Seoul 2007

The 3rd International Conference on Raimon Panikkar was held in Seoul, Korea, June 7-9, 2007 hosted by Yonsei University and Sogang University. The theme of the conference was “Religious Dialogue, Cultural Harmony, and Sacred Secularity: Raimon Panikkar’s Thoughs and His Contributions.

Dr. Sang Kuen Kim of College of Theology at Yonsei University acted as the local organizer of the conference. The conference began with Dr. S.K. Somaiya’ congratulatory remarks and Milena Carara reading of Raimon Panikkar’s greeting letter on behalf of Panikkar who was not able to attend the meeting. A video “peace,” an interview with Panikkar conducted by Francis X D’sa, was also viewed. The first day session was held at Yonsei University College of Theology and paper presenters were Donald Dawe, Roger Rapp, Francis D’sa, Charlotte Sunde, Michiko Yusa, Paulo Barone, Anselm Min, Young-chan Ro. The presenters focused on the influence of Panikker on the American Protestantism, his idea of symbol, concept of time, natural sanctuary, ontology and mysticism, etc. The second day session was held at Sogang University and the presenters were Sung-Hae Kim, Kala Acharya, Fabrice Dubose, Jangsaeng Kim, Bernard Senecal, Jae Dong Ryu, Myung Kwon Lee. The issues of the second day included the Buddhist concept of suffering as for a religious dialogue, therapeutic implication of Panikkar intercultural dialogue, spirituality and intercultural dialogue, etc. The individuals chairing sessions and the discussants included Kang-nam Oh, John B. Burns, Chaeyoung Kim, and Un-Sunn Lee, and Seng Keun Kim. On the last day of the conference, all participants took an excursion to a Buddhist temple outside Seoul.