These essays may not be directly related to Zen Buddhism but they are of interest to Zen students.

Martin Baumann: Global Buddhism: Developmental Periods, Regional Histories, and a New Analytical Perspective Baumann looks at the movement of Buddhism around the world in this research article.
from: Journal of Global Buddhism Vol 2, 2001

James M Hanson: Was Jesus a Buddhist? I'm not convinced but you may be. from Buddhist-Christian Studies, Annual 2005 v25 p75(15)

James W. Heisig: Jung, Christianity and Buddhism Heisig gives a fairly detailed outline of Jung's theories of Self and goes on to explain why he believes Jung's theories can aid in the inter-religious dialogue between Eastern Buddhism and Western Christianity. This is a detailed article, heavy going for a non-psychologist audience. from Nanzan Bulletin 23/1999

Thomas A. Idinopulos: What is Religion? Defining what is and isn't a religion has always been problematic.

Jack Kornfeld Even the Best Meditators Have Old Wounds to Heal: Kornfeld on the limitations of meditation and the role of psychotherapy.

Charles Muller: Dealing with the Modern Crisis of Religiosity: Reflections from the Aum Case. "In the aftermath of the Aum case, various suggestions as to the causes of dangerous cult mentality, and possible measures for its prevention have been offered in the Japanese media, but it seems that a much more penetrating diagnosis is necessary than that thus far proffered. To merely lay blame to the person of Shoko Asahara, or the phenomenon of mind control, or an insensitivity, ineptitude, or lack of resources on the part of the Japanese police, is to grossly oversimplify and objectify a problem which has complex roots within the structure of the very institutions and values which Japanese society regards as its greatest assets. "

Tansen Sen: In Search of Longevity and Good Karma: Chinese Diplomatic Missions to Middle India in the Seventh Century Sen looks at some important Tang Dynasty missions to India, including the famous Xuanzang (Hsuan Tseng) 19-year mission. from Journal of World History, Vol 12 No. 1