161. Elijah Siegler, Religious Studies Outside the Classroom

Show Notes:

Elijah Siegler recalls the day of graduation on June 5, 1992, and the prominent promotion of the movie Patriot Games, which seemed at the time an ominous omen, as graduates began to navigate their post-grad journey. Elijah shares his advice to his kids and students: "You don't need to have your whole life post-college figured out. You just need one cool thing lined up, and that'll lead to another cool thing." Elijah describes his first post-graduation job as the editor of the Greece and Turkey book for Let's Go travel guides, which he found out about due to a last-minute cancellation.

A Ticket to Israel and Traveling Adventures

Elijah had previously been a researcher for Let's Go Pacific Northwest in the summer of 1989. After graduation, Elijah moved back to his parents' house in Toronto, Canada, and spent time reading and applying for jobs. Elijah cashed in his graduation gift from his grandparents, a ticket to Israel, and spent six months in the Middle East, including a solo tour of the Mediterranean. Elijah used his own guidebook for the Greece and Turkey parts of his trip and mentions Gary Bass, a classmate who edited Let's Go Israel and Egypt.

Exploring the Middle East

Elijah enjoyed both Greece and Turkey, finding Turkey to be one of the great travel destinations of the world. He highlights the unique experiences in Istanbul and Cappadocia, including staying in cave hotels and visiting a center for Sufi culture. Elijah reflects on his visit to Syria, noting the cultural richness and the sadness of seeing the country torn apart by civil war. Elijah moved back to Toronto, spent time with family, and eventually found a job in the non-profit sector in New York.

Taking a Slow Boat to China

Elijah describes his temporary job in New York, living in a basement in Chelsea, and the cultural experience of living in New York City. He recounts his decision to travel to Asia, including a trip to Japan, where he received a telegram about a job in China. Elijah took a slow boat to China from Kobe to Shanghai and then trains to Chengdu, where he taught English for nine months. He shares his experiences in Chengdu, including teaching and traveling around China, and his interest in Taoism.

Opening the Door to the World’s Parliament of Religions

Elijah attended the World's Parliament of Religions in Chicago in the fall of 1993, which marked the 100th anniversary of the original event in 1893. He volunteered at the event, met various religious leaders, and was inspired to study religion academically. Elijah decided to pursue a graduate degree in religious studies, applying to various programs and eventually enrolling at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He describes the rigorous Religious Studies Program at UCSB and his initial research on Taoism in America.

A Focus on Taoism

Elijah explains the concept of Taoism, the indigenous religion of China, and its focus on the Tao, a non-personal divine force. He discusses the transmission of Taoist ideas to America through popular culture, such as the TV show Kung Fu and the book The Tao of Pooh. Elijah interviewed Chinese Taoist masters who came to America and taught Taoist techniques, such as martial arts and meditation. He completed his PhD on Taoism in America and began his academic career, moving from assistant to associate to full professor.

The Americanization of Taoism

Elijah contrasts Taoism with Buddhism, noting that Taoism does not have a missionary impulse and is spread indirectly through practices like martial arts. He discusses the Americanization of Taoism and the role of popular culture in shaping American Taoism. Elijah shares his research on the authenticity of Taoist masters in America and the concerns within the American Taoist community about who is a genuine master. He mentions the organizational structure of Taoism in China and the challenges of defining authenticity in American Taoism.

Religion and Television

Elijah discusses his research on religion and television, contrasting it with the study of religion and film. He argues that television's open narrative format allows for the exploration of religious change over time. Elijah highlights the religious themes in popular TV shows and how they reflect and shape American spirituality. He plans to publish a book on his theory of religion and television combining his previous essays on the topic.

A Spiritual Journey

Elijah shares his personal spiritual journey, growing up in a secular Jewish household and raising his children as Jewish. He expresses a strong affinity for Taoism but does not call himself a Taoist due to the formal initiation required in Taoist traditions. Elijah teaches a class on spirituality, exploring the rise of "spiritual but not religious" individuals and the history of spirituality in America. He emphasizes the importance of interfaith dialogue and understanding different religious traditions, both in his teaching and in his community involvement.

Promoting Interfaith Understanding

Elijah describes his involvement in the Charleston Interfaith Council, organizing cultural and educational programming to promote interfaith understanding. He organized a  Jewish Muslim Dinner in 2017, bringing together Jewish and Muslim communities for a shared meal and conversation, which has evolved into the Spirited Brunch, a self-guided tour of different sacred spaces in Charleston with snacks, promoting interfaith dialogue and cultural exchange. He encourages others to replicate these initiatives in their own communities, emphasizing the importance of interfaith connections and understanding.

Harvard Reflections

Elijah  was in the comparative study of religion that was drawn from other departments in the Divinity School, and he mentions professor Diana Eck, who was the chair of that committee on the comparative study of religion. She started something called the pluralism project in 1991 and that summer, Elijah was in the first cohort of student employees for that so I actually got paid to go to Los Angeles and study religious diversity there and inter religious dialog, and in particular, Buddhism. 

Timestamps:

01:30 Initial Career Steps and Travel Experiences 

04:06: Exploring Greece, Turkey, and Syria 

09:03: Moving to New York and Asia 

12:10: Attending the World's Parliament of Religions 

15:21: Research on Taoism in America 

17:31: Taoism in America and Its Cultural Impact 

28:59: Religion and Television

31:49: Personal Spiritual Journey and Teaching 

39:29: Interfaith Initiatives in Charleston 

Links:

Faculty Bio: https://charleston.edu/religious-studies/faculty-staff/siegler-elijah.php

Spirited Brunch: https://thefoodsection.com/spirited-brunch-101/

The Musical: https://www.happylandmusical.com/

Featured Nonprofit:

The featured nonprofit of this week’s is brought to you by Tobey Collins who reports: 

“Hi. I'm Tobey Collins, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 Report is the Barnstable Land Trust, or BLT. Barnstable Land Trust is a land conservation organization dedicated to preserving green space in the town of Barnstable in Cape Cod, and enhancing access to green space for the broader community. BLT, stewards more than 1250 acres of land in Barnstable, and is always on the lookout for new opportunities. I'm proud to have served as a board member for the Barnstable Land Trust since 2022 as well as having been a regular donor going back more than 15 years. I love helping keep Cape Cod beautiful for generations to come. You can learn more about their work at B, l, t.org,

and now here's Will Bachman with this week's episode. 

To find out more about their work, visit: www.blt.org. 

This episode on The 92 Report: https://92report.com/podcast/episode-161-elij…de-the-classroom/

 

*AI generated show notes and transcript