The Regeneration of The Regeneration of Civilisation: Civilisation:

The Vision of Baha’u’llahThe Vision of Baha’u’llah

““This is the Day in which God's most This is the Day in which God's most excellent favours have been poured out excellent favours have been poured out upon men, the Day in which His most upon men, the Day in which His most mighty grace hath been infused into all mighty grace hath been infused into all created things. It is incumbent upon allcreated things. It is incumbent upon all the peoples of the world to reconcile their the peoples of the world to reconcile their differences, and, with perfect unity and differences, and, with perfect unity and peace, abide beneath the shadow of the peace, abide beneath the shadow of the Tree of His care and loving-kindness.... Tree of His care and loving-kindness.... Soon will the present-day order be rolled Soon will the present-day order be rolled up, and a new one spread out in its stead. up, and a new one spread out in its stead. Verily, thy Lord speaketh the truth, and is Verily, thy Lord speaketh the truth, and is the Knower of things unseen.”the Knower of things unseen.”

Reproduced in GleaningsReproduced in Gleanings

The duties of the individualThe duties of the individual

• To know God and to love GodTo know God and to love God

• To carry forth an ever-advancing To carry forth an ever-advancing civilisationcivilisation

Some aspects of CivilisationSome aspects of Civilisation

• PeacefulnessPeacefulness

• Racial harmonyRacial harmony

• RefinementRefinement

• High Art and ArchitectureHigh Art and Architecture

• Individual honesty and generosityIndividual honesty and generosity

• Balance between Science and ReligionBalance between Science and Religion

• A big polity, beyond the tribeA big polity, beyond the tribe

Civilisation without spiritual Civilisation without spiritual underpinning cannot sustain underpinning cannot sustain itselfitself ““Whither are gone the learned men, the divines Whither are gone the learned men, the divines

and potentates of old? What hath become of their and potentates of old? What hath become of their discriminating views, their shrewd perceptions, discriminating views, their shrewd perceptions, their subtle insights and sage pronouncements? their subtle insights and sage pronouncements? Where are their hidden coffers, their flaunted Where are their hidden coffers, their flaunted ornaments, their gilded couches, their rugs and ornaments, their gilded couches, their rugs and cushions strewn about? Gone forever is their cushions strewn about? Gone forever is their generation! …Naught can now be seen but their generation! …Naught can now be seen but their deserted haunts, their roofless dwellings, their deserted haunts, their roofless dwellings, their uprooted tree-trunks, and their faded splendour.”uprooted tree-trunks, and their faded splendour.”

Tablet to the ShahTablet to the Shah

O contending peoples and kindreds of the O contending peoples and kindreds of the earth! Set your faces towards unity, and earth! Set your faces towards unity, and let the radiance of its light shine upon let the radiance of its light shine upon you. Gather ye together, and for the sake you. Gather ye together, and for the sake of God resolve to rootof God resolve to root out whatever is the out whatever is the source of contention amongst you.... source of contention amongst you.... There can be no doubt whatever that the There can be no doubt whatever that the peoples of the world, of whatever race or peoples of the world, of whatever race or religion, derive their inspiration from one religion, derive their inspiration from one heavenly Source, and are the subjects of heavenly Source, and are the subjects of one God. The difference between the one God. The difference between the ordinances under which they abide should ordinances under which they abide should be attributed to the varying requirements be attributed to the varying requirements and exigencies of the age in whichand exigencies of the age in which they they

were revealedwere revealed

Example A: the Roman Example A: the Roman EmpireEmpire• Historian, Edward GibbonHistorian, Edward Gibbon• ““The decline and fall of the Roman Empire”. The decline and fall of the Roman Empire”.

Without values a civilisation cannot sustain Without values a civilisation cannot sustain itself; Roman civilisation imploded rather itself; Roman civilisation imploded rather than being assaulted from without.than being assaulted from without.

• Coarsening of public tastes, move to crueltyCoarsening of public tastes, move to cruelty• Decline of good and selfless governanceDecline of good and selfless governance• The force that rescued unity across the The force that rescued unity across the

former Roman lands, Christianity, would former Roman lands, Christianity, would have seemed contemptible and insignificant have seemed contemptible and insignificant to the educated Roman of 160ADto the educated Roman of 160AD

Example B: The world of Example B: The world of IslamIslam• The Arabian peninsula was until the 630s occupied The Arabian peninsula was until the 630s occupied

by ignorant and mutually antagonistic tribesby ignorant and mutually antagonistic tribes• Muhammad united themMuhammad united them• By 850 the Emirate of Cordoba was famous for the By 850 the Emirate of Cordoba was famous for the

harmony in which Jews, Christians and Muslims harmony in which Jews, Christians and Muslims lived, for its art and its architecturelived, for its art and its architecture

• The world of Islam adopts, rediscovers or discovers The world of Islam adopts, rediscovers or discovers numbers, medicine, lenses, mathematics, the arch numbers, medicine, lenses, mathematics, the arch etcetc

• From 1500 occurs a gradual decline and loss of From 1500 occurs a gradual decline and loss of both unity and intellectual and spiritual both unity and intellectual and spiritual underpinnings, adherence to form underpinnings, adherence to form

The Promise of World PeaceThe Promise of World Peace

““No serious attempt to set human No serious attempt to set human affairs aright can afford to ignore affairs aright can afford to ignore religion”religion”

Universal House of Justice, “To the Universal House of Justice, “To the Peoples of the World”Peoples of the World”

God’s purpose for menGod’s purpose for men

“ “The fundamental purpose animating the The fundamental purpose animating the Faith of God and His Religion is to safeguard Faith of God and His Religion is to safeguard the interests and promote the unity of the the interests and promote the unity of the human race, and to foster the spirit of love human race, and to foster the spirit of love and fellowship amongst men…Whatever is and fellowship amongst men…Whatever is raised on this foundation, the changes and raised on this foundation, the changes and chances of the world can never impair its chances of the world can never impair its strength, nor will the revolution of countless strength, nor will the revolution of countless centuries undermine its structure.”centuries undermine its structure.”

Civilisation needs honesty, and Civilisation needs honesty, and honest needs religionhonest needs religion

• ““Truthfulness is the foundation of all human Truthfulness is the foundation of all human virtues”virtues”

• ““Beware, O King, that thou gather not Beware, O King, that thou gather not around thee such ministers as follow the around thee such ministers as follow the desires of a corrupt inclination, as have…desires of a corrupt inclination, as have…manifestly betrayed their trust… Know thou manifestly betrayed their trust… Know thou for a certainty that whoso disbelieveth in for a certainty that whoso disbelieveth in God is neither trustworthy nor truthful…God is neither trustworthy nor truthful…Nothing whatever can hinder him from Nothing whatever can hinder him from betraying his neighbour, nothing can induce betraying his neighbour, nothing can induce him to walk uprightly.” him to walk uprightly.”

The fruits of faithThe fruits of faith

““Regard thou faith as a tree. Its Regard thou faith as a tree. Its fruits, leaves, boughs and branches fruits, leaves, boughs and branches are, and have ever been, are, and have ever been, trustworthiness, truthfulness, trustworthiness, truthfulness, uprightness and forbearance.” uprightness and forbearance.”

The process of creating the new civilisation The process of creating the new civilisation is neither mechanical nor dictatorial, but is neither mechanical nor dictatorial, but requires people to play their partrequires people to play their part

“ “Address yourselves to the promotion of the Address yourselves to the promotion of the well-being and the tranquility of the children well-being and the tranquility of the children of men. Bend your minds and wills to the of men. Bend your minds and wills to the education of the peoples and kindreds of the education of the peoples and kindreds of the earth, that haply the dissensions that divide earth, that haply the dissensions that divide it may, through the power of the Most Great it may, through the power of the Most Great Name, be blotted out from its face, and all Name, be blotted out from its face, and all mankind become the upholders of one mankind become the upholders of one Order, and the inhabitants of one city…Order, and the inhabitants of one city…Blessed is he who mingleth with all men in a Blessed is he who mingleth with all men in a spirit of utmost kindliness and love.” spirit of utmost kindliness and love.”

Abdu’l Baha Abdu’l Baha

• ““True civilisation, where the spiritual is True civilisation, where the spiritual is expressed and carried out in the material” expressed and carried out in the material”

• ““Our actions will help the world, will spread Our actions will help the world, will spread civilisation, will help the progress of science, civilisation, will help the progress of science, and cause the arts to develop”and cause the arts to develop”

• ““Material progress and spiritual progress are Material progress and spiritual progress are two very different things, and…only if two very different things, and…only if material progress goes hand in hand with material progress goes hand in hand with spirituality can any real progress come spirituality can any real progress come about, and the Most Great Peace reign in the about, and the Most Great Peace reign in the world”.world”.

Paris Talks Paris Talks

As the outer human world declines, so As the outer human world declines, so the need for divine teachings becomes the need for divine teachings becomes

more apparentmore apparent

““Among the teachings of Baha’u’llah is that Among the teachings of Baha’u’llah is that although material civilisation is one of the means although material civilisation is one of the means for the progress of the world of mankind, yet until for the progress of the world of mankind, yet until it becomes combined with Divine civilisation, the it becomes combined with Divine civilisation, the desired result, which is the felicity of mankind, desired result, which is the felicity of mankind, will not be attained…all these weapons of war are will not be attained…all these weapons of war are the malignant fruits of material civilisation. Had the malignant fruits of material civilisation. Had material civilisation been combined with Divine material civilisation been combined with Divine civilisation, these fiery weapons would never civilisation, these fiery weapons would never have been invented”have been invented”

Tablet to the Hague, 1919Tablet to the Hague, 1919

Writings of The Guardian of the Writings of The Guardian of the Baha’i FaithBaha’i Faith• ““That Divine Civilisation, the establishment of That Divine Civilisation, the establishment of

which is the primary mission of the Baha’i Faith” which is the primary mission of the Baha’i Faith” • Writing in the 1930s, he saw civilisation coming Writing in the 1930s, he saw civilisation coming

under threat from materialist and substitute under threat from materialist and substitute religions, Communism and Nationalism. religions, Communism and Nationalism.

• The Guardian quotes an unnamed historian (Arnold The Guardian quotes an unnamed historian (Arnold J Toynbee?) that “we stand before either a world J Toynbee?) that “we stand before either a world catastrophe or perhaps before the dawn of a catastrophe or perhaps before the dawn of a greater era of truth and wisdom” greater era of truth and wisdom”

• ““the unique character of that Divine Civilisation, the the unique character of that Divine Civilisation, the foundation of which the unerring hand of foundation of which the unerring hand of Baha’u’llah has laid, and the essential elements of Baha’u’llah has laid, and the essential elements of which the Will and Testament of Abdu’l Baha has which the Will and Testament of Abdu’l Baha has disclosed”disclosed”

The World Order of The World Order of Baha’u’llahBaha’u’llah• World Federation World Federation • New world civilisation is inherent in New world civilisation is inherent in

Baha’u’llah’s writingsBaha’u’llah’s writings• Unity and love between the Friends is Unity and love between the Friends is

paramountparamount• Loyalty to the CovenantLoyalty to the Covenant• Baha’u’llah’s institution of Houses of JusticeBaha’u’llah’s institution of Houses of Justice• Simultaneous decline and growthSimultaneous decline and growth• cf Romans? cf Romans?

““Erelong will God raise up the Erelong will God raise up the treasures of the earth - men treasures of the earth - men who will aid Thee through who will aid Thee through Thyself and through Thy Thyself and through Thy Name, wherewith God hath Name, wherewith God hath revived the hearts of such as revived the hearts of such as have recognized Him”have recognized Him”

The challengeThe challenge

““I bear witness, O Friends! That the I bear witness, O Friends! That the favour is complete, the argument favour is complete, the argument fulfilled, the proof manifest and the fulfilled, the proof manifest and the evidence established. Let it now be evidence established. Let it now be seen what your endeavour in the seen what your endeavour in the path of detachment will reveal”path of detachment will reveal”

The Hidden WordsThe Hidden Words