THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE
28 December 2010
To the Conference of the Continental Boards of Counsellors
Dearly loved Friends,
1. Fifteen years have elapsed since, on an occasion such as this, we gave to
the body of Counsellors assembled in the Holy Land the first intimation of the
course the Baháfí community would have to take, if it was to accelerate the
dual process of its expansion and consolidation—a course which its accumulated
experience had prepared it to steer with confidence. No need to remark on the
distance traversed in a short decade and a half. The record of accomplishments
speaks for itself. Today we invite you to begin deliberations on the next stage
of the great enterprise on which the Baháfí world is embarked, a stage that
will stretch from Riḍván 2011 to Riḍván 2016, constituting the first of two
consecutive Five Year Plans that will culminate at the centenary of the
inauguration of the Faithfs Formative Age. Over the coming days you are asked
to formulate a clear conception of how the Counsellors and their auxiliaries
will assist the community in building on its extraordinary
achievements—extending to other spheres of operation the mode of learning which
has so undeniably come to characterize its teaching endeavours, gaining the
capacity needed to employ with a high degree of coherence the instruments and
methods which it has so painstakingly developed, and increasing well beyond all
previous numbers the ranks of those who, alive to the vision of the Faith, are
labouring so assiduously in pursuit of its God-given mission.
2. In our Riḍván message this year, we described the dynamics of the process of
learning that, through four successive global Plans, has steadily gathered
momentum, enhancing the capacity of the friends to engage in grassroots action.
The vista from this vantage point is stupendous indeed. With more than 350,000
souls worldwide who have completed the first institute course, capacity to
shape a pattern of life distinguished for its devotional character has risen
perceptibly. In diverse settings, on every continent, groups of believers are
uniting with others in prayer, turning their hearts in supplication to their
Maker, and calling to their aid those spiritual forces upon which the efficacy
of their individual and collective efforts depends. A near doubling in the
reserve of Baháfí childrenfs class teachers in a five-year period, bringing the
total to some 130,000, has made it possible for the community to respond
wholeheartedly to the spiritual aspirations of the young. A sixfold increase in
capacity over the same period to assist junior youth in navigating through such
a crucial stage of their lives provides an indication of the level of
commitment to that age group. What is more, everywhere, a notable number of
friends find themselves ready to enter into
conversation with people of varied backgrounds and interests and to undertake
with them an exploration of reality that gives rise to a shared understanding
of the exigencies of this period in human history and the means for addressing them.
And fuelling the systematic multiplication of core activities across the globe,
with no fewer than half a million known participants at a given time, are the
efforts of close to 70,000 friends capable of serving as tutors of study
circles.
3. As made clear in our Riḍván message, in the system thus created to develop
its human resources, the community of the Greatest Name possesses an instrument
of limitless potentialities. Under a wide diversity of conditions, in virtually
any cluster, it is possible for an expanding nucleus of individuals to generate
a movement towards the goal of a new World Order. A decade ago, when we
introduced the concept of a cluster—a geographic construct intended to
facilitate thinking about the growth of the Faith—we provided an outline of
four broad stages along the path of its development. As the Baháfí community
set about implementing the provisions of the Plan, this outline proved
immensely useful in giving shape and definition to what is essentially an
ongoing process. The abundant experience which has since accrued enables the
believers now to conceive of the movement of a population, propelled by
mounting spiritual forces, in terms of a rich and dynamic continuum. A brief
review of the process that unfolds in a cluster, though well familiar to you
all, will serve to underscore its fundamentally organic nature.
A programme of growth
4. Invariably, opportunities afforded by the personal circumstances of
the believers initially involved—or perhaps a single homefront pioneer—to enter
into meaningful and distinctive conversation with local residents dictate how
the process of growth begins in a cluster. A study circle made up of a few
friends or colleagues, a class offered for several neighbourhood children, a
group formed for junior youth during after-school hours, a devotional gathering
hosted for family and friends—any one of these can serve as a stimulus to
growth. What happens next follows no predetermined course. Conditions may
justify that one core activity be given precedence, multiplying at a rate
faster than the others. It is equally possible that all four would advance at a
comparable pace. Visiting teams may be called upon to provide impetus to the
fledgling set of activities. But irrespective of the specifics, the outcome
must be the same. Within every cluster, the level of cohesion achieved among
the core activities must be such that, in their totality, a nascent programme
for the sustained expansion and consolidation of the Faith can be perceived.
That is to say, in whatever combination and however small in number, devotional
gatherings, childrenfs classes and junior youth groups are being maintained by
those progressing through the sequence of institute courses and committed to
the vision of individual and collective transformation they foster. This
initial flow of human resources into the field of systematic action marks the
first of several milestones in a process of sustainable growth.
5. All of the institutions and agencies promoting the aim of the current series
of global Plans need to exercise the measure of agility that the birth of such
a dynamic process demands—but none more so than the Auxiliary Board members. To
help the friends visualize this first important milestone, and the multiplicity
of ways in which it can be reached, is central to the functioning of every
Auxiliary Board member and an increasing number of his or her assistants. In
this, as in all their work, they must display breadth of vision and clarity of
thought, flexibility and resourcefulness. They should stand shoulder to
shoulder with the friends, supporting them through their struggles and
partaking in their joys. Some of these friends will quickly move to the
forefront of activity, while others will step forward more tentatively; yet all
require support and encouragement, offered not in the abstract but on the basis
of that intimate knowledge which is only acquired by working side by side in
the field of service. Faith in the capacity of every individual who shows a
desire to serve will prove essential to the efforts of those who are to elicit
from the believers wholehearted participation in the Plan. Unqualified love
free of paternalism will be indispensable if they are to help turn hesitation
into courage born of trust in God and transform a yearning for excitement into
a commitment to long-term action. Calm determination will be vital as they
strive to demonstrate how stumbling blocks can be made stepping stones for
progress. And a readiness to listen, with heightened spiritual perception, will
be invaluable in identifying obstacles that may prevent some of the friends
from appreciating the imperative of unified action.
Increasing intensity
6. It is important to note that, as a programme of growth is being
brought into existence, an emergent community spirit begins to exert its
influence on the course of events. Whether activities are scattered across the
cluster or concentrated in one village or neighbourhood, a sense of common
purpose characterizes the endeavours of the friends. Whatever level of
organization served to channel the early manifestations of this spirit, the
systematic, coordinated multiplication of core activities necessitates that
higher levels soon be attained. Through various measures, greater structure is
lent to activity, and initiative, shaped largely by individual volition before,
is now given collective expression. A complement of coordinators appointed by
the institute moves into place—those for study circles, for junior youth
groups, and for childrenfs classes. Any order of appointment is potentially
valid. Nothing less than an acute awareness of circumstances on the ground
should make this determination, for what is at stake is not compliance with a
set of procedures but the unfoldment of an educational process that has begun
to show its potential to bring about the spiritual empowerment of large
numbers.
7. Parallel to the establishment of mechanisms to support the institute
process, other administrative structures are gradually taking shape. Out of the
occasional meetings of a few believers emerge the regular deliberations of an
expanding core group of friends concerned with channelling into the field of
service an increasing store of energy. As the process of growth continues to
gather momentum, such an arrangement ultimately fails to satisfy the demands of
planning and decision making, and an Area Teaching Committee is constituted,
and reflection meetings institutionalized. In the joint interactions of the
Committee, the institute and the Auxiliary Board members, a fully fledged
scheme for the coordination of activities becomes operational—with all the
inherent capacity needed to facilitate the efficient flow of guidance, funds,
and information. By now, the process of growth in the cluster will conform to
the rhythm established by pronounced cycles of expansion and consolidation,
which, punctuated every three months by a meeting for reflection and planning,
are unfolding without interruption.
8. Here again, it is for the Auxiliary Board members and other relevant
institutions and agencies, such as the Regional Council and institute board, to
ensure that administrative structures being forged in the cluster take on the
requisite characteristics. Specifically, the sequence of courses that we have
recommended for use by institutes everywhere, which is facilitating so
effectively the process of transformation under way, is designed to create an
environment conducive at once to universal participation and to mutual support
and assistance. The nature of relationships among individuals in this
environment, all of whom consider themselves as treading a common path of
service, was explained briefly in our Riḍván message. We also indicated there
that such an environment is not without its effects on the administrative
affairs of the Faith. As an increasing number of believers participate in the
teaching and administrative work, undertaken with a humble attitude of
learning, they should come to view every task, every interaction, as an
occasion to join hands in the pursuit of progress and to accompany one another
in their efforts to serve the Cause. In this way will the impulse to over
instruct be quieted. In this way will the tendency to reduce a complex process
of transformation into simplistic steps, susceptible to instruction by manual,
be averted. Discrete actions are placed in context, and even the smallest of
steps is endowed with meaning. The operation of spiritual forces in the arena
of service becomes increasingly apparent, and bonds of friendship, so vital to
a healthy pattern of growth, are continuously reinforced.
9. Within this landscape of unfolding processes, emerging structures, and
enduring fellowship, that moment which has come to be known as the glaunchingh
of an intensive programme of growth represents conscious recognition that all
the elements necessary to accelerate the expansion and consolidation of the
Faith are not only in place but also functioning with an adequate degree of
effectiveness. It signals the maturation of an ever-expanding, self-sustaining
system for the spiritual edification of a population: a steady stream of
friends is proceeding through the courses of the training institute and
engaging in the corresponding activities, which serves, in turn, to increase
the number of fresh recruits into the Faith, a significant percentage of whom
invariably enters the institute process, guaranteeing the expansion of the
system. This constitutes another milestone that the friends labouring in every
cluster must, in time, reach.
10. In reiterating here much of what we have stated on previous occasions, we
hope to have impressed upon you how readily the movement of a population,
inspired by the purpose and principles of the Cause, can be nurtured, when not
made the object of extraneous complications. We have no illusion that the path
traced out so summarily above is devoid of difficulty. Progress is achieved
through the dialectic of crisis and victory, and setbacks are inevitable. A
drop in participation, a disruption in the cycles of activity, a momentary breach
in the bonds of unity—these are among the myriad challenges that may have to be
met. Not infrequently the rise in human resources, or the ability to mobilize
them, will fall short of the demands of rapid expansion. Yet the imposition of
formulas on the process will not result in a pattern of growth characterized by
the desired equilibrium. Temporary imbalances in the progress of different
activities are intrinsic to the process, and they can be adjusted over time, if
dealt with patiently. Scaling back one activity that is flourishing, on the
basis of theoretical conceptions of how balanced growth can be achieved, often
proves counterproductive. While the friends in a cluster might well benefit
from the experience of those who have already established the necessary pattern
of action, it is only through continued action, reflection and consultation on
their part that they will learn to read their own reality, see their own
possibilities, make use of their own resources, and respond to the exigencies
of large-scale expansion and consolidation to come.
11. Today, there are some 1,600 clusters worldwide where the friends have
succeeded in creating the pattern of action associated with an intensive
programme of growth. Though significant, this accomplishment can by no means be
considered the culmination of the process that has gathered momentum in each
cluster. New frontiers of learning are now open to the friends, who are asked
to dedicate their energies to the creation of vibrant communities, growing in
size and reflecting in greater and greater degrees Baháfuflláhfs vision for
humanity. Such clusters will also need to serve as reservoirs of potential
pioneers that can be dispatched, largely across the home front, to cluster
after cluster, shedding in some the first rays of the light of His Revelation
and strengthening in others the presence of the Faith, enabling all to progress
quickly to the first milestone along the path of development, or beyond. With
this in mind, we will call upon the community of the Most Great Name at Riḍván
2011 to raise over the next five years the total number of clusters in which a
programme of growth is under way, at whatever level of intensity, to 5,000,
approximately one third of all clusters in the world at present.
Advancing the frontiers of learning
12. What we have described in the preceding paragraphs and in so many
messages over the last decade and a half can best be viewed as the latest in a
series of approaches to the growth of the Baháfí community, each suited to specific
historical circumstances. This divinely propelled process of growth was set in
motion by the fervour generated in the Cradle of the Faith more than one
hundred and sixty years ago, as thousands responded to the summons of a New
Day, and received impetus through the exertions made by early believers to
carry the message of Baháfuflláh to neighbouring countries in the East and
scattered pockets in the West. It acquired greater structure through the
Tablets of the Divine Plan revealed by eAbdufl-Bahá and gained momentum as the
friends spread out systematically across the globe under the direction of the
Guardian to establish small centres of Baháfí activity and erect the first
pillars of the Administrative Order. It gathered force in the rural areas of the
world as masses of humanity were moved to embrace the Faith, but slowed
considerably as the friends strove to discover strategies for sustaining
large-scale expansion and consolidation. And, for fifteen years now, it has
been steadily accelerating since we raised the call at the outset of the Four
Year Plan for the Baháfí world to systematize the teaching work on the basis of
the experience it had gained through decades of difficult but invaluable
learning. That the current approach to growth, effective as it is, must evolve
still further in complexity and sophistication once it has taken root in a
cluster, demonstrating ever more notably the gsociety-building powerh inherent
in the Faith, few would fail to recognize.
13. Referring to the development of the global Baháfí community, how often did
the beloved Guardian encourage the friends to remain resolute in their purpose
and persevere in their endeavours. gConscious of their high calling, confident
in the society-building power which their Faith possesses,h he noted with
satisfaction, gthey press forward, undeterred and undismayed, in their efforts
to fashion and perfect the necessary instruments wherein the embryonic World
Order of Baháfuflláh can mature and develop.h gIt is this building process,
slow and unobtrusive,h he reminded them, that gconstitutes the one hopeh of a
disillusioned humanity. That this process will continue to gain in scope and
influence and the Administrative Order demonstrate in time gits capacity to be
regarded not only as the nucleus but the very pattern of the New World Orderh
is clear from his writings. gIn a world the structure of whose political and
social institutions is impaired, whose vision is befogged, whose conscience is
bewildered, whose religious systems have become anaemic and lost their virtue,h
he asserted so emphatically, gthis healing Agency, this leavening Power, this
cementing Force, intensely alive and all-pervasive,h is gtaking shape,h is
gcrystallizing into institutions,h and is gmobilizing its forcesh.
14. What should be apparent is that, if the Administrative Order is to serve as
a pattern for future society, then the community within which it is developing
must not only acquire capacity to address increasingly complex material and
spiritual requirements but also become larger and larger in size. How could it
be otherwise. A small community, whose members are
united by their shared beliefs, characterized by their high ideals, proficient
in managing their affairs and tending to their needs, and perhaps engaged in
several humanitarian projects—a community such as this, prospering but at a
comfortable distance from the reality experienced by the masses of humanity,
can never hope to serve as a pattern for restructuring the whole of society.
That the worldwide Baháfí community has managed to avert the dangers of
complacency is a source of abiding joy to us. Indeed, the community has well in
hand its expansion and consolidation. Yet, to administer the affairs of teeming
numbers in villages and cities around the globe—to raise aloft the standard of
Baháfuflláhfs World Order for all to see—is still a distant goal.
15. Therein, then, lies the challenge that must be
faced by those in the forefront of the learning process which will continue to
advance over the course of the next Plan. Wherever an intensive programme of
growth is established, let the friends spare no effort to increase the level of
participation. Let them strain every nerve to ensure that the system which they
have so laboriously erected does not close in on itself but progressively
expands to embrace more and more people. Let them not lose sight of the
remarkable receptivity they found—nay, the sense of eager expectation that
awaited them—as they gained confidence in their ability to interact with people
of all walks of life and converse with them about the Person of Baháfuflláh and
His Revelation. Let them hold fast to the conviction that a direct presentation
of the Faith, when carried out at a sufficient level of depth and reinforced by
a sound approach to consolidation, can bring enduring results. And let them not
forget the lessons of the past which left no doubt that a relatively small band
of active supporters of the Cause, no matter how resourceful, no matter how
consecrated, cannot attend to the needs of communities comprising hundreds,
much less thousands, of men, women and children. The implications are clear
enough. If, in a cluster, those shouldering responsibility for expansion and
consolidation number in the tens, with a few hundred participating in the
activities of community life, both figures should rise significantly so that by
the end of the Plan, one or two hundred are facilitating the participation of
one or two thousand.
16. It is heartening to see that, already in some 300 of the 1,600 clusters
worldwide with intensive programmes of growth in operation, the believers have
entered the new arena of learning now open to them, and, in more than a few,
they are extending its frontiers. Clearly, in all such clusters, strengthening
the educational processes set in motion by the training institute, each with
its own requisites—regularly held classes for the youngest members of society,
close-knit groups for junior youth, and circles of study for youth and
adults—is of paramount importance. Much of what this work entails was discussed
in the Riḍván message. Without exception, having witnessed the transformative
effects of the institute process first hand, the friends in such clusters are
striving to gain a fuller appreciation of the dynamics that underlie it—the
spirit of fellowship it creates, the participatory approach it adopts, the
depth of understanding it fosters, the acts of service it recommends, and,
above all, its reliance on the Word of God. Every effort is being exerted to
ensure that the process reflects the complementarity of gbeingh and gdoingh the
institute courses make explicit; the centrality they accord to knowledge and
its application; the emphasis they place on avoiding false dichotomies; the
stress they lay on memorization of the Creative Word; and the care they
exercise in raising consciousness, without awakening the insistent self.
Enhancing administrative capacity
17. Though the central elements of the process of growth remain
unchanged in the clusters in the vanguard of learning, sheer numbers require
organizational schemes to take on a higher degree of complexity. Different
innovations have already been introduced, on the basis of both geographic
considerations and numerical growth. The division of the cluster into smaller
units, the decentralization of the reflection meeting, the assignment of
assistants to institute coordinators, the deployment in teams of experienced
friends to support others in the field—these are some of the arrangements that
have been made thus far. We have every confidence that, with your able
assistance, the International Teaching Centre will follow these developments
over the course of the next Plan, helping to consolidate the lessons learned
into well-proven methods and instruments. To this end, you and your auxiliaries
will need to cultivate an atmosphere that encourages the friends to be
methodical but not rigid, creative but not haphazard, decisive but not hasty,
careful but not controlling, recognizing that, in the final analysis, it is not
technique but unity of thought, consistent action, and dedication to learning
which will bring about progress.
18. Whatever the nature of the arrangements made at the cluster level for
coordinating large-scale activity, continued progress will depend on the development
of Local Spiritual Assemblies and on the increased capacity of Regional Baháfí
Councils and ultimately National Spiritual Assemblies. In the Riḍván message we
expressed pleasure at noting the growing strength of National Assemblies, and
we look to the coming five years with optimism, certain that we will see
significant leaps forward in this respect. Moreover, we have no doubt that, in
concert with National Assemblies, you will be able to help Regional Councils
enhance their institutional capacity. There are currently 170 such
administrative bodies in 45 countries worldwide, and their number is sure to
climb during the next Plan. It will be imperative that all Regional Councils
pay close attention to the operation of the training institute and the
functioning of Area Teaching Committees. With this in mind, they will find it
necessary to create and refine mechanisms that serve to further the pattern of
growth unfolding at the cluster level and the learning process associated with
it. These will include a well-functioning regional office that provides the
secretary with basic organizational support; a sound system of accounting that
accommodates divers channels for the flow of funds to and from clusters; an
efficient means of communication that takes into consideration the reality of
life in villages and neighbourhoods; and, where warranted, physical structures
that facilitate intensified and focused activity. What is important to
acknowledge in this respect is that only if the Councils themselves are engaged
in a process of learning will such mechanisms prove to be effective. Otherwise,
while ostensibly created to support learning in action by an increasing number
of participants in neighbourhoods and villages, systems being developed may
well work against it in subtle ways, stifling, unintentionally, rising
aspirations at the grassroots.
19. While collaboration with National Spiritual Assemblies and Regional
Councils will be one of your primary concerns, your auxiliaries will need to
direct more and more of their energies towards fostering institutional capacity
at the local level, where the demands of community building assert themselves
so unmistakably. To help you envision what lies ahead of Auxiliary Board
members and their assistants everywhere, particularly in clusters experiencing
large-scale expansion and consolidation, we ask you to reflect, first, on the
development of Local Spiritual Assemblies in the many rural areas of the world,
in which the vast majority of such clusters today are to be found.
20. As you are aware, often in a rural cluster made up of villages and perhaps
one or two towns, while the pattern of action associated with an intensive
programme of growth is being established, the efforts of the friends are
confined to a few localities. Once in place, however, the pattern can be
extended quickly to village after village, as explained in our Riḍván message
this year. Early on in each locality, the Local Spiritual Assembly comes into
existence, and its steady development follows a trajectory parallel with, and
intimately tied to, the fledgling process of growth unfolding in the village.
And not unlike the evolution of other facets of this process, the development
of the Local Assembly can best be understood in terms of capacity building.
21. What needs to occur in the first instance is relatively straightforward:
Individual awareness of the process of growth gathering momentum in the
village, born of each memberfs personal involvement in the core activities,
must coalesce into a collective consciousness that recognizes both the nature
of the transformation under way and the obligation of the Assembly to foster
it. Without doubt, some attention will have to be given to certain basic
administrative functions—for example, meeting with a degree of regularity,
conducting the Nineteen Day Feast and planning Holy Day observances,
establishing a local fund, and holding annual elections in accordance with
Baháfí principle. However, it should not prove difficult for the Local Assembly
to begin, concomitant with such efforts and with encouragement from an
assistant to an Auxiliary Board member, to consult as a body on one or two
specific issues with immediate relevance to the life of the community: how the
devotional character of the village is being enhanced through the efforts of
individuals who have completed the first institute course; how the spiritual
education of the children is being addressed by teachers raised up by the
institute; how the potential of junior youth is being realized by the programme
for their spiritual empowerment; how the spiritual and social fabric of the
community is being strengthened as the friends visit one another in their
homes. As the Assembly consults on such tangible matters and learns to nurture
the process of growth lovingly and patiently, its relationship with the Area
Teaching Committee and the training institute gradually becomes cemented in a
common purpose. But, of still greater importance, it will begin to lay the
foundations on which can be built that uniquely affectionate and genuinely
supportive relationship, described by the beloved Guardian in many of his
messages, which Local Spiritual Assemblies should establish with the individual
believer.
22. Clearly, learning to consult on specific issues related to the global Plan,
no matter how crucial, represents but one dimension of the capacity-building
process in which the Local Spiritual Assembly must engage. Its continued
development implies adherence to the injunction laid down by eAbdufl-Bahá that
gdiscussions must all be confined to spiritual matters that pertain to the
training of souls, the instruction of children, the relief of the poor, the
help of the feeble throughout all classes in the world, kindness to all
peoples, the diffusion of the fragrances of God and the exaltation of His Holy
Word.h Its steady advancement requires an unbending commitment to promote the
best interests of the community and a vigilance in
guarding the process of growth against the forces of moral decay that threaten
to arrest it. Its ongoing progress calls for a sense of responsibility that
extends beyond the circle of friends and families engaged in the core
activities to encompass the entire population of the village. And sustaining
its gradual maturation is unshakable faith in eAbdufl-Baháfs assurance that He
will enfold every Spiritual Assembly within the embrace of His care and
protection.
23. Associated with this rise in collective consciousness is the Assemblyfs
growing ability to properly assess and utilize resources, financial and
otherwise, both in support of community activities and in discharging its
administrative functions, which may in time include the judicious appointment
of committees and the maintenance of modest physical facilities for its
operations. No less vital is its ability to nurture an environment conducive to
the participation of large numbers in unified action and to ensure that their
energies and talents contribute towards progress. In all these respects, the
spiritual well-being of the community remains uppermost in the Assemblyfs mind.
And when inevitable problems arise, whether in relation to some activity or
among individuals, they will be addressed by a Local Spiritual Assembly which
has so completely gained the confidence of the members of the community that
all naturally turn to it for assistance. This implies that the Assembly has
learned through experience how to help the believers put aside the divisive
ways of a partisan mindset, how to find the seeds of unity in even the most
perplexing and thorny situations and how to nurture them slowly and lovingly,
upholding at all times the standard of justice.
24. As the community grows in size and in capacity to maintain vitality, the
friends will, we have indicated in the past, be drawn further into the life of
society and be challenged to take advantage of the approaches they have
developed to respond to a widening range of issues that face their village. The
question of coherence, so essential to the growth achieved thus far, and so
fundamental to the Planfs evolving framework for action, now assumes new
dimensions. Much will fall on the Local Assembly, not as an executor of
projects but as the voice of moral authority, to make certain that, as the
friends strive to apply the teachings of the Faith to improve conditions
through a process of action, reflection and consultation, the integrity of
their endeavours is not compromised.
25. Our Riḍván message described a few of the characteristics of social action
at the grassroots, and the conditions it must meet. Efforts in a village will
generally begin on a small scale, perhaps with the emergence of groups of
friends, each concerned with a specific social or economic need it has
identified and each pursuing a simple set of appropriate actions. Consultation
at the Nineteen Day Feast creates a space for the growing social consciousness
of the community to find constructive expression. Whatever the nature of
activities undertaken, the Local Assembly must be attentive to potential
pitfalls and help the friends, if necessary, to steer past them—the allurements
of overly ambitious projects that would consume energies and ultimately prove
untenable, the temptation of financial grants that would necessitate a
departure from Baháfí principle, the promises of technologies deceptively
packaged that would strip the village of its cultural heritage and lead to
fragmentation and dissonance. Eventually the strength of the institute process
in the village, and the enhanced capabilities it has fostered in individuals,
may enable the friends to take advantage of methods and programmes of proven
effectiveness, which have been developed by one or another Baháfí-inspired
organization and which have been introduced into the cluster at the suggestion
of, and with support from, our Office of Social and Economic Development.
Moreover, the Assembly must learn to interact with social and political
structures in the locality, gradually raising consciousness of the presence of
the Faith and the influence it is exerting on the progress of the village.
26. What is outlined in the foregoing paragraphs represents only a few of the
attributes which Local Spiritual Assemblies in the many villages of the world
will gradually develop in serving the needs of communities that embrace larger and
larger numbers. As they increasingly manifest their latent
capacities and powers, their members will come to be seen by the inhabitants of
each village as gthe trusted ones of the Merciful among menh. Thus will
these Assemblies become gshining lamps and heavenly gardens, from which the
fragrances of holiness are diffused over all regions, and the lights of
knowledge are shed abroad over all created things.
From them the spirit of life streameth in every direction.h
27. Such a lofty vision applies equally, of course, to all Local Spiritual
Assemblies throughout the world. Even in a major metropolitan area, the nature
of an Assemblyfs development is fundamentally the same as the one delineated
above. Differences lie principally in size and diversity of the population. The
first necessitates the division of the Assemblyfs area of jurisdiction into
neighbourhoods according to the exigencies of growth and the gradual
introduction of mechanisms for administering the affairs of the Faith in each.
The second requires the Assembly to become familiar with the myriad social
spaces, beyond geographic ones, in which segments of the population come
together and to offer them, to the extent possible, the wisdom enshrined in the
teachings. Further, the institutional structures in an urban area—social,
political, and cultural—with which the Assembly must learn to engage are much
wider in range and larger in number.
Service on Baháfí institutions
28. In setting out for you in these pages developments we are eager to
see in the administrative work of the Faith during the next Five Year Plan, we
are reminded of the repeated warnings raised by the Guardian in this regard.
gLet us take heed lest in our great concern for the perfection of the
administrative machinery of the Cause,h he stated, gwe lose sight of the Divine
Purpose for which it has been created.h The Baháfí administrative machinery, he
reiterated again and again, gis to be regarded as a means, and not an end in
itselfh. It is intended, he made clear, gto serve a twofold
purposeh. On the one hand, git should aim at a steady and gradual expansionh of
the Cause galong lines that are at once broad, sound and universal.h On the
other, git should ensure the internal consolidation of the work already
achieved.h And he went on to explain: gIt should both provide the impulse
whereby the dynamic forces latent in the Faith can unfold, crystallize, and
shape the lives and conduct of men, and serve as a medium for the interchange
of thought and the coordination of activities among the divers elements that
constitute the Baháfí community.h
29. It is our earnest hope that, in your efforts over the next Plan to promote
the sound and harmonious development of Baháfí administration at all levels,
from the local to the national, you will do your utmost to help the friends
carry out their functions in the context of the organic process of growth
gathering momentum across the globe. The realization of this hope will hinge,
to a large extent, on the degree to which those who have been called upon to
render such service—whether elected to a Spiritual Assembly or named to one of
its agencies, whether designated an institute coordinator or appointed one of
your deputies—recognize the great privilege that is theirs and understand the
boundaries which this privilege establishes for them.
30. Service on the institutions and agencies of the Faith is indeed a
tremendous privilege, but not one that is sought by the individual; it is a
duty and responsibility to which he or she may be called at any given time. It
is understandable, of course, that all those involved in Baháfí administration
would rightly feel they have been invested with a singular honour in forming
part, in whatever way, of a structure designed to be a channel through which
the spirit of the Cause flows. Yet they should not imagine that such service
entitles them to operate on the periphery of the learning process that is
everywhere gaining strength, exempt from its inherent requirements. Nor should
it be supposed that membership on administrative bodies provides an opportunity
to promote onefs own understanding of what is recorded in the Sacred Text and
how the teachings should be applied, steering the community in whatever
direction personal preferences dictate. Referring to members of Spiritual
Assemblies, the Guardian wrote that they gmust disregard utterly their own
likes and dislikes, their personal interests and inclinations, and concentrate
their minds upon those measures that will conduce to the welfare and happiness
of the Baháfí Community and promote the common weal.h Baháfí institutions do
exercise authority to guide the friends, and exert moral, spiritual and
intellectual influence on the lives of individuals and communities. However,
such functions are to be performed with the realization that an ethos of loving
service pervades Baháfí institutional identity. Qualifying authority and
influence in this manner implies sacrifice on the part of those entrusted to
administer the affairs of the Faith. Does not eAbdufl-Bahá tell us that gwhen a
lump of iron is cast into the forge, its ferrous qualities of blackness,
coldness and solidity, which symbolize the attributes of the human world, are
concealed and disappear, while the firefs distinctive qualities of redness,
heat and fluidity, which symbolize the virtues of the Kingdom, become visibly
apparent in it.h As He averred, gye must in this matter—that is, the serving of
humankind—lay down your very lives, and as ye yield yourselves, rejoice.h
*
31. Dearly loved friends: As you well know, we take great pleasure in
witnessing how ably you and your auxiliaries, serving in the forefront of the
teaching field, are carrying out your duties to nurture in every heart and soul
the fire of the love of God, to promote learning, and to assist all in their
endeavours to develop an upright and praiseworthy character. When the North
American Baháfí community embarked on its first Seven Year Plan, in pursuit of
the responsibilities with which it had been charged in the Tablets of the
Divine Plan, the Guardian addressed to the friends in that land a letter of
considerable length and great potency, dated 25 December 1938, subsequently
published under the title The Advent of Divine Justice. Elaborating on the
nature of the tasks at hand, the letter made reference to what the Guardian
described as spiritual prerequisites for the success of all Baháfí
undertakings. Of these, three, he indicated, gstand out as preeminent and
vitalh: rectitude of conduct, a chaste and holy life, and freedom from prejudice.
Given the conditions of the world today, you would do well to reflect on the
implications of his observations for the global effort of the Baháfí community
to infuse cluster after cluster with the spirit of Baháfuflláhfs Revelation.
32. Referring to rectitude of conduct, Shoghi Effendi spoke of the gjustice,
equity, truthfulness, honesty, fair-mindedness, reliability, and
trustworthinessh that must gdistinguish every phase of the life of the Baháfí
community.h Though applicable to all its members, this requisite was directed
principally, he underscored, to its gelected representatives, whether local,
regional, or national,h whose sense of moral rectitude should stand in clear
contrast to gthe demoralizing influences which a corruption-ridden political life
so strikingly manifestsh. The Guardian called for gan abiding sense of
undeviating justiceh in a gstrangely disordered worldh and quoted extensively
from the Writings of Baháfuflláh and eAbdufl-Bahá, setting the sights of the
friends on the highest standards of honesty and trustworthiness. He appealed to
the believers to exemplify rectitude of conduct in every aspect of their
lives—in their business dealings, in their domestic lives, in all manner of
employment, in every service they render to the Cause and to their people—and
to observe its requirements in their uncompromising adherence to the laws and
principles of the Faith. That political life everywhere has continued to
deteriorate at an alarming rate in the intervening years, as the very
conception of statesmanship has been drained of meaning, as policies have come
to serve the economic interests of the few in the name of progress, as
hypocrisy has been allowed to undermine the operation of social and economic
structures, is evident. If indeed great effort was required for the friends to
uphold the high standards of the Faith then, how much greater must be the
exertion in a world that rewards dishonesty, that encourages corruption, and
that treats truth as a negotiable commodity. Profound is the confusion that
threatens the foundations of society, and unwavering must be the resolve of all
those involved in Baháfí activity, lest the slightest trace of self-interest
becloud their judgement. Let the coordinators of every training institute, the
members of every Area Teaching Committee, every Auxiliary Board member and
every one of his or her assistants, and all members of every local, regional
and national Baháfí body, whether elected or appointed, appreciate the
significance of the Guardianfs plea to ponder in their hearts the implications
of the moral rectitude which he described with such clarity. May their actions
serve as a reminder to a beleaguered and weary humanity of its high destiny and
its inherent nobility.
33. No less pertinent to the success of the Baháfí enterprise today are the
Guardianfs forthright comments on the importance of a chaste and holy life,
gwith its implications of modesty, purity, temperance, decency, and
clean-mindednessh. He was unequivocal in his language, summoning the friends to
a life unsullied gby the indecencies, the vices, the false standards, which an
inherently deficient moral code tolerates, perpetuates, and fostersh. We need
not provide for you here evidence of the influence that such a deficient code
now exerts on humanity as a whole; even the remotest spots on the globe are
captivated by its enticements. Yet we feel compelled to mention a few points
related specifically to the theme of purity. The forces at work on the hearts
and minds of the young, to whom the Guardian directed his appeal most
fervently, are pernicious indeed. Exhortations to remain pure and chaste will
only succeed to a limited degree in helping them to resist these forces. What
needs to be appreciated in this respect is the extent to which young minds are
affected by the choices parents make for their own lives, when, no matter how
unintentionally, no matter how innocently, such choices condone the passions of
the world—its admiration for power, its adoration of status, its love of
luxuries, its attachment to frivolous pursuits, its glorification of violence,
and its obsession with self-gratification. It must be realized that the
isolation and despair from which so many suffer are products of an environment
ruled by an all-pervasive materialism. And in this the friends must understand
the ramifications of Baháfuflláhfs statement that gthe present-day orderh must
gbe rolled up, and a new one spread out in its stead.h Throughout the world
today, young people are among the most enthusiastic supporters of the Plan and
the most ardent champions of the Cause; their numbers will,
we are certain, increase from year to year. May every one of them come to know
the bounties of a life adorned with purity and learn to draw on the powers that
flow through pure channels.
34. The Guardian next addressed the subject of prejudice, stating patently that
gany division or cleavageh in the ranks of the Faith gis alien to its very
purpose, principles, and ideals.h He made clear that the friends should
manifest gcomplete freedom from prejudice in their dealings with peoples of a
different race, class, creed, or colour.h He went on to discuss at length the
specific question of racial prejudice, gthe corrosion of which,h he indicated,
had gbitten into the fibre, and attacked the whole social structure of American
societyh and which, he asserted at the time, gshould be regarded as
constituting the most vital and challenging issue confronting the Baháfí
community at the present stage of its evolution.h Independent of the strengths and
weaknesses of the measures taken by the American nation, and the Baháfí
community evolving within it, in addressing this particular challenge, the fact
remains that prejudices of all kinds—of race, of class, of ethnicity, of
gender, of religious belief—continue to hold a strong grip on humanity. While
it is true that, at the level of public discourse, great strides have been
taken in refuting the falsehoods that give rise to prejudice in whatever form,
it still permeates the structures of society and is systematically impressed on
the individual consciousness. It should be apparent to all that the process set
in motion by the current series of global Plans seeks, in the approaches it
takes and the methods it employs, to build capacity in every human group, with
no regard for class or religious background, with no concern for ethnicity or
race, irrespective of gender or social status, to arise and contribute to the
advancement of civilization. We pray that, as it steadily unfolds, its
potential to disable every instrument devised by humanity over the long period
of its childhood for one group to oppress another may be realized.
35. The educational process associated with the training institute is, of
course, helping to foster the spiritual conditions to which the Guardian
referred in The Advent of Divine Justice, along with the many others mentioned
in the writings that must distinguish the life of the Baháfí community—the
spirit of unity that must animate the friends, the ties of love that must bind
them, the firmness in the Covenant that must sustain them, and the reliance and
trust they must place on the power of divine assistance, to note but a few.
That such essential attributes are developed in the context of building
capacity for service, in an environment that cultivates systematic action, is
particularly noteworthy. In promoting this environment, the Auxiliary Board
members and their assistants need to recognize the importance of two
fundamental, interlocking precepts: On the one hand, the high standard of
conduct inculcated by Baháfuflláhfs Revelation can admit no compromise; it can,
in no wise, be lowered, and all must fix their gaze on its lofty heights. On
the other, it must be acknowledged that, as human beings, we are far from
perfect; what is expected of everyone is sincere daily effort.
Self-righteousness is to be eschewed.
*
36. Apart from the spiritual requisites of a sanctified Baháfí life, there are
habits of thought that affect the unfoldment of the global Plan, and their
development has to be encouraged at the level of culture. There are tendencies,
as well, that need to be gradually overcome. Many of these tendencies are
reinforced by approaches prevalent in society at large, which, not altogether
unreasonably, enter into Baháfí activity. The magnitude of the challenge facing
the friends in this respect is not lost on us. They are called upon to become
increasingly involved in the life of society, benefiting from its educational
programmes, excelling in its trades and professions, learning to employ well
its tools, and applying themselves to the advancement of its arts and sciences.
At the same time, they are never to lose sight of the aim of the Faith to
effect a transformation of society, remoulding its institutions and processes,
on a scale never before witnessed. To this end, they must remain acutely aware
of the inadequacies of current modes of thinking and doing—this, without
feeling the least degree of superiority, without assuming an air of secrecy or
aloofness, and without adopting an unnecessarily critical stance towards
society. There are a few specific points we wish to mention in this connection.
37. It is heartening to note that the friends are approaching the study of the
messages of the Universal House of Justice related to the Plan with such
diligence. The level of discussion generated as they strive to put into
practice the guidance received, and to learn from experience, is impressive. We
cannot help noticing, however, that achievements tend to be more enduring in
those regions where the friends strive to understand the totality of the vision
conveyed in the messages, while difficulties often arise when phrases and
sentences are taken out of context and viewed as isolated fragments. The
institutions and agencies of the Faith should help the believers to analyse but
not reduce, to ponder meaning but not dwell on words, to identify distinct
areas of action but not compartmentalize. We realize that this is no small
task. Society speaks more and more in slogans. We hope that the habits the
friends are forming in study circles to work with full and complex thoughts and
to achieve understanding will be extended to various spheres of activity.
38. Closely related to the habit of reducing an entire theme into one or two
appealing phrases is the tendency to perceive dichotomies, where, in fact,
there are none. It is essential that ideas forming part of a cohesive whole not
be held in opposition to one another. In a letter written on his behalf, Shoghi
Effendi warned: gWe must take the teachings as a great, balanced whole, not
seek out and oppose to each other two strong statements that have different
meanings; somewhere in between, there are links uniting the two.h How
encouraged we have been to note that many of the misunderstandings of the past
have fallen away as appreciation for the provisions of the Plan has grown.
Expansion and consolidation, individual action and collective campaigns,
refinement of the inner character and consecration to selfless service—the
harmonious relationship between these facets of Baháfí life is now readily
acknowledged. It brings us equal pleasure to know that the friends are on their
guard, lest new false dichotomies be allowed to pervade their thinking. They
are well aware that the diverse elements of a programme of growth are
complementary. The tendency to see activities, and the agencies that support
them, in competition with one another, a tendency so common in society at
large, is being avoided by the community.
39. Finally, a significant advance in culture, one which we have followed with
particular interest, is marked by the rise in capacity to think in terms of
process. That, from the outset, the believers have been asked to be ever
conscious of the broad processes that define their work is apparent from a
careful reading of even the earliest communications of the Guardian related to
the first national plans of the Faith. However, in a world focused increasingly
on the promotion of events, or at best projects, with a mindset that derives
satisfaction from the sense of expectation and excitement they generate,
maintaining the level of dedication required for long-term action demands
considerable effort. The expansion and consolidation of the Baháfí community
encompasses a number of interacting processes, each of which contributes its
share to the movement of humanity towards Baháfuflláhfs vision of a new World
Order. The lines of action associated with any given process provide for the
organization of occasional events, and from time to time, activities take the
shape of a project with a clear beginning and a definite end. If, however,
events are imposed on the natural unfoldment of a process, they will disrupt
its sound evolution. If the projects undertaken in a cluster are not made
subordinate to the explicit needs of the processes unfolding there, they will
yield little fruit.
40. To understand the nature of the interacting processes that, in their
totality, engender the expansion and consolidation of the Faith is vital to the
successful execution of the Plan. In your efforts to further such
understanding, you and your auxiliaries are encouraged to bear in mind a
concept that lies at the foundation of the current global enterprise and,
indeed, at the very heart of every stage of the Divine Plan, namely, that
progress is achieved through the development of three participants—the
individual, the institutions, and the community. Throughout human history,
interactions among these three have been fraught with difficulties at every
turn, with the individual clamouring for freedom, the institution demanding
submission, and the community claiming precedence. Every society has defined,
in one way or another, the relationships that bind the three, giving rise to
periods of stability, interwoven with turmoil. Today, in this age of
transition, as humanity struggles to attain its collective maturity, such
relationships—nay, the very conception of the individual, of social
institutions, and of the community—continue to be assailed by crises too
numerous to count. The worldwide crisis of authority provides proof enough. So
grievous have been its abuses, and so deep the suspicion and resentment it now
arouses, that the world is becoming increasingly ungovernable—a situation made
all the more perilous by the weakening of community ties.
41. Every follower of Baháfuflláh knows well that the purpose of His Revelation
is to bring into being a new creation. No sooner had gthe First Call gone forth
from His lips than the whole creation was revolutionized, and all that are in the
heavens and all that are on earth were stirred to the
depths.h The individual, the institutions, and the community—the three
protagonists in the Divine Plan—are being shaped under the direct influence of
His Revelation, and a new conception of each, appropriate for a humanity that
has come of age, is emerging. The relationships that bind them, too, are
undergoing a profound transformation, bringing into the realm of existence
civilization-building powers which can only be released through conformity with
His decree. At a fundamental level these relationships are characterized by
cooperation and reciprocity, manifestations of the interconnectedness that
governs the universe. So it is that the individual, with no regard for
gpersonal benefits and selfish advantages,h comes to see him-or herself as gone
of the servants of God, the All-Possessing,h whose only desire is to carry out
His laws. So it is that the friends come to recognize that gwealth of
sentiment, abundance of good-will and efforth are of little avail when their
flow is not directed along proper channels, that gthe unfettered freedom of the
individual should be tempered with mutual consultation and sacrifice,h and that
gthe spirit of initiative and enterprise should be reinforced by a deeper realization
of the supreme necessity for concerted action and a fuller devotion to the
common weal.h And so it is that all come to discern with ease those areas of
activity in which the individual can best exercise initiative and those which
fall to the institutions alone. gWith heart and soulh, the friends follow the
directives of their institutions, so that, as eAbdufl-Bahá explains, gthings may be properly ordered and well arrangedh. This, of
course, is not a blind obedience; it is an obedience that marks the emergence
of a mature human race which grasps the implications of a system as
far-reaching as Baháfuflláhfs new World Order.
42. And those who are called upon from among the ranks of such enkindled souls
to serve on the institutions of that mighty system understand well the
Guardianfs words that gtheir function is not to dictate, but to consult, and
consult not only among themselves, but as much as possible with the friends
whom they represent.h gNeverh would they be gled to suppose that they are the central
ornaments of the body of the Cause, intrinsically superior to others in
capacity or merit, and sole promoters of its teachings and principles.h gWith
extreme humility,h they approach their tasks and gendeavour, by their
open-mindedness, their high sense of justice and duty, their candour, their
modesty, their entire devotion to the welfare and interests of the friends, the
Cause, and humanity, to win, not only the confidence and the genuine support
and respect of those whom they serve, but also their esteem and real
affection.h Within the environment thus created, institutions invested with
authority see themselves as instruments for nurturing human potential, ensuring
its unfoldment along avenues productive and meritorious.
43. Composed of such individuals and such institutions, the community of the
Greatest Name becomes that spiritually charged arena in which powers are
multiplied in unified action. It is of this community that eAbdufl-Bahá writes:
gWhen any souls grow to be true believers, they will attain a spiritual
relationship with one another, and show forth a tenderness which is not of this
world. They will, all of them, become elated from a draught of divine love, and
that union of theirs, that connection, will also abide forever. Souls, that is,
who will consign their own selves to oblivion, strip from themselves the
defects of humankind, and unchain themselves from human bondage, will beyond
any doubt be illumined with the heavenly splendours of oneness, and will all
attain unto real union in the world that dieth not.h
44. As more and more receptive souls embrace the Cause of God and throw in
their lot with those already participating in the global enterprise under way,
the development and activity of the individual, the institutions, and the community
are sure to receive a mighty thrust forward. May a bewildered humanity see in
the relationships being forged among these three protagonists by the followers
of Baháfuflláh a pattern of collective life that will propel it towards its
high destiny. This is our ardent prayer in the Holy Shrines.
[signed: The Universal House of Justice]