ED157 - The Jedi Religion: Sufi, Daoist, and Buddhist Themes and the Jedi Order.
ROOM 704/706 - SciFi/Fantasy TV/Film
Saturday June 1, 2019 - 2:30 pm to 3:20 pm
Many researchers, writers, and fans alike, lay claim to the Jedi, insisting that the Jedi Order is basically Buddhist, Christian, Muslim, etc. The Jedi, however, are not Muslim or Buddhist, or any other modern religion, they are Jedi. George Lucas has pointed to numerous religious influences in his stories, yet many want to put Yoda or Qui-Gon Jin in a particular camp of religious influence. In this talk, we will explore possible influences and parallels between the Jedi Order and Sufi, Buddhist and Daoist religion/philosophy. Using source material taken from the “official canon,” we will search for common ground between the Jedi Order and three rich and diverse religious traditions. We hope that this presentation will provide participants with greater knowledge of these three world traditions, and how they might connect to the world(s) of Star Wars and the Jedi Order.
