Are animals worthy of religious recognition? This talk will consider how Christianity and Buddhism ritualize animals through blessings, funerals, and life releases. Examining creation theology versus karmic rebirth reveals how each tradition includes animals as ritual subjects while maintaining distinct boundaries between human and nonhuman beings.

Barbara R. Ambros, Department Chair, is a professor in East Asian Religions in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her research on Japanese Religions has focused on gender studies, human-animal relationships, and place and space.

Speaker- Barbara R. Ambros