Institute of Buddhist Studies

Asia Pacific View, November 2002

Asia Pacific Theological Seminary (APTS) in Baguio City, Philippines, has started the world’s first on-site Buddhist studies institute for Christian missionaries and candidates. While many seminaries, including APTS, have a number of specialty courses on Islam, few have offered annual training on Buddhism. “In the entire world, there hasn't been an annual specific focus on training people to work among those influenced by a Buddhist worldview,” says Alan R. Johnson, director of the new program.

The institute features three core modules and a number of electives. The first eight week course began this fall and is an introduction to Buddhism and the history of Christian missions to Buddhists. Later modules will focus on church planting models and contextualizing the gospel for Buddhists. Electives will study specific segments of Buddhism, such as Tibetan or Zen.

Students from missions groups in the Philippines, Mongolia, Cambodia, Thailand, India, and other nations have expressed interest in attending. This will provide a forum for the world's leading Christian experts on Buddhism, including Alex G. Smith, an Australian native who serves with OMF International.

It is estimated there are more than 500 million “folk Buddhists” in the world. These are people who aren't fully devoted to the religion and mix other cultural belief systems such as animism, shamanism or Shintoism. Although they may not be strict adherents, such folk followers often insist Buddhist rites be followed at death.

There are 700 million hardcore Buddhists around the world, according to Smith. While much of eastern Asia is solidly Buddhist, he estimates there are at least 10 million folk Buddhists in the United States. Shambhala Buddhism, with its focus on meditation, has proven particularly popular in the West. Several corporations have adopted Buddhist techniques to teach executives.

The IBS has become the third institute to be held at APTS. Along with the institute for Islamic studies and leadership development, the IBS ministry will strengthen the understanding of church leaders regarding Buddhism.

Under the directorship of Area Director Wayne Cagle, APCALM has continued to grow in its ministry focus. Discussion has begun toward a future institute for Hindu studies to be available through the ministry of APCALM.

top of page