A Study of the “Secret of Divine Civilization”

Association for Bahá'í Studies in Southern Africa (ABS)

Website: www.bahaistudies.org.za

email: abs@bahai.org.za

28 July 2004

To the friends in Southern Africa

Dearly loved Friends,

An Invitation to join a Distance Education Study Course on The Secret of Divine Civilization.

The Association for Bahá'í Studies (ABS) in Southern Africa invites the friends to join a distance education study course on 'Abdu'l-Baha's text The Secret of Divine Civilization. This course is offered through the medium of electronic mail and the Internet.

The class will begin on 6th September, and end on 28 November 2004. This is approximately the duration of one semester at a college or university. There are no minimum requirements for the course, but it does need at least 2 - 3 hours of study per week. The course is divided into 6 units, spread over 12 weeks. There are no examinations, but there will be suggestions for literary, artistic, and presentational projects.

The course materials have been developed by the Wilmette Institute, who has very generously given the ABS in Southern Africa permission to adapt them for us in southern Africa.

Participants in this form of class can either study individually or in small discussion groups. The course materials, including the text, syllabus, discussions, and optional reading materials are all available electronically.

COURSE COMPLETION LEVELS. The Wilmette Institute/ABS has a three-level system for its courses:

The introductory level is designed for those who do not need college credit and want a basic course that will help them teach the Faith more effectively.

The intermediate level is designed for learners who want to be challenged to go more deeply into study of the materials of the course. It is designed to be completed at the level of a third- or fourth-year undergraduate course at a university.

The advanced level is designed to be completed at the level of a graduate course.

The syllabus gives the completion requirements for all three levels.

COURSE COMPONENTS. The course contains four components:

1) reading component, which is the principal way to acquire new knowledge in this course;

2) consultation component, consulting about the course material with fellow students and faculty to reinforce and clarify your learning;

3) sharing and service component, where you present some aspect of what you have learned to at least one other person through a fireside, deepening, children's class, youth or adult class, artistic presentation, or some other effort;

4) assessment component, where you share your assessment of your learning, or a sample of your learning with the course tutors. The assessment determines what level you have completed the course. Those completing the course will be issued with a certificate of completion.

If you are interested in joining the course, please send an email to: kayes@ukzn.ac.za.

We will then send you the materials and register you!

With loving Bahá'í greetings,

Sylvia Kaye, Secretary

Association for Bahá'í Studies in Southern Africa

Telephone: 031-260-1219; 072-349-5578 (cell)

Cc: National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of South Africa