The Institute of Religion and Humanitites

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1. Department Aims

Established in the year 2000, the research department’s aim is to cultivate Tzu Chi philosophy, along with research and religious education without regard to creed and based on praxis of religious acts. The department guides students in theory of religion and research methods by carefully investigating the relationship between religion and social action; this involves areas such as medicine, the media, culture, education, charity, counseling, the arts etc as well as the field of Tzu Chi principles.

2. Special features

The department is a part of Tzu Chi — It believes in the importance of the cultivation of a “bohisattva spirit” and a “Buddhist lifestyle”, and active promotion of humanist values. By becoming involved in Tzu Chi activities in fields such as education, bone marrow donation, international disaster relief, community volunteering, and recycling teachers and students gain practical experience from which to develop hypotheses and research, thereby understanding the influences of religious belief and activity on Taiwan society during the last few decades. These resources, along with a balance of theory and practice, offer teachers and students of the department a unique advantage. We encourage students to pursue studies based on field research, enhancing their observations by utilizing principles drawn from Western religious theory while developing a theoretical position of compassion and benevolence for the benefit of society.

2.1 Development of teaching and research: the two main themes are “religious practices” and “religious healing”, drawing on 40 years of Tzu Chi service experience, and emphasizing religious empathy, service, self-cultivation and good deeds.
2.2 The institute plans collaboration with other departments of the university, gradually develop clinical humanity programs of courses, such as ‘experiences of religious healing’ , ‘culture of altruism’, ‘religion and medicine’, ‘religion and social welfare’, and ‘mindfulness and social work’ etc.

3. Teaching Aims

The department embraces the concept of ‘Tzu Chi Great Love’ combined with volunteering work in the wider environment to reinforce students academic research abilities; the core value is the application of religious belief to action in society and the development of a ‘volunteer ethos’, which can be put into practice within medicine, culture, media, education, charity, counseling, and the arts etc.

Websitehttp://www.religion.tcu.edu.tw/