Ways of being religious in the Lotus Sutra: Themes for Interreligious reflection and dialogue. Honoring Gene Reeves (1933-2019), with Deep Gratitude*

Abstract

This paper examines the message, content, and import of the Lotus Sutra from a four- point framework proposed by the late Frederick Streng Jr., in his work Ways of Being Religious (with Charles Lloyd et al.), which provides a working definition of '‘religion" as a way of ultimate transformation that includes (1) a view of the human problematic, (2) teaching on ultimate reality and human ultimate destiny as a resolution of that problematic, (3) prescriptions for religious praxis toward the attainment of that ultimate destiny, and (4) social expressions that bond the community of adherents.