The Bahá'í: The Religious Construction of a Global IdentityRutgers University Press, 2000 - 246 pages The Bahá'í Faith is one of the fastest growing, but least studied, of the world's religions. Adherents view themselves as united by a universal belief that transcends national boundaries. Michael McMullen examines how the Bahá'í develop and maintain this global identity. Taking the Bahá'í community in Atlanta, Georgia, as a case in point, his book is the first to comprehensively examine the tenets of this little-understood faith. McMullen notes that, to the Bahá'í, Buddha, Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed are all divinely sent teachers of 'the Truth', whose messages conform to the needs of their individual cultures and historical periods. But religion--which draws from the teaching of Bahá'u'lláh, a nineteenth-century Persian--encourages its members to think of themselves as global citizens. It also seeks to establish unity among its members through adherence to a Bahá'í worldview. By examining the Atlanta Bahá'í community, McMullen shows how this global identity is interpreted locally. He discusses such topics as: the organizational structure and authority relations in the Bahá'í "Administrative Order"; Bahá'í evangelicalism; and the social boundaries between Bahá'ís and the wider culture. |
From inside the book
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... claim to be completely objective in studying the Bahá'ís— and I do not think any analysis is completely objective - I do believe that the study I present here is evenhanded . I have not tried to " prove the Bahá'ís right " ; I have ...
... Bahá'í participants agreeing with general Bahá'í ideas of unity and world peace . How- ever , occasionally at Firesides non - Bahá'ís challenge the claims of Bahá'ís , ei- ther expressing doubt that a unified world at peace is even ...
... is only one religion , but it is revealed by God in distinct historical periods . Bahá'ís claim that the spiritual truths of all religions are the same ; reli- gions appear to be in conflict due to their social laws , which differ ...
... Bahá'í Administrative Order bridging local communities and a global world headquarters . Bahá'ís claim the Administrative Order was revealed by God through Bahá'u'lláh , as a means of bringing about world unity and world peace ...
... Bahá'í theology claims that the solution to this identity insecurity is to redefine individuals as members of a universal hu- manity not divided by national , racial , or ethnic allegiances . Issues of shifting identities are ...
Contents
Carriers and Converts | 15 |
The Bahaf Administrative Order | 34 |
Authority in the Administrative Order | 56 |
Personal Devotion and Organizational Participation | 76 |
Boundaries and Identity | 109 |
Teaching the Bahaf Faith | 126 |
Thinking Globally Acting Locally | 152 |
Conclusion | 175 |
Atlanta Bahaf Questionnaire | 185 |
Historical Overview | 193 |
The Bahai Calendar | 197 |
Notes | 199 |
229 | |
243 | |
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The Bahá'í: The Religious Construction of a Global Identity Michael McMullen No preview available - 2000 |