Prof. Dr. Ruben Habito

Ruben L. F. Habito, a native of the Philippines, is Professor of World Religions and Spirituality, and Director of Spiritual Formation at Perkins School of Theology. He has also served as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (2005-2008). Before coming to Perkins in 1989, he was a member of the Society of Jesus for twenty-five years, and taught at the Jesuit-administered Sophia University in Japan.

After finishing undergraduate studies at the Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines, Habito completed his Master of Arts and Doctoral studies in Buddhism at Tokyo University and Licentiate in Sacred Theology at Sophia University in Tokyo. His academic interests include East Asian Religious Studies, Buddhist Critical- Constructive Thinking, Comparative Theology, Issues in Religion and Society, Spirituality and Socio-Ecological Engagement, Interreligious Studies, and related areas.

He is the author of numerous articles and books in Japanese and English, including Be Still and Know: Zen and the Bible (Orbis 2017), and Zen and the Spiritual Exercises (Orbis 2013). He also serves as Guiding Teacher of the Maria Kannon Zen Center, and resides in Dallas with his wife Maria Reis Habito, and together they have two adult sons, Florian and Benjamin.

Academic and Other Interests Related to Myanmar Project: Buddhist Studies, Christian Theology of Religions, Comparative Theology, Buddhist-Christian Dialogue, Spiritual Practice Across Religious Traditions, Spirituality and Socio-Ecological Engagement.

Ruben L.F. Habito is Professor of World Religions and Spirituality at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, and also serves as Guiding Teacher at Maria Kannon Zen Center, Dallas, Texas.