Bahá'í History Series
Rediscovering the Heroic Age:
The Bahá'í Faith, 1863-92
TOPIC:
TOPIC: The history and development of the Bahá'í community from 1863 to 1892 is little known, but is of great importance in understanding the Faith's subsequent development. It was a time of consolidation after the severe persecutions of the Bábí period, of heroism under pressure, of growth, of remarkable geographic expansion to India, Burma, Australasia, Central Asia, and North Africa, and of the creation of the first Bahá'í institutions. It is also the period dominated by the majestic figure of Bahá'u'lláh, who directed the community's development through advice to pilgrims and tablets to believers. The course will examine the Bahá'í Faith during the ministry of Bahá'u'lláh, including aspects of the ministry itself.
DATES:
March 1, 2002 to May 31, 2002
TEXTS:
- Compilation of Bahá'í articles and other resources on this period
included at no extra charge with course materials
- Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By (can be downloaded online)
FACULTY (tentative):
Mr. Richard Hollinger
Dr. Moojan Momen
Dr. Robert Stockman
Mr. Peter Terry
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. Students also have the option of saving another $10 by downloading course materials online only, rather than be sent a package in the mail.
There are no residential
requirements, for the course is conducted by correspondence and over the
internet. College credit and scholarships may be available. Contact the registrar for more information.
REQUIREMENTS:
The course is taught at the undergraduate level of difficulty. Therefore, it
is open to those with a high school degree or equivalent.
THE THREE-TIERED SYSTEM:
All of our distance-education courses can be taken at three difficulty levels: introductory (roughly equivalent to a late high-school or early college level), intermediate (roughly equivalent to a standard undergraduate college course), and advanced (graduate level). Students in all three levels are assigned the same reading, but prepare different types of homework. Introductory students prepare an informal self-evaluation at the end of each unit, discussing what they learned and their reactions to or thoughts about it. Intermediate students prepare a more formal learning project for each unit, such as an essay, presentation, fireside, or artistic project. Advanced students, who will be mentored only by a professor with a doctorate, will work with their advisor one-on-one to prepare an individually-tailored course of study. Students at all levels will participate in the same listserver and conference calls, and receive the same course materials.
WORK EXPECTATIONS:
The course will take five to
ten hours of work each week and will involve:
- Reading and using the knowledge you acquire.
The course is divided into a series of units, each of which involves reading
about Hinduism and related texts. The course offers a series of study
questions, and learning projects, including
giving a deepening or fireside; doing an artistic project; or finishing a
writing project.
- Assistance by a mentor/advisor, who reviews and
comments on all homework you do, and answers your questions.
- For those who are part of local study groups,
discussion assignments are provided.
- Participation in "hinduism" the course's
email discussion group. Because of the speed and efficiency that email
provides, all students are urged to acquire email for the
course.
- Access to the course's password-protected web
site, which includes additional study material and completed sample homework
assignments.
- Voluntary participation in conference calls
with up to five other students and a faculty member.
- Completion of a final project that involves
review of the material studied, evaluation of what one has learned, and
systematic application of it to teaching and deepening.
GRADING OPTIONS:
The course is usually taken
pass/fail with review and comments about assignments by the instructor. It may
be taken for a grade (A, B, C, D, F).
