Interfaith Studies

This book explores the unique usage of pictorial art to undertake interreligious dialogue. It presents a practical guide to help educators learn and teach an effective and enjoyable interreligious dialogue within their academic settings. It offers an alternative to prevailing approaches to interreligious dialogue through its Structured Arts-based Educational Dialogue (SAED). The SAED approach will transform pictorial art into a channel for dialogue through the artwork’s form, content, and subject matter, serving as speaking points in the dialogical process informing the life experiences and religious ideas of the dialogue partners.

After Moses had completed his term of service that he had pledged to his father in law, he was overcome by homesickness. On his way to Egypt he enters the sacred vale of Tuwa seeking warmth and guidance from its inhabitants. Instead, he witnesses  a bush or tree. burning with cold fire without consuming it. Then, from the tree, he hears the voice of God commissioning his prophet-hpod and instructing him in his religion. This is the preliminary stage of a dual mission to bring the message to the Pharaoh and to the Bani Israel.

This article critically analyses the principles of interfaith marriage in the light of the classical discourse of Islam. The fundamental concern of the paper is to study the issue of interfaith marriage in which one of the spouses to such marriage is professing Islam while another is ahl e kitab (People of the Book). It also studies the reasons behind the unanimity on the prohibition of an interfaith marriage between Muslim women and Scriptural men. The study has mainly been conducted based on the primary sources of Islamic Shariah and law including the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet. Illustrations have been cited from the Seerah (the life of Holy Prophet PBUH). This paper also refers briefly to the Objectives of Shari'ah (Maqasid al-Sharia) as well as the Principle of the law (al qawa'id al fiqhiyyah). Moreover, the juristic approach of classical scholars provides the readers the legal basis on the matter of interfaith marriage. The article aims at giving a broader perspective on interfaith marriage while comparing its view with other religions. This paper also studies the practical issues of interfaith marriage suggesting solutions according to classical Islamic discourse.

Today Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam have the largest populations among world religions. These three worldviews have made monumental contributions in shaping the visual arts of human civilization. This paper serves to provide a brief historical summary and theological exegesis of the visual culture present in these three traditions, as well as draw comparative conclusions. One will see the overlapping similarities and differences in worldview, delineating significant implications for the varying limitations in subject matter and cultural adaptability. The study of interfaith aesthetics is important, not only in light of the proliferation of pluralistic artistic imagery made ubiquitous in the visual age, but also to provide holistic balance to interfaith dialogue, which has tended to focus on theology of sacred texts and not recognizing how visual culture has a profound effect on shaping one’s understanding of the earth, humanity, and the Divine.

Jessica Kingsley Publishers, due 2016
Explores the relationship and dialogue between religion and atheism, focusing upon Christian, Islamic, Buddhist and other, e.g. Pagan, traditions in their encounter with secularism and atheism. It explores such issues as faith and reason, science and religion, gender and sexuality, 'texts of terror', and the use and abuse of arguments, evidence, and concepts.

Stereotypes and hostilities abound when it comes to Christians and Satanists. This prevents mutual understanding, and an exploration of areas where members of these very different religious groups might find agreement. What follows is an edited transcript of a conversation between John Morehead, an Evangelical Christian, and Stephen Bradford Long, a member of The Satanic Temple. The discussion begins with a brief discussion of their backgrounds, before moving to how they understand Jesus and Satan within their respective traditions as outsider figures. This understanding of their central religious figures provides an important aspect to their efforts at multifaith dialogue, working through deep differences for the common good.

Reclaiming ancient Middle Eastern spiritual-pharmacopeias, agricultural and architectural environmental engineering practices (such as tree amber for wounds or the Medieval Iraqi aquifers—qanats—still in practice today) can be one resolution for systemic oppressions inherent in our triple pandemic of ethnic cleansing/racism, climate crisis, and Covid-19. While encouraging individuals and communities to collectively resist industrialized convenience-culture and its self-destructive consequences, this presentation offers behavioral and infrastructural design shifts that embody Islamic wisdom/spiritual intelligence. In the tradition of hakawatis (Arab storytellers), I offer this tapestry as a strategy to ignite social justice
dialogue, ecological consciousness, and collective action. I contend that the alternative to industrial-waste consumer-convenience culture is not inconvenience, nor sacrifice. I suggest we redefine “convenience” by following principles found in Islamic texts and laws that can be antidotes to our consumer-waste culture. I ask: How can we transform habitual behaviors of entitlement and obsessive accumulation, so that we embody the ways we are all interconnected as a model and resource for
compassionate living? How can citizen-activists exemplify symbiotic solutions as we transition from our Anthropogenic, petroleum-pharmaceutical-addicted cyber-culture to a biocentric Commons—one
that inspires, educates, and mobilizes peoples of diverse cultural backgrounds? How can we hold ourselves and corporations accountable to toxic production / consumption / disposal habits that poison
life on earth? I explore principles found in ancient Islamic texts and laws as antidotes to our consumer-waste culture: water politics/infrastructure, architectural heating/cooling, the sacred embodied in bioregional agricultural systems, medico-magical rituals, and zero-waste/creative-waste living. Additionally, Islamic oral traditions that incorporate the ambiguity, contradiction, and the voice of the trickster are central to uprooting the intersections of our triple pandemic. Transformation and shifting identities are integral to how understanding how we can proactively engage with the sacred and the world around us.

This paper, “Hindu View of Christ”, by Dr. Anand Amaladass, S.J., friend and academic colleague, was presented at the International Conference, ‘Hinduism and Christianity: Prospects for Inter-Religious Dialogue’, at the Edoardo Agnelli Centre for Comparative Religious Studies, Turin, 20th-21st November 2003. It is included in my book, ‘The Unknown Buddha of Christianity’ – ML.  ¶ The title ‘Hindu View of Christ’ can be understood in different ways. In the first part an attempt is made to present what well-meaning Hindus have said and written about Christ – their admiration, their assessments and critiques concerning Jesus. The ‘Hindu View of Christ’ could also mean how Jesus assumes newer significance when he is interpreted using Hindu metaphors and categories. So in the second part, it is shown how Jesus appears to people of an Indian cultural milieu outside the Judeo-Christian context.

This paper, concluded on Aug. 11, 2020, is a summary of my work with Professor Gift Siromoney on the invention of the Brāhmī script, up till the time of his death in 1988, as well as my independent discovery, decades later, of where and when the invention took place. In my paper, I challenge those scholars who argue that the origin of the Brāhmī script pre-dates the Mauryan dynasty!

L’étude retrace les difficultés d’accès au concile Vatican II (1959-1965) pour les interlocuteurs juifs, qui contactent le Vatican au sujet du schéma De Judaeis. 
Ces difficultés s'expliquent par la forte asymétrie des relations, les juifs étant en position d'entrants. Vu les effets de segmentation dans ces réseaux, l’apport du moment conciliaire réside in fine moins dans les transferts d’idées entre représentants de groupes religieux distincts, que dans de nouvelles pratiques d’échange. Les relations entre représentants juifs et ecclésiastiques s'autonomisent des voies d'accès et des modes de discussion diplomatiques, pour donner naissance à une diplomatie interreligieuse. L'article se concentre ici sur les voies d'accès dont disposent ces interlocuteurs (mémorandums et discussions avec le Secrétariat pour l'Unité des Chrétiens, dont les théologiens chargés de la "question juive" étaient principalement des convertis) et revient sur les difficultés inhérentes à ce type d'échanges.

Cet article a été approuvé et publié par le comité de lecture des Éditions du CTHS dans le cadre des actes du 140e Congrès national des sociétés historiques et scientifiques tenu à Reims en 2015.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of strategies used by Isiolo Interfaith Network in the Promotion of Peace in Isiolo Central Sub County of Isiolo County. Four research objectives were formulated to guide the study namely; to establish the influence of mediation for peace as a peace in promotion of peace, to determine the
influence of interfaith dialogue as a peace strategy in promotion of peace, the influence of advocacy as peace strategy in promotion of peace and the influence of sports as a peace strategy in promotion of peace

The biography of Sri Swami Satchidananda, depicts the life of one of the first Yoga masters to bring the classical science of Yoga to the western world. Satchidananda was born as "Ramaswamy" into a deeply spiritual family, steeped in the values of the Tamil Saiva tradition. After losing his wife after only five years of marriage, Ramaswamy became a wandering ascetic spending time with great Tamil Siddhars and saints, Sri Ramana Maharshi, Papa Ram Dass and in 1949 arriving in Rishikesh and taking Sannyas vows from his Guru, Sri Swami Sivananda. In the 1950s, Sivananda sent his disciple to teach the science of Yoga throughout India, Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka (where he taught for 13 years). Invited to the West in 1966, he went on to become one of the most well-known and beloved Yoga masters in the world. He opened the famed Woodstock Festival, founded Satchidananda Ashram–Yogaville/Integral Yoga International, and became a leading trailblazer in the interfaith movement. He built the first interfaith shrine in the West (lotus.org), served on numerous advisory boards of Yoga, interfaith, and world peace organizations and received many honors for his service. This book covers this story up until 1986.

The author explores the differences in the ways of knowing God, with a particular focus on the rational proofs of God’s existence as perceived by noteworthy authors from Christian and Hindu traditions. He deepens the study with insights put forth by Raimundo Panikkar in his seminal work on the encounter between both religions. A possible blend of the two traditions is proposed.

Muslim religious leaders and scholars lectured on the higher goals of peace in Islam by defining the goals with scripture and hadith, with prophetic sayings and actions, and with attempting to demonstrate that peace is a pillar of the faith. Ironically, with the rise of violence in Muslim global communities, we have witnessed a surge of publications, podcasts, social media, and organizations dedicated to peacemaking. Muslim religious leaders (imams) and scholars ('ulama) recognize their important roles they play in reinforcing pluralism within Islam worldwide.

Religious communities play an important role in fostering justice and peace in societies. Religious belief can form an inspirational basis for peace and highlights the need for dialogue to build peace. A key issue for careful reflection is how religious identity interfaces with ethnic and national identity. Do these different facets of our identity complement or challenge or compete with each other? The complicated interplay of identities is reflected in the growing interaction between religion and politics, with many conflicts and tensions carrying consequently the imprint of religion. The “politization” of religion and the “religionization” of politics are flip sides of the same dangerous coin. However, the real tension in our world is not between religions and beliefs per se, but between aggressive, intolerant and manipulative ideologies. Such ideologies are used to legitimize the use of violence, the exclusion of minorities and political domination. The primary victims are often religious minorities, living in a context of a different majority culture. This study was commissioned in order to identify how best to ensure that religious minorities in Myanmar enjoy the same freedoms of belief as the majority religion, and to provide ACT Alliance members with a resource to inform strategy and program development.

“Part II: J. Edgar Bruns’ Christian Buddhism!” is the third, and concluding, section of “Buddhist Influence in the Gospels: Two Catholic Views – Part I: Charles Francis Aiken” and the “Interlude: How Crypto Buddhism Won the West!” ¶In contrast to Catholic priest Rev. Dr. Aiken, whose published doctoral dissertation was an all out effort to deny that there was any Buddhist influence whatsoever on Christianity, Catholic priest Rev. Dr. J. Edgar Bruns, simply demonstrated that there was, indeed, massive Buddhist influence on Christianity. Of course, even Bruns did not comprehend the real genetic links between Buddhism and Christianity.

Amidst on-going conflict that has divided people in Mindanao for hundreds years, some recent interfaith dialogue initiatives have started seeding peace by narrowing the gap between Muslims and Christians. This study examines these initiatives and the perspectives of Muslims and Christian as majority and minority groups involved. Findings indicate that interfaith dialogue is quite successful in eliminating hatred and stereotypes at the interpersonal level as well as building positive relationships between interfaith participants, but significant transformation at the societal level, especially in eradicating structural violence and cultural domination, remains undone.
The power disparity between the Muslim minority and Christian majority groups in the Philippines adds to the complexity of dialogue, in that dialogue should not perpetuate the asymmetrical relationship and cultural domination existing in society. Extra-awareness and sensitivity is needed to create an equal and liberative interfaith dialogue.
Keywords: interfaith dialogue, majority-minority relationship, Muslim-Christian relationship, asymmetrical dialogue, Mindanao Philippines.

ABSRACT India had been renowned in its affairs of promoting ethnic tolerance over ages. History provides us with instances supporting this claim. Monarchs like Ashoka and Akbar had been indulged in propagating secularism in Indian society which mirrored itself in variant forms and ideologies, often

This study stages an analysis of religious politics in Dar es Salaam and Tanzania from below. At its heart is an original account of Muslim political mobilisation in Tanzania that foregrounds the everyday lives of urban actors in Kariakoo, a super-dense market district at the centre of Dar es Salaam.

Under British colonial rule, Kariakoo was Dar es Salaam‟s principal African residential neighbourhood; the beating heart of the city's lively cultural scene and the cradle of Tanganyika‟s African nationalist movement. Today, Kariakoo has grown into one of the most important commercial districts in the East African region. In 2012 and 2013, it was also the site of episodes of Muslim mobilisation which led to clashes with state police and armed forces.

Drawing on rich data derived from fifteen months of ethnographic fieldwork in the neighbourhood, I ask what the everyday life of Kariakoo reveals about religious politics in Tanzania. More specifically, I use it to investigate the intersections between Muslim mobilisation, informal livelihood practices developed by urban users in response to escalating conditions of economic precarity, and popular discontent concerning entrenched inequalities and uneven development along religious lines.

By drawing together several innovative research trajectories in the fields of religious and urban studies, I am able to hold together the notions of the religious and the urban in a manner that spotlights just how integral religion is to Kariakoo as an urban ecology. The subsequent discussion reveals the remarkable dynamism of Muslim social practices and modes of affiliation when considered as numbering among the everyday livelihood practices that are employed by urban users in Kariakoo.

This study brings a more nuanced explanatory frame to bear on the contemporary realities of Muslim activism and religious politics in Tanzania and beyond than those that prevail in much academic and media commentary.

In this paper it is argued that the typology in the theology of religions is not usefully constructed in strictly demarcated boundaries, but that the fluidity of the boundaries needs to be recognised. Employing previously expounded ideas a new vision for the typology as reflecting both theological positions with different agendas as well as representing four different ideal types (in a Durkheimian sense is argued) of tendencies. The tendencies are named as radical discontinuity, radical fulfilment, radical openness, and radical difference (respectively: exclusivisms, inclusivisms, pluralisms, particularities). The paper concludes by arguing that the typology is often wrongly criticized for not doing things it is not intended to, as it is an analytic tool rather than an aid to dialogue, but notes it can be usefully used in theological reflection.

This study of why Buddhist missionary outreach went “underground” when it reached the West – the five Greek kingdoms of the West mentioned by the Buddhist king Aśoka in his 13th Rock Edict – is key to understanding some startling facts about the origins of Christianity. The whole affair can be expected to engender in many researchers a serious case of Cognitive Dissonance. This study is an “Interlude” between the two Parts of a much longer essay, including “Buddhist Influence in the Gospels, Part I: Charles Francis Aiken” and “Part II: J. Edgar Bruns”.

Dr. Christian Lindtner:– Gematria is a word, a concept that is searched for in vain in the usual conversational lexicons and encyclopedias; and if one finally finds something under gematria in Bible manuals and the like, then the definitions one encounters are both inadequate and misleading.  ¶ Nowhere is it said that gematria is in a way a key to understanding important parts of both the Old and New Testaments.  ¶ It is therefore necessary to say a little bit at the outset about this immensely important concept, about which future research will have much more to announce.  ¶ Gematria is derived from the Hebrew ‘gmtry’, which in turn is an imitation of the Greek γεωμετρία (geometria), which literally means surveying. Hence our own geometry.

This third book of my studies on the relation of Buddhism to Christianity is now in print, as well as offered here in PDF form.  Its title is a purposeful inversion of the title of the late Indo-Spanish Catholic theologian Raimon Panikkar’s important work, ‘The Unknown Christ of Hinduism’. Do not think that my inversion of his book’s title is meant as an attempt to repudiate it. On the contrary, I consider that he and I only differ in emphasis and details – both aiming at real ‘Ecumenism’ – the kind where there should be no question of bitterness on any side. My emphasis has been to find historical facts behind the myth-making. Of course, one has to recognize that mythology is mythology, but trying to find what lies historically behind mythology is like looking through a darkened ‘mirror’.

The conclusion of my book, ’The Unknown Buddha of Christianity’, the heart of which has been the revelation of the remarkable part played by the Royal Library of Alexandria, Egypt, in the origin, first, of Mahāyāna Buddhism, then, Christianity!

Sri Ramakrishna (1836–1886) is an important Hindu spiritual personality from the nineteenth century Bengal who is best known for his pluralistic approach to religions, which is based on his claim to have practically experienced the same divine reality through various strands of Hinduism and different religions of the world. This paper pertains to an analytical survey of his religious experiences including his supposed conversions to Islam and Christianity. Without taking an outright reductionist approach to all of his religious experiences it is viewed that claims of God-realisation through Islam and Christianity seem problematic from the perspective of these religious traditions. However, there is no denying of the fact that Ramakrishna's supposed realisation of God through various religions can definitively inculcate in Hindus (and others who endorse his experiences) a tolerant attitude and pluralist approach to different religions. To that extent Ramakrishna's religious experiences can be conducive to peaceful interreligious coexistence and interfaith harmony.

Parallels between the spiritual paths of Theravāda Buddhists and Discalced Carmelites have long been observed, although not satisfactorily explained. This study contributes to objectively clarifying the similarities and differences between the two paths; and to explain their phenomenological similarities and structural affinities.

The expression ‘Mythicism’ has come to be used to identify the negative side of the debate whether ‘Jesus of Nazareth’ was or was not a historical person. This book examines five major types of challenges to Jesus’ historicity:  ¶ I. In the First Section, Robert M. Price’s article, “New Testament Narrative as Old Testament Midrash”, and Thomas L. Brodie’s book, ‘Beyond the Quest for the Historical Jesus’, reviewed by René Salm, reveal a layer of fictional mimetic dependence of many works of the New Testament on the Old Testament.  ¶ II. In the Second Section, Dennis R. MacDonald’s book, ‘The Homeric Epics and the Gospel of Mark’, reviewed by Richard Carrier, reveals a truly astonishing second layer of fictional mimetic dependence which Mark’s Gospel has on Homer’s ‘Iliad' and 'Odyssey’. As Mark’s is the earliest of the four Gospels, this mimetic dependence also extends to the other three.  ¶ III. In the Third Section, an examination of a book by John H. C. Pippy (‘Egyptian Origin of the Book of Revelation’) and of another, by D.M. Murdock (‘Christ in Egypt’), reveals a third layer of fictional mimetic dependence of the New Testament on ancient Egyptian religious writings.  ¶ IV. In the Fourth Section, ten very short reports by Christian Lindtner reveal an astounding fourth layer of fictional mimetic dependence of the canonical Gospels on Buddhist scriptures.  ¶ V. In the Fifth Section, Robert Eisenman’s book, ‘The New Testament Code’, reviewed by Robert Price, reveals a fifth layer of fictionalized mimetic dependence of the New Testament on a coded transformation of historical material from the writings of Philo of Alexandria, Flavius Josephus, and others.  ¶ In the Preface, Introduction, and Miscellaneous Concluding Remarks, Michael Lockwood reveals how these five mimetic layers are interrelated and how Lindtner’s overarching theory confirms and even surpasses the German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer’s brilliant insight that Christianity came into being by its “grafting the doctrine of Buddha upon the mythological dogmas of Judaism.”  ¶ This book is a sequel to Lockwood’s earlier work, ‘Buddhism’s Relation to Christianity’ (2010).

There is a proverb in India to the effect that one should not inquire too deeply into the origin of rishis (God-men) or rivers. This book, ‘Buddhism’s Relation to Christianity’, however, seeks to plumb the very depths of the great puzzle of the relation between the Buddha and Jesus.  ¶ The First Section features a select, annotated bibliography highlighting almost two hundred years of scholarly work on the remarkable parallelism between the messages and lives of the Buddha and Jesus.  ¶ The Second Section deals with Buddhist narrative sculptures, a number of which were created in the centuries BCE. They are paralleled by episodes in the Christian scriptures.  ¶ The Third Section considers several rock inscriptions of King Aśoka, who, in the third century BCE, ruled over most of India, and beyond, into what is now Afghanistan. These inscriptions reveal the spreading abroad of the Buddhist doctrine (Dharma), as far as Egypt and other countries around the Mediterranean. There are many parallels between Buddhist doctrine and Christian doctrine.  ¶ The Fourth Section examines the strange story of the most widespread legend of Christian sainthood during medieval times. The Buddha was somehow turned into a Christian saint who, by 1583, was actually listed in the Roman Martyriology, which provides an extensive list of saints officially recognized by the Church!  ¶ The Fifth Section discusses several instances of parallel parables. It may be of interest to note that only Buddhism and Christianity have made such extensive use of parables.  ¶ The Sixth Section lists various parallels in the sayings of the Buddha and Jesus.  ¶ The Seventh Section attempts to emphasize certain pioneering developments achieved by Buddhism, as a missionary religion, prior to similar developments in Christianity.  ¶ The Eighth Section takes up the contentious debate about the historicity of Jesus. Various arguments for, and a few against, his being historical are considered.  ¶ And, finally, the Ninth Section deals with two examples of extreme revisionism. Both of these theories argue that Jesus is not a historical person. And, further, they both hold that the evangelists who wrote the Gospels of the New Testament were actually Buddhists. The pioneer of this extreme revisionism is the Danish Sanskrit scholar, Christian Lindtner. The strong reactions to his radical views have illustrated the basis of the Indian warning not to inquire too deeply into the origin of God-men or rivers.

20 More Religions & Faith Practices, Volume 2 is an introductory course on twenty of the world's most practiced and most misunderstood religions. Part of a two-volume series, introducing the reader to forty of the World's religions and Faith practices, this easy-to follow reference guide to international faith practices is designed to reduce the fear and skepticism that often comes when we encounter people with belief systems different than our own, with the ultimate goal of promoting peace and spiritual unity throughout the world.

Covering a broad array of different faiths: from mainstream Christian denominations to Buddhism to Islam and more, World Religions breaks down each faith practice into eleven categories to allow for easy comparative discussions: History, Basic Doctrine, God or gods, the concept of Jesus Christ, Worship practices, infant Baptism or blessing, Confirmation or Initiation, Marriage, Death and Afterlife, Judgment, and any Special Doctrines. Also included are comparison charts that can be used as a quick "at a glance" reference.

Take the challenge to educate yourself, and replace skepticism or fear with peace and understanding.

I believe that you will want to own this as a valuable reference manual, but I am sharing it for FREE to any one who wants to learn more. It can be purchased on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1947825771/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2

In this article it is argued that the Qiblah passages in the Qur’an, which are commonly understood as referring to the direction of the prayer, are directly engaging with and interpreting the Shema passages in Deuteronomy and their Talmudic commentaries. By defining and applying the method of intertextual polysemy, nine points of intertextuality are identified between the various Qur’anic, Biblical, and Talmudic passages. Against this background, the article implies that narrations from traditional Qur’anic commentaries are lacking in their interpretation of these passages, since they do not employ any extra-Quranic contexts to explain their meaning. Through the method of intertextual polysemy, the alternative thesis propounded here is that the historical reference for the Qiblah passages is the Shema.

The Nigerian government's inability to defeat Boko Haram is the result of a misplaced security policy that dismisses  Shekau as ignorant and clueless. Most policymakers, analysts and academics do not understand the socio-cultural, historical and linguistic antecedents of the environment within which Shekau operates and therefore struggle to understand why he has been able to be the Boko Haram leader since the start of the insurgency. Shekau's ability to strategically build networks and enter into and leave alliances when necessary is the reason for his success

A Vision of Peace explores the emergence of the interfaith movement and the role that Sri Swami Satchidananda played in its evolution. A pioneer in the movement, he participated in and organized interfaith gatherings and seminars; he created innovative interfaith programs, retreats, and worship services; and he founded communities where people from all backgrounds and diverse traditions could live and serve together harmoniously. Swami Satchidananda’s unique contributions helped to establish the interfaith movement as a veritable path to peace. He envisioned a peaceful planet, a heaven on earth, and he shared that vision with one and all. We can make it a reality.

TITLE
The 1893 Russian Publication of Baha’u’llah’s Last Will and Testament:
An Academic Attestation of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s Successorship

AUTHORS
Christopher Buck
Independent Scholar, Pittsburgh

Youli Ioannesyan
Institute of Oriental Manuscripts
Russian Academy of Sciences (St. Petersburg)

PUBLICATION
Baha'i Studies Review
Volume 19 (2013, published 2017), pp. 3–44 (42 pp.)
Actual publication date:
May 2017 (online version); June 2017 (print version)
Publisher: Intellect

ABSTRACT
This study concerns the publication of a document that may well be unique in the history of religions: the written designation of a successor by the charismatic founder of a world religion. Mīrzā Ḥusayn-‘Alī (1817–1892), known as Bahā’-Allāh (more commonly, Baha’u’llah, ‘Splendor of God’), prophet–founder of the Bahā’ī Faith.

In the Kitāb-i ‘Ahdī (‘Book of My Covenant’), Baha’u’llah designated his eldest son, ‘Abbās Effendī, known as ‘Abdu’l-Bahā (1844–1921), as successor. Baha’u’llah died on 29 May 1892 (at 3:00 a.m.) in Bahjī (near ‘Akkā), Palestine (now modern-day Israel), and the Kitāb-i ‘Ahdī was read aloud nine days later.

In 1893, Russian orientalist, Aleksandr Grigor’evich Tumanski (1861–1920) published this document, in the original Persian, with Russian translation, together with a eulogy composed by the celebrated Bahā’ī poet, Mīrzā ‘Alī-Ashraf-i Lāhījānī, known by his sobriquet, ‘Andalīb (‘Nightingale’; d. 1920). Since ‘Andalīb was an eyewitness to the events he describes, his eulogy may be treated as a historical source.

Tumanski’s scholarly publication of the Kitāb-i ‘Ahdī is discussed in the context of Russian scholarly and diplomatic interests. The present study is presented as follows:

(1) Introduction;
(2) Aleksandr Grigor’evich Tumanski;
(3) Contents of the Kitāb-i ‘Ahdī and Brief Commentary;
(4) ‘Andalīb’s Eyewitness Account of the Reading of the Kitāb-i ‘Ahdī, 1892;
(5) The St. Petersburg Edition of the Kitāb-i ‘Ahdī;
(6) The Original Manuscript of the Kitāb-i ‘Ahdī and the Textus Receptus;
(7) Textual Variants Between the St. Petersburg Edition of the Kitāb-i ‘Ahdī and the Textus Receptus;
(8) The Cambridge Manuscript of the Kitāb-i ‘Ahdī in the E. G. Browne Collection; and
(9) Conclusion: Contemporary-Historical Attestation of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s Successorship by Tumanski and other Russian Notables

KEYWORDS
Abdu’l-Baha; Alexsandr Tumanski; Baha’i Faith; Baha’u’llah;
Baron Rosen; Edward Granville Browne; Kitab-i-‘Ahd; covenant; successor

NOTE:
This document (prepared by Christopher Buck) is not the published version itself, and is made available pursuant to the “Publishing Agreement,” which provides, in pertinent part:

B. AUTHOR’S OWNERSHIP OF COPYRIGHT
The Copyright in the Accepted Contribution shall remain the Author’s property throughout the term of this Agreement. The Author may distribute or re-publish the Accepted Contribution, but may not use the format and designs of the Accepted Contribution as it appears in the Publication.