The Origins of the Bahá’í Community of Canada, 1898-1948What binds together Louis Riel’s former secretary, a railroad inventor, a Montreal comedienne, an early proponent of Canada’s juvenile system and a prominent Canadian architect? Socialists, suffragists, musicians, artists—from 1898 to 1948, these and some 550 other individual Canadian Bahá’ís helped create a movement described as the second most widespread religion in the world. Using diaries, memoirs, official reports, private correspondence, newspapers, archives and interviews, Will C. van den Hoonaard has created the first historical account of Bahá’ís in Canada. In addition, The Origins of the Bahá’í Community of Canada, 1898-1948 clearly depicts the dynamics and the struggles of a new religion in a new country. This is a story of modern spiritual heroes—people who changed the lives of others through their devotion to the Bahá’í ideals, in particular to the belief that the earth is one country and all of humankind are its citizens. Thirty-nine original photographs effectively depict persons and events influencing the growth of the Bahá’í movement in Canada. The Origins of the Bahá’í Community of Canada, 1898-1948 makes an original contribution to religious history in Canada and provides a major sociological reference tool, as well as a narrative history that can be used by scholars and Bahá’ís alike for many years to come. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 52
The Encyclopaedia Britannica (1988: 303) considers it to be the third most global religion, and according to Ellwood (1985: 12), the Bahá'í Faith, “possessing many adherents, well established in society, and a stable, ...
The Bahá'í Faith today is primarily a Third World religious movement with over 80% of its adherents found in Third World countries. Numerically, the largest Bahá'í communities are found in India, Iran, East Africa, parts of Southeast ...
... rather than merely a collection of individual adherents. Part Three takes on the task of examining the specific ways of propagating the new religion and why some communities grew, remained stable, or declined in the years 1937-47.
... namely, Christian Scientists, Spiritualists, and Theosophists, and were neither wealthy nor highly educated. In their community were a number of Canadians who had moved to Chicago and had become Bahá'í adherents.
Dealy joined the Chicago Bahá'í community when it had reached about thirty adherents; he graduated from Kheiralla's class on 26 March 1897 (ibid.: 86). Dealy proved to be one of the most active Bahá'í teachers. He cut a lively figure.
What people are saying - Write a review
Other editions - View all
The Origins of the Bahá'í Community of Canada, 1898-1948 Will C. van den Hoonaard Limited preview - 1996 |
The Origins of the Bahá’í Community of Canada, 1898-1948 Will C. van den Hoonaard No preview available - 1996 |
Common terms and phrases
Bibliographic information
| Title | The Origins of the Bahá’í Community of Canada, 1898-1948 |
| Author | Will C. van den Hoonaard |
| Edition | revised |
| Publisher | Wilfrid Laurier Univ. Press, 2010 |
| ISBN | 1554587069, 9781554587063 |
| Length | 368 pages |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |