Hulings Lecture Explores Zen Buddhist Methodology

Northland College recently held the third Hulings lecture of a three-year series on Zen Buddhism. The lecture titled “Suspicious of the True Dragon? Dōgen on Zen Practice” was presented Thursday, Feb. 15, in the Alvord Theatre on the Northland College Campus in Ashland, Wis.

Leslie D. Alldritt, associate professor of religion and philosophy and A.D. and Mary Elizabeth Andersen Hulings distinguished chair in the humanities, focused on the methodology of Zen Buddhism. Alldritt believes the heart of Zen Buddhism is its practice. Through the use of the writing of Japanese Zen Master Dōgen Zenji, Alldritt explored the philosophical aspects of Zen meditations as well as the practical aspects. Other parts of Zen practice such as the koan, sesshin, and sutra recitation were also addressed.

The A.D. and Mary Elizabeth Andersen Hulings Distinguished Chair in the Humanities was founded in 1992. Its purpose is promotion of the humanities at Northland College through activities including scholarship, public performance, artistic creation, mentoring of colleagues informally and formally in faculty seminars and workshops and facilitation of events that raise the visibility of the humanities such as public lecture and curricular development. Holders of the Hulings Chair have been Earnest Partridge, 1993-1998, Judith Scoville, 1998-2004, and Leslie Alldritt, 2004-2007. Professor of English and Modern Languages Michele Geslin Small has been selected as the 2008 Hulings recipient. She plans to focus on the representation of hell and the seven deadly sins in medieval European art.

For more information, contact Dawn Rivard, Academic Affairs Office at 715-682-1226.