Gothard started an organization in 1961 called Campus Teams, which in 1974 changed its name to Institute in Basic Youth Conflicts. Later, in 1989, the name changed again to Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP). Gothard is now the president and a board member of this organization. In the 1970s they started the Basic Youth Conflicts Seminar (also called Basic Seminars) across the United States. More people came, averaging between 10,000 and 20,000 people at each seminar. In the early 1980s the seminar attendance began to get smaller. Today seminars keep being held around the world and have an alumni base of more than 2.5 million.
In 1984, under Gothard’s leadership, a homeschooling program, the Advanced Training Institute of America was founded. He is the author of many books. In 2004, Gothard received his Ph.D. in Biblical Studies. Gothard is not married, and has no children.
Gothard's teaching focuses on seven "life principles", 49 character qualities, and 49 commands that Jesus gave. He views the Bible as the word of God and teaches that while there is only one interpretation of scripture. However, Gothard's use of the Bible has met with criticism. On his website he states ""the goal of my teaching is to provide Biblical principles and concepts of life to guide people in their choices.""
Gothard tells people not to listen to "un-Christian" music, including all popular and contemporary Christian music. He is in favor homeschooling; IBLP publishes its own homeschooling material. He has discouraged the use of contraceptives or other family planning.
As a part of the IBLP, Gothard organized the "Medical Training Institute of America" (MTIA). The main purpose of the ministry is to "train men and women to assist families in making wise decisions about health care issues." The "Medical Training Institute of America" is not a medical school and does not give degrees.
A group called the "Personal Freedom Outreach" (PFO) has criticized Gothard in several ways. Such as say that Gothard's views and his interpretations of Scripture are legalistic teachings, and that IBLP and such are "cult-like". Gothard was also accused by some of being contemporary for not practicing what he preaches about conflict resolution, and for his "quiverfull" teachings that married Christians should have as many children as possible. Even when Gothard himself is not married and has no children, even into his 70s.
Don Veinot claimed in his critical book on Gothard that Dr. Ronald Allen, a conservative evangelical, went to a Gothard seminar in 1973 and wrote that "In this seminar, I was regularly assaulted by the misuse of the Bible, particularly of the Old Testament, on a level that I have never experienced in a public ministry before that time (or since)."
Institute in Basic Life Principles
The Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP) is Christian organization in Oak Brook, Illinois. It was founded by Bill Gothard in 1964.
Master of Arts
A Master of Arts (Latin:"Magister Artium") is a postgraduate academic master's degree given by universities in many countries.
American Fork River
The American Fork River, in Utah, leaves the Wasatch Mountains out of American Fork Canyon about 35 miles southeast of Salt Lake City. The river starts on Mount Timpanogos and the river runs down through American Fork Canyon. On the way it goes through the Uinta National Forest and Timpanogos Cave National Monument. Leaving the canyon, the river runs through northern Utah County and empties into Utah Lake on the north shore.
Frank O'Connor
Charles Francis O'Connor (1897 - 1979), called Frank O'Connor, was an American actor and painter. He was the husband of writer Ayn Rand.
O'Connor and Rand met on a movie set, in the years of silent movies. They were appearing as extras. Rand was also writing scripts, and O'Connor building a movie and stage career. Rand admired O'Connor's looks, and tripped him on the set, to get him to notice her. They married in 1929.
To make sure they had enough income to succeed, O'Connor let his acting career go, becoming a rancher so Rand could succeed as an author, which was her ambition. He appeared in a presentation of her play "Night of January 16th", after she became better known. O'Connor also proposed the name "Atlas Shrugged" for Rand's book, which she formerly called "The Strike" before publication.
The couple had no children, but were friends with some college students and young professionals, including Nathaniel Branden (who later wrote psychology books, including important works on self-esteem), Alan Greenspan (economist, who was Federal Reserve chairman for the United States government) and Leonard Peikoff (later author of philosophy works, and editor of Rand's works). O'Connor "played host" to many discussions and forums about human interaction, relationships and societies, while wife Rand led the conversations.
He found a new pursuit, as he developed a talent for painting. Some of Rand's books used his paintings for book covers.
Actor Peter Fonda appeared as O'Connor in a 1999 television movie, "The Passion of Ayn Rand", which also starred Helen Mirren.
Alma mater
Alma mater is the singular form of the Latin word for "nourishing mother". It was used in ancient Rome as a title for the mother goddess, and in Medieval Christianity for the Virgin Mary. In current days, it is most often used to refer to the university or college a person went to. However, it may also refer to the song or hymn of a college or university.
The term alma mater can be traced back to eleventh-century Europe. The first known use of the term in reference to university was in 1088. The University of Bologna coined their motto “Alma Mater Studiorum,” (translated: “nourishing mother of studies”).
Amplitude modulation
Amplitude Modulation, usually shortened to AM, is a simple way to send a radio signal. The signal can travel long distances, and appear in faraway places, because of the earth's ionosphere.
Amplitude is the height of a wave. A carrier wave is modulated (changed) by adding audio. The combined signal is transmitted over a frequency. AM signals can be received by a crystal-powered radio set, that needs no batteries or electrical power source. Many early radios were homemade, and used earphones.
AM signals are mostly sent out on medium wave and shortwave frequencies. They do not carry high fidelity sound, but the sound is good enough to hear most things. Analog signals can fade in and out, or have interference from power lines and power stations. Sunspot activity can also weaken signals.
In the early years of commercial broadcasting in the 1920s, medium wave AM (from 540 to 1600 kilocycles) was the only kind of radio widely used. Radio programs were much like today's television programs, including news, sports, drama, music, comedy, and other entertainment.
Later Frequency Modulation (FM) radio was developed. It had better fidelity, but the signals could not travel as far, so AM was still important. After television became common in the 1950s, AM became a major format for popular music. As FM became common in the 1970s, AM stations featured more news, and talk shows.
Shortwave radio signals (from 3000 to 30,000 kilocycles) can travel around the world, and are used by countries to send programs to distant places. These programs feature news about the country, examples of their native culture and history, and sometimes foreign language lessons.
Biberach (district)
Biberach ( ]; Alemannic German: "Landchrais Bibra") is a district in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is surrounded by (from the south and clockwise) the districts of Ravensburg, Sigmaringen, Reutlingen and Alb-Donau, and the Bavarian districts Neu-Ulm, Unterallgäu and the district-free city Memmingen. The most important towns in the district of Biberach are Biberach (Riß), Riedlingen, Ochsenhausen and Laupheim.