Building and Negotiating Religious Identities in a Zen Buddhist Temple

Examining a Zen Buddhist temple in Northwest Ohio, this book delves into the intersection of Buddhism and globalization, highlighting how Western practices and rituals have adapted within the local culture. Utilizing rhetorical criticism, the author analyzes various expressions of Buddhist rhetoric through teaching videos, the temple's website, and artifacts, revealing how these elements shape and negotiate the community's religious identities. The study provides a fresh methodology for understanding religious identity construction and offers insights into the future of modern Buddhism and its relevance to other faiths.