For Immediate Release

Princeton Seminary Offers Summer Spirituality Series on Buddhism, on The Da Vinci Code, and on Medieval Mysticism

Princeton, NJ, May 10, 2006–Princeton Theological Seminary’s Center of Continuing Education will offer a summer spirituality series in June and July, focusing on Buddhism, on Dan Brown’s bestseller, The Da Vinci Code, and on medieval mysticism.

On Saturday, June 10 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., the center will host an introductory seminar on Buddhism, taught by Bhiksuni Karma Trime Lhamo, an ordained nun in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. She will present basic themes of Buddhist thought—compassion, generosity, mindfulness, self-awareness, and the interconnectedness of all creatures, and will explore the early life and teachings of the Buddha. In an age when Buddhism is the spiritual path chosen by hundreds of millions from Richard Gere to Ford Motor Company chairman William Ford Jr., the Seminary is pleased to provide this opportunity for interfaith learning.

In conjunction with the seminar, Princeton Seminary’s Erdman Art Gallery will feature a photographic exhibit by Paul Grand titled “When the Photographer is Ready, Lord Buddha Will Appear.” The photographs in the exhibit include Grand’s art photographs of the Buddha and temples in Southeast Asia. The exhibit opens on Saturday, June 10 with an artist’s reception at 4:00 p.m., and continues through Wednesday, July 21. The cost for the seminar and artist’s reception is $15

The second event is an evening seminar titled “The Da Vinci Code: Fiction, Christ, and the Real Mary Magdalene” on Monday, June 19 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The Seminary’s Warfield Professor of Medieval Church History, Dr. Paul Rorem, will speak about the fiction, the history, and the theology of Brown’s popular novel and of the film based on it. Rorem will discuss the biblical testimony and historical tradition about Jesus and Mary Magdalene, and will address where Brown’s novel crosses the line.

The third course in the series will treat medieval mysticism, and will also be taught by Rorem on four Monday evenings in July (10, 17, 24, and 31). Rorem defines mysticism as “the experience of direct spiritual presence of the Divine,” and believes that it is no surprise that in some of the darkest centuries in European history, mysticism flowered as people sought spiritual sustenance through years of war, famines, and The Plague. The class will include lectures, multimedia presentations, and discussion to explore the world of medieval Christian mystics like Hildegard of Bingen, Meister Eckhart, and Francis and Clare of Assisi. The cost of this course is $60.

For more information about these events, or to register, go to http://www.ptsem.edu/ce/ or call 1.800.622.6767, extension 7990.