The Wilmette Institute aims to provide innovative and transformative learning experiences that build capacity in learners to contribute to prevalent public discourses from a Bahá’í perspective through study, consultation, action, and reflection to students seeking to make the world more compassionate, just, and inclusive. Positive learning experiences emerge from inquiry, consultation, and reflection. Successful courses cultivate meaningful relationships among participants, faculty, and the surrounding community. Within our courses, we seek to establish a positive, safe, and mutually supportive learning environment.
There are many opportunities for meaningful interactions in our courses: through video conferences, forums, email, private messages, and opportunities to have significant and uplifting conversations with people in our families and communities. Our learners seek to participate in and contribute to positive interactions and learning environments. Nevertheless, race and other social issues are discussed in all of our courses, and it is important to establish from the beginning how to address such issues in ways that are uplifting and supportive. For this reason, we would like to share the following guidelines for interactions with peers and faculty to facilitate positive learning environments and avoid conflict. By participating in our courses and interacting with others, you agree to follow these guidelines.
There are two parts to these guidelines. The first outlines ideas about creating and participating in spiritually distinctive spaces. The second outlines concrete recommendations for participating in forums and video conferences.
Please refer to the Student Confidentiality and Privacy Policies for additional guidance.
Spiritually Distinctive Learning Spaces
Wilmette Institute aims to create spiritually distinctive learning spaces. To explore what these learning spaces look like, carefully read the following quotes from the Universal House of Justice and one from the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States. Although these quotes are not necessarily about formal spaces of learning, they can be instructive regarding meaningful learning environments.
(22 July 2020 – To the Bahá’ís of the United States)“Ultimately, the power to transform the world is effected by love, love originating from the relationship with the divine, love ablaze among members of a community, love extended without restriction to every human being. This divine love, ignited by the Word of God, is disseminated by enkindled souls through intimate conversations that create new susceptibilities in human hearts, open minds to moral persuasion, and loosen the hold of biased norms and social systems so that they can gradually take on a new form in keeping with the requirements of humanity’s age of maturity. You are channels for this divine love; let it flow through you to all who cross your path. Infuse it into every neighborhood and social space in which you move to build capacity to canalize the society-building power of Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation. There can be no rest until the destined outcome is achieved.”
“To create a just society begins with recognition of the fundamental truth that humanity is one. But it is not enough simply to believe this in our hearts. It creates the moral imperative to act, and to view all aspects of our personal, social, and institutional lives through the lens of justice. It implies a reordering of our society more profound than anything we have yet achieved. And it requires the participation of Americans of every race and background, for it is only through such inclusive participation that new moral and social directions can emerge.”
(National Spiritual Assembly of United States, June 19, 2020, Statement on Current Conditions and the Path Towards Racial Justice)
“Let neither think that the solution of so vast a problem is a matter that exclusively concerns the other. Let neither think that such a problem can either easily or immediately be resolved.” “Each one should endeavor to develop and assist the other toward mutual advancement…”
(Quotes from Shoghi Effendi as included in the July 22nd 2020 letter of the Universal House of Justice)
We ask students to employ Bahá’í consultation by calling people in, not out, when they say something that is triggering.
“It is not possible for you to effect the transformation envisioned by Bahá’u’lláh merely by adopting the perspectives, practices, concepts, criticisms, and language of contemporary society. Your approach, instead, will be distinguished by maintaining a humble posture of learning, weighing alternatives in the light of His teachings, consulting to harmonize differing views and shape collective action, and marching forward with unbreakable unity in serried lines.”
(Universal House of Justice, 22 July 2020 – To the Bahá’ís of the United States).
Wilmette Institute courses are characterized by a humble posture of learning and teaching where a consultative exploration for the truth supersedes the widely accepted culture of critique and debate that leads to contention and polarization of views. We encourage faculty and students to recognize differing engagement styles. At times, learners may enter discussions from a debate-oriented mindset—seeking to argue a viewpoint, prove a point, or respond dismissively to others. Noticing these patterns allows the community to gently guide conversations back toward mutual respect, humility, and consultative exploration.
Here are a few phrases drawn from the quotes to help students think about Spiritually Distinctive spaces. Students may want to choose a few from these to work on during the course.
- Moral imperative to act
- Endeavor to develop and assist the other toward mutual advancement
- Inclusive participation
- Effected by love
- Enkindled souls
- Love ablaze
- Build capacity to canalize
- Love originating from the relationship with the Divine
- Reordering of our society more profound than anything we have yet achieved
- Channel for divine love
- Intimate conversations where love flourishes
- Humanity is one
- “Let neither think that the solution of so vast a problem is a matter that exclusively concerns the other.”
Concrete recommendations for participating in forums and video conferences
We generally recommend assuming that faculty and peers have a pure motive. WI attracts diverse audiences–age, race, gender, culture, experiences, education levels, language, and beliefs. There may be large cultural differences in the group of participants. WI courses often take on challenging social issues that some are more experienced with and sensitive to than others. Seek to appreciate and be enhanced by the diversity of backgrounds and perspectives of participants. Of course, feel free to share your thoughts, but also listen intently to learn from others.
Web-based forums have unique limitations. Written communication lacks body language which opens the possibility of misinterpretation. Unfortunately, a humorous tone may be interpreted as condescending or insulting. “Emoticons” may help, but sometimes they don’t. Be aware of the limitations inherent in written communication and make an effort to be clear, open, and friendly. Be as courteous and polite as possible. If a misunderstanding arises, be prepared to explain in other words, and apologize when appropriate, privately or publicly.
Initial Forum Posts. Forum posts display an understanding of the readings, other resources, and underlying concepts. Posts integrate personal perspectives or experiences to support important points. We suggest that everyone send their messages to the forum in a detached manner without expecting responses.
Forum Responses. In addition to responding “I agree” or “good point”, response posts actively stimulate and sustain further discussion by building on peers’ responses including building a focused perspective around an issue or asking a new related question, or making a thought-provoking statement supported by personal experience or related research. Responds to postings of peers in a timely fashion.
Emotional or controversial topics. If we were sitting in a classroom and an emotionally difficult subject came up, the instructor could gauge the class’s reaction by body language. If someone is looking upset but doesn’t seem to want to speak, the teacher can help the person express his or her thoughts. But if someone in an online forum is angry, no one else will know until they say so. This can result in a very unsatisfactory discussion. Swearing, insults, and other nastiness are highly inappropriate and in extreme cases could result in someone being removed from a course.
Curse words and racial slurs—even in the reported text—should be strictly avoided. If in doubt about the appropriateness of a post, please consult your faculty mentor before posting. We also urge people who are feeling upset to send a private message to their mentor before posting to everyone. Even a mildly angry posting to the forum can cause some sensitive students to refrain from posting, and since they won’t say anything, no one will even know why they are silent.
Loss of the distinction between private and public speech. In a classroom, you can turn and whisper to the person next to you. The equivalent in an online course is private messaging. It is best to reply to personal comments off the forums.
Updated: 20 November 2025
