Abstract：

In this talk, Dr. Gloria (I-Ling) Chien, Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Arnold Distinguished Professor at Gonzaga University, will demonstrate how contemplative pedagogy (CP) can be applied to the study of Chinese Buddhism in higher education. Drawing from her research and teaching, Chien first introduces how CP’s integration of first-, second-, and third-person approaches facilitate a reflective and student-centered environment. She will then present two illustrative examples of  teaching Chinese Buddhism related to: (1) the concept of “silent illumination Chan,” as highlighted in the Chinese Caodong meditation tradition, and (2) the Hong Kong film Running on Karma (2003). Through sharing her pedagogical strategies and guiding the audience through experiential activities, she will show how CP can deepen student engagement with Chinese Buddhist ideas and practice by integrating critical inquiry with embodied awareness and personal insight. This session will conclude with a reflection activity to foster dialogue on pedagogical innovation in Buddhist Studies and beyond.

Speaker Bio：

Gloria (I-Ling) Chien is an Associate Professor of Religious Studies and the Arnold Distinguished Professor (2025–2028) at Gonzaga University. She received her Ph.D. in Religious Studies from the University of Virginia. Her research explores the cultural legacy of the Tibetan Buddhist master Tokmé Zangpo (1295–1369) within the Tibetan Lojong (mind training) meditation tradition. Inspired by this work, she completed a certificate in the Cognitively-Based Compassion Training® contemplation program developed at Emory University. Her peer-reviewed scholarship addresses topics such as Tokmé Zangpo’s life stories and Collected Works, the application of Ignatian and contemplative pedagogies in Buddhist Studies classrooms, and Chinese Buddhism and Chinese religions in film. She co-founded and co-chaired the Buddhist Pedagogy Seminar at the American Academy of Religion (2019–2023). She is currently completing a manuscript on Buddhist film and editing a volume titled Māra: The Enduring Demon in the Buddhist Universe.