Thomas Forsthoefel
Encyclopedia
Thomas Forsthoefel is a professor of religious studies
at Mercyhurst College
in Erie, Pennsylvania
, as well as a poet
and author
. He has a special interest in Hinduism
and Buddhism
and has written on both new religious movements and established traditions within these faiths, while his own background is Roman Catholic. He is married to Beth Gylys
, professor of English and Creative Writing at Georgia State University
and a fellow poet.
In 1999, Forsthoefel met the 14th Dalai Lama
while attending a conference of scholars in India
. In 2008 he edited an anthology of the Dalai Lama's writings and contributed to a documentary film on him.
In 2010, Forsthoefel was named Poet Laureate
of Erie County, Pennsylvania
. He said that he was going to use that position to promote a program to introduce poetry to people incarcerated in local prisons. His tenure as poet laureate was renewed for 2011.
In 2011, The New York Times
quoted Forsthoefel concerning the high school from which he had graduated, Fordson High School
of Detroit, and its over-night football practices to accommodate Muslim students fasting for Ramadan
:
Religious studies
Religious studies is the academic field of multi-disciplinary, secular study of religious beliefs, behaviors, and institutions. It describes, compares, interprets, and explains religion, emphasizing systematic, historically based, and cross-cultural perspectives.While theology attempts to...
at Mercyhurst College
Mercyhurst College
Mercyhurst College is a Catholic liberal arts college in Erie, Pennsylvania, USA.-History:On September 20, 1926, Mercyhurst College opened its doors just a few blocks away from the city's southern boundary. It was founded by the Sisters of Mercy of the Erie Diocese, who were led by Mother M. Borgia...
in Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...
, as well as a poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
. He has a special interest in Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
and Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
and has written on both new religious movements and established traditions within these faiths, while his own background is Roman Catholic. He is married to Beth Gylys
Beth Gylys
Beth A. Gylys is a poet and professor of English and Creative Writing at Georgia State University.Gylys grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Allegheny College with a Bachelors Degree in 1986. She went on to receive a Masters Degree from Syracuse University and a Ph.D. in English...
, professor of English and Creative Writing at Georgia State University
Georgia State University
Georgia State University is a research university in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Founded in 1913, it serves about 30,000 students and is one of the University System of Georgia's four research universities...
and a fellow poet.
In 1999, Forsthoefel met the 14th Dalai Lama
14th Dalai Lama
The 14th Dalai Lama is the 14th and current Dalai Lama. Dalai Lamas are the most influential figures in the Gelugpa lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, although the 14th has consolidated control over the other lineages in recent years...
while attending a conference of scholars in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. In 2008 he edited an anthology of the Dalai Lama's writings and contributed to a documentary film on him.
In 2010, Forsthoefel was named Poet Laureate
Poet Laureate
A poet laureate is a poet officially appointed by a government and is often expected to compose poems for state occasions and other government events...
of Erie County, Pennsylvania
Erie County, Pennsylvania
Erie County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 280,566. Its county seat is the City of Erie.- Geography :...
. He said that he was going to use that position to promote a program to introduce poetry to people incarcerated in local prisons. His tenure as poet laureate was renewed for 2011.
In 2011, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
quoted Forsthoefel concerning the high school from which he had graduated, Fordson High School
Fordson High School
Fordson High School is a secondary school located in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was completed in 1928 on a parcel of land which was then the village of Fordson, named for Henry Ford and his son Edsel Ford.-History:...
of Detroit, and its over-night football practices to accommodate Muslim students fasting for Ramadan
Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 or 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and...
:
Published works
Forsthoefel's published books include:- Four charismatic thinkers on violence and non-violence: analysis and evaluation (Loyola University of Chicago, 1987)
- Epistemologies of religious experience in medieval and modern Vedānta (University of Chicago Divinity SchoolUniversity of Chicago Divinity SchoolThe University of Chicago Divinity School is a graduate institution at the University of Chicago dedicated to the training of academics and clergy across religious boundaries...
), 1998) - Knowing beyond knowledge: epistemologies of religious experience in classical and modern Advaita (AshgateAshgate PublishingAshgate Publishing is an academic book and journal publisher based in Farnham, Surrey, United Kingdom. It was established in 1967 and specializes in the social sciences, arts, humanities, and professional practice...
, 2002) - Gurus in America co-editor with Cynthia Ann HumesCynthia Ann HumesCynthia Ann Humes is a professor of Religious Studies at Claremont McKenna College, in Claremont, California. The college lists her research interests as: History of Hinduism in America, Modern Hindu Goddess Worship, and Gender and Religion...
(SUNY Press, 2005) - Soulsong: Seeking Holiness, Coming Home (Orbis BooksOrbis BooksOrbis Books, is an American imprint of the Maryknoll order, that has been a small but influential publisher of liberation theology works, founded by Nicaraguan Maryknoll priest Miguel D'Escoto with Philip J. Scharper in 1970. It was the first to publish Gustavo Gutiérrez's seminal work A Theology...
, 2006) - The Dalai Lama: essential writings editor (Orbis BooksOrbis BooksOrbis Books, is an American imprint of the Maryknoll order, that has been a small but influential publisher of liberation theology works, founded by Nicaraguan Maryknoll priest Miguel D'Escoto with Philip J. Scharper in 1970. It was the first to publish Gustavo Gutiérrez's seminal work A Theology...
, 2008)