 It's so nice to hear from Judy and to reflect that I was about 10 when the association formed. And that's why it's such a privilege to look out and see some of those like John Hatcher, who will be our Belluzzi lecturer, who were here from the beginning. And there are quite a number of you. And I suppose we have among us then some of the intellectual dawnbreakers of the association for Baha'i studies, and you all have a chance to hear from them on various occasions. It's such a pleasure. I need to say a couple other things before our speaker tonight. And anticipation makes it worth all the worthwhile, right? I need to thank, on behalf of the Executive Committee, the local spiritual assemblies of the Baha'is of Cambridge and Boston. Without their support, this conference simply would not have been possible. And in addition to those local assemblies, there are hosts of friends from the wider area that have contributed in ways that many of you will not even have noticed to make this conference successful. So also thank you to all the volunteers. Finally, a couple of little logistical things that will help you all survive the weekend. If some of you are looking for and don't yet have maps of the hotel to find rooms, they can be obtained at the front desk. If some of you are looking for meals, we've arranged buffet lunches and dinners, both on the main restaurant level, and also it might be harder to find, if you're not aware of it, on the top floor of the hotel in what is known as the Spinnaker. There's quite a lot of space to feed people. And speaking of space, we know we're in a fairly tight space. We're going to have a lot of bodies. Baha'is love to congregate in lobbies. We really ought to just rent a huge lobby for one of these conferences one day. But the lobby here will be tight. And so we ask you to be conscious and considerate of other guests of the hotel staff. And there are places you can congregate. There's a courtyard outside. There's the Spinnaker upstairs. There are other places you can seek out. So please be sensitive to those space constraints and needs. Now it's my great pleasure to introduce Councillor Stephen Berkland. Stephen Berkland is a member of the Continental Board of Counselors for the Americas. And for those of you who aren't quite clear what that means, just a couple of words. In the Baha'i community there are two arms of administration and guidance. One arm is comprised of elected bodies that have governing authority. The highest of those bodies is the Universal House of Justice, an international body that guides the affairs of the entire Baha'i world. That body appoints another arm of individuals whose function is to advise and encourage both elected assemblies at local and national levels and the Baha'i community in general. The House of Justice has written that the purpose of this appointed arm, of which the Continental Board of Counselors comprise the main body, their purpose is, quote, to promote the spiritual, intellectual and social aspects of Baha'i life. To promote the intellectual aspects of Baha'i life, among other things. Well how appropriate then that at this conference where we come together to study and deepen our understanding of this faith and its application to the needs of humanity, how appropriate that the conference begins with a member of this Continental Board. Councillor Birkland is going to speak to us tonight on the theme of pursuing Baha'i scholarship within the context of the Divine Plan. For those of you who don't know what the Divine Plan refers to, I'll let Stephen Birkland inform you. Thank you. Thank you Mike. Please consider two excerpts from the writings of Baha'u'llah. The world's equilibrium has been upset through the vibrating influence of this most great, this new world order. Mankind's ordered life has been revolutionized through the agency of this unique, this wondrous system, the like of which mortal eyes have never witnessed. Unveiled and unconcealed, this wronged one hath at all times proclaimed before the face of all the peoples of the world that which will serve as the key for unlocking the doors of sciences, of arts, of knowledge, of well-being, of prosperity, and wealth. So, this intervention from the world of God into human history set in motion processes that are advancing at faster and faster rates. These processes are like rays of the sun illuminating and revealing the true spiritual nature of reality. Now, this acceleration, this recent acceleration is really awe-inspiring. It's thrilling, really, to observe, but it also, I think, among us has created some exhaustion and even some uncertainty about what our next step should be. Those of us who are thinking, what should I do next to be a part to serve this great enterprise? So, I wanted to talk a little bit tonight about those two things. The exhaustion part, well, let's call it the perseverance part. The perseverance and persistence part, and the part that requires clarity of vision. Before I go on, I do want to thank the Association for Buying Studies for choosing this theme. Like the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada and in the United States, I'm delighted that they chose this theme. And I want to thank all those who have prepared presentations and all of you who are going to participate in this discourse this weekend. So, the speed and the complexity that characterizes the acceleration of these processes really has created sort of a gasping sense of how can we persevere, how can we persist, how can we keep up with it, and so on. And some uncertainty, some uncertainty about what the next step should be. How do I know this is the right path for me, and so on. There are two stories from the life of Abdul Baha that I wanted to share with you related to that. The first one has to do with the exhaustion part. Abdul Baha, when he was in San Francisco, returned to the hotel. Now he'd been traveling for months. He was absolutely exhausted all day with the friends, all day giving talks, meeting people, and so on. It was late in the day. It was exhausted. He sat down and he actually told those around him that he didn't think he could get up and that he was even too tired to sleep, he said. And then he laughed and he said, that reminds me of the blacksmith who had an apprentice who was absolutely exhausted. And the apprentice said, finally, when he was pumping, you know, he said, I think I'm going to die. According to Abdul Baha, the blacksmith said, go ahead and die, but keep pumping. And Abdul Baha laughed and he got up and went into the next room to greet the friends and give a talk. The other story has to do with this idea of focus and vision and so on. And this story occurred when Abdul Baha was in Aqqa. And it was written by a person, Dr. Yunus Afarukte, the Yunus Khan. He referred to as Yunus Khan. He said that he was always amazed that Abdul Baha could handle so many things at once, that his mind could could grasp so many things at the same time. And he always wondered how he did it. And one night, Abdul Baha was pacing up and back and forth in this hall in the house of Abdulapasha in Aqqa, the prison city. Yunus Khan was there, was the only one there with him. Abdul Baha was pacing up, back and forth, exercising and meditating. And he walked over to, and Yunus Khan was thinking, I wonder how he does it to keep track of all these things and stay focused and so on. And Yunus Khan said that Abdul Baha walked over to him and said, Do you want to know how I do it? And he was so shocked, Yunus Khan said he was so shocked, he was speechless. And then Abdul Baha says, I'll tell you how I do it. He said, I get into the boat, I set the sail, I point it to a spot on the horizon, and then I hold tight on the rudder, and I don't deviate. Well, actually, there's another story. It's a sweet story about when Abdul Baha was in Montreal, because when he was in Montreal, Abdul Baha came down one day without any of the other Baha'is with him, walked out, got on a streetcar and rode it to the end of the city. And then he got on another streetcar and rode it to the absolute opposite end of the city and came down, and he was telling the story. He said to the friends when he got back, he said, when he came down he realized he didn't know where he was. He was lost. And he didn't know what to do. And he said he got a taxi and he said he needed to go to his hotel. So the taxi driver started driving into town and then said, well, you know, which hotel? And Abdul Baha said, I didn't know the name of the hotel. And so the taxi driver kept driving and finally said, well, you know, I'll have to know the name of the hotel. And Abdul Baha said he didn't know what to do. And he said, just go straight, just go straight. And he went straight and he came across the hotel. Abdul Baha recognized it. I think I actually think about that story quite a bit because I think oftentimes I feel lost. And I think about this vision that the Universal House of Justice provides with this sort of latest unfoldment of the latest stage of the divine plan. So I'd like to talk about those two things, all right? The die but keep pumping part. And the just go straight part, okay? According to Baha'u'llah, vision is the chief instrument whereby understanding can function. Baha'u'llah in another tablet said that according to men of wisdom, keenness of understanding is due to keenness of vision. So I'm certain, I'm certain that there is great value when an individual takes initiative to pursue some scholarly study of the Baha'i writings in itself, in and of itself. I'm sure there's great value, I'm certain that it is. And I enjoy the product of that. However, I often think about the value that comes to not only the individual but the community as well when that same study is pursued, when it's prompted, when it's prompted by a desire to serve the aim of the current plan. In other words, scholarship within the context of the current global plan. I think of the greater benefit that comes from this. Now, so I want to talk a little bit about the current global plan. You know, I remember I mentioned about how this intervention of God in human history set in motion these processes. And these processes according to the Baha'i writings are advanced through forces related to a plan of God which has two parts according to the Baha'i writings. One called the major plan of God, one called the minor plan of God. Now the major plan of God, Shoghi Effendi called the overall plan of God, moves mysteriously and in contrast to the orderly and well-known processes of a clearly devised plan. And it has received an impetus, the force of which only posterity can adequately assess. In fact, the Guardian said, referring to the major plan of God, that it was using both the mighty and lowly as pawns in his world-shaping game. So this greater plan of God that moves mysteriously and not according to some order that we're aware of, or that we've discovered yet, discloses or reveals the obsolescence or the bankruptcy of many of the current assumptions and mental models. It creates receptivity for the work of the minor plan, which is ours. Now the minor plan isn't, it's not minor to us, it's just minor in comparison to God's plan, because the minor plan of God, according to the Universal House of Justice, is that part of God's plan that's revealed by Baha'u'llah to his followers and is laid out for them in detailed instructions and successive plans by Abdu'l-Baha, Shoghi Effendi, and the Universal House of Justice. In contrast to the major plan of God, it proceeds in a methodical, ordered way, disseminating his teachings and raising up the structure of a united world society. So the head of the faith guides the Universal House of Justice now, guides the unfoldment of each successive stage of this divine plan that will bring the world to a united state. And we're currently in the five-year plan, we're currently in the last year of a five-year plan and there'll be another five-year plan that begins next spring. So I wanted to consider some of the features just for a moment as you consider scholarship and the examination of science and religion and social transformation in the context of the current global plan. Consider some of the features of this current plan. It's really quite exciting. To begin with, we have to consider what the Universal House of Justice said about this, that these plans display or are pursued in the framework of a dynamic coherence between the spiritual and practical requirements of life on earth. That's illustrated the Universal House of Justice said by the Mashu Klaskar, The House of Worship, because as a building, as a structure, its intent is only spiritual. It's the dawning place of the mention of God. So at the center in this architecture, at the center is this spiritual building and then emanating from it are these dependencies or institutions related to the practical aspects of life, spiritual in the center and then practical emanating from it around it. And the Universal House of Justice reminds us that the oneness of mankind is at once the operating principle and the ultimate goal of the revelation. So unity is not only our ultimate goal but our operating principle. There are some groups and organizations in the world who feel so passionate and so committed to their aim that they feel that the aim is so great it justifies any means, not in the Baha'i Faith. In the Baha'i Faith the ultimate goal and the operating principles are the same, unity. We pursue unity in a unified way. So think about some of the things first of all now in the five-year plan. First of all, the Universal House of Justice, what did they do? They asked us to divide up the planet into smaller pieces like little laboratories where we could plan and manage growth. They said, we need to go about this in a very systematized way. In fact, in one letter preceding the five-year plan they wrote that our goal cannot be achieved by a mere series of spasmodic, uncoordinated exertions no matter how enthusiastic. They drove home the point. They said, we have to pursue this in a more systematic way. In fact, they said that systematization was a necessary mode of functioning animated by the urgency to act. Well, that didn't make sense at all when I first read it. I thought when I thought of urgency, I thought of frenetic activity. But of course, as we know from, I mean, I just read something. I just read something. I've been trying to learn more about physics. And I just read a very interesting article about, you know, about a mob behavior, a panic behavior, okay? And according to this research, now they can't do research, you know, where they put a bunch of people in a nightclub and started on fire or anything. But they can do computer models, right? They can do computer models of this. And they found in these computer models that if humans walk or run or whatever, four feet per second or less, everybody gets out. And that whenever they go more than four feet per second, no one gets out. So systematization is the necessary mode of functioning animated by the urgency to act. Another feature of this plan that's intriguing to me is how in some ways, just like the Mashu Kalaskar, I have a feeling, now this is just my opinion. You know that the Universal House of Justice, you know that the House of Justice at the beginning of the five-year plan, they said that after you split up the planet, survey it for a survey of these little clusters of communities, and then initiate three activities, all spiritual activities, and make those the core of the high community life, those three spiritual activities. Pray together, study together, and train your children. Okay, so praying together, studying together, and training our children. Those core spiritual activities that they should be the center. And that other things should be on the periphery. So now we started looking at, you know, and this is again, I said this is my opinion, but in some ways, as somewhat of a veteran in the Baha'i Faith, I noticed that in many Baha'i communities, you know, because we're talking in the context of social transformation, right, in many communities as the communities grew, service on administrative institutions began to be the core of activity in Baha'i communities. So this plan now displaces that notion and places three spiritual activities at the core of community life. Praying together, studying together, and training our children. All of them having to do with access to the Word of God. Each of those activities have to do with access to the Word of God. Because as the Universal House of Justice said, the Holy Word has been extolled by the prophets of God as the medium of celestial power and the wellspring of all spiritual, social, and material progress. Access to it, constant study of it, and daily use of it in our individual lives, are vital to the interpersonal transformation towards which we strive, and whose ultimate outer manifestation will be the emergence of that divine civilization, which is the promise of the world order of Baha'u'llah. So access to the Word of God is vital to social transformation. So placed at the center of Baha'i community life are three activities all having to do directly with access to the Word of God. Then they said, we need to create metrics and measurements so that we can plan systematically and reflect on what we're learning and refine and plan and reflect and act and so on. In other words, they initiated an orientation to action research in these little laboratories all around the world and set up mechanisms in which we can share what we're learning within these laboratories and with other laboratories around the world. Then they said there needs to be a culture of encouragement that will facilitate this learning and sustainability is an important feature of this. Sustainability. So they introduced the idea of an institute for training to inspire, to give knowledge, to build skills and so on so that at the grassroots these processes can be sustained. Now I don't know about you but I don't know if you've read anything about non-equilibrium systems or critical phase transitions or fluctuations but it's pervasive in this whole model, this whole scheme. Think what we need, think what we could gain now if scholars are pursuing whether they're artists, sociologists, economists, physicists. Think what we can, historians, what we can gain if they're pursuing the scholarship within the context or the framework of this latest sort of stage of the divine plan. What we're learning about learning, what can we engineer and what remains mysterious? What are we learning about governance? Mike was talking about this institution of the counselors, that arm of the administration. I was thinking about the need to keep spiritual at the core and I came across this description of the role of the auxiliary board members, an institution that's auxiliary to the Continental Board of Counselors. This challenging conception of the work of the auxiliary board members calls for a fundamental departure from limited assumptions about social order which in the world today determined administrative theory and practice for it aspires to infuse every act individual and collective with spiritual meaning. It places the sacred at the heart of community life making it the focus of all reflection on activity. An institution whose goal, whose objective is to infuse a sense of the sacred into everything we're doing. So not only is there sustainability in terms of training, but sustainability in terms of the spiritual vision. Well, you can see why the Universal House of Justice calls for the unreserved participation of the Baha'is in this current global plan to view teaching as the greatest gift of God to man. Because imagine the vision of any of us, but especially those of us, those of you with great capacity and well-trained minds who have firsthand experience with this social transformation occurring in the Baha'i community, this change of culture in the Baha'i community, this scheme of the Universal House of Justice. Well, let me just talk a minute now about the keep a die but keep pumping part. It really calls from some serious adjustments because I don't see how we can participate in this current plan, how we can have firsthand experience in this current plan if we don't reorganize our life. Challenging current assumptions among our peers, offering spiritual perspectives, most certainly is going to draw criticism. But the Universal House of Justice said, be not dismayed if your endeavors are dismissed as utopian by the voices that would oppose any suggestion of fundamental change. Trust in the capacity of this generation to disentangle itself from the embroilments of a divided world to discharge your responsibilities you will have to show forth courage, the courage of those who cling to standards of rectitude, who champion the cause of justice, whose lives are characterized by purity of thought and action and whose purpose is directed by love and indomitable faith. In fact, let me just share with you something, a tablet from Abdul Baha. I was sitting really seriously, this actually happened, I'm not making this up. I was sitting in my office, I was thinking, I am exhausted. And I said, I bet you're reading something from the writing's wood. Give me some energy, right? So the first, I opened the book, this is absolute true. I opened the book and I read, Indulge not your bodies with rest. Abdul Baha said, But work with all your souls and with all your hearts, cry out and beg of God to grant you his succor and grace. Thus may you make this world the Abha Paradise and this globe of earth the parade ground of the realm on high. If only exert the effort, it is certain that these splendors will shine out. These clouds of mercy will shed down their rain, these life-giving winds will rise and blow and this sweet-smelling musk will be scattered far and wide. Whatever may happen is for the best. Because affliction is but the essence of bounty and sorrow and toil are mercy unalloyed. And anguish is peace of mind. And to make a sacrifice is to receive a gift. And whatsoever may come to pass is issued from God's grace. Finally friends, I want to just ask you to consider another point about this persistence and perseverance part. It's a warning really. One of the letters that was written by the Universal House of Justice had a paragraph that began by, lest you be distracted, lest you be distracted. And I've been thinking a lot about how to keep our focus and our vision and not be distracted. And the one point that I wanted to emphasize tonight is how distracting it can be when we are tripped up by our own thoughts of our own failures or shortcomings or regrets. This is a big distraction. And the beloved guardian said, regarding your own condition, he strongly urges you not to dwell on yourself. Each one of us, if we look into our failures, is sure to feel unworthy and despondent. And this feeling only frustrates our constructive efforts and wastes time. The thing for us to focus on is the glory of the cause and the power of Bahá'u'lláh, which can make of a mere drop a surging sea. Well, let me close with one more statement from the Universal House of Justice about this time we're living in and our responsibility. Our lot, dear brothers and sisters, is to be consciously involved in a vast historic process, the like of which has not ever before been experienced by any people. As a global community, we have thus far attained a unique and magnificent success in being representative of the full spectrum of the human race thanks to the inestimable expenditure of life, effort, and treasure, willingly made by thousands of our spiritual forebears. There's no other aggregation of human beings who can claim to have raised up a system with the demonstrated capacity to unite all of God's children in one world-embracing order. This achievement places us not only in a position of incomparable strength, but more particularly in one of inescapable responsibility. Does not every one of us therefore have a divine obligation to fulfill, a sacred duty to perform towards every other one who is not yet aware of the call of God's latest manifestation? Time does not stop, does not wait. With every passing hour a fresh affliction strikes at a distracted humanity. Dare we linger?