In terms of these three soteriologies, I put together this page of links about a year ago:
http://links.religionsnet.com/soteriologies.html Here is a page where I offer my own thoughts on the subject: http://salvation.bahaifaith.info/ This is a posting I made on this subject some time ago: In my view, Baha'i soteriology incorporates elements of universalism, inclusivism, and particularism (exclusivism). However, it is, in my view, primarily inclusivist. I. Universalism (pluralism) I prefer to take a broad view of divine Revelation. As I see it, and I am only expressing my own perspective, folks like Meher Baba and Ramakrishna could be termed "inspired seers." I can even accept Meher Baba's claim to be an avatar. However, here, I would take his use of "avatar" to be merely a nominal designation for what I would call a "seer." Moreover, Meher Baba, Ramakrishna, Rev. Moon, Aleister Crowley, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, etc. could, in the context of their own narrative, paradigm, or taxonomy, be regarded as prophets, messiahs, and avatars. In other words, I may or may not accept that person as a seer, admittedly a subjective judgement, but I would acknowledge that the leader, if any, of that religious organization had whatever status she or he or claimed in the context of her or his paradigm. That is my approach both as a sociologist of religion and as a human being. I do not consider `Abdu'l-Baha's seasonal analogy to be evidence He believed that the force of a Revelation could be exhausted. When a person goes from third to fourth grade, the energy of third grade is not depleted. However, just as the child would normally move on (while still benefiting from the knowledge gained in the previous grade), there is a need for further Revelation. Previous divine Revelations can still inspire, and transform, human lives. II. Inclusivism I admire Alvin Reines concept of polydoxy which he develops in, _Polydoxy: Explorations in a Philosophy of Liberal Religion_. Reines, a Reform ("Liberal" outside the U.S.) Jew, argues that there can be many different, but beneficial, constructions of Judaism. Just as there are various Christianities, Islams, Judaisms, Hinduisms, etc., there are, and should be, a multitude of Baha'i faiths (polydoxy). What unites us as Baha'is, and gives us our shared identity, is not our orthodoxy, our universal acceptance of doctrines, but our orthopraxy, our firmness in the collective center of the Covenant (the Will of God). A Baha'i can, IMO, be heteropraxic but not heterodox. III. Particularism (exclusivism) IMO, the particularity of the Baha'i primary sources implies inclusivism, not particularism or exclusivism. That is because the particularity of the Baha'i primary sources admits the possibility of redemption for those who are not Baha'is. It is difficult to make a similar case, although some have tried, from the texts incorporated into the New Testament. "It is even possible that the condition of those who have died in sin and unbelief may become changed - that is to say, they may become the object of pardon through the bounty of God, not through His justice - for bounty is giving without desert, and justice is giving what is deserved." -- `Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p.232 "Question. - What is the condition of children who die before attaining the age of discretion or before the appointed time of birth? "Answer. - These infants are under the shadow of the favor of God; and as they have not committed any sin and are not soiled with the impurities of the world of nature, they are the centers of the manifestation of bounty, and the Eye of Compassion will be turned upon them." -- `Abdu'l-Baha: Some Answered Questions, p.240 "... in a place where the commands of a Prophet are not known, and where the people do not act in conformity with the divine instructions, such as the command of Christ to return good for evil, but act according to the desires of nature - that is, if they torment those who torment them - from the point of view of religion they are excused because the divine command has not been delivered to them. Though they do not deserve mercy and beneficence, nevertheless, God treats them with mercy and forgives them." -- `Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p.267 Via moderna, Mark A. Foster • Portal: http://markfoster.net "... since [a] word is said to be common, it can be called a universal" - William of Ockham, Summa Logicae, Part I __________________________________________________ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st Baha'i Studies is available through the following: Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/?forum=bahai-st News - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st Public - http://www.escribe.com/religion/bahaist Old Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.net New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.edu
