Ritual has a causal impact on people's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, benefitting even those who claim not to believe that rituals work. When it is done effectively, ritual deeply impacts all aspects of human existence sometimes consciously, often non-discursively. Ritual becomes a sacred moment. Believing that there is value in the dialogue, SEANET proudly presents its 15th volume, "Sacred Moments: Reflections on Buddhist Rites and Christian Rituals." Each of the eighteen contributors from around the world are practitioners familiar with the Buddhist context. Each recognizes that the absence of ritual creates cultural vacuum, and that contextualization of values is a challenging continual process. Reading these pages will move you to promote deeper mutual understanding, greater social transformation, and the reinforcement of the best of life in all cultural expressions.

Contents

Contributors

Introduction

Section 1
Frameworks for Reflection on Ritual

1. The Importance of Ceremony in Isaan / Tongpan Phrommedda

2. From Ritual to Culture : Finding Doors into Hearts and Minds / Douglas M. Fraiser and G. Mirjam Bos

3. The Pauline Concept of Ritual in the Buddhist Worldview / Bouvert Regulas

4. Death and Life Rituals in Buddhism and Christianity / Stephen Bailey

5. From Meals to Blessings : Contextualized Ritual and Christian Identity in Buddhist Contexts / Ryan Binkley

6. Through the Lens of Pchum Ben : What Ritual means to Cambodian Buddhists and Implications for Contextualization / Claire T. C. Chong

Section 2
Reflections on Ritual as Discipleship

7. Ritual Prayer : Understanding the Buddhist Heart Sutra in Light of the Lord's Prayer / C-S Abraham Cheong

8. Appreciating Rituals and Festivals from within Buddhist Insider Movements / David S. Lim

9. The Role of Materiality of Ritual in Discipling Thai Converts / Samuel Lim

10. Functional Substitutes for Buddhist Funerals / Alex G. Smith

11. Transforming Mission through String-Tying Ritual / Paul H. de Neui

Section 3
Cultural Essentials Reflected in Ritual

12. Telling the Story at the Funeral Ceremony and Answering Frequently Asked Questions / Tongpan Phromedda

13. Full Moon Buddhist Rituals in Sri Lanka : Lessons for Christians / G. P. V. Somaratna

14. To Touch or Not to Touch : The Power of Touch Rituals in Asian Context / Cristian Dumitrescu

15. Wai Khru Ritual in Thai Christian Institutions / Sakunee Kriangchaiporn

16. Cosmology of Shiague and Sungmee and Christian Mission Today / Taeyun (Timothy) Hwang

17. Rituals of Confucian Selfhood : Understanding Chinese Self-Cultivation through a Cup of Tea / Lawrence Ko

Paul H. de Neui serves as Professor of Missiology and Intercultural Studies and Director of the Center for World Christian Studies at North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago, Illinois.