About the Reform Bahai Faith
Reform Bahai Faith
http://www.reformbahai.org/about.html
The Reform Bahai Faith affirms the universal spiritual and moral principles taught in all of the
great religious traditions. Similar to Mahayana Buddhism, Reform Bahais believe the Example set by
Abdul-Baha during his travels to Europe and the United States in the early 20th century, an Example
of universal love and brotherhood, was perhaps his greatest teaching.
As Abdul-Baha often suggested, far from having the exclusive truth and the fanaticism to which that
notion has so often led, Reform Bahais look to what is universal and non-creedal in the world's
religious experience, and include prayers and meditations from other religions in their private and
community worship, listen to and learn from God's other religions�all of which is to say the Reform
Bahai Faith has moved on from its historical and cultural roots, as all living religions have and
do, and is now a global, universal faith.
Abdul-Baha taught that the Bahai Movement was a way for people of all religious persuasions to come
together in neutral territory and worship the Divine Being in a mutually respectful atmosphere of
peace and harmony. Speaking in England, he said, "You can be a Bahai-Christian, a Bahai-Freemason, a
Bahai-Jew, a Bahai-Muhammadan."
Reform Bahais believe Abdul-Baha's Interpretation for the modern world of his Father Baha�u�llah�s
Teachings is much more profound than the prevailing conception of religion.
Speaking in Europe and North America from 1911 to 1913, Abdul-Baha stated on a number of occasions
that he was a man just like anyone else and that the Bahai Faith could not be organized, yet often
spoke paradoxically of the growth of the Bahai community throughout the world, grounded in
democratic pluralism. Known during Abdul-Baha's time as the Bahai Movement or Cause, the Reform
Bahai Faith is not an organization, but a way of life.
More "Protestant" along the lines, in some ways, of Unitarian Universalism or other similarly
liberal denominations, Reform Bahais believe it's largely the responsibility of the individual to
read the Bahai Writings and prayerfully decide, prayerfully discern, how to follow the spiritual
message of Baha'u'llah, Founder of the Bahai Faith, and those of Abdul-Baha, the Interpreter of
Baha'u'llah's Covenant, striving for spiritual development and service to humankind.
God has created the individual soul to develop in the integrity and freedom of his or her own search
for spiritual maturity and conscience, through prayer and meditation, transforming the community and
the world one soul at a time, achieving the timeless goal of self-sacrificing love, compassion, and
service to humanity.
In practice, there are individual Reform Bahais who follow all or many commonly shared Bahai forms
and teachings observed by other Baha'i denominations because they themselves believe they should or
want to; not because they're pressured into them. There are other Reform Bahais who don't feel
comfortable with one thing or another, believing perhaps the time is not right for themselves and
others, or the particular teaching may be more culturally bound to the past than the more universal
principles of Baha'u'llah. Reform Bahais follow Abdul-Baha's 1912 Authentic Covenant, which he
delivered publicly in New York City, a broad, open, loving vision of God's relation to humanity.
While emphasizing what is universal in humanity�s religious experience, Baha�u�llah taught the
changing, evolutionary, and progressive nature of religious truth, demonstrating it by his own
example and teaching which evolved away from much of the teaching of his forerunner the Bab.
Similarly, Abdul-Baha demonstrated essentially a re-Interpretation of Baha�u�llah�s teachings for
the modern world. Reform Bahais do not regard the Bahai message as a rigid set of unchanging and
inflexible doctrines and formulas. Nor is the universality of the Bahai vision frozen in a form
subordinate to the exclusivism of the Judeo-Christian or Islamic and Sufi cultural heritage of the
Bahai Faith. The universal, global Teachings of Baha'u'llah transcend the limitations of all past
Dispensations, inspire and envision a new spiritual worldview and civilization.
Baha�u�llah and Abdul-Baha taught that it is the Spirit that is important, not form, doctrine, or
organization. Accordingly, God is interested in the human heart, sincere worship, communion, and
prayer, the individual cultivating the virtues of the spirit in selfless service to humanity, in
practice and deed, not merely doctrine and theory, in every walk of life, respecting the unique
cultures of the earth, even while revering what�s universal or held in common by humankind.
Abdul-Baha envisioned the Bahai House of Worship as open to the faithful of all religions and
traditions, as a place of universal prayer and meditation, not exclusively Bahai. Consequently,
Reform Bahais honor the spirit wherever it is found and expressed in the writings and oral
traditions of wisdom and belief.
Following Abdul-Baha, Reform Bahais elect Spiritual Assemblies, with nine members, for community
consultation and guidance. Largely "congregational" in structure, local communities are independent
grass-root associations, though they will ultimately elect national and an international unit with
non-binding advisory and coordinating duties and responsibilities. While Abdul-Baha stated he had
not "appointed" anyone to succeed him, he did not mean that the local, democratically elected
assembly could not appoint people to serve in any position necessary, "to engage in service of the
Kingdom." At every level of Bahai consultation, the independence and integrity of the individual is
preserved.
Reform Bahais believe Baha'u'llah taught that the separation of church and state is the Will of God
and distance themselves from any interpretation of an eventual Bahai theocracy, following
Abdul-Baha's vision of a global spiritual democracy, enriched by pluralism.
Reform Bahais are free to express, write, and publish, without any type of "review" or censorship.
The Reform Bahai Faith does not teach or practice shunning, nor any form of excommunication,
following Abdul-Baha�s teaching that "The conscience of man is sacred and to be respected."
Reform Bahai Faith
Rochester, Michigan USA
http://www.ReformBahai.org
Chicago Tribune. Baha'i rift. Baha'is upset with Orthodox Baha'i Faith May 18, 2009
http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2009/may/18/local/chi-bahai-18-may18
Comments posted to The Chicago Tribune Forum on one page:
http://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/Chicago_Tribune.html
Yahoo Group - ReformBahai
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ReformBahai
Baha'i Faith & Religious Freedom of Conscience
http://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship