Registration is open for the Wilmette Institute’s three-month course on Call to Remembrance: The Life of Baha'u'llah in His Own Words, which began November 1. The course was developed in response to the National Spiritual Assembly’s call to the Baha'is of the United States to study the life and suffering of Baha'u'llah (particularly His incarceration in the Siyah-Chal) and will focus on two works the National Spiritual Assembly has asked Baha'is to read: the section in God Passes By about the mission of Baha'u'llah and Call to Remembrance, a compilation of statements by Baha'u'llah about His own life, supplemented by relevant passages from Shoghi Effendi and transitional material skillfully written by the compiler, Dr. Geoff Marks, currently an Auxiliary Board member based in Cape Town, South Africa. Information will soon be available about the course at http://wilmetteinstitute.org/calendar.html
On December 15, the Institute will inaugurate a three-month course on The Summons of the Lord of Hosts. The Universal House of Justice had a goal of the Four Year Plan to produce this new translation of Baha'u'llah’s writings, the first new volume since the Most Holy Book was published in 1993. It includes the complete text of Baha'u'llah’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 Suriy-i-Haykal, “one of the most challenging works of Baha'u'llah” 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 Baha'u'llah’s tablets from the Adrianople and early Akka periods (1863-79). The course aims to make the tablets accessible to as many Baha'is as possible in order accelerate the community’s assimilation and use of the guidance they contain. For more information, go to http://wilmetteinstitute.org/Summons.htm
Registration is also open for a three month course on “Living the Spiritual Life.” Starting January 15, the course will explore Baha'u'llah’s revelation, `Abdu'l-Baha’s lengthy letters of advice, and Shoghi Effendi’s epistles, all of which describe the nature of God and reality, detail spiritual and moral principles, lay down laws of conduct, reveal prayers and spiritual practices, and encourage and admonish us how to live. The course will examine the spiritual life we are to strive to live and consider practical ways to live it. It is being offered in fulfillment of a request of the National Spiritual Assembly that American Baha'is study this crucially important topic. For more information, go to http://wilmetteinstitute.org/SpiritualLife.htm
The Wilmette Institute is pleased to announce a newly approved distance-learning course, “To the World’s Religious Leaders: Preparing for Interfaith Dialogue.” The three-month course will begin February 15. About half the course will be devoted to a detailed exploration of the Universal House of Justice’s recent message to religious leaders; the rest will survey the nature of religion from a Baha'i perspective, the common ideas about why and how religions should interact, and practical tips for representing the Faith in a multireligious setting. The course is perfect for Bahá'ís who are representing the Faith in local interfaith activities, wish to prepare for such efforts, or are curious about the religions of the world. Information will soon be available about the course at http://wilmetteinstitute.org/calendar.html.
Watch for more information about our three-month distance-learning courses on Bahá'í Administration and Community Development, March 15-June 15, 2003 (this is a slight change in its schedule) and The Baha'i Community, 1892-1921: Expansion, Community Building, and External Affairs (a history of the Faith during the ministry of `Abdu'l-Baha, to run April 15-July 15, 2003).
All four courses cost $150.
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All Wilmette Institute courses include e-mail listservers or web-based bulletin boards 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 college-level course, the “intermediate” level for those wishing to go into more depth, and the “advanced” (graduate) level. Financial aid is available for students unable to pay the full amount. Registration is open throughout the first month of the course.
The Wilmette Institute is a national training institute of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States.
For further information, contact:
The Wilmette Institute,
536 Sheridan Rd., Wilmette, IL 60091;
877-WILMETTE (877-945-6388, toll-free voice and fax);
Email: info@wilmetteinstitute.org;
or visit our Website at http://www.wilmetteinstitute.org.
The Website is secure for accepting credit card information for payment of courses.
Upcoming Courses:
Dec. 15-Mar. 15: The Summons from the Lord of Hosts
Jan. 15-Apr. 15, 2003: Living the Spiritual Life
Feb. 15-May 15: To the World’s Religious Leaders: Preparing for Interfaith Dialogue
Mar. 15-June 15: Baha'i Community and Administration
Apr. 15-July 15: The Baha'i Faith, 1892-1921: Expansion, Community Building,
and External Affairs