Response-ability in Practice

This chapter explores what it means for a person from one religious tradition (Buddhism) to work at an institution committed to a different tradition (Christianity). In what ways can the individual and the institution make space for each other, and what might transpire as a result? The author begins by presenting her own story of negotiating these issues, demonstrating that attention to both diversity and institutional identity is necessary to provide for meaningful interfaith encounters. The chapter then provides two concrete examples of the advantages that can accrue in the vocationally significant areas of academic advising and teaching the general education curriculum. The chapter’s overall theme is that of “response-ability”: not simply responsibility in the usual sense, but an ability and a willingness to respond thoughtfully in all situations—and particularly in the religiously diverse context of higher education today.