Buddhist Spiritual Care for Our Times

How can we engage in Buddhist pastoral care while addressing the pressing issues of our times? Join us Thursday, April 28, from 4-5pm Pacific Time for a panel with Rev. Blayne Higa, Rev. Jo Laurence, and Rev. Trent Thornley as they discuss their community-oriented ministry and chaplaincy work. The conversation will be moderated by IBS Chaplaincy Program Coordinator Chenxing Han. We’ll have ample time for dialogue with these three special guests, so your insights and questions will be most welcome. Register free here. 

Rev. Blayne Higa holds a Master of Divinity degree from the Institute of Buddhist Studies in Berkeley, California with a focus on Shin Buddhist ministry and chaplaincy. He is the resident minister of the Kona Hongwanji Buddhist Temple. Rev. Blayne is the Chair of the Committee on Social Concerns for the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii. He also serves on the Board of the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii and Vibrant Hawaii. He is a past President of the Moiliili Hongwanji Board of Directors and former First Vice President of the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii. He also previously served on the Advisory Council for Project Dana and on the Board of The Interfaith Alliance Hawaii.

Rev. Jo Laurence received her MA at the Institute of Buddhist Studies at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. Rev. Jo is a board certified hospice and palliative care chaplain in Portland, Oregon. She is a long time practitioner of Soto Zen and is ordained in the Sufi lineage of Hazrat Inayat Khan.

Rev. Trent Thornley is the Executive Director and Director of Clinical Pastoral Education at the San Francisco Night Ministry (www.sfnightministry.org). Trent is an ordained minister in the Metropolitan Community Churches, a progressive Christian denomination with an outreach to the LGBTQ+ community. He is also an ordained Buddhist Dharma Leader in the Nyingma lineage of Anam Thubten and Dharmata Sangha. He holds a M.A. in Buddhist Studies from the Graduation Theological Union and a Certificate in Buddhist Chaplaincy from the Institute of Buddhist Studies.

This event takes place Thursday, April 28 at 4pm. Register for zoom link here.