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Progressive revelation is a core teaching of the Bahá'í Faith that flows from the Three Onenesses , namely, the Oneness Of God , the Oneness Of Religion , and the Oneness Of Humanity .

Progressive revelation asserts that religion has been revealed from the same God progressively through different prophets/messengers, who at different times through history and in different locations are sent to provide the teachings of God. In this way Bahá'ís see that all true religions have the same foundation.

This teaching is, in fact, a complex interaction of simpler teachings and their implications. The basic concept relates closely to Bahá'í views on God's essential unity, and the nature of prophets, (termed Manifestations Of God ). It also ties into Bahá'í views of the purpose of religion, it's role, and the nature of culture and history.


ONENESS OF GOD AND THE ONENESS OF RELIGION


A key Bahá'í teaching at the root of Progressive Revelation is that God is single and indivisible. God may manifest himself in various ways and may have many differing attributes, but is, in essence, a single being. This assertion implies then, Bahá'u'lláh teaches, that the majority of human religions are derived from the worship of the same divine author. Differences in external appearances of the various religions are seen, not as essential differences in the religion, but as truth filtered through the lense of the culture and era into which that truth was revealed.

"There can be no doubt whatever that the peoples of the world, of whatever race or religion, derive their inspiration from one heavenly Source, and are the subjects of one God. The difference between the ordinances under which they abide should be attributed to the varying requirements and exigencies of the age in which they were revealed. All of them, except a few which are the outcome of human perversity, were ordained of God, and are a reflection of His Will and Purpose. Arise and, armed with the power of faith, shatter to pieces the gods of your vain imaginings, the sowers of dissension amongst you. Cleave unto that which draweth you together and uniteth you."

::Bahá'u'lláh, ''The Proclamation of Bahá'u'lláh'', p. 114. {Link without Title}

Bahá'u'lláh does leave allowance that there are some religions in the world based only on personality cults, or other "human perversity", but does not elaborate or name any specific religions.


RELIGION IS PERIODICALLY AND SITUATIONALLY REVEALED


Bahá'ís believe God to be (in general) regular and periodic in revealing his will to mankind. Specifically, such revelation is seen as the foundation of Religion , though God reveals himself in other ways as well. Prophetic revelation is seen as the most accurate means of access to God.

Revelation is also never ceasing, according to the Bahá'í Writings. This is contrary to many other belief systems which believe in a finality of their prophet.
:"Among the bounties of God is revelation. Hence revelation is progressive and continuous. It never ceases. It is necessary that the reality of Divinity with all its perfections and attributes should become resplendent in the human world. The reality of Divinity is like an endless ocean. Revelation may be likened to the rain."
:: `Abdu'l-Bahá , ''The Promulgation of Universal Peace'', p. 378. {Link without Title}

The conditions for new revelation vary. However, a consistent theme in the Bahá'í Writings on the subject focus on the decay of earlier revelation. Such conditions may result from poor access to the original teachings, subversion by various interests, corruption of religious authority, or simply the distortion of a revelation over a long period of time. When such conditions occur, God renews religion through a new Manifestation.


RELIGION'S SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL EFFECT


One key purpose of religion, says Bahá'u'lláh , is to "carry forward an ever advancing civilisation...". {Link without Title} He elsewhere says:

"O ye children of men! The fundamental purpose animating the Faith of God and His Religion is to safeguard the interests and promote the unity of the human race, and to foster the spirit of love and fellowship amongst men. Suffer it not to become a source of dissension and discord, of hate and enmity. This is the straight Path, the fixed and immovable foundation. Whatsoever is raised on this foundation, the changes and chances of the world can never impair its strength, nor will the revolution of countless centuries undermine its structure. Our hope is that the world's religious leaders and the rulers thereof will unitedly arise for the reformation of this age and the rehabilitation of its fortunes. Let them, after meditating on its needs, take counsel together and, through anxious and full deliberation, administer to a diseased and sorely-afflicted world the remedy it requireth."

::Bahá'u'lláh, ''Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh'', p. 215. {Link without Title}


RELIGION IS LIKENED A SCHOOL


Humanity is likened to a child that grows and needs training at various stages. Religion, therefore, is likened to a School , where the pupil (humanity) goes through various courses and various grades. Arithmetic , for example, is taught before Algebra ; algebra before geometry; geometry before trigonometry; and so on. It would be unreasonable for a teacher who may know Calculus to attempt to teach it to a student who did not know basic arithmetic and mathematical symbols. This is not a lack within the teacher, but rather a limit to the current capacity of the student.

Similarly, religion is the ongoing education of , to be like early school. Concepts which may have been appropriate at an earlier time, then, might be quite inaccurate when one has sufficient context. Bahá'ís would not say that these earlier beliefs were wrong, since they were sufficient to the capacity of humanity at the time.

These views allow Bahá'ís to resolve many of the apparent conflicts between the differing Theologies and Cosmologies of the world. Each different religion may have had truth explained differently according to the needs of the recipients of the teaching. The proper attitude, the Bahá'í Faith teaches, would then be to accept the next messenger of God, in the same manner as a graduate of grade three would accept their new grade four lessons. When Bahá'ís are criticized for accepting the validity of many religions whose beliefs cannot be reconciled, they will often refer to this analogy in defense of the belief.


RELIGIOUS TRUTH IS OF TWO KINDS


Bahá'ís believe that religious teachings are of two varieties: essential Spritual truth, and ephemeral social constructs. The latter may include laws of conduct, diet, institutions, ceremonies, etc. These may change dramatically from Manifestation to Manifestation. The former, however, are essential and do not change, except perhaps in their cultural presentation.

A good example of this is the prohibition on the consumption of Cloven-hooved animals in Judaism , which is seen by Bahá'ís as a sound teaching necessary for public health at the time. Modern hygiene and medical knowledge has given us better abilities to ward off the parasites and other harmful aspects of such consumption, and so such restrictions are not part of the Bahá'í Faith.

So the Manifestation of God is seen as at once restoring the essential truth, returning the faithful to the correct practice. Simultaneously, the Manifestation eliminates redundant or corrupt social structures and creates such social organization as will support the improvement of mankind.

Bahá'ís see Bahá'u'lláh as the most recent teacher, the most recent Manifestation.


TYPES OF RELIGIONS AND RELIGIOUS FOUNDERS


Bahá'ís accept the founders of the "major world religions" as Manifestations of God, as well as some who are not well known, or whose religions have all but disappeared. The usual list Bahá'ís commonly refer to include: Krishna, Buddha, Zoroaster (Zarathustra), Abraham, Moses, Christ, Muhammad, the Báb, and Bahá'u'lláh. Others are referred to in Bahá'í Writings or confirmed from Islamic and other sources, including Joseph, Noah, Hud, Salih, and the founder of the "religions of the Sabeans", a religion which, according to Shoghi Effendi, was widespread in Chaldea at the time of Abraham.

Furthermore, the existence of unnumbered previous religions of which we have no modern knowledge is confirmed by the Guardian:
"These religions are not the only true religions that have appeared in the world, but are the only ones still existing. There have always been divine Prophets and Messengers, to many of whom the Qur'án refers. But the only ones existing are those mentioned above."

:: Shoghi Effendi , quoted in the compilation ''Lights of Guidance'', p. 414.

Additionally, Bahá'ís are taught that some worthy religions are not revealed by Manifestations of God. These were founded by spiritual leaders who were members of the great faiths and were religious teachers "sensitive to the spiritual currents flowing" at the time of the appearance of a new Manifestation of God. These religions, while not authoritative, are nevertheless a reflection of divine teachings and are treated with respect.

Finally, Bahá'í teachings allow for the existence of dangerous and destructive religions groups which are either distortions of true faith, or "the outcome of human perversity." The Bahá'í sacred writings and Bahá'í leadership makes no attempt to explicitly identify these, though the common understanding is that this refers to personality cults, political hijacking or subversion of legitimate religions, or money scams and the like.

With the exception of the above mentions, the Bahá'í Faith tends to stay aloof from discussions of which faith or denomination is legitimate or "closer to the truth". Given that they see Bahá'u'lláh as having offered the most recent revelation from God to mankind, such distinctions are seen as somewhat redundant, and ultimately unhelpful to the goal of uniting humanity.


ESTABLISHING TEXTS


Kitáb-i-Íqán


Bahá'u'lláh 's seminal Kitáb-i-Íqán is probably the best original description of the Bahá'í view of Progressive Revelation. In it Bahá'u'lláh describes the relationships between several Abrahamic Prophets and how each accepted the previous, but was rejected by the previous prophet's followers. He uses these examples to highlight the legitimacy of the Báb to the reader, since the book was written in answer to some questions from the Báb's uncle. The work, however, establishes this core doctrine of the Bahá'í Faith and is seen as being of more general applicability.


The Proclamation of Bahá'u'lláh


A variety of Bahá'u'lláh 's letters to rulers and religious leaders of the day, as well as some general epistles are collected in the book The Proclamation Of Bahá'u'lláh . Several of the declarations include exhortations to lay down arms, conflicts, and divisions and to promote unity. In particular, religious prejudice is targeted in various places as being, not only a cause of disunity, but unjustified in fact.


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