In this video, produced by the Association for Baha’i Studies, Dr. Farzam Arbab delivers the keynote lecture at the 2016 ABS Conference in Montreal. Dr. Arbab’s talk is titled “The Intellectual Life of the Baha’i Community”. Continue reading
September 21st has been designated by the United Nations as the International Day of Peace, and in the spirt of this day, I wanted to share a few brief thoughts with you about a very powerful document called The Promise of World Peace. Continue reading
Baha’i Blog’s “Studio Sessions” is an initiative where we invite Baha’is and their friends from around the world to come into a studio and share the Baha’i Writings put to music.
In this Baha’i Blog Studio Session, Nabil David Huening sings “Guidance”, from the Writings of Baha’u’llah. Continue reading
Baha’i Blog’s “Studio Sessions” is an initiative where we invite Baha’is and their friends from around the world to come into a studio and share the Baha’i Writings put to music.
In this Baha’i Blog Studio Session, Nabil David Huening sings “Guidance”, from the Writings of Baha’u’llah. Continue reading
You may be familiar with John Hatcher’s work. He is a seasoned and prolific writer with many Baha’i publications to his name. They range from books of poetry — both works of poetry penned by himself or about the poetry of Tahirih — to philosophical and theological treatises like From Sin to Salvation: The Ascent of the Soul, The Purpose of Physical Reality, and One Reality: The Harmony of Science and Religion. He has also written for junior youth, such as Ali’s Dream: The Story of Baha’u’llah, and its recently published sequel Healing Hasan’s Heart.
I was happy when John agreed to tell us about his new novel for junior youth, the ideas behind it, and his profession as a writer of Baha’i books.
Baha’i Blog: Thanks, John, for speaking to us! For those who may not know you, please tell us a little bit about yourself and your work as a writer. Continue reading
The Journey West is a website that was originally created to celebrate the centenary of Abdu’l-Baha’s travels to Egypt, Europe and North America, however its articles and podcasts are a fantastic resource for any year. Continue reading
“The Resilience of the Tanna Baha’i Community After Cyclone Pam” is an episode of “Baha’i on Air”, a New Zealand television show. It chronicles the Baha’is of Tanna, Vanuatu who demonstrated extraordinary courage and determination after Cyclone Pam destroyed their homes and communities in 2015. In the aftermath of the devastating storm they rallied their efforts to advance a process of relief, reconstruction and long-term development with devotion and service to others at its core. Continue reading
Shoghi Effendi tells us that The Seven Valleys is Baha’u’llah’s greatest mystical work, “which He wrote in answer to the questions of Shaykh Muhyi’d-Din, the Qadi [judge] of Khaniqayn, in which He describes the seven stages which the soul of the seeker must needs traverse ere it can attain the object of its existence.” A testament to the power of Baha’u’llah’s revealed words are their profound impact and effect – even if you are reading His words in a translated language and have no knowledge of its historical or literary context. However, I thought I would write a bit about the historical and literary context of The Seven Valleys so that I could better understand what makes it Baha’u’llah’s greatest mystical work. Continue reading
This short animated film by Naisan Yazdani explains the difference between man’s lower and higher natures. Continue reading
I love books and have a particular soft-spot for Baha’i books. I was doubly happy when I heard that a friend, JoAnn Borovicka, has published a new book called Light of the Kingdom: Biblical Topics in the Baha’i Writings. I was joyful that a new Baha’i book was made available to the world, and proud of her accomplishment. To write a book is no small feat and this one is the culmination of many years of work.
JoAnn lovingly agreed to share behind-the-scenes details about her beautiful new book.
Baha’i Blog: Thank you, JoAnn! I’m very excited to hear more about Light of the Kingdom. To start, could you please tell us a little bit about yourself and your work as a writer?
I’m an educator; my passion is making information accessible by delivering it in digestible portions. At the time of the origin of this project I was working as a master trainer for Global Learning Partners, Inc. where I specialized in workshop design and facilitation. I was also a storyteller performer with the South Carolina Artist in Residence program—I wrote my own material based on stories of the ancient Near East. Both of these interests served me in the making of Light of the Kingdom, which strives to systematically present certain Baha’i teachings through the organizational framework of the Bible.