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IN THIS ISSUE:
2000 Summer Program Characterized by Enthusiastic Students and Excellent Faculty
Update on the Fall and Winter Distance-Learning Courses
Student Letter to the Universal House of Justice
Details of the Upcoming `Irfán Colloquia
Fund-raising Letter Sent
Students News
An Exchange on "The Sealed Wine"
A Student Perspective on the Spiritual Foundations Program
Schedule of Upcoming Courses
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It was the fifth summer session of the Spiritual Foundations program and the first time the Institute had repeated a part of its four-year cycle of courses. It was also the first time the Spiritual Foundations program was only two weeks in length (previously it had been three or four weeks). The summer session began with a memorable inaugural dinner featuring comments by an official representative of the National Spiritual Assembly, Dr. David Young.
The first faculty member to teach during the summer was also a first in another sense: Marc Greenberg was the first Wilmette Institute student to return as faculty. He taught classes on Judaism, assisted by Yael Wurmfeld, another former Wilmette Institute student. Marc was inspired to pursue a Master's Degree in religion because of his experience in the Spiritual Foundations program.
Particularly impressive were Todd Lawson's classes on Islam, followed by classes on the Báb and His revelation, totaling twelve hours in all. Dr. Lawson stressed the ideas in Islam and the Arabic or Persian terms used for them. By teaching the students some Arabic he brought depth and vividness to the subject and gave the students confidence that they could pursue further study of Islam and the Bábí Faith without being intimidated by the language.
Ghasem Bayat's classes on the Kitáb-i-Íqán were so well received that the students rearranged their intense schedule to give him an extra hour. Students also enjoyed presentations on Christianity by Robert Stockman; Hinduism, Buddhism, and modern philosophy by Dann May; theology by Farhad Sabetan; the life of Bahá'u'lláh to 1863 by Nosrat Muhammad-Husseini; and public speaking by Roya Ayman. The workshop on teaching the Faith was coordinated by two Spiritual Foundations graduates, Alice Ferro and Nancy Turner, and delivered by them in collaboration with the fourth-year students. Alice and Nancy also served as day-to-day program and dormitory coordinators. Overall, the student's evaluations of the faculty were the most positive the Wilmette Institute has seen.
In addition to their classes, the students spent time daily at the House of Worship, praying or guiding. A long afternoon field trip took them to Hindu and Buddhist temples in the Chicago area, where they experienced those faiths in action. At the Buddhist temple they were offered a quick lesson in meditation.
The graduation dinner on Friday evening, August 11, featured an inspiring talk by Counselor Wilma Ellis on "Knowledge and Spiritual Regeneration." The students read their letter of greetings to the Universal House of Justice (see page 2). Then two students received Certificates of Completion for the entire four-year cycle of courses and twelve received Certificates of Attendance for the 2000 summer session.
The twelve full-time students were supplemented by about six auditors of parts of the summer session. Two more Spiritual Foundations students were unable to attend the summer session because of last-minute emergencies and are pursuing the home study portion only. The students will be completing final projects and making presentations on the subjects of their study over the next few months, enabling them to receive certificates of completion next summer. Some have already signed up for distance-learning courses as well, which they can take for a $25 registration fee. Many students have vowed to return with friends or even with their mothers or their adult children, so that others may benefit as well from the classes and the empowering atmosphere of the summer session.
On November 1 the Wilmette Institute offers its first course on the Bahá'í teachings. "Bahá'í Theology" will tackle such essential and little-studied Bahá'í teachings as the concepts of God, revelation, and Manifestation; the nature of humanity; the nature of physical creation; the purpose of this life; the nature of the afterlife; and the covenant. Dr. Julio Savi, author of The Eternal Quest for God, has agreed to serve as faculty member for the course.
December 1 will greet a new course in the world religions series, focusing on the Qur'án. It is being offered as a result of strong interest expressed by the students in the Islam course. Its study by Bahá'ís is emphasized by Shoghi Effendi: "They must. . . approach reverently and with a mind purged from preconceived ideas the study of the Qur'án which, apart from the sacred scriptures of the Bábí and Bahá'í Revelations, constitutes the only Book which can be regarded as an absolutely authenticated Repository of the Word of God" (The Advent of Divine Justice, 49). It is hoped the course will demonstrate that an interest exists in studying the scriptures of other religions. If so, a course on the Bible will be considered for 2001 or 2002.
January 1 will mark the official beginning of a new century and millennium and the beginning of a new study year, in which the National Spiritual Assembly has asked the American Bahá'ís to deepen on two books: The Secret of Divine Civilization and The Epistle to the Son of the Wolf. As of this writing, the National Spiritual Assembly has not decided which book will be studied during the first half of the year and which will be studied during the second half, but the Wilmette Institute plans to schedule courses for each during the appropriate time period. Two three-month time slots are reserved for the courses, beginning January 1 and July 1.
The timing of the course on The Epistle to the Son of the Wolf will determine when the course on the revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, 1877-92, is scheduled. Study of Epistle will take three of the latter course's six months, with the other three months focusing mostly on works found in Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh Revealed after the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. Students signing up for the three-month course on The Epistle to the Son of the Wolf will be given the option of signing up at a much reduced price for the three-month course on the other tablets revealed between 1877 and 1892.
On February 1 the world religions series begins its second cycle with a two-month course on Judaism. It will provide excellent background for courses on Christianity and on the Bible that follow later in the year.
The fast begins in early March and presents an excellent opportunity to deepen in Bahá'í history, for on the first day of that month a course titled "Rediscovering the Dawnbreakers: The Báb and the Bábí Faith, 1844-63" begins. The three-month course will feature readings from Nabíl's Narrative and God Passes By as well as other works, providing an excellent opportunity to become familiar with our spiritual roots.
The spring schedule of Wilmette Institute courses will probably be finalized in December or January, but currently a two-month course on The Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh is being considered for an April launch, a two-month course on Christianity for a June 1 beginning, and a three-month introduction to the Bahá'í Faith suitable for college students (Bahá'í and non-Bahá'í) also for June. The course on the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, previously considered for April, will probably be postponed to September, because it is a central subject of the Spiritual Foundations program for 2001-02 and April is too early for the new students to take it. Other new courses for the fall and winter 2001 are expected to focus on themes from the 2001-02 Spiritual Foundations program, such as the development of the individual, marriage and family life, the life of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, and Bahá'í history from 1863 to 1921. The exact scheduling of such courses depends on such factors as further experience gained in running distance learning courses, an enhanced sense of the "market" for different courses, the availability of staff in Wilmette to handle the workload, and guidance from the National Spiritual Assembly about the courses it would like to see developed.
Dearly loved Supreme Body,
The Wilmette Institute class of 2000-2001 offers you its deepest gratitude on the occasion of its two-week summer residency as students in the four-year program, "Spiritual Foundations for a Global Civilization." With great love and appreciation we humbly share with you the highlights of our program this summer. It is our hope that in taking to heart your urgent appeal for the friends to participate in training institutes, the flame of our love for Bahá'u'lláh will be fanned into a potent fire, channeling our capacities into higher levels of teaching, service, and commitment to the changeless Faith of God.
The students gratefully acknowledge that the curriculum this year has focused on the study of comparative religions. Combined with this focus we have studied philosophy, public speaking, Bahá'í theology, the Kitáb-i-Íqán and Some Answered Questions. A special highlight of our program was a visit to a Buddhist Temple and a Hindu Temple in the greater Chicago area. By visiting these centers of worship, we have gained a greater awareness and appreciation for the cultural and spiritual values practiced by these diverse populations. Throughout our program, we have strived to develop a deeper grasp of Bahá'u'lláh's fundamental teaching of the oneness of religion. We have also appreciated the value of becoming familiar with the Arabic and Persian languages in gaining a more comprehensive understanding of many terms and concepts used within the Writings of the Faith.
Our class consists of twelve students from the states of Florida, Illinois, Tennessee, Washington, New York, Arkansas, New Hampshire, Oregon, and California. We have had the bounty of receiving instruction from highly qualified faculty members from different parts of the United States and Canada. Our goal in taking these courses is to become effective teachers of the Cause of God, and we pray that Bahá'u'lláh may hasten this result of action inspired by a commitment to transforming our own hearts and minds.
Inspired by remembering one whose love for teaching was the "perfect joy of life," we dedicate our studies this year to Hand of the Cause of God Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum, that triumphant heroine of the Cause. Her memory, courage, and love will surely carry us forward with increased faith and confidence. We gratefully seek your supplications on our behalf as we humble ourselves to the great tasks that lie ahead of us in building God's heavenly Kingdom on earth.
With loving Bahá'í greetings,
The Wilmette Institute Class of 2000-2001
A learning experience and a stimulating forum
Louhelen Bahá'í School, 6-9 October 2000
Bosch Bahá'í School, 23-26 November 2000
The `Irfán Colloquium and Seminar are annual programs for those interested in the study of Bahá'í Writings and basic principles of Bahá'í belief. It is a learning experience and a stimulating forum for dialogue and exchange of information and opinions. The Colloquium and Seminar will be convened at the Louhelen and Bosch Bahá'í Schools in concurrent sessions, one in English and one in Persian, in each one of the two locations.
The main theme of the Colloquium this year is "Mysticism and the Bahá'í Faith" and will include presentation and discussion of a number of research papers. The Seminar section at Louhelen will be devoted to presentations on selected tablets of Bahá'u'lláh revealed during the Akka period, such as Ishráqát (Splendors), Hikmat (Wisdom), Land of Bá, Bishárát (Glad Tidings), Tarázát (Ornaments), Tajallíyát (Effulgences), Kalimát-i-Firdawsíyyih (Words of Paradise), Maqsúd, Hádí, Amváj (Waves), Raqshá (She Serpent), Mustagháth, Saháb (Cloud), Jamál (Beauty) as well as the Surihs of Vafá, Amín, Amr, A'ráb, Dahají, and Al Mursil. The Seminar section at Bosch will be devoted to presentations on selected writings of Bahá'u'lláh during the Istanbul and Edirne period such as the Kitáb-i-Badí', the tablets of Salmán, Síráj, Nasír, Abná'í, Naqús, Ra'ís, Sultán, Gul-i-Ma'naví, Abdur-Razzaq, and Ahmad, and the Surihs of Mulúk, Ghusn, Damm, Zibh, and Asháb. It also includes presentations on the tablets related to the Covenant and the tablets either addressed to Christians or related to Christianity.
The faculty and paper presenters at Louhelen include Nader Saiedi, Frank Lewis, Mueen Afnani, Habib Riazati, Iskandar Ha'i, Todd Lawson, Ghasem Bayat, Jack McLean, Ruhullah Khoshbin, Parivash Khoshbin-Samandari, Susan Maneck, Brian Wittman, Theo Cope, and Iraj Ayman. Musical performances will be coordinated and conducted by Manuchehr Vahman.
The faculty and presenters at Bosch include Amin Banani, Mueen Afnani, Habib Riazati, Hishmat Shahriari, Sina Mossayeb, Nabil Fares, Piruz Khorvash, Brian Miller, Azadeh Mohandessi-Fares, Mahyad Rahnamaie, Ala Ghods, Le Roy Jones, Sadeq Farhangi, and Iraj Ayman.
Participants will receive a set of materials including a volume of selected papers and a booklet of abstracts of the presentations. Due to limitation of facilities at Louhelen and Bosch early registration is necessary. Please contact those two schools directly for registration.
In the opening paragraphs of its Ridván message, the Universal House of Justice described a "qualitative difference" in the Bahá'í community worldwide during the Four Year Plan, a change in the "culture of the Bahá'í community." It identified the "chief propellant of this change" as "the system of training institutes established throughout the world," a development that "qualifies as the single greatest legacy of the Four Year Plan."
The Wilmette Institute has striven to serve as a vehicle for change in the Bahá'í community's culture. In the last four years, the Institute has completed a cycle of summer classes and launched sixteen distance-learning courses, creating an alumni body of over five hundred located in the United States and at least thirteen other countries. During the past two years, students reported giving 282 firesides, 236 deepenings, 37 local and regional training institute classes, and 92 children's or youth classes using Wilmette Institute course materials. They also reported teaching successes in enrolling 167 new believers as a result of confidence and skills gained in Wilmette Institute courses. The Institute has also had a profound spiritual impact on its students, as a perusal of the attached comments by students will show.
Such results have encouraged the Board of the Wilmette Institute to develop plans to expand its services over the next six years, so that it can reach even more people with courses on the Faith. The Institute hopes to develop distance-learning course series on the writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Shoghi Effendi, and Bahá'í history; to expand its series of courses on the writings of Bahá'u'lláh; and to develop an introductory course on the Bahá'í Faith for youth.
To accomplish these and other important goals we will need $40,000 this year, which will enable us to increase financial aid to students, support development of new courses, and establish a deputization fund. The latter is particularly important because the Universal House of Justice has called for establishment of such deputization funds to cover the costs of faculty.
We hope you will be moved to assist us. All contributions to the Institute made to the "Bahá'í National Fund" are tax deductible as allowable by law. We enclose an envelope for your convenience.
The Institute has been astonished by the support it has received in the past and is immensely grateful for your continued interest in its expansion. It hopes it can continue its partnership with you in serving our beloved Faith with ever-greater knowledge, sacrifice, and systematic action.
Question by Ramin Mahmoodi:
In the introduction to the Íqán by the Guardian (God Passes By, 138-39) is written "it proffered to mankind the `Choice Sealed Wine.'" Is the reference a metaphor for the entire Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, or does it pertain primarily to the Kitáb-i-Íqán ? From the explanation of the `wine' by Bahá'u'lláh, I get the impression that He is referring to His entire Revelation as that which " intensifieth man's love for God." What do you think?
Comments by Dr. Iraj Ayman:
The "Sealed Wine" is a Qur'ánic term that has been frequently used in the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh and covers a variety of interrelated connotations. The same way that when the wine is sealed its qualities of aroma, taste, intoxications, and invigorating effects are concealed, the inner meanings, the true interpretation, and realities of Words of God and prophecies revealed in the Holy Books are also concealed. The only way for these realities to become known and effective is for a Manifestation of God to unseal--to open--this "Sealed Wine" by His "Fingers of Might." It shows that others, no matter how learned they may be, are unable to break that seal.
Bahá'u'lláh in a number of His tablets offers various connotations and effects of the "Sealed Wine." He says that it refers to the Words of God, love of God, and the totality of His revelation. He uses breaking the seal as declaring His mission, revealing the inner meanings of the Word of God, unveiling the mysteries hidden in the Holy Books and prophecies of previous dispensations. He says "Sealed Wine" mentioned in the past (a reference to verse 25 of Surih 83 in Qur'án) refers to the "wine of ma'ai" (divine wisdom or divine mysteries) of His revelation. He adds that quaffing "the sealed wine" after the seal is broken and the "Wine" is offered to mankind means embracing the Faith. This "Wine," He says, grants a new life. He calls the believers the "cup-bearers of the Sealed Wine." Unfortunately the tablets referred to above are not yet published in authorized translation or in original Persian and Arabic.
Mirzá Abu'l-Fadl Gulpaygání in his two major works Al Fará'id and Faslu'l-Khatáb gives further explanations on the above mentioned points in the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh. In Al Fara'id, page 392, he says that when the Kitáb-i-Íqán was revealed the seal of the Sealed Wine was broken by the fingers of the Manifestation of God and the original interpretation of the divine verses were made clear. Therefore, while Shoghi Effendi's statement in God Passes By is on the unique significance and station of the Kitáb-i-Íqán, breaking the seal of the "Sealed Wine" also refers to the totality of Bahá'u'lláh's revelation and to His mission.
Relevant Passages from the Bahá'í Writings:
We have unsealed the choice Wine with the fingers of might and power.
The consumption of wine and other intoxicants is prohibited in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas (see notes 144 and 170).
Reference to the use of "wine" in an allegorical sense--such as being the cause of spiritual ecstasy--is found, not only in the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, but in the Bible, in the Qur'án, and in ancient Hindu traditions
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For example, in the Qur'án the righteous are promised that they will be given to drink of the "choice sealed wine." In His Tablets, Baha'u'llah identifies the "choice Wine" with His Revelation whose "musk-laden fragrance" has been wafted "upon all created things." He states that He has "unsealed" this "Wine," thereby disclosing spiritual truths that were hitherto unknown, and enabling those who quaff thereof to "discern the splendours of the light of divine unity" and to "grasp the essential purpose underlying the Scriptures of God."
In one of His meditations, Bahá'u'lláh entreats God to supply the believers with "the choice Wine of Thy mercy, that it may cause them to be forgetful of anyone except Thee, and to arise to serve Thy Cause, and to be steadfast in their love for Thee."
(Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Aqdas, Note 2, pp.165-166.)
"Then it is clear that the bread and wine [mentioned in the Gospels] were symbols which signified: I have given you My bounties and perfections, and when you have received this bounty, you have gained eternal life and have partaken of your share and your portion of the heavenly nourishment." ('Abdu'l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, p. 99)
Shoghi Effendi wrote through his secretary:
"The wine mentioned in the Tablets has undoubtedly a spiritual meaning for in the book of Aqdas we are definitely forbidden to take not only wine, but every thing that deranges the mind. In poetry as a whole wine is taken to have a different connotation than the ordinary intoxicating liquid. We see it thus used by the Persian Poets such as Sa'di and 'Umar Khayam and Hafiz to mean that element which nears man to his divine beloved, which makes him forget his material self so as better to seek his spiritual desires. It is very necessary to tell the children what this wine means so that they may not confuse it with the ordinary wine. (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, The Light of Divine Guidance, Volume 2, pp. 9-10)
A Student Perspective on the Spiritual Foundations Program
The Wilmette Institute summer residency program, "Spiritual Foundations for a Global Civilization," was a transforming experience for its students. First-year student Diann Stevens shares, "I feel that Wilmette Institute has enhanced my life. I am more connected heart to mind."
The residency was held July 29 to August 12, 2000, at Kendall College in Evanston, Illinois. The curriculum focused on comparative religions and was combined with the study of philosophy, public speaking, Bahá'í theology, The Kitáb-i-Íqán, and Some Answered Questions.
In a classroom-style format, twelve students, from the states of Florida, Illinois, Tennessee, Washington, New York, Arkansas, New Hampshire, Oregon, and California were engaged in intensive study. Highly qualified faculty members from different parts of the United States and Canada taught various classes of the program. Two alumni members of the Wilmette Institute, Alice Ferro and Nancy Turner, devotedly lent their time and energies as support staff for the residency.
At the welcoming dinner, National Spiritual Assembly member Dr. David Young and members of the Wilmette Institute Board greeted the students. Dr. Young's enthusiasm inspired the students as he expressed that in his opinion the Wilmette Institute is "the most effective and best functioning training institute in the Bahá'í world." He praised the institute for its work in systematically tracking the results of its programs such as the number of firesides, deepenings, and other programs given by the students and new believers brought into the Faith. He stressed how fortunate the students are to be a part of this endeavor of learning "how to learn" through the institute process.
Throughout the program, students strived to develop a deeper grasp of Bahá'u'lláh's fundamental teaching of the oneness of religion. A special highlight was a visit to a Buddhist Temple and a Hindu Temple in the greater Chicago area. By visiting these centers of worship, the students gained a greater awareness and appreciation for the cultural and spiritual values practiced by these diverse populations. They also appreciated the value of becoming familiar with the Arabic and Persian languages in gaining a more comprehensive understanding of many terms and concepts used within the Writings of the Faith. First-year student Sherry Krannichfeld states, "I am thankful that I have been given the chance to study the Holy Writings in a systematic way. The two weeks I spent at Wilmette Institute have changed my life. I feel closer to the Faith and drawn to study daily. I have a thirst that I have not known in years."
This year, the students of the Wilmette Institute dedicated their studies to Hand of the Cause of God Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum and donated books in her honor to the Wilmette Institute library. At the graduation dinner, the keynote speaker, Counselor Wilma Ellis, used humor and honesty to encourage the students to put their learning into concrete action. After offering special encouragement to the women students to become active as public speakers, she addressed the class by lovingly stating, "Your sleeping days are over."
--Shelley Rastall, second-year student
Nov. 2000-Jan. 2001: Bahá'í Theologybr>
Dec. 2000-Feb. 2001: The Qur'án
Jan. 2001-March 2001: The Secret of Divine Civilization OR Epistle to the Son of the Wolf (depending on the National Spiritual Assembly's guidance)
Feb.-March 2001: Judaism for Deepening and Dialogue
March-May 2001: The Bábí Faith, 1844-63
All distance-learning courses include e-mail listservers for students and faculty, regular conference calls, systematic lesson plans, and a wide variety of learning projects to apply your learning in your local community. All courses are available at the "introductory" level for those unsure they can commit to taking a university-level course, the "intermediate" level for those wishing to go into more depth, and the "advanced" (graduate) level for those wishing to do extensive research or writing. More information on all of them can be found on the web at http://www.wilmetteinstitute.org.
THE LAMP is the newsletter of the Wilmette Institute, established in January 1995 by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States to offer academic, professional, and service-oriented courses related to the Bahá'í Faith. In addition to offering university-level courses on Bahá'í topics, the Wilmette Institute fosters Bahá'í scholarship; develops new, innovative curricular materials; creates high-quality courses on teaching the Faith; and refines Bahá'í concepts of pedagogy. It aims to produce teachers and administrators of the Bahá'í Faith of great capacity, capable of sharing and demonstrating Bahá'í truths in their lives and speech.
For more information about the Bahá'í Faith, the Wilmette Institute, or its courses, contact:
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Wilmette Institute
536 Sheridan Road
Wilmette, IL 60091 USA
Phone: 1-877-WILMETTE
Fax: 1-877-WILMETTE, dial 0
info@wilmetteinstitute.org
http://www.wilmetteinstitute.org
* sending a blank e-mail to subscribe-winews@lists.usbnc.org or
* visiting http://lists.usbnc.org/lyris/lyris.pl?enter=winews and clicking on "join winews."
Copyright 2000 by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States.
