Posted by Jonah on March 13, 1999 at 19:01:26:
Greetings, friends.
The Wilmette Institute is pleased to announce a six-month distance-education course on the Kitab-i-Iqan, to run from April 1 - September 30, 1999. Registration will be open until mid-April. Cost is $225, or $180 if taken as a member of a study group. Full information can be found at the Wilmette Institute website, http://www.usbnc.org/wilmette, and specific questions can be addressed to the Registrar, Heather Gorman, at Wilmette_Institute@usbnc.org or Jonah Winters. An overview of the course follows. Please forward this email to others who might be interested.
Thank you, and we hope to see you in class! -Jonah
Wilmette Institute
Study of the Bahá'í Faith Program
Exploring Bahá'u'lláh's Revelation Course Series
Introduction to the Kitáb-i-Iqán and Related Texts
TOPIC: Shoghi Effendi extolls the Kitáb-i-Iqán as "foremost among the priceless treasures cast forth from the billowing ocean of Bahá'u'lláh's Revelation" (God Passes By, 138). He went on to describe it as "a model of Persian prose, of a style at once original, chaste, and vigorous, both cogent in argument and matchless in its irresistable eloquence" and noted that "this Book, setting forth in outline the Grand Redemptive Scheme of God, occupies a position unequalled by any work in the entire range of Bahá'í literature, except the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, Bahá'u'lláh's Most Holy Book."
DATES: April 1, 1999, to September 30, 1999
TEXTS: In addition to the Book of Certitude itself, the principal text is Hooper Dunbar's new book, A Companion to the Study of the Kitáb-i-Iqán. Portions of John Hatcher's Ocean of His Words will also be assigned. Students should own Some Answered Questions and Selections from the Writings of `Abdu'l-Bahá in order to study related passages in those books.
FACULTY:
Dr. Iraj Ayman
Dr. Keyvan Nazerian
Mr. Brent Poirier
Dr. Robert Stockman
Mr. Jonah Winters
REQUIREMENTS: The course is taught at the undergraduate level of difficulty. Therefore, it is not normally open to high school students. Students must pledge to continue the course through to completion.
COST: $225
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). Larger discounts are available for even larger groups who plan to study the course together.
There are no residential requirements, for the course is conducted by correspondence and over the internet. The course is not part of the Spiritual Foundations program, which has a residential component.
College credit and scholarships may be available. Contact the registrar.
WORK EXPECTATIONS: The courses will take five to ten hours of work each week and will involve:
A. Reading and using the knowledge you acquire. The course is divided into a series of units, each of which involves reading part of the Iqan, related texts, and texts about the Iqan. The course offers a series of learning projects on the Iqan, including giving a deepening or fireside; doing an artistic project; or finishing a writing project about the Book of Certitude.
B. Assistance by a mentor/advisor, who reviews and comments on all homework you do, and answers your questions.
C. For those who are part of local study groups, discussion assignments are provided.
D. Participation in "IQAN," the course's e-mail discussion group. Because of the speed and efficiency that e-mail provides, all students are urged to acquire it for the course.
E. Access to the course's password-protected web site, which includes additional study material and completed sample homework assignments.
F. Voluntary participation in conference calls with up to five other students and a faculty member.
G. 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 courses 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).
Wilmette Institute, 536 Sheridan Rd., Wilmette, IL 60091
847-733-3415 (tel); 847-733-3563 (FAX)
847-733-3595 (automated 24-hour information line)
http://www.usbnc.org/wilmette (web site)
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