A List of Books for Buddhist-Christian Dialogue

by Carl McColman

Are you interested in exploring the richness of dialogue and interspiritual practice between Christianity and Buddhism? If so, then here’s enough literature to keep you going for a while. Each of the books on the following list has some sort of connection with both Christianity and Buddhism.

Some of these titles are academic studies, some the writings of monastics, others geared toward the laity. Some are books by Christians about Buddhism, or by Buddhists about interfaith dialogue; by Christians who find meditation a helpful adjunct to their primarily Christ-centered faith, or by persons who identify as “dual practitioners,” seeking an authentic path that is simultaneously faithful to both the Gospel and the Dharma. One or two are by Christians, about Christian spirituality, but informed by the author’s Buddhist practice.

This list is rather weighted toward the Christian side of the conversation. I would love to include more Buddhist authors and more Buddhist perspectives on Christianity, but I’m not as familiar with the Buddhist side of this conversation. While the most popular topic of these books is meditation, some are more narrowly focused on matters such as theodicy or psychology.

I have only read a fraction of these books myself, so I offer them here with no endorsement other than my own interest in the subject. I have tried to avoid listing books that promote one religion at the expense of the other; but since I have not read all the following titles, it’s possible that books like that have been listed. Please keep in mind that interreligious dialogue is a messy business and it is inevitable that the books on this list will represent a variety of perspectives on both Christianity and Buddhism. The bottom line: you are advised to read with a discerning mind. 

1. A. William McVey, Existentialism and Christian Zen: An East/West Way to Christ
2. Addison Hodges Hart, The Ox-Herder and the Good Shepherd: Finding Christ on the Buddha’s Path
3. Aelred Graham, Zen Catholicism: A Suggestion
4. Aelred Graham, Conversations: Christian and Buddhist
5. Ama Samy, SJ, Zen: Awakening to Your Original Face
6. Ama Samy, SJ, Zen Heart, Zen Mind: The Teachings of Zen Master Ama Samy
7. Ama Samy, SJ, Zen: the Wayless Way
8. Antony Fernando & Leonard Swidler, Buddhism Made Plain: An Introduction for Christians and Jews
9. B. Alan Wallace, Mind in the Balance: Meditation in Science, Buddhism and Christianity
10. Bieke Vandekerckhove, The Taste of Silence
11. Bonnie Bowman Thurston, ed., Merton & Buddhism: Wisdom, Emptiness & Everyday Mind
12. Brian J. Pearce, OP, We Walk the Path Together: Learning from Thich Nhat Hanh & Meister Eckhart
13. Buddhadasa Bhikku, Christianity and Buddhism
14. Carrin Dunne, Buddha and Jesus: Conversations
15. China Galland, Longing for Darkness: Tara and the Black Madonna
16. Christopher Collingwood, Zen Wisdom for Christians
17. D. T. Suzuki, Mysticism: Buddhist and Christian: The Eastern and Western Way
18. David G. Hackett, The Silent Dialogue: Zen Letters to a Trappist Monk
19. Denise Lardner Carmody and John Tully Carmody, Serene Compassion: A Christian Appreciation of Buddhist Holiness
20. Donald W. Mitchell, Spirituality and Emptiness: The Dynamics of Spiritual Life in Buddhism and Christianity
21. Donald W. Mitchell & James A. Wiseman, eds., Finding Peace in Troubled Times: Buddhist and Christian Monastics on Transforming Suffering
22. Donald W. Mitchell & James A. Wiseman, eds., The Spiritual Life: Gethsemani Encounters
23. Donald W. Mitchell & William Skudlarek, OSB, eds., Green Monasticism: A Buddhist-Catholic Response to an Environmental Calamity
24. Donovan Roebert, The Gospel for Buddhists and the Dharma for Christians
25. Edward L. Shirley, Zen Mind, Franciscan Joy
26. Elaine MacInnes, The Flowing Bridge: Guidance on Beginning Zen Koans
27. Elaine MacInnes, Light Sitting in Light: A Christian’s Experience of Zen
28. Elaine MacInnes, Teaching Zen to Christians: Orientation Talks for Beginners
29. Elaine MacInnes, Zen Contemplation for Christians: A Bridge of Living Water
30. Elizabeth Harris and John O’Grady, eds., Meditation in Buddhist-Christian Encounter: A Critical Analysis
31. Elizabeth West, Happiness Here & Now: The Eightfold Path of Jesus Revisited with Buddhist Insights
32. Ellen Birx, Embracing the Inconceivable: Interspiritual Practice of Zen and Christianity
33. Gordon Peerman, Blessed Relief: What Christians Can Learn from Buddhists about Suffering
34. Gustav Ericsson, My Christian Journey With Zen
35. Heinrich Dumoulin, SJ, Christianity Meets Buddhism
36. Hikaru Nakamura, Saint Young Men (Multiple Volumes)
37. His Holiness the Dalai Lama, The Good Heart: A Buddhist Perspective on the Teachings of Jesus
38. His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Spiritual Advice for Buddhists and Christians
39. Hugo Enomiya-Lassalle, Living in the New Consciousness
40. Hugo Enomiya-Lassalle, The Practice of Zen Meditation
41. Hugo Enomiya-Lassalle, Zen Meditation for Christians
42. Hugo Enomiya-Lassalle, Zen: Way to Enlightenment
43. J. K. Kadowaki, Zen and the Bible
44. James Arraj, Christianity in the Crucible of East-West Dialogue / God, Zen and the Intuition of Being (2 Volumes in 1) 
45. James William Jones, The Mirror of God: Christian Faith as Spiritual Practice, Lessons from Buddhism and Psychotherapy
46. James Wiseman and Donald Mitchell, eds., The Gethsemani Encounter: A Dialogue on the Spiritual Life by Buddhist and Christian Monastics
47. Jan Willis, Dreaming Me: Black, Baptist and Buddhist
48. Janet Conner, The Lotus and the Lilly: Access the Wisdom of Buddha and Jesus to Nourish Your Beautiful, Abundant Life
49. Jean-Yves Leloup, Compassion and Meditation: The Spiritual Dynamic Between Buddhism and Christianity
50. Jeroan Witkam, The Eye Aware: Zen Lessons for Christians
51. John Cowan, Taking Jesus Seriously: Buddhist Meditation for Christians
52. John P. Cobb, Jr., Beyond Dialogue: Toward a Mutual Transformation of Christianity and Buddhism
53. John P. Keenan, The Emptied Christ of Philippians: Mahāyāna Meditations
54. John P. Keenan, The Gospel of Mark: A Mahayana Reading
55. John P. Keenan, The Meaning of Christ: A Mahayana Theology
56. Kenneth S. Leong, The Zen Teachings of Jesus
57. Kim Boykin, Zen for Christians: A Beginner’s Guide
58. Kristin Johnson Largen, What Christians Can Learn from Buddhism: Rethinking Salvation
59. Leo D. Lefebure, The Buddha and the Christ: Explorations in Buddhist and Christian Dialogue
60. Marco Pallis, A Buddhist Spectrum: Contributions to the Christian-Buddhist Dialogue
61. Marcus Borg, Jesus and Buddha: The Parallel Sayings
62. Mark Heim, Crucified Wisdom: Theological Reflection on Christ and the Bodhisattva
63. Mary Jo Meadow, Christian Insight Meditation: Following in the Footsteps of John of the Cross
64. Mary Jo Meadow, Gentling the Heart: Buddhist Loving-Kindness Practice for Christians
65. Maurice O’C Walshe, Buddhism and Christianity: A Positive Approach
66. Nadra Nittle, bell hooks’ Spiritual Vision: Buddhist, Christian, and Feminist
67. Patricia Hart Clifford, Sitting Still: An Encounter with Christian Zen
68. Patrick Henry, ed., Benedict’s Dharma: Buddhists Reflect on the Rule of Saint Benedict
69. Patrick Henry and Donald K. Swearer, For the Sake of the World: The Spirit of Buddhist and Christian Monasticism
70. Paul F. Knitter, Without Buddha I Could Not Be a Christian
71. Paul Knitter & Roger Haight, Jesus & Buddha: Friends in Conversation
72. Paul Louis Metzger with Kyogen Carlson, Evangelical Zen: A Christian’s Spiritual Travels with a Buddhist Friend
73. Paul O. Ingram, A Modern Buddhist-Christian Dialogue
74. Paul O. Ingram, ed., Buddhist-Christian Dialogue: Mutual Renewal and Transformation
75. Paul O. Ingram, Buddhist-Christian Dialogue in an Age of Science
76. Paul O. Ingram, The Process of Buddhist-Christian Dialogue
77. Paul O. Ingram, Theological Reflection at the Boundaries
78. Paul Mommaers, Mysticism, Buddhist and Christian: Encounters with Jan van Ruusbroec
79. Peter Baekelmans, The Hidden “God”: Towards a Christian Theology of Buddhism
80. Peter Feldmeier, Christianity Looks East: Comparing the Spiritualities of John of the Cross and Buddhaghosa
81. Peter Feldmeier, Experiments in Buddhist-Christian Encounter: From Buddha-Nature to the Divine Nature
82. Perry Schmidt-Leukel, ed., Buddhism and Christianity in Dialogue: The Gerald-Weisfeld Lectures 2004
83. Perry Schmidt-Leukel, The Celestial Web: Buddhism and Christianity, A Different Comparison
84. Peter Feldmeier, Christianity Looks East: Comparing the Spiritualities of John of the Cross and Buddhaghosa
85. Raimon Panikkar, The Silence of God: The Answer of the Buddha
86. Richard Bryan McDaniel, Catholicism and Zen
87. Rita M. Gross and Terry C. Muck, eds., Buddhists Talk about Jesus, Christians Talk About the Buddha
88. Rita M. Gross and Terry C. Muck, eds., Christians Talk About Buddhist Meditation, Buddhists Talk about Christian Prayer
89. Robert Aitken and David Steindl-Rast, The Ground We Share: Everyday Practice, Buddhist and Christian
90. Robert Jingen Gunn, Journeys Into Emptiness: Dogen, Merton, Jung and the Quest for Transformation
91. Robert Kennedy, Zen Gifts to Christians
92. Robert Kennedy, Zen Spirit, Christian Spirit: The Place of Zen in Christian Life
93. Robert Magliola, Facing Up to Real Doctrinal Difference: How Some Thought-Motifs from Derrida Can Nourish the Catholic-Buddhist Encounter
94. Robert Powell, Christian Zen: The Essential Teachings of Jesus Christ
95. Robert Sohl and Audrey Carr, eds., The Gospel According to Zen
96. Roger Corless, The Vision of Buddhism
97. Roger Corless and Paul F. Knitter, eds., Buddhist Emptiness and Christian Trinity: Essays & Explorations
98. Rose Drew, Buddhist and Christian?: An Exploration of Dual Belonging
99. Ross Thompson, Buddhist Christianity: A Passionate Openness
100. Ross Thompson, Wounded Wisdom: A Buddhist and Christian Response to Evil, Hurt and Harm
101. Ruben L. F. Habito, Be Still and Know: Zen and the Bible
102. Ruben L. F. Habito, Experiencing Buddhism: Ways of Wisdom and Compassion
103. Ruben L. F. Habito, Healing Breath: Zen for Christians and Buddhists in a Wounded World
104. Ruben L. F. Habito, Living Zen, Loving God
105. Ruben L. F. Habito, Total Liberation: Zen Spirituality and the Social Dimension
106. Ruben L. F. Habito, Zen and the Spiritual Exercises
107. Seiichi Yagi and Leonard Swidler, A Bridge to Buddhist-Christian Dialogue
108. Steve Smith, Eastern Light: Awakening to Presence in Zen, Quakerism and Christianity
109. Susan J. Stabile, Growing in Love and Wisdom: Tibetan Buddhist Sources for Christian Meditation
110. Susan Walker, ed., Speaking of Silence: Christians and Buddhists on the Contemplative Way
111. Thich Nhat Hanh, Going Home: Jesus and Buddha as Brothers
112. Thich Nhat Hanh, Living Buddha, Living Christ
113. Thich Nhat Hanh and Daniel Berrigan, The Raft is Not the Shore: Conversations Toward a Buddhist-Christian Awareness
114. Thomas G. Hand, Always a Pilgrim: Walking the Zen Christian Path
115. Thomas Merton, Mystics and Zen Masters
116. Thomas Merton, The Asian Journal of Thomas Merton
117. Thomas Merton, Thomas Merton on Zen
118. Thomas Merton, Zen and the Birds of Appetite
119. Thomas Ragland, The Noble Eightfold Path of Christ: Jesus Teaches the Dharma of Buddhism
120. Tilden H. Edwards, Jr., “Criss-Crossing the Christian-Buddhist Bridge” in Tarthang Tulku, ed., Reflections of Mind: Western Psychology Meets Tibetan Buddhism
121. Tom Chetwynd, Zen and the Kingdom of Heaven
122. Tony Luke, Way of Zen, Way of Christ: Satori and the Kingdom of God
123. Valerie Brown, Hope Leans Forward: Braving Your Way Toward Simplicity, Awakening, and Peace
124. William Johnston, Christian Zen: A Way of Meditation
125. William Johnston, The Mirror Mind: Zen-Christian Dialog
126. William Johnston, The Still Point: Reflections on Zen and Christian Mysticism
127. William McVey, Existentialism and Christian Zen: An East/West Way to Christ
128. William Skudlarek OSB, Demythologizing Celibacy: Practical Wisdom from Buddhist and Christian Monasticism
129. Willigis Jäger, Mysticism for Modern Times
130. Winston L. King, Buddhism and Christianity: Some Bridges of Understanding
131. Wolfgang Kopp, Free Yourself of Everything: Radical Guidance in the Spirit of Zen and Christian Mysticism

Are there any other books that belong on this list — especially by Buddhists who are engaged in some form of Buddhist-Christian dialog? Please let me know, and if you have any opinions about some of the titles on this list, I’d like to hear that as well.

Happy reading. And please note: If you follow the links of the books mentioned in this post and purchase them or other products from Amazon.com, I receive a small commission from Amazon. Thank you for doing so — it is the easiest way you can support this blog.

Source: A List of Books for Buddhist-Christian Dialogue – Carl McColman