Association
for Bahá’í Studies in
Seventh
Annual Conference
“The Scholar and the Plan”
16 –
Association
for Bahá’í Studies in
Seventh
Annual Conference
The Scholar and the Plan
16 –
In Conjunction with the Summer
School in
Programme
Saturday,
Counsellor
Enos Makhele
Sylvia Kaye
Farhad Aghdasi
Insight into the Life of the Spirit
Khoeli Pholosi
Sunday,
Parvaneh Farangpour
Massoud Samadi
Suggestions for achieving the goals
of the ABS
16:45- 17:45 Audio Talk: Conscience:
Reestablishing the
Consciousness
and Religion, presented at
the ABS Conference in
John Grayzel, Chair, Bahá’í Studies,
Monday,
14:15- 14:45 Diversity and the twenty-first century
goals
Taraneh Afnan-Holmes
Luvuyo Nomvete
15:15-
16:15 Workshop: Confidence in Presenting Talks
The purpose of the Association is four-fold
as follows:
1.
Study of the Bahá’í
Faith: To promote the study of the Bahá’í
Faith, its history, teachings, beliefs and practices.
2.
Scholarship: To promote research and scholarship in subject areas of interest
and relevance to the Bahá’í community.
3.
Teaching: To promote teaching of the Bahá’í Faith, its principles and
practices, to leaders of thought, prominent people, people of capacity, and
more generally the public.
4.
Collaboration: To cooperate and collaborate with like-minded groups and societies
in the promotion of world unity.
Abstracts
and Notes from Presentations
Counsellor Enos Makhele: “The Needs of the
Plan”
Counsellor
Makhele prepared the foundation for the coming sessions and a commentary of the
ABS as a whole. The needs of the Five Year Plan are given in the letter from
the House of Justice,
The implications
for Bahá’í scholarship are several. As the number of Bahá’ís grow, we need to
see how the teachings of the Bahá’í Faith contribute to solving current
societal challenges. The approach of the Faith is through consultation as
opposed to traditional research methods, which are often competitive or for
gain. We need to develop new models of research. We need to know the Writings
thoroughly, to know the deeper truths contained. Scholarship is not an attempt
to limit research or to have a narrow definition of what constitutes research.
Some, for example, may want to work alone, others to come together. The aim is
mutual respect and tolerance.
There is a
spiritual solution for all of the problems that the world experiences. It is
for the believers to contribute towards the solutions of the problems by
studying the Writings and by promoting knowledge. The promotion of knowledge is
an inescapable duty of all - Bahá’í Scholarship is an endeavor open to all. The
attributes of those attempting to gain knowledge are: humility and guarding
against intellectual pride, being open to the views of others, and striving for
excellence.
Counsellor Enos Makhele has been a Counsellor in
Sylvia Kaye: “Education and Scholarship”
At the 2006
ABS Conference in San Francisco, member of the Universal House of Justice, Dr.
Peter Khan, presented a paper in which the role of education and scholarship
from a Bahá’í perspective was discussed. One point was that of universality:
the laws in this Dispensation are applicable to all, unlike what had been
practiced in previous religions, where a few led the religious communities, and
the mass of people passively followed them. Knowledge, from the Bahá’í
perspective, is ever changing, the process of developing a world civilization
presumes that change is the norm, not static rituals. The unfoldment of
understanding and gaining new knowledge implies that we are always learning: the
concept of lifelong learning is a key attitude evident in the Bahá’í
communities. Lifelong learning, expanded by the UNESCO definition of “Learning to Be; Learning to Know; Learning
to Live Together, Learning to Do”, broadens the concept to include all
forms and aspects of how people learn. Lifelong learning is the process by
which people learn to improve their attitudes and behaviours, or, it is the
process of transformation.
The
universally-applicable laws, in which Bahá’u’lláh calls upon His followers to
acquire knowledge and become educated, finds challenges in the present state of
formal education today. It is in disarray,
In contrast,
the Bahá’í perspective is that the reason for education is in the enlightenment
and betterment of individuals and of communities. The source of truth is in the
Writings, and the role of education is to gain understanding of the Writings
and learn how to apply the teachings to the current problems of the day. Authoritative
text provides the foundation, education examines the steps to take. The characteristics
of an enlightened individual are: openness to learning, desire for excellence,
humility, commitment to service and participation. The challenge for Bahá’ís is
to negotiate through the formal educational system, remain devoted to the
principles stated by Bahá’u’lláh and not allow the disarray to detract them
from the spiritual basis for education.
Regarding
service and the needs of the Faith at this present moment, Dr. Khan noted in
his talk that there was a difference between exclusivity and priority.
Friends are to focus on the goals of the Plan, and consider the long-term needs
of the community. The House called for focus.
Scholarship leading to understanding the needs of the day is vital in creating
an ever-advancing civilization.
Sylvia Kaye is a lecturer in Skills Development and
Workplace Learning at the
Khoeli Pholosi: “Howard Colby Ives, Encounters
with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Insight into the Life of the Spirit”
Portals
to Freedom, by Howard Colby Ives, is the story of
spiritual re-birth. He wrote about his encounters with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá when He
visited the
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, in the closing statement made
to the American believers when He left the
Farhad
Aghdasi: “The Scholar and the Plan”
The definition of the word scholarship, as rooted in the Writings of the Faith, is explored as it involves the spiritual growth of the individual and the community, and requires both study and action. Reference is made to the newly translated Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, “The Tabernacle of Unity”. It is through the application of the knowledge of the Faith and interaction with seekers of truth that true understanding and vision is acquired. Reference also is made to the Kitáb-i-Aqdas as to the necessity of scholarship and the application of its truth in ones association with others.
The desired focus of our actions is
elaborated based on the requirements of the Divine Plan put into today’s
content and context. The message of the Universal House of Justice dated
The relationship between belief and reason is viewed in the light of hierarchies of knowledge, existence and realities. This hierarchy has Physical Sciences at its base and elevated to Life Sciences, Neurosciences, Behavioural (Psychological and Social
Sciences), and Science of Intuition and Insight. Although higher level sciences should not break the laws of harder sciences, all relationships and interactions of higher level sciences cannot be explained in terms of lower level ones. Higher level discipline answers broad questions of meaning and purpose of interactions at lower levels. Placing utterances of Divine Manifestations at the top level of this epistemological hierarchy of sciences ensures both religious conformity to basic sciences and illumination and guidance for it.
The role of the scholar in the development of human resources through the institute process is examined. This is a spiritual enterprise without Priests; we are not consumers of a religion; paragraph 8 of the Message of the House is dedicated to the tutor as the central player, the tip of the arrow of learning.
Farhad
Aghdasi holds an MBA and a PhD in Electronic
Engineering. In addition to his studies and practice of Engineering in
Massoud Samadi: “American Bahá’í
Community and the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh”
The
historic spiritual mission given to the North American Bahá’í community is
rooted in the words of the Twin Manifestations of God (Century of Light p. 35).
At the very outset of His mission, the Báb in His first book, the
Qayyumu’l-Asma called on the "peoples of the West" to "issue
forth from your cities", to "aid God ere the Day when the Lord of
mercy shall come down unto you in the shadow of the clouds..." In the
Words of Bahá'u'lláh we find His Prophecy about the sovereignty, which His
Revelation will achieve through those who will champion His Faith in the West.
He says, "In the East the light of His Revelation hath broken; in the West
have appeared the signs of His dominion. Ponder this in your hearts, O
people..." (World Order 78)
In the “Tablets
of Divine Plan”, addressed to the two Bahá’í communities of the
After the
passing of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Shoghi Effendi had to lay down the foundations of the
Administrative Order along the broad lines outlined in ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Will and
Testament. He called on Bahá’í communities in the East and the West to
establish their Local Spiritual Assemblies on a sound basis and to establish
National Spiritual Assemblies as soon as it was favourable to do so. Shoghi Effendi
focused his special attention on the Bahá’í communities of the United States
and Canada, which at that time constituted one single home front, giving them
specific and essential instructions on administrative principles governing the
work of the Faith. After calling the American believers “the spiritual
descendants of the Dawn-Breakers”, he praised their dedication to the Cause and
encouraged them to follow in the footsteps of the heroes of an earlier age by
becoming self-sacrificing living martyrs. It was not long after that he called
the American Bahá’í community “the Cradle of the Administrative Order”.
Massoud Samadi is a researcher by profession,
working with Agricultural Research Council and looking at agricultural soils. He
was born in
Reading the Messages from the House he realised the need to study
the World Order Letters of the beloved Guardian particularly those three letters
mentioned in the Ridván 2003 Message, therefore was glad to learn that
Association for Bahá’í Studies had provided this wonderful opportunity to study
these letters. The paper presented at the ABS Conference is the final project
for the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh distance education course administered by
the ABS.
Hoda
Mahmoudi and Gloria Teckie: “Bahá’í Physicians:
Emerging Roles and Responsibilities”
The field of medicine is a noble profession combining scientific knowledge and its application to maintain and restore health and overcome disease. Safeguarding, healing and saving human lives are among the most meritorious acts rendered in any civilization. Physicians have profound influence on lives: as diagnosticians they identify illnesses and provide remedies. In restoring health and improving quality of life, they face complex challenges. Indeed, healing is not a simple matter, nor is it always a straightforward process. The preservation of human life and the promotion of health and well-being require more than academic excellence. The facility to empathize with another, to care for them as if they represent a member of one’s own family, and to exemplify altruistic values are fundamental prerequisites of effective physicians.
Faced with complex decisions surrounding issues of life and death in their daily practice, physicians are presented with complex choices. In arriving at the most suitable decisions regarding the care and management of their patients, they evaluate factors beyond the physical to include the psychological, social, and cultural dimensions surrounding the lives of their patients. Biomedical advancements have developed an integrated relationship between science, technology and medicine. Similarly, bioethics must concern itself with ever more involved moral questions, including those that lie at the heart of society and culture, and of religion. Among the more prominent bioethics issues are those concerning life and death, and defining life at its beginning and ending.
At a fundamental level, medicine concerns itself not only with life and social
systems, but also with the future and destiny of humanity. Like in any other human endeavour, one must
ask to what ends do we engage in the practice of medicine and in what ways can
we increase the quality and effectiveness of what physicians do in service to
others.
The aim of this presentation is to provide a preliminary overview of some of the salient issues relevant to the role of the Bahá’í physician in the practice of scientific medicine and the delivery of health care. The complexity and breadth of the subject matter covered in this study will benefit enormously from future research in which a more detailed examination of the specific topics is carried out. In examining the role of scientific medicine on health, the presentation takes into account the spiritual dimension of being human as an inseparable aspect of the relationship between medical intervention and health. We acknowledge that not all people believe in the existence of God, or in a spiritual force that constitutes existence. In providing the Bahá’í perspective on matters relevant to the practice of medicine, the roles and responsibilities of the physician are considered in relation to the practice of medicine. We examine facets of good medical care including an appreciation of the interactions between, and treatment of mind, soul and body and how to apply these; the patient’s role and responsibility toward maintaining their own health and for choosing a competent physician; the definition of a competent physician; the comprehensive nature of the physician-patient relationship; the farsighted functions and responsibilities of the Bahá’í physician; and the role of physicians within the health care system and the Bahá’í approach to development and health care delivery.
(Note: This material is awaiting publication as a booklet.)
The Hidden Words is described by Shoghi Effendi as occupying a position of “unsurpassed preeminence among the ethical writings” of Bahá’u’lláh. In this talk, we will take a look at the descriptions of the Hidden Words given by `Abdu’l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi and will explore these descriptions in order to understand the purpose and the significance of this book. The main focus will be a paragraph written by Shoghi Effendi in God Passes By, pg. 140. He describes the book thus:
…that marvelous collection of gem-like utterances, the
"Hidden Words" with which Bahá'u'lláh was inspired, as He paced,
wrapped in His meditations, the banks of the
Rahmat
Luvuyo Nomvete, 22, is a Bahá’í youth who grew up
in
Parvaneh
Farhangpour: “The Literary Style of the Writings of
Bahá’u’lláh: Metaphor and Imagery”
In this paper/slide presentation an attempt is made to examine the use of
metaphor and images in the writings of Bahá’u’lláh. Metaphors and images are
classified into categories and relevant examples are provided. Other literary
forms such as use of opposites, personification, and multiple images are also
discussed and presented. It is argued that the enchanting beauty and the poetic
excellence of Bahá’u’lláh’s writings is not due to the form alone, but is
inspired by powerful mystical and spiritual messages of His Revelation.
Parvaneh
Farhangpour holds a PhD in Curriculum Development
from the
Workshop:
“Confidence in Presenting Talks”
The workshop on presentations discussed 3
questions: “What is Bahá’í Scholarship versus academic scholarship?”; “What is
the nature and purpose of Bahá’í Scholarship?”; “How do we foster Bahá’í
scholarship?” Three groups discussed the questions, based on the letter on
Bahá’í Scholarship, written by the International Teaching Centre,