The Process of Social Change BY BRIAN AULL [This article is one written by Brian some time ago, and reprinted by permission from "World Order" magazine--please contact Brian for more info on this] When asked to describe an ideal world, most people would list similar characteristics. They would imagine a world without war, poverty, political repression, and racial animosity. Many might imagine a world whose political and economic machinery is unified. When asked whether and how such a world might be possible, however, these same people would probably not display such a consensus. People are deeply divided over the question of social change: not so much over what changes would ultimately be ideal but over what changes are realistic and over the processes that might produce changes. Social change is a central theme of the Baha'i Faith. For example, its teachings call for the unification of the world's political machinery and economic systems. Until recently such goals were widely regarded as radical and impractical. However, the changes of the twentieth century have produced a universal awareness of the interdependence of the nations of the world. The result is that the idea of a global civilization now finds much more widespread acceptance. The more profound and less well understood aspects of the Baha'i teachings, however, pertain to the process of change. The Baha'i teachings present definitive concepts of human nature and human history and emphasize the mutually reinforcing nature of social change and spiritual development. The Baha'i teachings also stress the indispensability of religion in promoting this dual process. Baha'is believe that their Faith embodies the most recent direct revelation of the will of God to humanity and that the pattern of social and democratic process to which the Baha'i community aspires reflects a divinely inspired model of social change that is suited to the needs of the modern world. Human Nature and Human History Among organizations that work for social change two opposing views of change are often encountered. The "macrocentric" model holds that not much can be done to improve human nature but that human beings respond to the forces of political and social organization and economics. In this view change is based on macropolitical and macroeconomic reform and restructuring. The "microcentric" model, on the contrary, holds that the transformation of the individual, achieved at the spiritual, psychological, and interpersonal levels, will automatically result in the creation of a just and harmonious social order. In this view achieving a spiritual orientation is not only necessary but sufficient. In the United States the philosophical differences between these two models have separated political activists from those involved in the "human potential" movement. The Baha'i writings support and seek to reconcile aspects of both views.[1 ] On the one hand, Baha'u'llah, the Prophet-Founder of the Baha'i Faith, addressed letters to the rulers of the most powerful countries of the nineteenth century, urging them not only to reduce armaments and to defend the poor and downtrodden within their own dominions, but also to agree jointly on a multilateral common security framework in which peace would be enforced by the entire community of nations rather than by particular powers. Baha'u'llah also made one of two major responsibilities of individuals in general the carrying forward of an "ever-advancing civilization."[2] Such statements are Baha'u'llah's affirmation of the importance of comprehensive political restructuring. Moreover, such restructuring would have a direct impact on the development of the individual. Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith, states, for example, that, although the emergence of a world civilization and culture represents the full maturation of human society, the individual, "as a result of such a consummation, will continue indefinitely to progress and develop." [3] On the other hand, the Baha'i writings repeatedly emphasize the development of spiritual and moral attributes in the individual (who is enjoined to know and to love God) as a prerequisite to social change.[4] 'Abdu'l-Baha, the son of Baha'u'llah and authorized interpreter of His teachings, states that "the morals of humanity must undergo change" and that the uplifting of the human race in the aggregate depends on love and spiritual bonds uniting the hearts of people.[5] Thus the Baha'i writings indicate a mutually reinforcing relationship between the spiritual development of the individual and the social processes of the family, community, nation, and planet. A deeper understanding of this relationship is gained by examining the concepts of human nature and human history in the Baha'i writings. Divergent assumptions about human nature have divided thinkers throughout the centuries. There has been a pervasive conflict between the view that human beings are basically good and the view that, stripped of the restraints imposed by society, humans are basically evil. The Baha'i Faith affirms elements of both views. Human beings are both spiritual and physical beings. Their spiritual endowment, however, is a set of latent divine attributes that must be actively developed through a lifelong effort to rise above a preoccupation with material existence and to develop spiritual qualities and a moral character. The core of the process is the development of a bond of love between the individual and his or her Creator. Speaking of the human soul, Baha'u'llah writes: "Know, verily, that the soul is a sign of God, a heavenly gem whose reality the most learned of men hath failed to grasp, and whose mystery no mind, however acute, can ever hope to unravel. It is the first among all created things to declare the excellence of its Creator, the first to recognize His glory, to cleave to His truth, and to bow down in adoration before Him. If it be faithful to God, it will reflect His light, and will, eventually, return unto Him. If it fail, however, in its allegiance to its Creator, it will become a victim to self and passion, and will, in the end, sink in their depths. "[6] The purpose of education, defined in the broadest terms, is to foster the process of spiritual development. Again, Baha'u'llah writes: "Man is the supreme Talisman. Lack of a proper education hath, however, deprived him of that which he doth inherently possess. Through a word proceeding out of the mouth of God he was called into being; by one word more he was guided to recognize the Source of his education; by yet another word his station and destiny were safeguarded. The Great Being saith: Regard man as a mine rich in gems of inestimable value. Education can, alone, cause it to reveal its treasures, and enable mankind to benefit therefrom."[7] Though human beings are noble, it is not a nobility that manifests itself spontaneously. If the process of spiritual education is neglected, and individuals become hedonistic, they become, according to the Baha'i writings, more savage than any beast in the animal kingdom. Therefore, human beings, as individuals, have the capacity to be agents of either constructive or destructive social change. Parallel to the Baha'i Faith's developmental view of the individual is its developmental view of human society. The human race as a collective social unit also develops in response to an educative process. It undergoes stages of maturity analogous to the stages of infancy, childhood, and adolescence in the life of an individual. Shoghi Effendi states that human social evolution "has had its earliest beginnings in the birth of family life, its subsequent development in the achievement of tribal solidarity, leading in turn to the constitution of the city-state, and expanding later into the institution of independent and sovereign nations."[8] A global civilization is now beginning to emerge-a civilization that represents the coming of age of human society, analogous to adulthood in the development of the individual. Like the previous social transitions in history, however, this transition is not smooth or easy. In fact, it involves "a severe ordeal, unparalleled in its intensity."[9] The social upheaval of our century is understood by Baha'is as the growing pains of an emerging global civilization. Religion, the Baha'i Faith, and Social Change Religion is upheld in the Baha'i writings as an indispensable force for social progress, and the eclipse or corruption of religion is held to be socially as well as spiritually destructive. A fundamental Baha'i teaching that bears on the role of religion in social change is progressive revelation. Historic religions are all divine in origin, and each has played a unique historical role in a progressive civilizing process. The Founders of the religions of humankind, in their capacities as God's spokespersons, have been the primary Educators of both the individual and of society. These spiritual luminaries, to whom Baha'is refer as Manifestations of God, have each stirred a spiritual reawakening, an enkindlement of the love of God, among the people to whom they gave their messages. Each also stimulated the social and cultural development of humankind as a collective organism. Moses, for example, stressed the concept of law. The Ten Commandments that He revealed are still widely regarded as principles of civilized life and a safeguard against anarchy. Jesus Christ stressed love and spiritual devotion in His message to the heirs of Moses' revelation, many of whom had become mired in cold- hearted legalism. He rejected one of the weightiest laws of the Torah by picking corn on the Sabbath. In one sense He annulled the revelation brought by Moses, but in another sense He fulfilled it by continuing the divinely ordained educative process of humanity to the next stage. The primary historical mission of Baha'u'llah is to bring about world unity by teaching the knowledge of the oneness of the human family. Shoghi Effendi elaborates: "The principle of the Oneness of Mankind-the pivot round which all the teachings of Baha'u'llah revolve-is no mere outburst of ignorant emotionalism or an expression of vague and pious hope. Its appeal is not to be merely identified with a reawakening of the spirit of brotherhood and good-will among men, nor does it aim solely at the fostering of harmonious cooperation among individual peoples and nations. Its implications are deeper, its claims greater than any which the Prophets of old were allowed to advance. Its message is applicable not only to the individual, but concerns itself primarily with the nature of those essential relationships that must bind all the states and nations as members of one human family. It does not constitute merely the enunciation of an ideal, but stands inseparably associated with an institution adequate to embody its truth, demonstrate its validity, and perpetuate its influence. It implies an organic change in the structure of present-day society, a change such as the world has not yet experienced.... It calls for no less than the reconstruction and demilitarization of the whole civilized world-a world organically unified in all the essential aspects of its life, its political machinery, its spiritual aspiration, its trade and finance, its script and language, and yet infinite in the diversity of the national characteristics of its federated units." [10] Shoghi Effendi also points out that organic unity should not be confused with uniformity. Speaking of the teaching of Baha'u'llah, he explains: "It can conflict with no legitimate allegiances, nor can it undermine essential loyalties. Its purpose is neither to stifle the flame of a sane and intelligent patriotism in men's hearts, nor to abolish the system of national autonomy so essential if the evils of excessive centralization are to be avoided. It does not ignore, nor does it attempt to suppress, the diversity of ethnical origins, of climate, of history, of language and tradition, of thought and habit, that differentiate the peoples and nations of the world. It calls for a wider loyalty, for a larger aspiration than any that has animated the human race. It insists upon the subordination of national impulses and interests to the imperative claims of a unified world. It repudiates excessive centralization on one hand, and disclaims all attempts at uniformity on the other. Its watchword is unity in diversity."[11] This concept of unity in diversity, though paradoxical, is a pervasive aspect of reality. The human body, for example, contains an extremely diverse collection of organs and tissues, each functioning in a unique way. Yet diversity is the basis for the healthy functioning of the body as an integrated system, as a whole that is more than a sum of parts. The Baha'i teachings foster a political and social climate that reflects unity in diversity in the realm of human relationships. The Baha'i Faith's vision of unity in diversity, which is the content of the desired social change, is intimately related to its vision of process, of how this unity will be achieved in practice. Any attempt to anticipate the process must start with a disclaimer, which has best been expressed by Shoghi Effendi: "To claim to have grasped all the implications of Baha'u'llah's prodigious scheme for world-wide human solidarity, or to have fathomed its import, would be presumptuous on the part of even the declared supporters of His Faith. To attempt to visualize it in all its possibilities, to estimate its future benefits, to picture its glory, would be premature. . ." [12] All one may hope to do, then, is to achieve a limited understanding of the "Baha'i model" of the processes of social change. Features of Change Shared with Other Religions. The Baha'i model of change shares certain features with other major religions, all of which stress a synergistic relationship between spiritual development and social progress. Each religion has facilitated a bond of love between the individual and his Creator. This devotion gives a unique force of motivation to the process of ethical reorientation called for in the teachings of the religion. The resulting transformation is reflected in deeds and in the patterns of social life, especially in the early history of the religion. Thus not only does the individual change the society by force of example, but so does the entire body of believers in its functioning as a community. When the religion is young, the community of believers becomes a model subculture that stands in stark contrast to the prevailing culture of the society at large. At first this causes persecution, because the power structures of the society perceive the community of believers as a threat. Ultimately, however, the salutary characteristics of the model subculture win over the hearts and minds of members of the larger society, resulting in the rapid expansion of the new religion. Anyone who has studied the early history of Christianity will find these stages of development familiar. A key point is that the model subculture does not achieve its transformative power by manipulating or subverting the political power structures within the prevailing society. Rather, it models a positive alternative by force of individual and collective example that persuades the rest of society to aspire to the same path of transformation. Unique Features of the Baha'i Model of Change. The Baha'i model of change differs, however, from that of other world religions in that its sacred writings address conditions unique to the modern world; it provides a blueprint for a new social order. The spiritual assemblies that govern the affairs of Baha'i communities are not just democratically elected bodies that fulfill the administrative and pastoral functions that would otherwise be the domain of clergy They are the "nucleus" and "pattern" of a new world order "destined to embrace in the fullness of time the whole of mankind."[13] The Baha'i Nineteen Day Feast is not merely the equivalent of a Sunday worship service. It is an "arena of democracy at the very root of society" that integrates the spiritual, administrative and social processes of life" and "canalizes human expression in its varied forms toward the construction of a new civilization." [14] Because of its focus on a new social order, the Baha'i Faith places particular emphasis on the development of personal qualities that foster unity in diversity needed for a global civilization. For example, it stresses the elimination of racial prejudice through genuine, spontaneous, and informal fellowship among people of all races. The development of such moral qualities on the part of the individual is a key ingredient in the successful functioning of spiritual assemblies, and, conversely, these institutions channel the energy and the moral strength of individuals in order to promote constructive social processes. Another unique feature of the Baha'i model of change is that it provides principles that govern the functioning of spiritual assemblies and of social institutions in general. One of the most important of these is consultation, a term Baha'is use for the decision-making process used by assemblies, committees, or other groups that must solve problems. The principles of consultation relate not so much to the technical aspects of the decision-making process as to the attitudes and motivations of the participants and the spirit that prevails in the process. The following are seven characteristics of a consultative decision-making process distilled >from the Baha'i writings: 1. It is a principled process. The group reaches decisions by consciously applying spiritual and ethical principles to the issue at hand. 2. It is an investigative or truth-seeking process rather than an adversarial process. The goal is to ascertain the facts, identify the issues, clarify the relevant principles, and find the best solutions. 3. It is a service-oriented process rather than a power-seeking process. An individual opinion or idea is a contribution to the groups investigation and is the property of the group, not the originator. Each participant must be open to changing his or her opinions based on the discussion. 4. It is a communicative process. The frank expression of views is important. Listening and learning are equally important. 5. It is a synthesizing rather than a compromising process. It takes advantage of the diverse concerns and ideas of the participants to reach decisions that reflect a richer understanding of the issues than the individuals would achieve working separately. 6. It is an inclusive process. Diversity is valued. Everyone works to overcome prejudice. Everyone is listened to and taken seriously as a contributor. 7. It is a community-building process. The group is an organism whose whole is more than a sum of its parts. Primary value is, therefore, placed on its harmony and cohesiveness. Squabbling and factionalism are guarded against; friendship and love are promoted. Unanimous decisions are preferable, but even when a decision must be made by majority vote, its implementation is supported by everyone. The process of consultation is not perfected easily or quickly. It demands effort. It requires that the participants be actively developing the qualities that enable the principles of consultation to work: purity of motive, radiance of spirit, detachment, humility, patience, and a spirit of unselfish service. To Baha'is consultation is a spiritual act, expressing on the collective level a spiritual view of life. One of the conditions for successful consultation is communion with God; hence Baha'is begin the process with prayers. This reflects a broader principle that social, administrative, and governmental processes should be as much an expression of spirituality as is the conduct of an individual. The concept is a profound, not to say startling, aspect of the Baha'i model of social change. There is a great contrast between the Baha'i consultative process and the political processes of society at large. The latter are often corrupted by the influence of special interests, an atmosphere of bigoted partisanship, a petty adversarialism, a spirit of elitism and exclusiveness, and the primacy of expediency and power-seeking over service and truth-seeking. Such conditions are not conducive to principled, conscientious, and intelligent policy making, and until they are changed, it is unlikely that government will be a truly effective mechanism through which social problems can be addressed. The same criticism applies, to a greater or lesser extent, to other institutions that guide the affairs of society. The reason the development of the skills of consultation is so central to the Baha'i model of social change is that a primary purpose of the Baha'i Faith is to "incubate" a new kind of political culture, one that is conducive to the emergence of a mature global civilization. The effectiveness and practicality of this new model is demonstrated by the successes of Baha'i communities all over the world in projects of grass-roots social and economic development. [15] Baha'i Differences in Approach to Social Change The consultative principles underlying Baha'i institutions and community life promote an approach to the process of social change different from that of many organizations sharing the same progressive social goals. An examination of some of the contrasts sheds light on the Baha'i model of social change. In observance of the principles of their Faith, Baha'is avoid involvement in partisan politics and political fights. They also shun civil disobedience and abide by the laws of the countries in which they live. Many friendly critics see such principles as limitations placed on the ability of the Baha'i community to promote social change. When understood in proper context, however, the principles reflect a potent method of change. At the root lies the force of example in creating a positive alternative based on human values that transcend political conflicts. For many, however, avoiding partisan politics and obeying one's government are not satisfactory positions. They frequently ask how the Baha'i teachings deal with tyrannical governments and oppressive systems. Are not movements of revolution or nonviolent resistance appropriate under certain circumstances? The Baha'i answer lies in the developmental view of society in the Baha'i writings. As in the case of an individual, human society must pass through an adolescent stage in its development. The characteristics of adolescence are surging energy, passion, and a spirit of rebellion. Adolescents have discovered many of the powers of adulthood and want to assert their independence but have not yet gained the calm and wisdom of adulthood. Society today has many adolescent characteristics. Humanity has discovered the scientific method and has greatly increased its mastery over the physical world. A spirit of freedom has swept the planet, toppling dynasties and giving masses of people an unprecedented role in shaping their affairs. Given the oppressive nature of the immature social and political systems of the past, the spirit of rebellion underlying political changes has had an appropriate role in the historical development of human society. Many modern thinkers and activists are the philosophical heirs of the rebellion-inspired model of social change. The notions of dissent, protest, political demands, and civil disobedience permeate their vocabulary. Many of them tend to dehumanize those whom they see as oppressors, to question authority, often to the point of questioning the validity of the concept of authority, and to exalt individual liberty for its own sake. In fact, the excessive promotion of individualism has become a hallmark of modern Western societies. While the sincerity and commitment of social and political activists is admirable, the Baha'i teachings indicate that the model of social change that inspires their methods is not the ultimate model, even though it is a manifestation of a necessary phase in social history. Civilization is undergoing its transition from adolescence to adulthood. This transition is characterized by two processes. One is the collapse and disintegration of institutions that reflect and perpetuate archaic values. The other is the building of new institutions that promote the unity of the human family. The purpose of the Baha'i Faith is to foster the latter process. It, therefore, promotes a new model of social change, which may be termed the adult model to distinguish it from the adolescent model of modern political activists. Table I contrasts the characteristics of the two models of social change. One should not condemn the adolescent model but should realize that this model can only carry human social evolution to a certain point. Neither should one expect an abrupt transition at which the adolescent model stops operating and the adult model takes over. The transition takes place over time, and the working models of many activists often include elements from both models. Table 1. Models of Social Change Adolescent Adult Rebellion and Consultation and Promotion of Exemplification of human ideology values Conflict driven Unity driven Civil disobedience Civil obedience Dehumanizing Healing oppressors oppressors Freedom and Freedom as a means to individualism ampler manifestations of promoted for human achievement their own sake Mistrust of Upholding the concept of authority and authority and institutions institutions The Baha'i community is not rooted in a spirit of rebellion against the existing social order, nor does it align itself with specific governments, political factions, or ideologies. One reason for this is that Baha'is believe that the most effective way of correcting the ills of society is to display the characteristics of the society one wishes to build. Thus the emphasis is on building a new society by exemplifying the appropriate values rather than trying to destroy the existing social order. Baha'u'llah's teachings have universal appeal to the altruistic and spiritual aspirations of human beings. His call beckons the aristocrat as well as the peasant, the laborer as well as the entrepreneur, the statesman as well as the private citizen. Many ideologies, on the contrary, tend to single out particular groups or classes of people as the heroes or villains of history. Although some ideologies may be more in harmony with the Baha'i teachings than others, the Baha'i teachings are unique in presenting a comprehensive vision of change that addresses the spiritual, social, cultural, economic, and political realities of human life. The means used to bring about social change are as important to Baha'is as the content of the changes. One purpose of the Baha'i Faith is to promote a political culture that is nonadversarial and characterized by compassion and cooperation and that uses consultation and the promotion of solidarity as the "engines" of social change. The divisive climate of contemporary political cultures is regarded by Baha'is as a social ill in itself, even when the conflict and opposition are precipitated by legitimate issues. Ideological and political conflicts polarize to the extent that they promote a narrow-minded attachment to specific factions and ideologies, rather than fostering loyalty to the broader values that inspired their creation. This leads to an entrenched pattern of self- righteousness and defensiveness, which in turn prevents the kind of consensus-building that would enable diverse participants to discover shared values and apply them to the problems of society in new ways that synthesize insights springing from diverse perspectives. The use of civil disobedience by modern activists illustrates the contrast between the adolescent and adult paradigms of change. Its popularity among activists is a legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, both of whom used it with a great deal of success against oppressive social orders. The reason, however, that Gandhi and King wielded such moral and political force was that they were motivated by a desire to change the hearts of oppressors and help them see the truth. Therefore, while seeking justice, they also demonstrated a spirit of love that extended even to the oppressor. It was this spirit, rather than the use of civil disobedience, that exerted such a powerful influence. Much of the civil disobedience that occurs today, however, is not of the same moral caliber. It is merely a political strategy, a technique to generate publicity and win political victories. Many who use civil disobedience show hostility toward those whom they see as oppressors. The idea that the loving spirit and educative motivation are as important as the short-term political outcome has been largely forgotten. The acceptance of civil disobedience as a routine instrument of change implies that individuals have the ultimate right to disobey or ignore any law with which they disagree. If such is the case, what is the purpose of having laws? Must we wait until the system becomes "perfect" before agreeing to abide by the outcome of the public consensus-building process that is encoded in laws? From the Baha'i perspective, a yes answer to the latter question is self- contradictory because a spirit of respect for and cooperation with civic and legal processes is a prerequisite to the perfection of those processes. Therefore, the abuse of authority and the misuse of social institutions do not justify methods that tend to undermine the concept of authority and deny the legitimacy of the existence of institutions. For Baha'is a point of departure is to affirm the legitimacy of law and government as instruments of social justice and then to concentrate on the promotion of values that will ensure the proper use of these instruments. This is why Baha'is do not use civil disobedience as a method for change. (Even the refusal of Baha'is in Iran to recant their faith, an example of the rare conditions in which Baha'is disobey authority, is an act of spiritual self-protection, not an act of political protest.) Ultimately, the only truly effective solution to oppression is a global one. The international community as a whole must create instruments to uphold standards of human rights and nonagression. In fact, the Baha'i teachings envision the use of force by an international government against a recalcitrant national government. However, to Baha'is, the process involved in fostering a climate for the creation of such international peace instruments is not a process of revolt. A characteristic of movements of revolt is the dehumanization of "the oppressor." Because of this, many revolutions merely replace one oppressor with another one. Therefore, to eliminate oppressive systems from the world, the vicious cycle must be broken at some point. Baha'is see even "the oppressor" as someone who can be engaged in a therapeutic relationship and healed by the force of example. This perspective is rooted in the life of Baha'u'llah Himself, Whose conduct and character often transformed His enemies and persecutors into devoted friends and supporters. The Baha'i community of South Africa provides an instructive example. In Baha'i elections, a form of "affirmative action" is practiced. When a tie vote occurs, and one of the parties represents a disfranchised ethnic group, the tie is automatically broken in that person's favor. At one point it became illegal in South Africa for Baha'i spiritual assemblies to be racially integrated. In response the white Baha'is voluntarily gave up membership on the spiritual assemblies but pledged to abide by the authority of assemblies consisting only of blacks. Paradoxically, this act of obedience to the government made a morally compelling statement against white supremacy without confronting civil authorities in a hostile way. It demonstrated the validity of a moral principle as something that transcends partisan political loyalties and presented a unique appeal for change on the broadest humanitarian grounds. The concept of civil disobedience is one manifestation of the degree to which individual liberty is exalted in Western cultures. While freedom of action and expression 's indispensable to constructive social processes, the Baha'i teachings warn against the indiscriminate and excessive promotion of liberty and individualism. The purpose of freedom is to enable human beings to fulfill the dual responsibilities of individual spiritual development and social progress, which implies that freedom should have limits. Not only should the force of law be respected, but the relationship between individuals and the governing institutions of society should be characterized by a spirit of cooperation and good will that recognizes mutual benefits. The institutions rely on the support, loyalty, and even the love of individuals, and , in turn, the well-being and development of individuals is fostered by the support of their institutions. This is the spirit of the social and administrative processes for which the Baha'i community strives and a model for future relationships between governments and the governed, management and labor, parents and children, and other such relationships in society. Conclusion Solving the social problems facing the human race is not a simple task. It requires, first, forging a consensus on basic human values and goals for the evolution of society, and, second, creating the motivation to reshape both individual lives and social institutions so that they truly reflect these values and goals. Both these tasks require an appeal to the altruistic aspects of human nature, an appeal that is universal but at the same time powerful enough to influence the way in which people live. Political and economic restructuring is not enough; neither are approaches based solely on the development of the individual. Today, more than ever before, the human being is a social creature whose life is interlinked with the life of the whole human race and the planet Earth. In the Baha'i view, the spiritual nature of human beings, their yearning for transcendence, and their relationship with their Creator comprise an indispensable foundation for social change. Despite the conflicting dogmas that have been promoted in the name of religion and the fanaticism that has marred its name, a study of the original teachings of the great religions and the spiritual experiences attending their birth reveals a striking universality. Examination of the great religions also shows that their Founders were individuals empowered to exemplify godly attributes, thereby attracting the hearts and transforming the characters of people. Thus the guidance they gave for the development of the individual and the evolution of society wielded an appeal that was both universal and powerful. Despite the abuses of religion throughout history, it has had a "preponderating influence on ... the vital expressions of civilization" and "its indispensability to social order has repeatedly been demonstrated by its direct effect on laws and morality." [16] Baha'u'llah, therefore, is not merely the Founder of a new spiritual movement. He is the most recent agent of a "civilizing process" that encompasses humankind's entire spiritual history.[17] His teachings integrate the spiritual, social, political, and economic aspects of life and offer a holistic solution to the problems of the planet in the twentieth century. Most importantly to Baha'is, He speaks with the Voice of Divinity and His message has the transforming power that makes the coming of age of the human race not only possible but inevitable. Copyright 1991 by Brian Aull. I am grateful to Dr. Walter Jaros for many insightful discussions and to Cathy Hoffman, Executive Director of the Cambridge, Massachusetts, Peace Commission. Working with Cathy on Commission projects helped shape the ideas in this article. 1. See Farzam Arbab's essay entitled "The Process of Social Transformation" in Marxism and the Baha'i Faith (Ottawa: Baha'i Studies Publications, 1984) 9-20. 2. Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, trans. Shoghi Effendi, 2d ed. (Wilmette, Ill.: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1976) 215. 3. Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah: Selected Letters, 2d ed. (Wilmette, Ill.: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1974) 163. 4. Baha'u'llah, in Baha'u'llah, the Bab, and Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i Prayers: A Selection of Prayers Revealed by Baha'u'llah, the Bah, and 'Abdu'l- Baha, new ed. (Wilmette, Ill.: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1985) 4. 5. Abdu'l-Baha, Foundations of World Unity: Compiled from Addresses and Tablets of 'Ahdu'l-Baha (Wilmette, Ill.: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1972) 19. 6. Baha'u'llah, Gleanings 158-59. 7. Baha'u'llah, Gleanings 259-60. 8. Shoghi Effendi, World Order of Baha'u'llah 43. 9. Shoghi Effendi, World Order of Baha'u'llah 46. 10. Shoghi Effendi, World Order of Baha'u'llah 42-43. 11. Shoghi Effendi, World Order of Baha'u'llah 41-42. 12. Shoghi Effendi, World Order of Baha'u'llah 34. 13. Shoghi Effendi, World Order of Baha'u'llah, 144. 14. The Universal House of justice, letter about the Nineteen Day Feast to the followers of Baha'u'llah, August 27, 1989, in The American Baha'i, October 1989: 1. 15. For a discussion with specific examples, see Moojan Momen, Baha'i Focus on Development (London: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1988), and Holly Hanson Vick, Social and Economic Development: A Baha'i Approach (Oxford: George Ronald, 1989). 16. The Universal House of Justice, The Promise of World Peace: To the Peoples of the World (Wilmette, Ill.: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1985) 17, 17-18. 17. The Universal House of Justice, Promise of World Peace 19. Brian Aull aull@ll.mit.edu |
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