TOPIC:
The Universal House of Justice had a goal of the Four Year Plan to produce this new translation of Bahá'u'lláh, the first new volume since the Most Holy Book was published in 1993. It includes the complete text of Bahá'u'lláh's tablets to the kings, where He reveals His station in clear and unmistakable language and states many of His central social teachings to the world's greatest rulers, and the Súriy-i-Haykal, "one of the most challenging works of Bahá'u'lláh" according to Shoghi Effendi, where the Manifestation talks extensively about His station and the resistless power of His revelation. The volume greatly supplements the available translations of Bahá'u'lláh's tablets from the Adrianople and early Akka periods (1863-79). Bahá'u'lláh Himself linked several of these tablets to each other by ordering them calligraphically rendered in the form of a pentacle, a five-pointed star representing the human body. The course aims to make the tablets accessible to as many Bahá'ís as possible in order accelerate the community's assimilation and use of the guidance they contain.

DATES: December 1, 2002, to February 28, 2003

TEXTS: Summons of the Lord of Hosts: Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh (available from the Bahá'í Publishing Trust) and special study materials assembled by the Wilmette Institute on the tablets included therein.

FACULTY (tentative):
Christopher Buck
Fiona Missaghian
Moojan Momen
Shahrokh Monjazeb
Peter Terry
Robert Stockman

COST: $150
A twenty percent discount is available when registering as part of a local group of three or more (who pledge to meet together semimonthly to study the texts) or to senior citizens (65 and older) or to those whose service to the Faith engenders financial hardship. Larger discounts are available for even larger groups who plan to study the course together. Financial aid is also available.

There are no residential requirements, for the course is conducted by correspondence and over the internet. The Institute may be able to assist students to obtain college credit. The course may be taken at the introductory level (a basic course that will help students teach the Faith more effectively), the intermediate level (for more in-depth study) or the advanced level (equivalent to graduate-level study).

WORK EXPECTATIONS: The course will take five to ten hours of work each week and will involve:

A. Reading and discussion. The course is divided into a series of units, each of which involves reading part of the volume and related texts and discussing it with fellow students, either by e-mail (the course will have an e-mail listserver called "SUMMONS") or by voluntary participation in conference calls. Because of the speed and efficiency of e-mail, students are urged to get it before taking the course.

B. Assistance by a mentor/advisor, who reviews and comments on all homework you do and answers your questions.

C. For those who are part of local study groups, discussion assignments may be provided.

D. Access to the course's password?protected web site, which includes additional study material and completed sample homework assignments.

E. Assistance with planning a presentation on the volume (fireside, deepening, or local study class) and with a final written project.

GRADING OPTIONS: The course is usually taken pass/fail with review and comments about assignments by your mentor. It may be taken for a grade (A, B, C, D, F).

Wilmette Institute, 536 Sheridan Rd.,
Wilmette, IL 60091-2849
877-WILMETTE (toll-free voice and fax)
(877-945-6377)
info@wilmetteinstitute.org (e-mail) http://www.wilmetteinstitute.org (website)