Zen Buddhist Temple: Negotiating Religious Identities

This book explores the westernization of Buddhism and its adapted practices and rituals in a Zen Buddhist temple located in Northwest Ohio. The author analyzes the temple’s rhetorical practices through various sources, such as teaching videos, the temple website, members’ dharma names, and the materiality of the temple space and artifacts. By doing so, the book delves into how Buddhist rhetoric functions to shape the religious identities of community members and how the temple’s space and settings contribute to the formation and preservation of the Buddhist identity. This book provides insights into religious identity construction and offers applicable knowledge for Buddhist practitioners and other major world religions.