Chaminade University of Honolulu

Religious Studies

BDK-Fujitani Interfaith Program

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Discussing ‘Spirit in the Time of Radical Change’

What is faith? What is spirit? And, how do you approach climate change from the different spiritual traditions? These were the three primary questions addressed during a discussion sponsored by the BDK-Fujitani Interfaith Program, which marks its 20th anniversary this year at Chaminade University. Originally named the Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai Reverend Fujitani Interfaith Program, the curriculum’s purpose is to bring together the Buddhist community with all other religious communities in Hawaii to promote interfaith dialogue, and to provide opportunities for understanding and action for peace and justice in our communities.

In a conversation themed, “Spirit in the Time of Radical Change,” panelists included Native Hawaiian practitioner Manulani Aluli Meyer, Buddhist David Atcheson, Indian Vedic specialist Akhilesh Tiwari and Mary Anne Magnier of Honolulu Friends Meeting, which is an open and affirming congregation that welcomes everyone.

“I’ve never moderated anything in my life,” says Chaminade sophomore La‘a Gamiao ’25, who was tasked to lead the discussions. “I was really nervous, but I knew I had to be myself.”

Chaminade sophmore La’a Gamiao ’25 moderated the discussion themed “Spirit in the Time of Radical Change.”

Established in 2003 and named in honor of Yoshiaki Fujitani, a past president of BDK Hawaii, the program in the past has featured lectures, which were either usually based on a single speaker or based on panel discussions during which each panelist is given the floor to present his/her religious perspectives. The presentations would be followed by discussion among the panelists, and later opened to the audience for a Q&A session. 

“I was involved with the BDK-Fujitani Interfaith program years before Brother Bernie (Ploeger, Chaminade’s fomer President) stopped me in the hallway of Henry Hall and asked me to take over the program,” recalled Sr. Malia Wong, D.Min, Program Director for Chaminade’s BDK-Fujitani Interfaith Program. “He knew of my long involvement with the interfaith community in Hawaii and globally, but I felt I wasn’t ready to assume the position—especially moderating—and I deferred the position to Regina Pfeiffer.

In 2017, Cheryl Edelson, Dean of the School of Humanities, Arts and Design, asked associate professor Pfeiffer, D.Min., to fill the role as the head of Religious Studies. “Thus, I formally became program director of the BDK-Fujitani Interfaith Program, finally fulfilling Bro. Bernie’s wishes,” Wong laughed.

Upon the suggestion of Manulani Meyer, a moderator would be appointed to ask the question to the panelists, who would then be given a chance to respond. Wong explained that this format took a lot more preparation on the back end, not being quite sure how to organize the program so that it flows.

“Thus, I designed it with La‘a as the host and at the helm asking questions, and allowing discussions to grow organically.” Wong said. “The last part of the program included networking and continuing the conversation on the lanai with vegan pupu. It was like being with family and friends with the ease of interaction among guests of the different faith traditions. This will be our new format going forward—open to adaptation and change, a Marianist characteristic of education.”

For someone who has never moderated a discussion, La‘a was grateful that he was chosen as the first student host, despite his initial fears and nervous shakes.

“If you don’t answer, you’ll never know your character,” said Gamiao of agreeing to be the discussion’s moderator. “I put myself out there and the fact that I said yes, I think, says a lot about my character.”

Coming Home to Chaminade and Paying it Forward

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As part of an effort to open theological studies to more laypeople, Chaminade has significantly broadened its Master of Pastoral Theology (MPT) program to include opportunities for those interested in education, ethics, campus ministry, pastoral counseling and other direct service positions.

The MPT master’s degree at Chaminade has traditionally been geared toward a diaconate track.

But the program now welcomes those outside of that cohort—and is already seeing more students.

Dustyn Kainoa Ragasa

Dr. Dustyn Ragasa, director of the Pastoral Theology master’s degree program, said difficult philosophical and ethical questions facing our communities have driven up interest in theological studies programs nationally. He added that the MPT program at Chaminade is individualized to each student, offering a diversity of pathways and a curriculum designed to promote personal growth.

“Someone once told me that Hawaii is not a melting pot, but a mixed plate,” Ragasa said.

“Each culture’s specific contribution is not homogenized or boiled down to a set of common denominators, but preserved in their integrity so as to enrich through diversity. The MPT recognizes the specific gifts of culture that our students make to the learning experience. This kind of ‘mixed plate theology’ draws upon our heritages (and place-based theologies) so as to share them.”

Finding his way

Ragasa ‘07, who is also an assistant professor of Religious Studies at Chaminade, followed his own unique pathway to leadership at the university. He said he came to Chaminade a bit lost after dropping out of Waimea High on Kauai and then completing his GED. On his first day on campus—as the first student in his family to ever attend college—he wasn’t sure if he would be able to “hack it.”

“I thought, ‘I’m going to fail my first week.’ But the professors I had were so supportive from the beginning. When I was struggling, I knew they would be there,” he said, adding he was determined to succeed. And that’s exactly what he did—so much so that his professors encouraged him to pursue graduate studies and then helped him plot a course to a theology program on the mainland.

“They identified strengths in me that I couldn’t see in myself,” Ragasa said.

After graduating from Chaminade, Ragasa went on to earn a master’s degree from The Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology and a doctoral degree from the Graduate Theological Union. He said while earning his graduate degrees, he pledged to himself to use all he was learning to do two things: “I knew I wanted to be of service to my community and I knew I wanted to help other students.”

And after receiving his doctoral degree, an opportunity at Chaminade just happened to open up.

Chaminade homecoming

He quickly applied and Ragasa joined Chaminade’s School of Humanities, Arts and Design faculty in August 2019.

For Ragasa, returning to Chaminade was an opportunity to give back—just as his mentors at the University offered guidance and inspiration to him. And he jumped at the chance to reimagine the MPT program, widening its scope and potential impact to bring in more students.

He said he wanted to focus on helping MPT students apply what they were learning to real-life problems. He also wanted to integrate laypeople in the program with those on the diaconate track, creating a rich and robust dialogue and building relationships that last long after graduation.

“Laypeople and candidates preparing for the diaconate learn side-by-side,” he said. “Contact with candidates helps laypeople to think more pastorally. Similarly, contact with laypeople helps candidates remain grounded, and many candidates will often learn from the academic insights of the lay students.”

Ragasa is also looking for new ways to expand and enrich the program.

Moving the MPT program forward

He said he’s interested in striking up partnerships with Chaminade’s Education and Data Science programs to offer Pastoral Theology students hands-on learning opportunities, such as in-classroom teaching experiences. And he wants to build relationships with theology programs on the mainland so that students who are interested could get the chance to study at another university for a semester.

Whatever the additions, Ragasa is confident the program’s faculty members—who come from a diversity of academic backgrounds—will continue to provide a rich and individualized experience for each student that includes both robust academic study and direct service opportunities.

With fieldwork and academic contemplation combined, he said, “it’s my hope that someone who reflects on theology will approach their ministry empowered by the intellectual tradition of the church.”

Alum and Domestic Violence Advocate Stresses Self-Care

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Luana Moreno, BA Religious Studies '17

Luana Moreno ’17 practices what she calls little “acts of self-care” every day.

It’s how the Hawaii Domestic Violence Action Center advocate ensures the difficult emotional and physical trauma she helps other people process doesn’t begin to impact her own mental health.

It’s also how she makes certain she can continue to be there for them, week in and week out.

When things get a little too heavy, she takes a walk. Treats herself to a coffee. Picks up her coloring pencils. Sometimes, all she needs is to go outside, take in a deep breath and enjoy the sunshine.

“You can’t help other people become better if you are not helping yourself,” said Moreno, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies with a minor in Psychology from Chaminade.

Moreno, who is originally from San Diego, California, knew at an early age that she wanted to find a career that would allow her to help others—like she and her mother once needed help.

“I was raised by my mom, who showed me that there are ways to leave and survive abusive relationships,” Moreno said. “My work goes hand-in-hand with my journey because it has allowed me to learn and heal as well as help other survivors learn and start their own healing journey.”

When she was in high school, Moreno stumbled across Chaminade as she was looking online for potential universities to attend. She immediately felt a connection with the school—not least of which because of her name. “My great-grandparents’ best friends were from Hawaii and that’s how I got my name, Luana,” she said. “My great-grandmother was never able to come here and when she passed away I wanted to accomplish her dream and give more to the special place that provided me my name.”

Luana Moreno, BA Religious Studies '17, playing softball for Chaminade

Moreno jumped at the chance to play softball for Chaminade.

And she was delighted that she could pursue the subjects she was interested in at the University.

She combined Religious Studies with Psychology because she wanted to learn more about the impacts of trauma on people’s lives and unpack how belief systems can help people through difficult experiences.

“Having a religious upbringing, I was taught to see trials as a piece of a bigger picture, where you learn lessons and come out of it better and stronger,” she said.

“I wanted to know more about why and what people believe and how it can help throughout life.”

Moreno added that her Religious Studies degree gave her a broader perspective on the world, too. “The inclusive knowledge of religion, spirituality and psychology allowed me to approach people in crisis in a kinder and more effective way,” she said. “It made me more accepting and open to people.”

It was actually through the pageant world that Moreno found her role in domestic violence.

She was part of the Miss Latina Hawaii Scholarship Organization and learned about the Domestic Violence Action Center from a friend she was coaching high school softball with.

As part of Miss Latina Hawaii, she was challenged to think about her social impact.

And so she started to volunteer with the action center. In short order, she was offered a full-time position with the nonprofit as a campus survivor advocate. 

Her advice to others seeking careers in advocacy is simple: “Self-care! Self-care! Self-care!”

That’s an especially important lesson, she adds, amid the pandemic—which has left many more members of the community in need of social services. “Be mindful of how heavy the work can feel and find an outlet that helps release the emotions that can be held giving to others,” she said.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, you can call the Hawaii Domestic Violence Action Center helpline at (800) 690-6200 or text (605) 956-5680.

Religious Studies Professor Examines Ancient, Recovered Writings to Explore Life’s Big Questions

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If God forgives all humans who repent their sins, would God forgive a repentant Satan?

And since Christians are commanded to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” should people in some way love the Devil and other spiritual opponents?

These profound questions are explored by Dr. Peter Steiger, a Chaminade University Associate Professor of Religious Studies, as he researches the ancient manuscripts of Didymus the Blind, an early Christian teacher who lived in Alexandria, Egypt, during the 4th Century.

This controversial theologian is the subject of Dr. Steiger’s academic paper – “(No) Sympathy for the Devil? Love of Spiritual Adversaries in the Writings of Didymus the Blind” – which he recently presented at the annual conference of the Asia-Pacific Early Christian Studies Society in Melbourne, Australia.

“Didymus was an expert on the Bible and wrote many commentaries on Old Testament books, as well as very important theological treatises on debated issues of his time,” Dr. Steiger said. “Unfortunately, 150 years after his death, his writings were judged to be too controversial, and so they were removed from monastic libraries and no longer copied.”

Fortunately, however, an unknown monk probably took several documents written by Didymus, placed them in leather-bound folios, walked down a precarious pathway into a cave near the Nile River “and just threw them on the floor,” Dr. Steiger said.

Some 1,500 years later, the dust-covered manuscripts were discovered by British soldiers as they searched for a safe place to store munitions during World War II.

“They’re kind of stumbling around in there, I’m sure, and they find this pile of books,” Dr. Steiger said. “It was pretty clear almost immediately that they were of extreme value. It’s one of the largest collections of writings from a single author from this time period that’s ever been discovered.

“It does have this sort of  ‘Indiana Jones’ scenario to it,” he added.

Given the active antiquities market in Egypt, some pages may have been torn out and sold by local people, Dr. Steiger said, while other pages were damaged by bookworms.

Much of the collection remained intact due to the arid climate, however, and British authorities eventually disseminated the long-lost manuscripts among scholars in the United Kingdom, France, and Germany for critical evaluation and preservation.

Dr. Steiger wrote his dissertation on Didymus’ commentary about the Book of Genesis, including his interpretation of the seven days of creation and banishment of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden.

More recently, Dr. Steiger researched what Didymus wrote about Abraham and Job as friends of God. He also researched certain biblical figures “who were not friends of God,” notably Judas Iscariot and Satan.

When asked to name God’s enemy, people typically reply: “The Devil,” according to Dr. Steiger. But Didymus said something different.

“His claim and my paper suggest that the Devil is opposed to God, but God has no enmity toward the Devil but rather loves Satan,” Dr. Steiger pointed out. “The Devil’s real enemy is every human being.”

Does that mean humans should have at least some sympathy for the Devil?

“This is one of the ideas that originally got Didymus’ writings condemned,” Dr. Steiger noted.

“So, if I can shed some light on what he said, we may be able to have a better understanding of what it means that Christians are to love their enemies – and who those enemies really are.”

Humanities Senior Lecturer Shares Marianist Values at International Conference on Buddhist Women

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Marianist values of service, justice, peace and adaptation were shared by Sr. Malia Wong during an interfaith presentation at the 15th Sakyadhita International Conference on Buddhist Women. Held June 22-28 at the University of Hong Kong, the gathering drew more than 800 participants from 31 countries.

2017 Sakyadhita International ConferenceSr. Malia, a religious studies senior lecturer with Chaminade University’s Division of Humanities and Fine Arts, co-led a Christian-Buddhist dialogue entitled “Wisdom and Insight: Cross-cultural Perspectives.” She joined the Venerable Karma Lekshe Tsomo, Ph.D. in discussing how their respective religions help bring about a more peaceful society.

“My greatest takeaway is the joy of having been able to work with, serve and stand in solidarity with Buddhist nuns from around the world in educating for peace, dignity and social justice,” Sr. Malia said.

2017 Sakyadhita International ConferenceSr. Malia, who attended the event through a Chaminade faculty development award, helped create a photo collage that served as the formal conference video.

Sakyadhita (Daughters of the Buddha) is a grassroots organization dedicated to advancing the spiritual and secular welfare of women, while promoting harmony among the Buddhist traditions and other religions.

The School of Humanities, Arts & Design offers undergraduate programs in Religious Studies, English, Environmental + Interior Design, Historical and Political Studies, Humanities, International Studies and Social Studies. The division also offers a Master of Theology degree with specialized certificate programs in Pastoral Counseling and Spiritual Direction, and in Permanent Diaconate Education for future permanent deacons in the Roman Catholic Church.

The Fujitani Interfaith Program at Chaminade University Focused on Pathways to Peace

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Maya Soetoro-Ng, Ph.D., the keynote speaker, asked the crowd to reflect in silence on their personal definitions of peace and peacebuilding.  The nearly 100 people in Mystical Rose Oratory obediently paused and reflected.  They had gathered on April 28 – a Friday night – for a presentation by the Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai (BDK) Fujitani Interfaith Program of Chaminade University featuring “Pathways to Peace in the Workplace: How Practices of Faith Bring Peace within Diverse Career Fields.”

“All right, please share your thoughts.  We’ll do it popcorn-style,” said Soetoro-Ng.

People popped up with their definitions, ranging from personal peace, spiritual harmony, and working in harmony. She encouraged people to connect with strangers around them and share their definitions of peace.

Affirming everyone, Soetoro-Ng shared that the Matsunaga Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution also defines peace as action and will work through public policies and innovative social projects.  The organization looks for “opportunities to nourish peace in the actions we take” as a way to develop peacebuilding leaders.

Soetoro-Ng serves as the director of Community Outreach and Global Learning at the Matsunaga Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution and earned her doctorate at the University of Hawaii in multicultural education. She has taught multicultural education, social studies methods, and peace education for many years at the University of Hawaii’s College of Education at both the undergraduate and graduate levels

Soetoro-Ng told stories of her mother as a social-cultural anthropologist and as a bridge builder. Soetoro-Ng recalled the poignant story of her mother’s desire to have her ashes scattered in the ocean so that “Mom could share herself and connect with all the people she had ever worked with and loved in her lifetime.”

Soetoro-Ng also shared stories of compassion shown across diverse communities that she saw during her global travels. “The vast majority of the world are comprised of the faithful. What if people of all faiths mandated peace and peacebuilding as their goal? Can you imagine how expansive that embrace would be for the family of humans?” she asked.

Soetoro-Ng then turned the discussion to the respondents.

Vima Lamura had led the audience in meditation earlier that evening.  As the audience meditated aloud, she orchestrated the diverse sounds into a chorus and pulled the participants into a harmonious choir.  Lamura spoke about the value of being at peace and in harmony in work with choirs and orchestras.  She had spent her life immersed in the traditional ancient wisdom of the Vedas, chant, sacred sound and mantra, which have inspired her creative works in music, speaking and writing.  She shared how meditation was useful for her inner peace and in building peace with the people she collaborated with on music tours, concerts, studio recordings, and operas.

Pieper Toyama, the founding head of the Pacific Buddhist Academy, spoke of integrating Buddhist values in an academic setting.  The school discipline, curriculum, and relationships between students, faculty, and staff needed to reflect these values, including the fostering of peace, pursuing inner peace and the practice of peace with others. Toyama has retired from Pacific Buddhist Academy, the first Shin Buddhist high school in the Western Hemisphere, and currently serves as president of Hawaii’s organization of Hongwanji’s 34 Buddhist temples.

James P. Walsh, Jr., the director of Pastoral Planning for the Diocese of Honolulu, worked in Hawaii’s medical field from 1975 to 2009 in various executive positions at Straub Clinic and Hospital and with HMSA.  He has taught at Chaminade University from 1979 to 1999 as an adjunct Business professor. Walsh spoke about negotiating between employees and employers and practicing his faith through conflicts. He encouraged people to become more aware of what they are grateful for and challenged them to look for opportunities to correct inequities.

Soetoro-Ng asked the audience for their thoughts and questions, as well as to connect with others in the room. The discussion was robust.

In closing, Soetoro-Ng shared an Indonesian phrase she learned as a child that translates to “wash your eyes.” “Yes, wash your eyes; refresh your gaze,” she repeated. “Make a commitment to faith and peace in action. Remember small connections can build an organism that can grow to supplant major power. ”

The Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai Reverend Fujitani Interfaith Program, established in 2003, brings together the Buddhist community with all other religious communities in Hawaii to promote interfaith dialogue and provide opportunities for understanding and action for peace and justice in our communities.

Chaminade’s Religious Studies program offers the student an opportunity for in-depth reflection into the nature of religious experience, the communities which arise in response to it, and their actions. Grounded in Roman Catholic theology and Marianist educational philosophy, this reflection is ecumenical and conducted in the context of a multicultural, interfaith dialogue, exploring the meaning of the faith and working for justice among many peoples and cultures. The program fosters an understanding of human responses to the sacred that invite personal and communal commitment to faith in action and spiritual growth.