Baha’i Faith

The Baháʼí Faith is a monotheistic religion that originated in Iran in the 19th century. It’s one of the world’s fastest growing religions.

Unlike the other traditions, the Baha’i Faith is relatively young but still has much to offer to the environmental discussion. As Peter Adriance and Arthur Dahl tell us in the overview essay, “the Bahá’í appreciation for nature goes far beyond its utilitarian value, to see it as a significant source of knowledge at the spiritual level.” But the spiritual is intimately and essentially interconnected with pressing, practical concerns, as “from a Bahá’í Faith perspective, the problems of ecology and the environment cannot be separated from all the other problems facing the world today, and require a holistic integrated approach, both scientific and spiritual.” Thus, any Baha’i Faith discussion of the environment is essentially cross-disciplinary and also addresses issues ofgovernance, economy and inequity, and material sustainability, all at both local and global levels.

Beliefs

  • Baháʼís believe in one God who created the universe and is its absolute ruler. 
  • They believe that the founders of all major religions, including Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism, all followed the same God. 
  • Baháʼís believe in the essential worth of all religions and the unity of all people.
  • They believe in the soul’s immortality and the evolution of humankind. 
  • Baháʼís reject the idea of religious conversion and the Christian teachings of the Trinity. 

Practices

  • Baháʼís recite a daily obligatory prayer. 
  • They observe laws of inheritance and prohibit slavery, asceticism, and gambling. 
  • They use a calendar with 19 months of 19 days each, plus 4 intercalary days. The year begins on March 21, the first day of spring. 

Goals

  • Baháʼís promote gender equality and the relationship between science and religion. 
  • They strive to create a unified world order that allows prosperity for all people. 
  • They condemn racism, sexism, and anti-scientific interpretations of religious texts.
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