Abraham and the Secular (2021)

Chapter 5: The Baha’i Faith: Interface between the Secular and Religious

Hoda Mahmoudi

Different religions and different religious beliefs generate principles that manifest themselves in different ways, at different times, in different places. In theory, one should be able to trace a faith’s principles and activities in any number of real-lived circumstances, across a variety of places, in order to determine how the faith’s principles are enacted. Many scholars have described how Christian, Jewish, and Muslim principles have been applied in a variety of societies, in many places throughout the world. The Bahá’í Faith—a monotheistic faith that began less than 200 years ago—has a rich history of faith and principle applied and lived, in diverse conditions in the world, including religious and secular realms. This chapter examines the activities and foundation of the Bahá’í Faith in the world, its iterations, underlying principles, and connecting concepts.