Bahai Library Online

Videos of academic/historic content only. See also Talks, Presentations, Audio, and Transcripts. See also Youtube, Vimeo, and WebChannel9.

Videos of Lectures

  1. Jan T. Jasion. Abdu'l-Baha and "The Other" (2021). On xenophobia; Abdu'l-Bahá's response to it; his reactions to certain newspapers; the impact of xenophobia on digitized collections; some comments by Bahá'u'lláh on journalism. Text of a webinar presented to the Wilmette Institute (December, 2020).
  2. Hussein Ahdieh and Hillary Chapman. 'Abdu'l-Bahá in New York (2012). History of Abdu'l-Bahá's visit, concepts and principles he spoke about, the social context of New York at the time, and personal stories of the lives of early American Bahá'ís. Includes video interview with the author, and Spanish translation.
  3. Ray Estes and Miles Lane. Abrahamic Covenant as the Pathway to the Glory of God, The: Exploring the Mysteries of Divine Unity (2006). 77 audio files of talks and interviews by a born-again Christian who became a Bahá'í, and related material, including presentations on spiritual truths and the rapture of "end times," and archive of the website innermeanings.com.
  4. Alain Locke. Christopher Buck, comp. Audio and video clips (1933).
  5. Boris Handal. Audio-Video Presentations: Mirza Mihdi; historia de la familia Khamsi; Varqá and Rúhu'lláh (2020). Links to five Youtube videos in English and Spanish, including "Mírzá Mihdí: The Purest Branch," "Mírzá Mihdí: La Rama Más Pura," "Historia de la Familia Khamsi, un Legado de Servicio," and "Life and Martyrdom of Varqá and Rúhu’lláh."
  6. Hussein Ahdieh and Hillary Chapman. Awakening: A History of the Bábi and Bahá'í Faiths in Nayriz (2013). Eight items: The complete book in Spanish, sample chapter in English, reviews, audio interview, and video interviews and presentations, including one on "Bábí Women Of Nayriz" in the persecutions of 1850, 1853 and 1909.
  7. William S. Hatcher. Backbiting (2003). Fireside in St. Petersburg.
  8. Anthony Hill. Baha'i: A Look into the World's Newest Religion, and Why Followers Find it Appealing (2022). TV news report summarizing Baha'i history and practice, and breaking the fast with some Baha'is in Florida.
  9. Baha'i Architect (82) Receives Honorary Degree: Transcript (2024). Graduation ceremony at the University of British Columbia honoring Dr. Hossein Amanat, architect of the Seat of the Universal House of Justice, who shares his insightful perspective.
  10. Hussein Ahdieh. Bahá'í History and Videos (2013). Links to Zoom videos on a variety of topics: Kahlil Gibran, the life of Varqá, Bahá'í schools for girls and Tahirih's influence, martyrs in Nayriz, Abdu'l-Bahá in New York, and Harlem Prep School.
  11. Roshan Danesh. Bahá'í Law (2021). Bahá'í law in its historical, cultural, social, religious, political, and legal contexts, within processes and discourses of social change and legal revitalization within Islamic societies; responses to modernity, colonization, and justice movements.
  12. Todd Lawson. Bahá'í Reception of the Qur'an, The (2016). Quranic themes inform much of the Bahá'í proclamation. One theme is unity: there is one god, one humanity, and one religion. Another is the importance of Revelation through God's recurring messengers, and Apocalypse as but the dawn of a new message.
  13. Peter Smith. Bahá'í Studies videos (2013). Twelve introductory videos about Bahá'í history, practice, and teachings.
  14. Peter Smith. Baha'i Studies Youtube Playlist (2020). Link to Smith's videos on Bábí and Bahá'í history: Emergence of the Bábí movement; Bábí conflict and collapse; development of a new religion; Bahá'u'lláh; Bahá'í beliefs and practice; geo-cultural breakthroughs; expansion of the Bahá'í Faith.
  15. Jerome Socolovsky. Baha'is Mark Centenary of Visit to America by Religious Leader (2012). Short TV report on the Bahá'í Faith, Abdu'l-Baha's visit, and Persian believers.
  16. Daniel C. Jordan and Doug Honaker. Birds of Diverse Feathers Consult Together (1972). 25-minute film strip with audio narration, written by Jordan and illustrated by Honaker. Originally accompanied by a booklet that had photos of all the images and the narrative.
  17. Nader Saiedi. Birth of Human Beings in the Writings of the Bab (2010). A talk on an invited topic (the origin of humankind) from a scholar known for his unique familiarity with the works of The Bab.
  18. Various. Collections of Audio and Video Talks: Lists of Speakers and Titles (?-20). List of talks and presentations in Video or Audio format found at other sites; included here for reference and keyword indexing.
  19. Greg Watson. "Come Back, Africa: First commercial film mentioning the Bahá'í Faith (2013). Context of a 1959 African documentary/drama film in which the Bahá'í Faith is discussed.
  20. Hooper Dunbar. Coming of Age (2012). Overview of the Faith and discussion of "coming of age" which, both at an individual level and as part of the social evolution of humankind, is a common theme in the Writings. Includes question-and-answer session.
  21. William S. Hatcher. Cultural Values and Spirituality (2003). Speech to the Bahá'í community in St. Petersburg.
  22. William S. Hatcher. Divine Philosophy as Described by 'Abdu'l-Bahá (2003). Fireside talk.
  23. Brett Zamir. Efficient Searches and Shortcuts (2022). A series of videos introducing rationales for, and details on use of, browser keyword shortcuts with the Bahá'í Writings
  24. John S. Hatcher. Enigmatic Questions Surrounding the Appearances of the Prophets (2011). Issues related to the ontology and powers of the Manifestations can test the mettle of even deepened and learned Bahá'ís, but these concepts are central in understanding how the creator employs vicegerents to educate humankind.
  25. William S. Hatcher. Equality of Men and Women (2003). Fireside talk at the Bahá'í Centre in St. Petersburg.
  26. Marco Oliveira. Estudo da Epístola Filho do Lobo (2022). Links to six videos in Portuguese: translation and adaptation of Melanie Smith's Study Guide to the Epistle to the Son of the Wolf (1991), first taught as an online course in 2021 for friends in Portugal and Brazil and then recorded for Youtube.
  27. Marco Oliveira. Estudo da Súriy-i-Haykal (2023). Nine videos. Nesta Epístola, Bahá'u'lláh revela a majestade e a glória do Templo - que é o Seu próprio Ser - e apresenta novos aspectos da revelação de Deus.
  28. Shafigheh Fatheazam. Family Stories about Ismu'llahu'l-Asdaq and His Son Ibn-i-Asdaq (2020). Recollections from a descendant of Mulla Sadiq Muqaddas Ismu'llah as-Sadiq, the Hand of the Cause who was one of the earliest to become a Babi, from the time of the Bab to the time of Shoghi Effendi; includes many stories not recorded in written sources.
  29. William S. Hatcher. Few Distinctive Aspects of the Bahá'í Faith, A (2003). Talk at the Bahá'í Center in St. Petersburg.
  30. Christopher Buck. Fifty Bahá'í Principles of Unity: A Paradigm of Social Salvation (2014). World religions are systems of salvation, liberation, or harmony, in direct response to the perceived human predicament. To Baha’is, this predicament is profound estrangement and the solution is world unity, from family to international relations.
  31. William S. Hatcher. God's Will (2003). Fireside talk in St. Petersburg.
  32. William S. Hatcher. Good, The (2003). Fireside talk in St. Petersburg.
  33. Douglas Martin. Historical Consciousness and the Divine Plan (2010). A series of eight talks, in both audio and video formats, on the evolution of religion and humanity.
  34. Julia Berger. Ideas, Religion, and Social Change (2021). Links to a book chapter and video presentation and presentation notes (offsite) presented for the Joint Learning Initiative on Faith & Local Communities, on meaning-making processes driving NGO behavior and the Bahá'í Faith's pursuit of social change.
  35. Farzam Arbab. Intellectual Life of the Bahá'í Community, The (2016). The 34th Hasan M. Balyuzi Memorial Lecture at the ABS conference in Montreal, on the need for us to have intellectual courage, a lack of elitism, and the harmony of science and religion. Includes video, published version, and an outline of the talk.
  36. Todd Lawson. Islam and the Life of the Mind (2005). History of Islamic philosophy and how it connects to individual Muslims.
  37. William S. Hatcher. Logic and Mysticism (2003). Two presentations in Russia on the same topic.
  38. Peter J. Khan. Material and Spiritual Worlds (2010). Four talks on the Five-Year Plan given at the North Island Bahá'í Summer School, Hamilton, New Zealand, December 2010.
  39. Peter Smith. Membership, Joining and Leaving Religious Movements and Organizations (2020). Reflections from the perspective of sociology of religion on belonging, joining, and leaving a faith group: membership, conversion, 'deconversion,' and sociological factors impacting conversion and deconversion; includes videos.
  40. Boris Handal. Mulla Husayn's Journey: Google Earth video (2022). This silent video captured from Google Earth shows Mulla Husayn's 800km, 82-day journey from Mashhad to Shaykh Tabarsi with 200+ Babis (21 July - 12 October 1848).
  41. William S. Hatcher. Nature of the Soul (2003). Fireside talk at the Bahá'í Center in St. Petersburg.
  42. Reinee Pasarow. Near Death Experience (1993). Video talk by a person who had a life-changing near death experience as a teenager, became a seeker and Bahá'í, and did talks about her experience which also gave her the opportunity to teach about the Bahá'í Faith.
  43. Christopher Buck. 'Never Again': Kevin Gover's Apology for the Bureau of Indian Affairs (2006). This article does not mention the Bahá'í Faith, but was published in a social justice and human rights journal and written by a Bahá'í.
  44. William S. Hatcher. On the Meaning of Being a Bahá'í (2003). Talk at the Bahá'í Center in St. Petersburg.
  45. William S. Hatcher. Phenomenon of Prejudice, The (2003). Fireside at the Bahá'í Centre in St. Petersburg.
  46. William S. Hatcher. Philosophy of Minimalism, The (2003). Talk at the Philosophical Club of St. Petersburg.
  47. William S. Hatcher. Prayer and Meditation (2003). Talk at the Bahá'í Center in St. Petersburg.
  48. William Sears. Progressive Revelation and Oneness of Religion (1972). A videotaped talk (possibly from 1972), along with a shorter animated 2018 presentation prepared by a graphic designer for the Bahá'í Journeys website.
  49. William S. Hatcher. Question of Objectivity, The (2003). Speech at the Faculty of Philosophy of St. Petersburg State University.
  50. William S. Hatcher. Relationship Between Science and Religion (2003). Fireside in St. Petersburg.
  51. William S. Hatcher. Sacrifice (2003). Fireside talk in St. Petersburg.
  52. Alan Bryson. Short Films, Music, and Prayers (2020). Link to "Irenic Visuals," a YouTube channel with Bahá'í music and prayers, and short films on Bahiyyih Khanum, Lorna Byrne, interfaith dialogue, Juliet Thompson, and Kahlil Gibran.
  53. Houri Falahi-Skuce. Story of Anis Zunuzi, The (2020). Links to 53-minute video presentation with original music and narration. Includes transcript.
  54. Fariborz Sahba. Storytelling and Once Upon a Time, The: Youtube Playlists (2020). Zoom videos of some historical events witnessed by the manager for the Arc Project during 10 years of the development of the Bahá'í Temple in India and 15 years of the development of the Mount Carmel Bahá'í Project in Haifa, and other stories.
  55. Todd Lawson. Tafsir and the Meaning of the Qur'an: The Crucifixion in Muslim Thought (2010). Using Qur'án 4:156-7 as an example, classical tafsīr, “scholastic" exegesis, has not always taken account of the way all Muslims understand the Quranic text. Other understandings may be found in poetry, philosophy, mysticism and even historical writing.
  56. Brett Zamir. TextBrowser, Bahaiwritings, and Bahai-browser.org: Web apps for browsing the Bahá'í Writings with customizability (2022). Tutorial videos on an experimental web app to browse Writings with high customizability and in parallel.
  57. William S. Hatcher. Truth and Happiness (2003). Fireside with Bahá'ís in St. Petersburg.
  58. Moojan Momen. Understanding Bahá'í History: Introduction to the study of history (2013). Video and transcript, prepared for the Wilmette Institute, about how to approach and understand the study of history, biases of eyewitnesses, and the subjective construction of facts.
  59. Bahá'í World News Service. United Kingdom: Restoration Project Honors enduring impact of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Message of Peace (2024). Story on the restoration of an apartment now open for public visits in Bristol, UK, where Abdu'l-Baha stayed and gave public presentations in 1911 and 1913.
  60. William S. Hatcher. Universal Values (2003). Two presentations in Russia on the same topic.
  61. Duane Troxel. Videos for Deepening (2004). Four videos: The Life of the Báb, The Life of the Guardian, The Return of Christ, and What Do Bahá'ís Believe.
  62. Madeleine Kapsalis. We Shouldn't Be Afraid to Talk about Religion (2022). Excerpt from a longer talk, describing a Christian's interfaith encounter with Bahá'ís and being invited to teach Sunday school at Wilmette.
  63. Negar Mottahedeh. Where the Future Nests: 19th Century Babi and Bahá'í Photography (2009).
  64. Wilmette Institute Presentations on Youtube.com (2011). Link to Youtube channel with dozens of educational presentations and videos, listed here for keyword searching and tagging.
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