December 17, 2003
World Order of Baha'u'llah: Selected Letters To be Offered Three Times in 2004

The Wilmette Institute has decided to offer its course The World Order of Baha'u'llah: Selected Letters three times in 2004 and once in 2005. The three letters covered by the course were singled out by the Universal House of Justice in its Ridvan 2003 message as important works for the friends to study. Consequently, they will constitute the annual education theme for the American Baha'i community in 2004-05.

The course is being offered right now; it started in early December. Students can STILL register for it. But if the timing proves inconvenient this time around, students can sign up for its future reruns on May 1, August 1, and November 15. It will probably offered a final time in March 2005, then be suspended for 12 to 18 months, depending on demand.

The three letters are "The Goal of a New World Order," "America and the Most Great Peace," and "The Unfoldment of World Civilization." The course will examine them, provide background information, offer extensive discussion of them, and provide ideas for preparing local study classes on them. Baha'is interested in fulfilling the request of the Universal House of Justice should consider taking the course some time in the next year.

The other course that just began, How to Study the Baha'i Writings, seeks to provide basic assistance to those who wish to understand the Baha'i revelation. Registration will be open for several additional weeks. The course uses John Hatcher's Ocean of His Words and other works that deal with metaphor, literary images, and Islamic terminology.

Two Important New Courses Start in December

The Wilmette Institute is launched two distance-learning courses in the month of December, both of which should prove popular and stimulating.

The World Order of Baha'u'llah: Selected Letters: In its April message of the Baha'is of the world, the Universal House of Justice singled out three letters in The World Order of Baha'u'llah for special study: "The Goal of a New World Order," "America and the Most Great Peace," and "The Unfoldment of World Civilization." The course will examine the three letters, provide background information, offer extensive discussion of them, and provide ideas for preparing local study classes on them.

The course runs Dec. 1, 2003 through Feb. 29, 2004

How to Study the Baha'i Writings: Have you ever read a passage from the Bahá'í writings and had no idea what it was about? It has been said that the Bahá'í sacred writings contain the answers to all the world's questions, but if one does not know the questions one cannot discern the answers. The course aims to provide an understanding of terms used in the Bahá'í writings; the use of allegory, metaphor, simile, and figurative language; the importance of understanding genres in interpreting their texts; and techniques for improving one's comprehension.

The course runs Dec. 15, 2003 through Mar. 15, 2004

Both courses cost $150 for individuals and $300 for local study groups (which can be as large as they wish to be). For more information, write info@wilmetteinstitute.org.

December 01, 2003
2004 Course Schedule Unveiled

The Wilmette Institute is pleased to make public its schedule of distance-learning courses for 2004. It can be seen on this news page (below) or can be reached by clicking on "class web pages" or "calendar" (reachable via "courses").

Registration is not open for the courses yet, but will be available in a week or two. The Spiritual Foundations program is just about ready to be announced as well.

Jan. 15-Apr. 15, 2004:
Christianity for Deepening and Dialogue

Feb. 15-May 15, 2004:
`Abdu'l-Baha's Secret of Divine Civilization

Mar. 15-June 15, 2004:
The Baha'i Community, 1921-63: Administrative Consolidation and Worldwide Expansion

Apr. 15-July 15, 2004:
Health and Healing

June 1-Sept. 30, 2004:
Bahá'u'lláh's Revelation: A Systematic Study

July 1-Sept. 30, 2004
Dispensation of Baha'u'llah

Sept. 1-Nov. 30, 2004:
The Kitáb-i-Íqán

Nov. 1, 2004-Jan. 31, 2005:
Rediscovering the Dawnbreakers: Bahá'í History, 1844-53

Dec. 1, 2004-Feb. 28, 2005:
Bahá'í Theology: Concepts of God, Revelation, Manifestation, Humanity, Creation, Afterlife, and Covenant