Wilmette Institute courses, 1999-2000


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Posted by Jonah on November 24, 1998 at 11:27:49:

The Wilmette Institute is pleased to announce its course offerings for the 1999 and 2000 school years. The four-year "Spiritual Foundations" course is active and is taking new students. As well, we are now offering fifteen distance-education ("correspondence") courses in 1999-2000, up from three in 1998. We are offering courses on Baha'i history, Baha'i perspectives on the major world religions, a systematic introduction to the Baha'i Faith, and courses on the Kitab-i-Iqan and the Kitab-i-Aqdas. This note will present brief summaries of the courses in the following order. Further information can be obtained from the newly expanded Wilmette Institute website, http://www.usbnc.org/wilmette, or by writing to the Registrar, Heather Gorman, at Wilmette_Institute@usbnc.org.

1- "The Spiritual Foundations for a Global Civilization"
2- "World Religions: An Integrated Approach": Hinduism, Judaism,
Buddhism, Christianity, Chinese Religions, Zoroastrianism, Islam
3- "The Baha'i Faith: A Systematic Introduction"
4- "Exploring the Revelation of Baha'u'llah" in four courses: 1853-63;
1863-68; 1868-73; 1874-92
5- "The Kitab-i-Iqan and related texts" and "The Kitab-i-Aqdas and
related texts"

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1- "The Spiritual Foundations for a Global Civilization"

Spiritual Foundations for a Global Civilization is a four-year university-level program of systematic study of the Baha'i Faith, parts of which are accreditable at the university level. The program is open to Baha'is aged eighteen or older with a high school degree or equivalent. Its purpose is to raise up a new generation of knowledgeable, articulate teachers and administrators of the Baha'i Faith by imparting knowledge; developing various skills, including teaching skills; inculcating a spirit of service; and fostering Baha'i identity and a sense of Baha'i community.

The program has four thematic clusters, which can be studied in any order: (1) Baha'i perspectives on global issues; (2) religion and theology (the nature of religion, the various world religions, and Baha'i concepts of God, revelation, humanity, creation, afterlife, and Covenant); (3) the nature of human beings and the creation of Baha'i marriages and families; and (4) development and governance of Baha'i communities. In addition, each year includes the study of Baha'i history and Baha'i scripture, acquisition of skills in teaching the Faith, and development of other skills such as writing, public speaking, community building, and conflict resolution.

The program has two components: (1) An annual intensive summer residential session, held in Wilmette, Illinois, consisting of classes, service projects, and teaching opportunities. The university-accreditable portion of the residential session is the equivalent of at least one semester course each year; (2) Ten months of self-study assignments and teaching and service activities undertaken by students in their home locales. This part of the program is roughly equivalent to at least one semester course of study each year.

DATES: Preparatory Home Study: May 1 to July 15 1999
Residential Study: July 17 to August 6 1999
Home Study: September 1 1999, to March 31 2000

COST: see website for details

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION: March 30, 1999.

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2- "World Religions: An Integrated Approach": Hinduism, Judaism,
Buddhism, Christianity, Chinese Religions, Zoroastrianism, and Islam

These seven courses introduce Baha'is to the origin, founders, development, teachings, practices, and followers of the various world faiths. They are studied as integral parts of the ever-developing religion of God, not as isolated phenomena. Each course is designed to foster:

* Dialogue--that is, to help a Baha'i understand the basics of other religions well enough to interact with their followers with confidence and carry out Baha'u'llah's exhortation to "consort with the followers of all religions with friendliness and fellowship." Such interaction is essential if one wishes to introduce the Faith to others, find waiting souls, and foster the process leading to entry by troops.

* Deepening--that is, to help a Baha'i understand better the basics of the other religion and the Baha'i Faith. It has been said that one of the best ways to learn about one's own religion is to study another one, because comparison is a light that sheds illumination on both. Since Baha'is see all the world's major religions as divinely founded and based on a revelation, study of them allows one to understand the background for the revelation of the Baha'i writings.

The "World Religions: An Integrated Approach" series studies other religions from the perspective of the Baha'i Faith. Since the Baha'i perspective on specific teachings or movements is often not defined, the student will be able to participate in the effort to explore and discover the Baha'i principles relevant to study of other religions. The series uses some of the techniques of the scholarly study of religions (often called comparative religion). The courses are "formally organized" and "systematic"; they are designed to be equivalent to a college evening course. These seven courses do not need to be taken in order and have no prerequisites--depending on personal interests and time, students may pick and choose which ones to take.

DATES: Hinduism for Dialogue and Deepening: Jan. 1-Feb. 28 1999
Judaism for Dialogue and Deepening: Mar. 1-Apr. 30 1999
Buddhism for Dialogue and Deepening: May 1-June 30 1999
Christianity for Dialogue and Deepening: Sept. 1-Oct. 31 1999
Chinese Religions for Dialogue and Deepening: Nov. 1-Dec. 31 1999
Zoroastrianism for Dialogue and Deepening: Jan. 1-Feb. 29 2000
Islam for Dialogue and Deepening : Mar. 1-May 31 2000

COST: $100 per course; $80 per course per student if a local study group is formed

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION: Preferably, at least two weeks prior to start of each course. Late applications may be considered.

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3- "The Baha'i Faith: A Systematic Introduction"

"The Baha'i Faith: A Systematic Introduction" is designed to give the student a thorough exposure to the history and teachings of the Baha'i Faith, the lives of its Central Figures, and the development of its community. It is particularly aimed at students who want to study a religion at a college level of difficulty, both Baha'is wishing to acquire a systematic foundation in their religion and non-Baha'is wishing to understand the basics of the Faith. The course will include readings, discussion on a listserver, conference calls, and completion of learning projects of the student's choosing. It will be offered once per year.

DATES: The Baha'i Faith: A Systematic Introduction: June 1-Aug. 31 1999
The Baha'i Faith: A Systematic Introduction: June 1-Aug. 31 2000

COST: Tuition: $150, or $120 per student if joining as a member of a local study group.

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4- "Exploring the Revelation of Baha'u'llah": course one 1853-63;
course two 1863-68; course three 1868-73; course four 1874-92

The Baha'i Faith is the best example of a "religion of the book." Because its Founder Baha'u'llah (1817-1892) lived in the modern world, when there was widespread literacy, printing presses, cheaply available paper, and relatively rapid transportation and communication, He relied extensively on writing to disseminate His teachings. He wrote in Arabic, Persian, and a unique mixture of both. A century after Baha'u'llah's passing only a small fraction of His writings has been translated into English. Through English translations of the Baha'i revelation, summaries of some works, descriptions, and commentaries, the writings of Baha'u'llah will be surveyed. This study is broken up into four distinct courses, covering the years 1853-63; 1863-68; 1868-73; and 1874-92. These courses do not need to be taken in order and have no prerequisites--depending on personal interests and time, students may pick and choose which courses to take.

DATES: The Revelation of Baha'u'llah, 1853-63: January 1-June 30 1999
The Revelation of Baha'u'llah, 1863-68: July 1-December 31 1999
The Revelation of Baha'u'llah, 1868-73: January 1-June 30 2000
The Revelation of Baha'u'llah, 1874-92: July 1-December 31 2000

COST: Tuition: $225, or $180 per student if joining as a member of a local study group. Study materials and special compilations included at no extra cost.

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5- "The Kitab-i-Iqan and related texts"
and "the Kitab-i-Aqdas and related texts"

These two courses each study one of Baha'u'llah's major books, the Kitab-i-Iqan and the Kitab-i-Aqdas, as well as some related texts. These courses are not connected: one does not need to sign up for both or take them in any particular order, and there are no prerequisites. The course on the Iqan looks not only at its historical context and its content, but at related texts such as Some Answered Questions. The course on the Aqdas involves reading the Most Holy Book and related texts both chronologically and topically. See sections below for details.

1--The Kitab-i-Iqan:

Extolled by Shoghi Effendi as "foremost among the priceless treasures cast forth from the billowing ocean of Baha'u'llah's Revelation," the Kitab-Iqan is unequaled by any work of Baha'u'llah's except the Kitab-i-Aqdas. It is an indispensable manual of Baha'i teachings, as it proclaims the existence and oneness of God, asserts the relativity of religious truth, affirms the unity of the Prophets, elucidates cryptic passages from the Qur'an and Bible, enumerates the essential prerequisites for the attainment of every true seeker, demonstrates the validity of the revelation of the Bab, and explains the symbolic meaning of many Christian and Muslim terms. The course will study the entire Book of Certitude and will explore supplemental texts by Baha'u'llah and `Abdu'l-Baha that elucidate and amplify the book's meaning.

2--The Kitab-i-Aqdas:

About 1873, Baha'u'llah revealed the Kitab-i-Aqdas, or Most Holy Book. This work is a unique repository of the principal laws of the Baha'i dispensation, but it is also much more. It defines basic Baha'i teachings, sets out the structure of Baha'i organization, and details the outline of Baha'i community life. Baha'u'llah, `Abdu'l-Baha, Shoghi Effendi, and the Universal House of Justice have amplified the Aqdas text with explanations, interpretations, and legislation that will also be studied.

DATES: The Kitab-i-Iqan: April 1 1999 to Sept. 30 1999
The Kitab-i-Aqdas: Nov. 1 1999 to April 30 2000

COST: Tuition: $225, or $180 per student if joining as a member of a local study group. Study materials and special compilations included at no extra cost.

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The students who have taken our courses have found them highly instructive and a thoroughly positive experience; some comments can be seen on the website. We sincerely hope that these courses will be of interest to many of you, and we look forward to receiving your applications! For further information, please visit http://www.usbnc.org/wilmette or write to the Registrar, Heather Gorman, at Wilmette_Institute@usbnc.org

Thank you.

Sincerely,
Jonah Winters
(for the Wilmette Institute)




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