Great Reads: The George Ronald Podcast

Baha'u'llah, The West and the Birth of Modernity with Stephen Beebe

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 11:42:07 GMT

The nineteenth century not only saw the appearance of two Manifestations of God; it also witnessed the most far-ranging transformations, wrought by the Spirit of the Age upon human society and the rulers who - consciously or unconsciously - laboured under its influence. In His letters to the Kings of His time, Baha'u'llah commented upon the state of the masses, foreseeing in prophecy and allusion the tragic consequences of neglecting His call. In the George Ronald Publication, Baha'u'llah, The West and the Birth of Modernity - An Essay on the Awakening of Humanity, Stephen Beebe offers a perspective on Bahá’u’lláh’s messages to the Kings and the significance of His Revelation for the spiritual empowerment of the masses to become protagonists of their own advancement.

In this episode of Great Reads: The George Ronald Podcast, Stephen Beebe speaks about Bahá’u’lláh’s call to the Rulers of His time, the spiritual awakening of humankind and its role in advancing civilization.

Baha'u'llah, The West and the Birth of Modernity - An Essay on the Awakening of Humanity can be purchased here >

Presented and Produced by Rob Weinberg

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Lady Blomfield & Ethel Jenner Rosenberg with Robert Weinberg

Mon, 12 May 2025 11:00:00 GMT

In the early years of the twentieth century, a galaxy of unforgettable women became the principle exponents of the Bahá’í message on both sides of the Atlantic. Among them were Lady Blomfield, whose social position lent added force to the ardour with which she championed the teachings, and Ethel Jenner Rosenberg, who was described by Shoghi Effendi as England's outstanding Bahá’í pioneer worker. These two unforgettable women are the subject of full length biographies written by Robert Weinberg and published by George Ronald.

In this episode of Great Reads: The George Ronald Podcast, Yas Taherzadeh speaks to Robert Weinberg about these two unforgettable and pioneering women Bahá’ís.

Ethel Jenner Rosenberg: The Life and Times of England’s Outstanding Bahá’í Pioneer Worker can be purchased here >

Lady Blomfield: Life and Times can be purchased here >

Presented by Yas Taherzadeh

Produced by Rob Weinberg

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our Common Humanity with Dr Michael Penn

Thu, 17 Apr 2025 10:32:40 GMT

What is the essence of the human spirit, and why does it hold the key to addressing the pressing challenges of our time? Could reclaiming the human spirit transform the 21st century into an era of hope and progress? In this episode of Great Reads: The George Ronald Podcast, Dr. Michael Penn - author of Our Common Humanity: Reflections on the Reclamation of the Human Spirit - shares why he believes that this shift in focus is essential for creating a more just and compassionate world.

Our Common Humanity: Reflections on the Reclamation of the Human Spirit can be purchased here >

Presented and produced by Rob Weinberg

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fasting: The Supreme Remedy with Deborah Walters

Tue, 25 Feb 2025 09:00:00 GMT

The practice of fasting has been used for both spiritual development and physical healing for many centuries. In the Bahá’í Faith, as in many religions, a period of fasting once a year is seen as a symbol of purification and a means of moving closer towards our Creator, putting us in touch with our duty and destiny here on Earth.

In her book The Supreme Remedy: Reflections on Applying Natural Healing Arts to the Baha’i Fast, Deborah Walters - a Doctor of Naturopathy - draws on both the Bahá’í teachings and her professional experience to examine the human condition of soul, mind and body, how they are interrelated, and how they can be integrated, transformed and energized through the spiritual discipline of the Bahá’í Fast.

In this episode of Great Reads: The George Ronald podcast, Deborah Walters discusses how we can purify and energize soul, mind and body during the Fast and live a healthy lifestyle all year round.

Purchase The Supreme Remedy: Reflections on Applying Natural Healing Arts to the Baha’i Fast here >

Presented and produced by Rob Weinberg

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Howard Colby Ives & Mabel Rice-Wray Ives with Erica Toussaint and Earl Redman

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 06:37:01 GMT

Portals to Freedom by Howard Colby Ives - the second ever book published by George Ronald in 1943 - has been loved for more than eight decades for its pen portraits of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. But not many people know the story of Howard Colby Ives and of his wife Mabel Rice-Wray Ives, whose dedication to the Bahá’í Faith made her a powerhouse in her own right. Together, they formed a powerful partnership, travelling across the United States and Canada in their service to the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh.

A Day for Very Great Things - The Lives of Howard Colby Ives and Mabel Rice-Wray Ives by Howard’s Great-Granddaughter Erica Toussaint and Earl Redman is the moving account of a husband and wife who strove to serve the Bahá’í Faith with complete commitment and constant sacrifice.

In this episode of Great Reads: The George Ronald Podcast, Erica and Earl share their journey of research and recount some of the stories they found in more than 900 letters between this devoted couple, whose lives continue to offer inspiration today.

Purchase A Day for Very Great Things - The Lives of Howard Colby Ives and Mabel Rice-Wray Ives here >

Presented and produced by Rob Weinberg

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Advancing the Oneness of Humanity - The Olympic Games with Kiser Barnes

Sun, 13 Oct 2024 19:29:32 GMT

In the last decade of the nineteenth century, a French baron Pierre de Coubertin promoted the idea of a world-embracing sporting contest which could bring nations together and promote internationalism and peace. Coubertin's conviction aligned closely with Bahá'u'lláh's emphasis on the oneness of humanity and the need to eliminate prejudice to achieve world peace. In his new book, Advancing the Oneness of Humanity - The Olympic Games, Kiser Barnes explores how Bahá'u'lláh's vision of the unity and oneness of humanity resonates with the Olympics through their shared emphasis on bringing together the diverse peoples of the world in a spirit of harmony and cooperation.

In this episode of Great Reads: The George Ronald Podcast, Kiser Barnes reveals the profound impact of the Olympics on global unity, inspiring generations to embrace these ideals.

Purchase Advancing the Oneness of Humanity - The Olympic Games here >

Presented and produced by Rob Weinberg

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Story of the Shrine of the Báb with Michael Day

Wed, 14 Aug 2024 20:27:39 GMT

Nothing was easy about transforming the barren and rocky mountainside of Mount Carmel in the Holy Land into the spectacular garden paradise it is today.

Its dramatic story began with the secret rescue in 1850 of the sacred remains of the Báb, Prophet-Herald of the Baha’i Faith. For almost 60 years, His casket was hidden in place after place. With infinite difficulty, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá raised up the first simple building to enshrine the Báb’s remains. Then, over successive decades, Shoghi Effendi, Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith completed the golden-domed superstructure and extended the gardens around it. In the 1990s, the stairway of 19 garden terraces, envisaged by 'Abdu'l-Bahá was constructed - completing a century of devotion, sacrifice and supreme expertise in architecture, engineering and horticulture.

This fascinating history of the Shrine of the Báb and its terraces is compellingly told in a trilogy of three books published by George Ronald - Journey to a Mountain, Coronation on Carmel and Sacred Stairway - written by Michael Day.

In this episode of Great Reads: The George Ronald Podcast, Michael Day talks about his own journey to telling the story of the mountain of God.

Purchase Journey to a Mountain, here >

Purchase Coronation on Carmel here >

Purchase Sacred Stairway here >

Presented and produced by Rob Weinberg

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Bahá’í Community of the British Isles 1844-1963 with Dr. Moojan Momen

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 19:29:53 GMT

The British Bahá’í community has been in existence since 1899 and its National Spiritual Assembly was first elected in 1923. Although a number of monographs, articles and biographies have appeared over the years, no overall survey of the community’s history had yet been published - until very recently. The Bahá’í Community of the British Isles 1844–1963, published in 2023 by George Ronald, is an attempt to fill some of the gap.

The project was conceived by the late Adam Thorne, who spent more than two decades collecting material on the history of the Bahá’í community of the British Isles. His work was completed by Dr Moojan Momen, with the assistance of George Ronald authors Earl Redman and Janet Fleming Rose.

In this episode of Great Reads: The George Ronald Podcast, Dr Moojan Momen shares more about this magnificent piece of scholarly research and a labour of love.

The Bahá'í Community of the British Isles 1844-1963 can be purchased here >

Presented and produced by Rob Weinberg

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alma Sedonia Knobloch with Jennifer Redson Wiebers

Fri, 26 Jul 2024 16:05:10 GMT

Alma Sedonia Knobloch’s name may not be as well-known as, say, Martha Root’s or May Maxwell’s - yet her pioneering efforts were singled out by ‘Abdu’l-Baha in His Tablets of the Divine Plan.

Her 13 years in Germany saw an astonishing growth in its Bahá’í community which became the largest in Europe. After returning to the United States, she dedicated the rest of her life to the cause of race unity, building up communities in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.

Alma’s fascinating and little-known story is told in full in the recent George Ronald publication, Alma Sedonia Knobloch: Maidservant of the Divine Plan.

In this episode of Great Reads: The George Ronald Podcast, Jennifer Redson Wiebers shares more about this inspiring, unsung heroine.

Alma Sedonia Knobloch: Maidservant of the Divine Plan is available as a book or electronic publication, here >

Presented and produced by Rob Weinberg

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lighting the Western Sky & Infinite Horizons with Kathryn Jewett Hogenson

Sun, 14 Jul 2024 12:04:16 GMT

This first pilgrimage by Westerners to visit ‘Abdul-Bahá in the Holy Land was a pivotal event in the history of the Bahá í Faith, a turning point that would have, and continues to have, far-reaching implications. The fascinating story of the intrepid travellers who made that journey is brilliantly told in Lighting the Western Sky: The First Pilgrimage of Western Baha’is to the Holy Land by Kathryn Jewett Hogenson, first published by George Ronald in 2010.

More recently Kathryn has given us Infinite Horizons: The Life and Times of Horace Holley, an account of a unique man from the next generation of American Baha’is who left an equally indelible imprint on the history of his community for more than four decades - and indeed on the entire Bahá’í world as a Hand of the Cause of God.

In this episode of Great Reads: The George Ronald Podcast, Kathryn Jewett Hogenson shares more about the process of researching and writing her two fascinating books.

Lighting the Western Sky: The First Pilgrimage of Western Baha’is to the Holy Land is available as a book or electronic publication, here >

Infinite Horizons: The Life and Times of Horace Holley is available as a book or electronic publication, here >

Presented and produced by Rob Weinberg

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Science and Art of Being Human with Margaret Appa

Fri, 12 Jul 2024 13:39:11 GMT

Do you consider yourself untalented when it comes to art or, for that matter, any creative activity? Were you told early on in your education that you lacked talent or ability, that your energies would be better re-directed into something more scientific or “academic”?

In her new book published by George Ronald, Margaret Appa sets out to challenge our conventional definitions and understanding of science and art, offering a fresh perspective - rooted in the Baha’i teachings - that could revolutionize how we view human potential. Every individual, she suggests, possesses the capacity for both - if we only would open up our definitions of both to embrace the myriad ways that humans design, create, and shape our world.

In this episode of Great Reads: The George Ronald Podcast, Margaret Appa argues that the domains of science and art are not separate or in opposition to each other, but deeply interconnected aspects of human knowledge and skill.

The Science and Art of Being Human: Questioning Accepted Understandings - A Baha’i Perspective can be purchased here >

Presented and produced by Rob Weinberg

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

'Abdu'l-Bahá in Europe 1912-1913 with Adib Masumian

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 16:39:00 GMT

In the first decades of the 20th Century, 'Abdu'l-Bahá was known as the leading exponent of the Bahá'í Teachings, renowned as a champion of social justice and an ambassador for international peace. Freed after more than five decades of exile and imprisonment, Abdu'l Bahá embarked on three years of historic travels to Egypt, Europe, Great Britain, and the United States of America.

For the American and final European stages of his momentous journey, 'Abdu'l Bahá was accompanied everywhere by Mirzá Mahmud Zarqání, who made extensive notes not only of His many public talks and conversations with individuals, but also of the new sights and experiences they found, as well as the daily routines of eating, writing letters and traveling. The result was a unique diary regarded as a reliable account of 'Abdu'l Bahá's travels in the West and an authentic record of his utterances, whether in the form of formal talks, table talks, or oral statements.

While the first volume of Mahmúd's Diary - published in translation by George Ronald in 1998 - covered 'Abdu'l-Bahá's historic travels in North America, a second volume, untranslated until now, continues the story, chronicling 'Abdu'l Bahá's return to Europe.

In this episode of Great Reads: The George Ronald Podcast, its translator Adib Masumian introduces this momentous publication and the process of its translation.

'Abdu'l-Bahá in Europe 1912-1913: The Talks and Travels of the Master as Recorded by Mírzá Mahmúd Zarqání can be purchased here >

Presented and produced by Rob Weinberg

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.