to be enthusiastic about one's own tradition, in ant language. But in today's pluralistic world, it is a human rights violation to attack other peoples' faiths as evil
etc. Pope Benedict is a scholar and he should re-read James Carroll's
"Constantine's Sword," and other excellent works of scholarship and
criticism that reveal the roots of virulent Anti-Semitism in church
doctrines and practices. And if the Latin Mass is to be recommended for
the sonorous beauty of the ancient language, well and good; but still
its message should be cleansed of any anti-Semitic statements. Ancient
statements in any classical language are no longer merely ancient when
put into modern use, they become modern statements, and so must be
analyzed in terms of contemporary consequences.


Top Local Global

On Faith is an interactive conversation on religion moderated by Newsweek Editor Jon Meacham and Sally Quinn of The Washington Post. It is produced jointly by Newsweek and washingtonpost.com, as is PostGlobal, a conversation on international affairs. Please send your comments, questions and suggestions for On Faith to editor and producer David Waters.