Silence, the Word and the Sacred

Foreword

FOREWORD Established in 1976, the Calgary Institute for the Humanities has as its aim the fostering of advanced study and research in all areas of the humanities. Apart from supporting work in the traditional "arts" disciplines such as philosophy, history, ancient and modern languages and literatures, it also promotes research into the philosophical and historical aspects of the sciences, social sciences, fine arts, and the various "professional" disciplines. The Institute's programs in support of advanced study attempt to provide scholars with time to carry out their work. In addition, the Institute sponsors formal and informal gatherings among people who share common interests, in order to promote intellectual dialogue and discussion. Recently, the Institute has moved to foster the application of humanistic knowledge to contemporary social problems. The conference Silence, the Sacred and the Word, October 2-5, 1986, brought together Native people, creative writers of poetry and fiction, and scholars of sacred scriptures to examine the way in which words do or do not evoke the Transcendent. This study has theoretical importance for our understanding of much poetry as well as for our awareness of the nature and function of various scriptures in the lives of Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and Native peoples. We wish to record here our gratitude to the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada; the Minister of Culture, the Province of Alberta; The Institute for New Interpretative Creative Activities, and the University of Calgary Special Projects Fund. Without the careful attention to detail of Gerry Dyer, the Institute Administrator, the Conference would not have been the success that it was. H. G. Coward Director The Calgary Institute for the Humanities vii ...