How did early Buddhism’s teachings about salvation compare to the Christian doctrine that salvation is impossible outside the church?

Tibor Porci, professor of religious studies at the University of Szeged, Hungary, will answer this question in a lecture at West Virginia University at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 15, in the Gluck Theatre, Mountainlair. The lecture is sponsored by the Program for Religious Studies in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences and the Fulbright Scholars Program.

Dr. Porci’s lecture,No Salvation outside the Church? On the Significance of the Sangha in Early Buddhism,will consider the early Buddhist monastic community’s approach to salvation and whether it was similar to Christian teachings on the subject.

This event is the latest in a series of activities related to the Fulbright Alumni Initiative Award received by Briane Turley, a WVU faculty member in the Department of Geology and Geography. Dr. Turley is the first WVU faculty member ever to win a Fulbright Alumni award, and under the terms of the award, he is setting up a foreign exchange program between WVU and the University of Szeged. A group of WVU students will travel to Szeged in June 2005 for a summer course entitled,Society and Religion in Central and Eastern Europe.Dr. Porciwill be among the Hungarian faculty who will teach the exchange students this summer.

Aaron Gale, director of religious studies, points out that this event also helps meet the needs of WVU students who are interested in studying world religions.

We continue to offer new and exciting courses on world religions, as well as special events such as Dr. Porci’s lecture, so that our students will have good opportunities to gain knowledge in an area that is growing increasingly important in the current political climate,Dr. Gale said.

A discussion will follow the lecture and refreshments will be served. Further information on the event is available athttp://www.wvu.edu/~relstor by contacting Gale at Aaron.Gale@mail.wvu.edu or at 304-293-6324.