The World of the Bahá’í Faith is an outstanding guide to the Bahá’í Faith and its culture in all its geographical and historical diversity. Written by a distinguished team of international contributors, this volume explores the origin of this religion and contains substantial thematic articles on the living experience of the global Bahá’í community. The volume is organised into six distinct sections:
- Leadership and Authoritative Texts
- Theology
- Humanity
- Society
- The Contemporary Bahá’í Community
- History and Spread of the Bahá’í Community
These sections cover such themes as the afterlife, artistic expression, Bahá’í institutions, devotional life, diversity, economics, education, the environment and sustainability, family life, gender, human nature, interfaith relations, international governance, law, marriage, peace, persecution, philosophy, race, science and religion, scripture, spirituality, and work. The development of the Bahá’í Faith is outlined in ten regional articles.
This volume provides an authoritative and accessible source of information on all topics important to the Bahá’í Faith. The World of the Bahá’í Faith will be essential reading to students and scholars studying world religions and comparative religion. It will also be of interest to those in related fields such as sociology, political science, anthropology, and ethics.
Introduction
ROBERT H. STOCKMAN
Part 1
Leadership and Authoritative Texts
1. Overview: The Central Figures, the Institutions of the Bahá’í Faith, and the Covenant
SHAHIN VAFAI
2. The Báb
OMID GHAEMMAGHAMI
3. The Writings and Teachings of the Báb
NADER SAIEDI
4. Bahá’u’lláh
MOOJAN MOMEN
5. The Writings of Bahá'u'lláh
STEVEN PHELPS
6. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
NECATI ALKAN
7. The Writings and Utterances of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
MINA YAZDANI
8. Shoghi Effendi Rabbani
RICHARD HOLLINGER
9. The English Language Writings of Shoghi Effendi
SANDRA LYNN HUTCHISON
10. The Writings of Shoghi Effendi in Persian
MINA YAZDANI
11. The Universal House of Justice
TODD SMITH
12. The Writings of the Universal House of Justice
TODD SMITH
Part 2
Theology
13. Theology and Philosophy
MIKHAIL SERGEEV
14. God, Revelation, and Manifestation
VARGHA BOLODO-TAEFI
15. Progressive Revelation
SASHA DEHGHANI
16. Interfaith Relations
ANNE M. PEARSON AND ROBERT STOCKMAN
17. Science and Religion
STEVEN PHELPS
Part 3
Humanity
18. Oneness and Unity
ROBERT H. STOCKMAN
19. The Physical and Spiritual Dimensions of Human Nature
IAN KLUGE
20. Unity in Diversity: African Americans and the Bahá’í Faith
GUY EMERSON MOUNT
21. The Equality of the Sexes
ANNE M. PEARSON
22. Mysticism
VARGHA BOLODO-TAEFI
23. Progress of the soul: life after death
MIKHAIL SERGEEV
24. Spirituality and Spiritual Practices
CHRISTOPHER WHITE
Part 4
Society
25. Artistic Expression
ANNE GORDON PERRY
26. Economics: The Prosperity of the World and the Development of Nations
AUGUSTO LOPEZ-CLAROS
27. Education
FILIP BOICU AND SIYAMAK ZABIHI-MOGHADDAM
28. Environment and Sustainability
ARTHUR LYON DAHL
29. Governance
GRAHAM HASSALL
30. Law
ROSHAN DANESH
31. Marriage and Family Life
WENDI MOMEN
32. Peace
HODA MAHMOUDI
33. Work and Business
WENDI MOMEN
Part 4
Contemporary Bahá’í Community
34. The Covenant and Covenant-breaking
WENDY M HELLER
35. The Bahá’í Administrative Order
TODD SMITH
36. Constructive Agency
MICHAEL KARLBERG AND DERIK SMITH
37. Consultation
TODD SMITH AND OMID GHAEMMAGHAMI
38. A Culture of Learning
MICHAEL KARLBERG AND TODD SMITH
39. Devotional Life
ELHAM AFNAN
40. Religious Persecution of Bahá’ís Under the Islamic Republic of Iran
SIYAMAK ZABIHI-MOGHADDAM
Part 5
History and Spread of the Bahá’í Community
41. The History of the Bábí and Bahá'í Faiths
PETER SMITH
42. Arab Middle East
NESREEN AKHTARKHAVARI
43. Europe
SEENA FAZEL
44. Iran
MOOJAN MOMEN
45. Latin America and the Caribbean
ROBERT H. STOCKMAN
46. North America
ROBERT H. STOCKMAN
47. Northeast Asia
GRAHAM HASSALL
48. Oceania
GRAHAM HASSALL
49. South Asia
ANNE M. PEARSON
50. Southeast Asia
PETER SMITH
51. Sub-Saharan Africa
ROBERT H. STOCKMAN AND WILL VAN DEN HOONAARD
Glossary of Bahá’í Terms
Biography
Robert H. Stockman is Director of the Wilmette Institute for the Study of the Bahá’í Faith, USA, and an instructor at Indiana University South Bend, USA.
