Baha'i Scholarship
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Contents:(1)

Scholarship and Achievement
General Principles of Bahá'í Scholarship
Purpose of Bahá'í Scholarship
	
	Refutation of Attacks on the Faith
	Deeper Understanding of Bahá'í Faith
	Contributing to Scholarly Development
	Teaching the Faith
	
Attitudes of Bahá'í Scholars
Some Specific Disciplines
Some Pitfalls

	1. Scholarship and Achievement

	Scholarship has a high station in the Bahá'í teachings 
	and Bahá'í  scholars have a great responsibility to a 
	growing, divinely-guided world society. The ascertainment of truth and 
	the acquisition of a fuller understanding of the subjects of their 
	scholarship are worthy and high endeavours.

	From comments of the Research Department of the Universal House of 
	Justice on the 
	Bahá'í Studies Seminar on Ethics and Methodology dated 3 January 1979. [1]

	Bahá'í scholarship is of great importance in the development and 
	consolidation of the Bahá'í community.

	
	From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice dated 3 January 
	1979. [2]

	The Supreme Body has informed us that it believes that both the International 
	Teaching Centre and the Boards of Counsellors can render valuable services in the 
	field of Bahá'í scholarship by encouraging budding scholars, and also by 
	promoting within the Bahá'í community an atmosphere of tolerance for the 
	views of others.

	
	From a letter of the International Teaching Centre dated 22 March 1981. [3]

	The heart of 'Abdu'l-Bahá longeth, in its love, to find that 
	Bahá'í young people, each and all, are known throughout the world for 
	their intellectual attainments.

	
	From a letter of the International Teaching Centre dated 22 March 1981. [4]

	It is just as important for the Bahá'í young boys and girls to 
	become properly educated in Colleges of high standing as it is to be spiritually 
	developed. The mental as well as the spiritual side of the youth has to be developed 
	before he can serve the Cause efficiently.

	
	From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi dated 28 November 1926, cited in 
	Education 63. [5]

	What he (Shoghi Effendi) wants the Bahá'ís to do is to study 
	more, not to study less. The more general knowledge, scientific or otherwise, they 
	possess, the better. Likewise he is constantly urging them to really study the 
	Bahá'í teachings more deeply.

	
	From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi dated 5 July 1947, cited in 
	Deepening 38. [6]

	The Cause needs more Bahá'í scholars - people who not only are 
	devoted to it and believe in it and are anxious to tell others about it, but also who 
	have a deep grasp of the Teachings and their significance, and who can correlate its 
	beliefs with the current thoughts and problems of the people of the world.

	
	From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi dated 21 October 1943, cited in 
	Deepening 35-36. [7]

	Bahá'í scholars and writers will no doubt, gradually appear, and 
	will, as promised by Bahá'u'lláh lend a unique support to the Faith.

	
	From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, cited in US Bahá'í 
	News, August 1936. [8]

	As the Cause develops it will need more and more people who are really versed 
	in their branch of learning and who can interpret the teachings to suit the facts.

	From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, cited 
		in Bahá'í Youth 16. [9]

	It is not difficult to visualize the House of Justice, as 
	Bahá'u'lláh's World Order unfolds, requiring the services of 
	distinguished Bahá'í scientists in all fields.

	See [1] above.

	Bahá'u'lláh considered education to be one of the most 
	fundamental factors of a true civilization - this education, however, in order to be 
	adequate and fruitful should be comprehensive in nature and should take into 
	consideration not only the physical and the intellectual side of man but also his 
	spiritual and ethical aspects. This should be the programme of the 
	Bahá'í youth all over the world.

	From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi dated 9 
		July 1931, cited in Deepening 25. [10]

2. General Principles of Bahá'í Scholarship

	The Bahá'í principle of the harmony of religion and science 
	compels all Bahá'ís to protect themselves from prevalent diseases 
	resulting from the divorce of faith and reason.
	    The sundering of science and religion is but one example of the 
	tendency of the human mind (which is necessarily limited in its capacity) to 
	concentrate on one virtue, one aspect of truth, one goal, to the exclusion of others. 
	This leads, in extreme cases, to fanaticism and the distortion of truth, and in all 
	cases to some degree of imbalance and inaccuracy.

	See [1] above.

	It has become customary in the West to think of science and religion as 
	occupying two distinct - and even opposed - areas of human thought and activity. This 
	dichotomy can be characterized in the pairs of antitheses: faith and reason; value and 
	fact. It is a dichotomy which is foreign to Bahá'í thought and should 
	be regarded with suspicion by Bahá'í scholars in every field.
	    The principle of the harmony of religion and science means not only 
	that religious teachings should be studied in the light of reason and evidence as well 
	as of faith and inspiration, but also that everything in creation, all aspects of 
	human life and knowledge, should be studied in the light of revelation as well as of 
	purely rational investigation. In other words, a Bahá'í scholar, when 
	studying a subject, should not lock out of his mind any aspect of truth that is known 
	to him.

	See [1] above.

	The believers must recognize the importance of intellectual honesty and humility. In past dispensations many errors arose because the believers in God's Revelation were over-anxious to encompass the Divine Message within the framework of their limited understanding, to define doctrines where definition was beyond their power, to explain mysteries which only the wisdom and experience of a later age would make comprehensible, to argue that something was true because it appeared desirable and necessary. Such compromises with essential truth, such intellectual pride, we must scrupulously avoid.

	
	The Universal House of Justice, Wellspring of Guidance 87-88. [11]

	In scientific investigation, when searching after the facts of any matter, a Bahá'í must, of course, be entirely open-minded, but in his interpretation of the facts, and his evaluation of
evidence we do not see by what logic he can ignore the truth of the Bahá'í Revelation which he has already accepted; to do so would, we feel, be both hypocritical and unscholarly.

	See [1] above.

	As a Bahá'í, you know that what Bahá'u'lláh teaches about the purpose of human life, the nature of the human being and the proper conduct of human lives, is divinely revealed and
therefore true. However, it will inevitably take time for you not only to study the Bahá'í teachings so that you clearly understand them, but also to work out how they modify your
professional concepts. This is, of course, not an unusual predicament for a scientist. How often in the course of research is a factor discovered which requires a revolution in
thinking over a wide field of human endeavour.

	
	Universal House of Justice, Messages 1968-1973 111-112. [12]

	We should be confident that there is consistency in the universe, that the Manifestation is aware of that consistency, and we must ourselves be aware that the principle of the harmony of religion and science is a dynamic one which will require new levels of understanding of true science and true religion alike.

	
	From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice, dated 
	22 June 1977. [13]

3. Purpose of Bahá'í Scholarship 
3.1 Refutation of Attacks on the Faith:
There is an answer in the teachings for everything; unfortunately the majority of the Bahá'ís, however intensely devoted and sincere they may be, lack for the most part the necessary scholarship and wisdom to reply to and refute the claims and attacks of people with some education and standing.

	From a letter on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, dated 25 September 1942, cited in 
	Unfolding Destiny 439. [14]

3.2 Deeper Understanding of the Bahá'í Faith:
In connection with the question as to whether Bahá'ís should be 
	familiar with the different sciences and branches of study, Shoghi Effendi wishes me 
	to inform you that both Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá have given a 
	very high position to men of culture and knowledge and Bahá'u'lláh says 
	in one of His Tablets that respect shown to such people is incumbent upon all 
	Bahá'ís. Furthermore there is no doubt that familiarity with different 
	branches of study widens one's point of view and we can then understand and realize 
	the significance of the Bahá'í Movement and its principles much more.

	From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi dated 14 December 1924. [15]
	
The Guardian has always advised young people to study deeply subjects as 
	History, Economics and Sociology as they are all related to the teachings and aid in 
	understanding the Faith.

	
	From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, cited in Bahá'í 
	Youth 15. [16]

3.3 Contributing to Scholarly Development:
History, Economics or Sociology ... are fields in which Bahá'ís not only take a great interest but also cover subjects which our teachings cast an entirely new light upon.
See [16] above.
Psychology is still a very young and inexact science, and as the years go by Bahá'í psychologists, who know from the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh the true pattern of human life, will be able to make great strides in the development of this science, and will help profoundly in the alleviation of human suffering.12
See [12] above.
Bahá'u'lláh has given us a few basic principles which should 
	guide future Bahá'í economists in establishing such institutions which 
	will adjust the economic relationships of the world.

	From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, dated 26 December, 1935.
As more and more Bahá'ís enter the world of higher learning 
	they will have the opportunity of exerting great influence in bringing about in human 
	consciousness and outlook thatn harmony of religion and science which is so great a 
	principle of their Faith.1	

	
	
The Teachings of Bahá'u'lláh throw light on so many aspects of 
	human life and knowledge that a Bahá'í must learn, earlier than most, to 
	weigh the information that is given to him rather than to accept it blindly. A 
	Bahá'í has the advantage of the Divine Revelation for this age, which 
	shines like a searchlight on so many problems that baffle modern thinkers.

	The Universal House of Justice, Wellspring of Guidance 96.

3.4 Teaching the Faith:
The University training which you are receiving at present will be of immense help to you in your efforts to present the Message in intellectual circles. In these days when people are so skeptical about religion and look with so much contempt towards religious organizations and movements, there seems to be more need than ever for our young Bahá'ís to be well-equipped intellectually, so that they may be in a position to present the Message in a befitting way, and in a manner that would convince every unbiased observer of the effectiveness and power of the Teachings.

	From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi dated 5 May 1934, cited in 
	Deepening 31.
Shoghi Effendi's hope is that they will ... become able and devoted speakers 
	on the Cause and subjects akin to it. To do this properly they will need a firm 
	foundation of scientific and literary training which fortunately they are 
	obtaining.5

	

	It is very important that the movement should enter the Colleges and start to 
	acquire the support of student bodies. No one can attempt such a task better than 
	Bahá'í students.9

	

	The Cause has the remedy for all the world's ills. The reason why more people 
	don't accept it is because the Bahá'ís are not always capable of 
	presenting it in a way that meets the immediate needs of their minds. Young 
	Bahá'ís like yourself must prepare themselves to really bring the 
	message to their generation who need it so desperately and who can understand the 
	language it speaks so well.7

	

	Shoghi Effendi has for years urged the Bahá'ís (who asked his 
	advice, and in general also) to study history, economics, sociology, etc., in order to 
	be au courant with all the progressive movements and thoughts being put forth today, 
	and so that they could correlate these to the Bahá'í teachings. What he 
	wants the Bahá'ís to do is to study more, not to study less. The more 
	general knowledge, scientific or otherwise, they possess, the better. Likewise he is 
	constantly urging them to really study the Bahá'í teachings more 
	deeply.6

	

	A sound knowledge of history, including religious history, and also of social 
	and economic subjects, is of great help in teaching the Cause to intelligent people.

	From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi dated 4 May 1946, cited in 
	Deepening 37.

	It seems what we need now is a more profound and co-ordinated 
	Bahá'í scholarship in order to attract such men as you are contacting. 
	The world has - at least the thinking world - caught up by now with all the great and 
	universal principles enunciated by Bahá'u'lláh over 70 years ago, and so 
	of course it does not sound 'new' to them. But we know that the deeper teachings, the 
	capacity of His projected World Order to re-create society, are new and dynamic. It is 
	these we must learn to present intelligently and enticingly to such men.

	From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi dated 3 July 1949, cited in 
	Deepening 39.

	If the Bahá'ís want to be really effective in teaching the Cause 
	they need to be much better informed and able to discuss intelligently, 
	intellectually, the present condition of the world and its problems. We 
	Bahá'ís should, in other words, arm our minds with knowledge in order to 
	better demonstrate to, especially, the educated classes, the truths enshrined in our 
	Faith.(22)

	From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi dated 5 July 1949, cited in 
	Deepening 39-40.
We need profound Bahá'í scholars in the future, both to teach 
	and to administer the Cause, and to answer the questions of the public, and help 
	rebuild the world. This is a great challenge to you all, and presents a wonderful 
	opportunity for service to humanity.

	From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi dated August 1943.

4. Attitudes of Bahá'í Scholars 
A scholar who is imbued with an understanding of the broad teachings of the Faith will always remember that being a scholar does not exempt him from the primal duties and purposes for which all human beings are created. Not scholars alone, but all men are exhorted to seek out and uphold the truth, no matter how uncomfortable it may be. But they are also exhorted to be wise in their utterance, to be tolerant of the views of others, to be courteous in their behaviour and speech, not to sow the seeds of doubt in faithful hearts, to look at the good rather than at the bad, to avoid conflict and contention to be reverent, to be faithful to the Covenant of God, to promote His Faith and safeguard its honour, and to educate their fellow men, giving milk to babes and meat to those who are stronger.1

The distinction desired by 'Abdu'l-Bahá for all Bahá'ís is certainly for attainment by Bahá'í scholars, who by following the exhortation of Bahá'u'lláh to moderation, kindliness, tact and wisdom, may restore scholarship to that high station of dignity and admiration which it formerly had and which is confirmed by the utterances of Bahá'u'lláh.1

	

	If ye be aware of a certain truth, if ye possess a jewel, of which others are 
	deprived, share it with them in a language of utmost kindliness and goodwill. If it be 
	accepted, if it fulfil its purpose, your object is attained. If any one should refuse 
	it, leave him unto himself, and beseech God to guide him ...

	Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings CXXXII.
Should any one among you be incapable of grasping a certain truth, or be 
	striving to comprehend it, show forth, when conversing with him, a spirit of extreme 
	kindliness and good-will. Help him to see and recognize the truth, without esteeming 
	yourself to be, in the least, superior to him, or to be possessed of greater 
	endowments.

	Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings V.
A Bahá'í must develop the ability to learn everything from those 
	around him, showing proper humility before his teachers, but always relating what he 
	hears to the Bahá'í teachings, for they will enable him to sort out the 
	gold from the dross of human error.18

5. Some Specific Disciplines
Education:
	The task of formulating a system of education which would be officially 
	recognized by the Cause, and enforced as such throughout the Bahá'í 
	world is one which the present-day generation of believers cannot obviously undertake, 
	and which has to be gradually accomplished by Bahá'í scholars and 
	educationalists of the future.

	From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi dated 7 June 1939, cited in 
	Education 70.
Philosophy:
	Philosophy, as you will study it and later teach it, is certainly not one of 
	the sciences that begins and ends in words. Fruitless excursions into metaphysical 
	hair-splitting is meant, not a sound branch of learning like philosophy. . . he would 
	advise you not to devote too much of your time to the abstract side of philosophy, but 
	rather to approach it from a more historical angle. As to correlating philosophy with 
	the Bahá'í teachings: this is a tremendous work which scholars in the 
	future can undertake. We must remember that not only are all the teachings not yet 
	translated into English, but they are not even all collected yet.

	From a letter on behalf of Shoghi Effendi dated 15 February 1947, cited in 
	Unfolding Destiny 445.
Pure Mathematics:
	Bahá'u'lláh's comment ("strictures against 'such sciences as 
	begin in mere words and end in mere words'") does not apply to the systematic study of 
	natural phenomena in order to discover the laws of order in the physical universe, an 
	order which mathematics seeks to explore. Pure mathematics frequently has application 
	in practical matters, such as in your example of group theory, and also in your own 
	field of fundamental particles.13

	
	
Biology:
	Your second question concerning the possible synthesis of an elementary 'life' 
	form such as a simple virus relates to the statement made by 'Abdu'l-Bahá ... 
	'For example, if a man of his own mind and intelligence collects some elements and 
	combines them, a living being will not be brought into existence, since the system is 
	unnatural ...'
	    To understand the implications of this statement it is necessary to 
	know what the Master meant by 'a living being' and what limitations He intended by the 
	phrases 'of his own mind and intelligence' and 'since the system is unnatural.' As the 
	science of biology develops and men acquire ever deeper insights into the nature of 
	living things, these implications will no doubt become clearer.13

Psychology:
	See Section 3.3 above
History, Economics, Sociology:
	See Section 3.3 above

6. Some Pitfalls
Compromise:
	While it may often be the part of wisdom to approach individuals or an audience 
	from a standpoint of current knowledge, it should never be overlooked that the 
	revelation of the Manifestation of God is the standard for all knowledge, and 
	scientific statements and theories, no matter how close they may come to the eternal 
	principle proclaimed by God's Messenger, are in their very nature ephemeral and 
	limited. Likewise, attempting to make the Bahá'í Faith relevant to 
	modern society is to incur the grave risk of compromising the fundamental verities of 
	our Faith in an effort to make it conform to current theories and practices.

	From a letter on behalf of the Universal House of Justice dated 21 July 1968. [28]
	
Misunderstanding About Religion:
	It has . . . become commonplace to regard religion as the product of human 
	striving after truth, as the outcome of certain climates of thought and conditions of 
	society. This has been taken, by many non-Bahá'í thinkers, to the 
	extreme of denying altogether the reality or even the possibility of a specific 
	revelation of the Will of God to mankind through a human Mouthpiece. 
	    A Bahá'í ... knows as the result of rational 
	investigation, confirmed by actual experience, that true religion, far from being the 
	product solely of human striving after truth, is the fruit of the Creative Word of God 
	which, with divine power, transforms human thought and action ... 
	    A Bahá'í scholar ... will not make the mistake of 
	regarding the sayings and beliefs of certain Bahá'ís at any one time as 
	being the Bahá'í Faith ... Thus Bahá'í historians would 
	see the overcoming of early misconceptions held by the Bahá'í community, 
	or by parts of the Bahá'í community, not as 'developments of the 
	Bahá'í Faith' – as a non-Bahá'í historian might well 
	regard them - but as a growth of the community's understanding of the 
	Bahá'í Revelation ...
	    Undoubtedly the fact that Bahá'í scholars of the 
	history and teachings of the Faith believe in the Faith will be a grave flaw in the 
	eyes of many non-Bahá'í academics, whose own dogmatic material passes 
	without comment because it is fashionable; but this difficulty is one that 
	Bahá'í scholars share with their fellow believers in many fields of 
	human endeavour ...
See [1] above.
Neglect of the Covenant:
The Boards of Counsellors can render valuable services in the field of 
Bahá'í scholarship by encouraging budding scholars, and also by promoting 
within the Bahá'í community an atmosphere of tolerance for the views of 
others. . . At the same time, the Counsellors have a basic responsibility to strengthen 
the fundamental core of the faith of the believers by promoting an increasing awareness 
of the cardinal truth and vital importance of the Covenant, and an ever-growing love for 
Bahá'u'lláh.
See [3] above.

Works Cited

'Abdu'l-Bahá. Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. Comp. Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. Trans. Committee at the Bahá'í World Centre and Marzieh Gail. Haifa: Bahá'í World Centre, 1978.
Bahá'í Education. Compiled by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. London: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1976.
Bahá'í Youth: A Compilation. Compiled by the NSA of the Bahá'ís of the United States. Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1973.
Bahá'u'lláh. Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh. Trans. Shoghi Effendi. Rev. ed. Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1976.
Deepening our Understanding and Knowledge of the Faith. Compiled by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. London: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1983.
Shoghi Effendi. The Unfolding Destiny of the British Bahá'í Community. London: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1981.
Universal House of Justice, The. Messages from the Universal House of Justice, 1968-1973. Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1976.
____. Wellspring of Guidance: Messages 1963-1968. Rev. ed. Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1976.
[Note: This compilation is reprinted with permission from Bahá'í Studies Bulletin 2.1, 1983.]
-- Baha'i Scholarship (Used by permission of the curator)