The Corinne True Center for Baha’i History held its second annual conference on Baha’i history, texts, and ideas at Green Acre Baha’i School on Friday evening, June 5, 2026, through Sunday noontime on June 7. The purpose of the conference was to encourage, support, and disseminate new scholarship about Baha’i history, Baha’i theological and philosophical topics, the translation and study of authoritative Baha’i texts, and the Baha’i study of other religions and scriptures. The program offered some significant talks.
Read the Article About the Conference
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Schedule
All sessions will occur in Kelsey Hall
FRIDAY, JUNE 5:
3:30 Tour of Green Acre and Eliot, and visit to Louis Gregory’s grave.
5:00 Registration Opens
6:00 Dinner
7:30 Robert Stockman: Overview of conference and of the Corinne True Center
8:00: Session 1, Gisu Mohadjer and Amelia Cook, “Hand of the Cause of God Louis G. Gregory – Learning from His Teaching Methods”, Chaired by Gwen Etter-Lewis
10:00: Kelsey Hall and building closes for the night.
SATURDAY, JUNE 6:
8:00 Breakfast
9:00 Devotions; orientation
9:15 Session 2 : Aspects of Baha’i Practice, Chaired by Robert Stockman
Holly Hanson, “Patterns of Baha’i Collective Worship”
Douglas Henck, “A Sacred Trust: The History of Institutional Stewardship of the Bahá’í Fund”
10:45 Break
11:00 Session 3: The House of the Bab, Chaired by Omid Ghaemmaghami
Hamid Afnan Mahdavy and Elham Afnan Mahdavy, “Historical, Religious, and Symbolic Significance of the House of the Báb”
12:30 Lunch
2:00 Session 4: Biography in Baha’i History, Chaired by Angelita Reyes
Gity Banan Etemad, “Transition and Venture: Glimpses into the Life of F. H. Banan”
James Russell, “Marzieh Gail as a Medievalist”
3:30 Break
3:45 Session 5: Touching History: Theory and Practice in Oral History interviews, Chaired by William Collins
Angelita Reyes, “Touching History: Spaces Between Theory and Oral History Practices on Video”
Gwen Etter-Lewis: “Capturing a Moment of Historic Portent: Oral History as a Catalyst for Social Change”
5:30 Supper
8:00 Session 6: Anne Perry, “Bringing History Alive through the Arts” (Saturday Evening Program), Chaired by Gisu Mohadjer
10:00: Kelsey Hall and building closes for the night.
SUNDAY, JUNE 7:
8:00 Breakfast
9:00 Devotions
9:15 Session 7: Aspects of Baha’i History, Chaired by Mina Yazdani
Zack Heern, “Muslim Clerics in the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh”
Vafa Bayat, “Abdu’l-Baha’s Visit to Stanford”
10:45 Break
11:00 Session 8: Baha’i Approaches to Other Religions, Chaired by Robert Stockman
William Collins, “Evolving Bahá’í Understanding of Prophecy: Fulfillment Behind Us, Vision Ahead”
Joseph Weixelman, “The Significance of Mexico’s Feathered Serpent: An Interpretation of the Quetzalcoatl Legend”
12:30 Lunch
1:30: program ends
Presentations
Presenters (in alphabetical order; click on the name to access recordings and transcripts):
Hamid Afnan Mahdavy and Elham Afnan Mahdavy
Angelita Reyes, “Touching History: Spaces Between Theory and Oral History Practices on Video”
