Judith Simmer-Brown

Who is Judith Simmer-Brown?

Judith Simmer-Brown is a Professor and past Chair of Religious Studies at Naropa University and a prominent Buddhist scholar. She has taught at the Buddhist-inspired university since 1978. She lectures and writes on Tibetan Buddhism, Women and Buddhism, Buddhist-Christian dialogue, Western Buddhism and Contemplative Education. She is an Acharya — a senior Buddhist teacher — in the Shambhala Buddhist tradition and was a senior student of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche.

In 2012, Simmer-Brown became one of four final candidates considered for the position of President of Naropa University, although Board of Trustees chair Charles S. Lief was ultimately chosen.

She is on the Board of the Society of Buddhist-Christian Studies, and a member of the Lilly Buddhist-Christian Theological Encounter.

At Naropa, she teaches classes on the First Turning of the Wheel of Dharma, Second Turning of the Wheel of Dharma, Vajrayana Texts, and Inter-religious dialogue for the graduate Religious Studies programs. She also teaches Contemplative Practice Seminar for the Core program.