Bahá’í World/Volume 18/Bahá’í scholarship in Australia 1979-1983
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'I‘Hli BAHA‘!’ WORLD
4. Bahá’í SCHOLARSHIP IN AUSTRALIA
1979 ‘Bahá’í scholarship is of great importance in the development and consolidation of the Bahá’í community,’ the Universal House of Justice stated in its message entitled ‘The Challenge and Promise of Bahá’í Scholarship‘. published in The Bahá’í World. volume XVII, p. 195. Among the goals given to the Australian Bahá’í community in the Seven Year Plan were: to foster a deeper understanding of the Bahá’í Writings; to make efforts to have the Faith presented in courses at schools, colleges and universities; and to encourage Bahá’ís to devise means of proclaiming the Faith to professional people.
With the approval of the National Spiritual Assembly of Australia, a conference on Bahá’í scholarship—the first of its kind to be held in this country—was organized by the Bahá’í Society of the University of Tasmania. More than one hundred believers from many parts of Australia gathered at Yerrinbool Bahá’í School in New South Wales from 9 to 12 April 1982 to discuss the emerging role of Bahá’í scholarship, its service to the individual and the Faith and its relation to scholarship in the non-Bahá’í’ world.
Counsellor Peter Khan presented a keynote address in which he surveyed the Writings of the Faith on Bahá’í scholarship. This was followed by the presentation of papers on a wide variety of topics which correlated aspects of the Bahá’í teachings with recent developments in physics, biology, medicine, psychology and educational theory. Papers discussing
recent developments in music and art, from
the perspective of the Bahá’í teachings, were supplemented by historical papers dealing with the lives of Mark Tobey and Juliet Thompson. An outstanding presentation by Dr. Baher Forghani, on the life of Mirza Abu’lFadl, the illustrious Persian Bahá’í scholar who taught in the United States at the turn of the century, provided new insights into an exemplary life of devotion and true scholarship. Described by Shoghi Effendi in God Passes By as a ‘learned apologist”, Mirza Abu’l—Fadl was the author of The Bahá’í
1983
Proofs, The Brilliant Proof, the Farti'id and other important works.
It should be noted that in addition to speakers academically trained in their fields, participants in the programme included nonacademics who were also intrigued by their subject matter and who evinced a healthy zeal in researching their topics for presentation.
There were three dominant features of this conference. All speakers used the authoritative Writings of the Faith as a standard and a framework for their scholarship and creativity; there was an admirable spirit of tolerance and respect for differing understandings and approaches within that framework; and. overall, the entire atmosphere was one of encouragement and support, with co-operation and modesty replacing the competitiveness. arrogance and pride which often characterize contemporary scholarly meetings.
A second conference on Bahá’í Studies was held from 1 to 4 April 1983, again at Yerrinbool, and again there were more than one hundred in attendance. The presentations touched on many aspects of human affairs. Three main categories of scholarly papers were offered:
(1) Studies of Scripture which brought understanding of some of the deeper aspects of the revealed Word.
(2) Studies of the relationship between the Bahá’í Faith and contemporary society and the way in which the principles and teachings of the Faith may be applied to resolve presentday social problems.
(3) Historical papers which provided a deeper insight into the lives and characters of the early Bahá’ís from whose example present-day believers may derive inspiration.
There were three invited addresses: Dr. Merdad Meshgin, ‘Miflki’n-Qalam: His Life and Work’; Counsellor Peter Khan, ‘Further Considerations of Bahá’í Scholarship’; and Mr. James Heggie, ‘The Early Days of the Bahá’í Faith in Australia”.
A feature of this conference was the holding of the first Australian Festival of Bahá’í
[Page 203]
INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA’I’ ACTIVITIES
Artists. Mr. Phillip Hinton delighted the audience with his masterful renditions of poems and Mr. Cliff Stevens performed guitar selections.
Scholarship has a high station in the Bahá’í’ teachings, as the Universal House of Justice
203
has reminded us. Bahá’í’ scholars who are well—versed in the Teachings, who uphold the Covenant, and who are guided by tact and wisdom and humbled by knowledge of their responsibilities will contribute greatly to upholding the dignity and honour of scholarship.
APPENDIX I
CONFERENCE ON Bahá’í SCHOLARSHIP, 9—12 APRIL 1982
Bahá’í Scholarship—Dr. Peter Khan
Discussion: The meaning of Bahá’í scholarship
Mt'rza' Abu'l-Fadl—Dr. Bahcr Forghani
Science, Independent Investigation mzd the Bahti't’ C0nsensus Reality— Robin Meehan
Same Bahá’í’ Views on Health and Healing—Shirlcy and A. J. Mauger
Science and the FLlIIU‘EflROd Markham
‘Abdu'l-Bahzi's Concept of the Ether—Dr. Peter Khan
Mark Tobey—Graham Hassall
Juliet Thompxon—Erica Davidson
Prophecy and the Bahá’í Faith—Carl Whitehousc
The Use of Traditional Indian Symbols in Bahá’í Teaching—DL William Garlington
Discussion: The establishment of the Association for Bahá’í Studies in Australia
Discussion: Activities by Bahá’í Societies on Secondary and Tertiary (Post—Sccondary) Campuses
Evolution—Adrian Salter
The ‘Life After Ltfe’ Phenomenon—Dr. John Davidson
Marriage and Divorce: Bahá’í Law and Current Australian Conditions—Anne Stark
The Bahá’í Faith and the Healthy Permnah'ty—Dr. Janet Khan
Education in the Emerging Bahd'z’ World—Dr. Ray Meyer
Music: An Enriching Component in the Education of Bahti’zis—Tom Price
APPENDIX 11
CONFERENCE ON BAHA'I SCHOLARSHIP, 1—4 APRIL 1983
MiLh/(in-Qu/mn: Hix‘ sze (Ind WOI'k—DL Mcrdad Mcs‘hgin
Further Considerations of Bahá’í’ Scholarship—Dr. Peter Khan
The Early Days of the Bahá’í Faith in Auxtralia—Jamcs Heggie
A Consideration of Some Aspects of Mysticism and Acute Schizophrenia—Jacky Angus
A Case Study in Changing Attitudes—Sandta Bartlett
The Bahá’í’ Arc: An lmpregnable Stronghold—F. Behi
Dreams and their Interpretation in the Bahá’í FaithDr. John Davidson
Introductory Natex 0n the Disconnected Letters of the Qur’dn—Dr. Baher Forghani
Inlrmlm‘lmy Notex (III the Life and Works of Iflniq Ifluimri—Dr. Buhcr Forghzmi
The_Nature Of Bahá’í History-Graham Hassall
Bahá't’ History in Auxtralia—Graham Hassall
‘The Metaphorical Nature of Physical Reality’: Why are we burn to Suffer and Die?—Dr. Alex Kavetsky
An Analysix 0}: the Persecution of Bahá’í Women in Prexent-day Ira’n—Dr. Janet Khan
Youth and Their Future Responxt'bility—Rod Markham
The Role of Satellite Technology as a Tool for Social Change—A. J. Mauger
The Scientzfic Method: The Necessity for Evaluating Nutritional lnformation—Paul Mortal
Bahá’í’ Insights into the Relationship between Man and the Environment: The First Valley—Paul Stevenson
The Spiritual Axis and its Analogy in Cell Division (Mitosis)—Paul Stevenson
The Relationship between Men and Women: A Social History and Future Perspective—Nusheen Vahdat