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Roberto Baggio -
Pema Chödrön -
Steve Jobs
Global InformationList of converts to Buddhism from Christianity information
This is a list of notable converts to Buddhism from Christianity.
| Name | Former denomination | Nationality | Notes | Refs. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nyanatiloka Mahathera (Anton Walther Florus Gueth) | Catholic Church | German | one of the earliest western Buddhist monks and founder of Island Hermitage | [1] |
| Anthony Lee | Baptist | American | actor and activist | [2] |
| Ananda Metteya (Charles Henry Allan Bennett) | Catholic Church | British | one of the earliest western Buddhist monk and established the first Buddhist Mission in the United Kingdom | [3] |
| Chris Evans | Catholic Church | American | actor and producer | [4][5] |
| Thomas William Rhys Davids | Congregationalism | British | scholar of the Pāli language and founder of Pali Text Society | [6] |
| Colonel Henry Steel Olcott | Presbyterianism | American | military officer, lawyer and first well-known American to make a formal conversion to Buddhism | [7] |
| Lokanatha (Salvatore Cioffi) | Catholic Church | Italian | Theravadin Buddhist missionary monk | [8] |
| Roberto Baggio | Catholic Church | Italian | footballer | [9][10] |
| Kotahene Soma Maha Thera | Catholic Church | Sri Lankan | Theravadin Buddhist monk, translator and missionary | [11] |
| Aliana Lohan | Catholic Church | American | actress, singer and fashion model | [12][13][14][15][16] |
| Solomon Bandaranaike | Anglicanism | Sri Lankan | former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka and founder of Sri Lanka Freedom Party | [17] |
| Dewi Lestari | Catholic Church | Indonesian | writer, singer, and songwriter | [18] |
| Prince Esper Esperovich Ukhtomsky | Russian Orthodox Church | Russian | poet, publisher and Oriental enthusiast | [19] |
| Helena Blavatsky | Russian Orthodox Church | Russian | philosopher, occultist, founder of the Theosophical Society | [20] |
| Richard Tiffany Gere | Methodism | American | Famous actor and producer, co-founder of Tibet House US | [21] |
| Jimmy Barnes | Protestantism | Australian | Singer and rapper | [22] |
| Orlando Bloom | Church of England | English | Famous actor and leading man in Hollywood films | [23][24] |
| Ajahn Sumedho (Robert Karr Jackman) | Episcopal Church (United States) | American | the one who introduced Thai Forest Tradition to the West and most senior western disciple of Ajahn Chah | [25] |
| Ajahn Viradhammo (Vitauts Akers) | Lutheranism | Canadian | senior western disciple of Ajahn Chah, founder & abbot of Tisarana Buddhist Monastery | [26] |
| Ajahn Brahm | Not specific | English | senior western disciple of Ajahn Chah and abbot of Bodhinyana Monastery | [27] |
| Ajahn Candasiri | Not specific | Scottish | Theravada Buddhist nun of Thai Forest Tradition and one of the senior monastics in western Buddhist circle | [28][29] |
| Ayya Nirodha (Elizabeth Gorski) | Catholic Church | Austrian, later Australian | Theravada Buddhist nun of Thai Forest Tradition, former Abbess of Santi Forest Monastery | [30] |
| Tara Brach | Unitarianism | American | psychologist and founder of the Insight Meditation Community of Washington, D.C. (IMCW) | [31] |
| Belinda Carlisle | Southern Baptist Convention | American | singer (the Go-Go's), songwriter | [32][33] |
| Houn Jiyu-Kennett | Church of England | English | Soto Zen rōshi and founder of Shasta Abbey | [34] |
| John Daido Loori | Catholic Church | American | Zen Buddhist rōshi, abbot of Zen Mountain Monastery | [35] |
| Ananda Claude Dalenberg | Dutch Reformed Church | American | Zen priest ordained by Shunryū Suzuki | [36] |
| Michael D. ("Mugaku") Zimmerman | Episcopal Church (United States) | American | prominent attorney and former justice of the Utah Supreme Court | [37] |
| William Oliver Stone | Episcopal Church (United States) | American | film director, producer, and screenwriter | [38] |
| Pema Chödrön | Catholic Church | American | Tibetan Buddhist nun | [39] |
| Fabian Fucan | Catholic Church (Society of Jesus) | Japanese | writer of tracts, at first supporting Christianity and then criticizing it | [40] |
| Ko Ye Lwin | Not specific | Burmese | prominent musician, guitarist and peace activist | [41] |
| Alfred Bloom | Evangelicalism | American | professor and dean of the Institute of Buddhist Studies | [42] |
| Seungsahn Haengwon | Presbyterianism | Korean | Seon master and the founder of Kwan Um School of Zen | [43] |
| Junius Richard Jayewardene | Not specific | Sri Lankan | first President of Sri Lanka and former Prime minister | [44] |
| Steve Jobs | Lutheranism | American | co-founder of Apple Computer, Inc. | [45][46] |
| Charles R. Johnson | African Methodist Episcopal Church | American | political cartoonist, novelist and Buddhist writer | [47] |
| Dewi Lestari | Pentecostalism | Indonesian | singer and writer | [48][49] |
| Tsai Chih Chung | Catholic Church | Taiwanese | famous cartoonist, well-known in both Taiwan and mainland China | [50] |
| Leung Man-tao | Catholic Church | Chinese | writer, critic and host | [51] |
| Christine Rankin | Catholic Church | New Zealander | politician and former civil servant who served as head of the Ministry of Social Development | [52] |
| Seta Manoukian | Armenian Apostolic Church | Armenian | Armenian painter | [53] |
| Tina Turner | Baptist | Swiss | singer and actress | [54] |
| Herman Vetterling | Swedenborgianism | American | mystic but he retained elements of Swedenborg thought after his conversion | [55][56] |
| Michael Imperioli | Catholicism | American | actor, writer, director, and musician. | [57][58] |
| Sam Lao | Church of the East | Chinese | Rishi, Dalit Buddhist and New Age Scientist. | [59][60] |
- ^ Bhikkhu Nyanatusita and Hellmuth Hecker (2008). The Life of Nyanatiloka: The Biography of a Western Buddhist Pioneer. Buddhist Publication Society. p. 17. ISBN 9789552402906.
- ^ "Archives". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2022-02-19.
- ^ "Bennett, (Charles Henry) Allan (1872-1923)". Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
- ^ Sachs, Adam (May 2012). "The Avengers' Chris Evans: Just Your Average Beer-Swilling, Babe-Loving Buddhist". Details. Archived from the original on April 12, 2013. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
- ^ Eels, Josh (May 4, 2016). "'Captain America: Civil War': Why Chris Evans Is the Anxious Avenger". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on August 22, 2020. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
- ^ "Buddhist India, by T.W. Rhys Davids". Fsnow.com. Retrieved March 5, 2012.
- ^ Janet Kerschner, The Olcott Family Archived 2008-12-18 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "From Catholic to Chemist to Buddhist Missionary". tricycle.org. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
- ^ "Planet Sport: Roberto Baggio returns ponytail for Italian federation". The Guardian. August 8, 2010.
- ^ "Buddisti Soka Gakkai. Una Sabina vi convertirà" (in Italian). Chiesa.espresso.repubblica.it. Retrieved March 5, 2012.
- ^ The Path Of Freedom (Vimuttimagga) of Arahant Upatissa Translated from the Chinese by Rev. N. R. M. Ehara, Soma Thera, Kheminda Thera. Buddhist Publication Society. Kandy, Ceylon, page IX
- ^ "9 Celebrities who publicly changed their religion". India.com. May 27, 2016. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
- ^ "Lindsay Lohan Is Reportedly Converting to Islam". Complex.com. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
- ^ "From Richard Gere to Katie Holmes: When celebs left their religion". dna. May 22, 2016. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
- ^ "Lindsay Lohan confirms she's studying Islam after being seen with a Koran". The Washington Times. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
- ^ "Ali Lohan". TV Guide. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
- ^ Melkonian, Neery. "Lebanon in the Armenian Imaginary: So Close with a Distance". Seismopolite: Journal of Art and Politics. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
- ^ CINEMA 21. "CINEMA 21 - We Are The Largest Cinema Chain In Indonesia". CINEMA 21. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Johnson, K. Paul. Initiates of theosophical masters.(SUNY series in Western esoteric traditions/Suny Series in Political Party Development). SUNY Press, 1995. ISBN 0-7914-2555-X, 978-0-7914-2555-8 page 125
- ^ Cranston, Sylvia (1993). HPB: The Extraordinary Life and Influence of Helena Blavatsky, Founder of the Modern Theosophical Movement. London: G.P. Putnam's Sons. p. 9. ISBN 978-0-87477-688-1.
- ^ "Richard Gere: On guard". BBC News. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
- ^ McCarthy, Danielle. "Why Jimmy Barnes abandoned son David Campbell as a baby OverSixty". Oversixty.com.au. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
- ^ Orlando Bloom 'converts to Buddhism'
- ^ Interview with Orlando Bloom Archived March 22, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Buddha, by Ajahn Sumedho". Buddhism Now. Retrieved October 28, 2020.
- ^ Mauro Peressini (2016). Choosing Buddhism: The Life Stories of Eight Canadians. Ottawa University Press; 1st edition. pp. 69–101. ISBN 9780776623337.
- ^ "I Kidnapped a Monk!". Buddhistdoor International. Retrieved May 15, 2013.
- ^ BBC
- ^ Ajahn Candasiri's website Archived July 5, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Trebilcock, Freeman (2016-09-01), Buddhist Life Stories of Australia - Venerable Nirodha Bhikkhuni, retrieved 2021-10-02
- ^ ""Allow life to be as it is"" (PDF). Retrieved 2020-10-31.
- ^ "Allez-allez - a Go-Go decides to turn French". The Sydney Morning Herald. March 5, 2007.
- ^ Carlisle, Belinda (2011). Lips Unsealed: A Memoir. Crown Publishing Group. p. 222. ISBN 978-0-307-46350-0.
- ^ Kay, David N. (2007). Tibetan and Zen Buddhism in Britain: Transplantation, Development and Adaptation. Routledge. pp. 120–121.
- ^ Magida, Arthur J. (2006). Opening the Doors of Wonder: Reflections on Religious Rites of Passage. University of California Press. p. 203. ISBN 0520245458.
- ^ "Ananda Claude Dalenberg Biographical Notes". Cuke.com. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
- ^ Jarvik, Elaine (December 16, 2006). "Utah justice now Zen teacher". Deseret News.
- ^ "The religion of director Oliver Stone". Adherents.com. Archived from the original on December 2, 2010. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ PBS
- ^ De Bary, William Theodore (2008). Sources of East Asian Tradition: The modern period. Columbia University Press. pp. 184–185. ISBN 978-0-231-14323-3.
- ^ Zon Pann Pwint (20 July 2018). "Ko Ye Lwin: a great musician and a late Buddhist samaritan". The Myanmar Times. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
- ^ Gee, Pat (2017-08-29). "Former UH professor shared compassion of Shin Buddhism". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Retrieved 2020-11-25.
- ^ Ford, James Ishmael (2006). Zen Master Who?. Wisdom Publications. pp. 99, 100, 101. ISBN 0-86171-509-8.
- ^ de Silva, K. M.; William Howard Wriggins (1988). J.R. Jayewardene of Sri Lanka. Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaii Press. p. 133. ISBN 0-8248-1183-6.
- ^ What do Steve Jobs’s final words mean?
- ^ The spiritual side of Steve Jobs
- ^ Charles R. Johnson interview at Monsters&Critics Archived 2007-11-08 at the Wayback Machine: "Buddhism has been my refuge (as it was intended to be for practitioners) since I was 14-years-old, and first sat in formal meditation."
- ^ Dewi 'Dee' Lestari: Love, spirituality and ecology[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Sensasi Pernikahan Kedua Dewi Lestari". Archived from the original on 2015-11-21. Retrieved 2015-11-20.
- ^ "漫畫大師蔡志忠 少林寺落髮出家". cna.com.tw. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
- ^ 凤凰网：梁文道在佛教中寻找人生方向(in Chinese)
- ^ Claire Harvey (2005-12-31). "Free-range soul searching replacing organised religion in NZ". New Zealand Herald.
- ^ New York Times
- ^ Orth, Maureen (2004). "Proud Tina: Tina Turner". The Importance of Being Famous. Henry Holt and Company. p. 42. ISBN 9780805075458. Retrieved July 21, 2012.
buddhist.
- ^ The Dharma of Emanuel Swedenborg: A Buddhist Perspective
- ^ Imagining Tibet : Perceptions, Projections, and Fantasies by Thierry Dodin
- ^ "Buddhist Channel | Personality".
- ^ "Inside the Zen Mind of Michael Imperioli". 3 September 2020.
- ^ The Dharma of Emanuel Swedenborg: A Buddhist Perspective
- ^ Imagining Tibet : Perceptions, Projections, and Fantasies by Thierry Dodin