Our courses are asynchronous, meaning you may log in at any time of the day or night to access the materials. Additionally, each course features a weekly 90-minute Zoom meeting (recommended but optional) that is recorded and posted. To facilitate the flow of written discussion in the forums, each course is divided into units. You will be encouraged to progress through the course alongside the other participants. Two weeks at the end of the course are provided for you to reflect on what you have learned, to consider how your learning can be applied to your daily life, to give feedback on your learning experience, and to complete any outstanding readings or assignments. 

Online Course Format

Information about all courses

Graphic showing faculty (Robert Stockman and JoAnn Borovicka) and the covers of the two textbooks

 

Jesus and the Gospels in Historical and Bahà’í Perspective is a 12-week course in which students will (1) examine biblical scholarship on the historical and cultural complexities involved when studying the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, (2) explore Bahá’í teachings on the spiritual integrity of the Gospels, and, with their cohorts, (3) consider the compatibility of the biblical scholarship and Bahá’í teachings presented. This challenging course explores the Gospels in ways that will be new for most Bahá’ís and Christians. The course provides video lectures by Robert Stockman based on Bart D. Ehrman’s book entitled The New Testament – A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings, 5th edition (Oxford University Press, 2016), and PDF excerpts from Light of the Kingdom – Biblical Topics in the Bahá’í Writings (Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 2016) by JoAnn Borovicka. The purchase of the texts is suggested but is not necessary. There will also be live Zoom sessions with the faculty on Sundays at 4 pm Eastern Time. 

Faculty: Robert H. Stockman, rbtstockman@gmail.com and JoAnn Borovicka, joannborovicka@gmail.com

Learning Objectives

  • State Bahá'í teachings regarding Jesus and the Gospels.
  • Explain the historical and cultural conditions under which the Gospels were composed and their impact on our understanding of Jesus.
  • Participate in a community dialog to reconcile the historical and cultural factors of the Gospels with the Bahá'í teachings.