Forthcoming conferences/events
The Australian annual Bahá'í Studies Conference will be held on Sat 11 and Sun 12 July this year, at the University of Auckland in New Zealand. The theme "Moral Development" is relevant to our personal, community and business lives, as well as our children's well-being, and also to Pacific and 'Spiritual Axis' issues and, ultimately, the unity of humankind.
WHY AUCKLAND?
We are collaborating on this year's conference with the Association for Bahá'í Studies New Zealand, to promote four significant objectives:
1. To provide a venue for discussion of Pacific perspectives on moral development
2. To promote dialogue among scholars on the "spiritual axis" embracing Southeast Asia and the Pacific, as well as Australia and New Zealand
3. To encourage cross-cultural dialogue on successful models of moral development
4. To facilitate the exchange of information which fosters the development of our respective activities in the Association for Bahá'í Studies
WHY MORAL DEVELOPMENT?
"…even a cursory glance at current global concerns points to the need for a renewed emphasis on developing in every individual an inner guide, an ethical vision, or, as many commonly say now, a "moral compass"
Reflection on … two key concepts - that each individual must develop his or her own inner guide and that all morality today must be viewed through the lens of human oneness - can best be pursued by recognizing the spiritual nature of human reality." (One Country / April-June 1997)
The Universal House of Justice selected moral development as one of the four external affairs priorities of the Bahá'í Faith.
CALL FOR PAPERS
Please submit your 200 word abstract to the Secretary of the Association for Bahá'í Studies - New Zealand, Paul Friedman, PO Box 847, Hamilton, New Zealand
e-mail: paul.friedman@xtra.co.nz
Deadline for submission of abstracts: 30 March 1998
Deadline for submission of full papers: 31 May 1998
We welcome presentations on:
Moral development subjects, such as:- * Moral community in the Pacific * A moral foundation for our children * The good society * Moral education * Business ethics * Youth suicide. Any other subject contributing to: * Studies of the history, teachings & philosophy of the Bahá'í Faith * Applications of Bahá'í principles to the concerns of society.
REGISTRATION, ACCOMMODATION, TRAVEL ETC
The registration fee is only $60 ($50 for ABS members) including refreshments and lunches. Full details are in the brochure/registration form.
One hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary of the Siege of Sheykh Tabarsi
A handful of ordinary people marching mostly on foot tried to take a refuge in the densest part of a jungle. They took sanctuary in the confines of a local shrine after repeated harassment and attacks by local populace. Hundreds more traveled, some under the most dangerous conditions, to lend their hands of support to their co-religionists in mere obedience to the call of the Well-Beloved, whom they had never met. Though seemingly defeated but with their death they opened a proud chapter in the history of the world religions and with their life-blood they ushered in the coming of the Promised Day.
The Association for Bahá'í Studies extends a loving invitation to all the Australian Baha'is to participate in its inaugural Symposium in Persian-Arabic studies marking the 150 anniversary of Siege of Sheykh Tabarsi.
The events of Fort Tabarsi transpired one of the most dramatic episodes of the first epoch of the Baha'i Dispensation. It will be recognised, viewed in its proper perspective, to have ushered in one of the most eventful and momentous periods in the world's religious history. The directive force which sustained it, the beloved Guardian assures us, was none other than that which flowed from the mind of Baha'u'llah. Its heroes were the flower of the Bab's disciples. Its martyrs comprised no less than half of the Letters of the Living, not excluding the most prominent of them, Quddus and Mulla Husayn. Baha'u'llah elevated Quddus to a rank second to none except that of the Herald of His Revelation; on whose "detachment and the sincerity of whose devotion to God's will God prideth Himself amidst the Concourse on high". And in terms of Mulla Hussayn, whom the Bab had referred to as "beloved of My Heart" the Kitab-i-Iqan acclaimed as the one but for whom "God would not have been established upon the seat of His mercy, nor ascended the throne of eternal glory;"
These tales of magnificent heroism, is the ardent hope of the Association, to be a source of great inspiration, and at this historic moment, the fountainhead of an impetus for the advancement of the Faith of God in this continent. Furthermore, it is a matter of great pride for the Association to be able to provide the means and opportunities for the Australian Baha'i community to reflect and study, in a systematic way, the tenets, history, and the Writings of our beloved Faith in their original language, the language of the Central Figures of the Faith.
The symposium will be held on the weekend of 26-27 September in Sydney. All the proceedings will be conducted in Persian but hopefully the necessary provisions will be set in place for the instantaneous translation into English. The National Board of the Association for Bahá'í Studies will shortly release a more detailed announcement regarding the program, international speakers, accommodation, and the cost.
with Loving Bahá'í Greetings
Australian Association for Bahá'í Studies
The Moral Maze: The ABS(ESE) 1998 Annual Conference 31 October and 1 November 1998, Oxford
The 1998 annual conference of the Association for Baha'i Studies (English-Speaking Europe) has the theme of 'The Moral Maze'. The Executive Committee invites submissions for presentations on subjects under this theme, for example: Values education; Arguments for/against the secular society; Human rights; The role of morality in politics, media, the arts etc.; Analyses of specific current moral dilemmas; and/or any submissions of relevance to our Special Interest Groups: Religious Studies; International Law and Politics; Science; Education; Gender. Submissions should be in the form of an abstract (less than one page). Full papers are desirable but not mandatory; it is intended that the conference proceedings (abstracts and/or full papers) will be made available on the World Wide Web.
Abstracts for presentations should be sent by 31 July to the Conference Registrar, Roger Kingdon, at: 45 The Warren, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 3XB or e-mail: roger.kingdon@aeat.co.uk
The Never-ending Journey of the Soul
The 3rd Singapore Bahá'í Studies Conference, Sunday, April 5th, 1998
Program
Heaven, Hell and the Afterlife ( Mrs Lynette Thomas)
Progress of the Soul in Chinese Belief (Dr Phyllis Chew)
Enlightenment and the Soul in Mahayana Buddhism ( Mr Yeo Yew Hock )
Death: Resurrection, Reincarnation, or Rebirth? (Dr Arun Balasubramaniam)
The Mystic Journey of the Soul (Mrs Rosy Zaman)
Science and the Soul (Dr Anjam Khursheed)
For Further information contact: Dr Anjam Khursheed at Blk. B, #09--02, Kent Vale, 105 Clementi Road, Singapore 129789, Tel. 779 8415 or Dr Phyllis Chew at Tel. 766 3504 or 460 5118.
`Irfán Colloquia are being held annually, in North America and in Europe, and in the English and Persian languages, for the promotion of deeper and more systematic study of the sacred Writings. `Irfán is a Persian-Arabic word referring to mystical, theological and spiritual knowledge. `Irfán Colloquia is sponsored by the Haj Mehdi Arjmand Memorial Fund that was established in 1992 to foster scriptural studies. Haj Mehdi Arjmand (1861-1941), was a prominent scholar-teacher of the Bahá'i Faith in Persia. Activities of `Irfán Colloquia are jointly organized by the Education and Schools Office, Institute for Bahá'i Studies, and the Persian-Americans Affairs Office of the Bahá'i National Center. Currently a four year program for the study of the revelation of Bahá'u'lláh is conducted through annual seminars in conjunction with Colloquia sessions. The annual residential sessions in Persian are held at the Acuto Center for Baha'i Studies and at the Louhelen Baha'i School. The sessions in English are held in various academic institutions such as University of Newcastle and Middlesex University, U.K.
Research papers presented at these colloquia are published in a series of books in both English and Persian languages. The first volume of papers in English language is published by George Ronald under the title of SCRIPTURE AND REVELATION. The first volume of the papers in Persian language is published by Asr-i-Jadid Publishers in Germany under the title of SAFINEH-I-IRFAN. Abstracts of the papers in English could be ordered through the Research Office of the Bahá'i National Center.
Since 1992 sixteen sessions of Irfan Colloquium have been organized in North Americas and Europe. Over 120 research papers have been presented and discussed in these gatherings. A Bibliographical list of these papers could be ordered from the Research office of the Baha'i National Center.
In 1998 four sessions of the Irfan Colloquium will be held, mainly devoted to the studies related to the Writings of Baha'u'llah revealed in Istanbul and Adrianople period as well as paper presentations on the Baha'i Faith and the World Religions. Non-Baha'i scholars are welcome to present their studies related to the themes of the sessions. A few such presentations have so far been made at the sessions in English language.
Members of the Scientific Committee cum Editorial Board of the Colloquia are Dr. Moojan Momen, Dr. Robert Stockman, Dr. Manuchehr Derakhshani and Dr. Iraj Ayman. Mr. Stephen Lambden and Mr. Habib Riazati are serving as resource persons and consultants to the Committee.
June 19-28, Irfan Colloquium and Seminar (in Persian), Acuto Center for Bahá'í Studies, Italy. This session includes a program celebrating the 150th anniversary of Badasht conference and a memorial Meeting horning professor Alessandro Bausani on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of his passing.
August 21-24, Irfan Colloquium and Seminar (in English), Middlesex University, London, U. K.
October 9-12, Irfan Colloquium and Seminar (in Persian), Louhelen Baha'i School, Michigan, U.S.A.
November 6-8, Irfan Colloquium and Seminar (in English), Louhelen Baha'i School, Michigan. U.S.A.
The Colloquia are for paper presentation and the Seminars are for the study of the Writings of Baha'u'llah. All inquires could be addressed to: Iraj Ayman, Coordinator, Irfan Colloquia, Baha'i national Center, 1233 central Street, Evanston, IL 60201-1611. E-Mial: iayman@usbnc.org