The Baha'i Studies Listserv http://irfancolloquia.org/pdf/lights8_martin.pdf
I found this was a related paper. ________________________________ From: Sen & Sonja <sen.so...@casema.nl> To: Baha'i Studies <bahai-st@list.jccc.edu> Sent: Sun, August 15, 2010 6:04:33 AM Subject: Re: Religion and Exclusivism The Baha'i Studies Listserv > Religion and Exclusivism: A Baha'i Perspective > by Julio Savi > Published in Lights of Irfan Volume 7 pages 221-238 Wilmette, IL: Irfan > Colloquia, 2006 > The PDF of the full paper is here: http://irfancolloquia.org/pdf/lights7_savi_exclusivism.pdf I don't think this is a very useful contribution, because it omits the dimension of power, and without that, the dynamics of exclusivism make no sense. This element is covered in the Bahai scriptures: individuals and groups have *motives* and *interests* for their theological positions and for presenting them as The Right Way. Leaders of religion, in every age, have hindered their people from attaining the shores of eternal salvation, inasmuch as they held the reins of authority in their mighty grasp. Some for the lust of leadership, others through want of knowledge and understanding, have been the cause of the deprivation of the people. (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 15) It is ironical to see a theologian quoting the section in One Common Faith: "Over time, theology succeeded in constructing in the heart of each one of the great faiths an authority parallel with, and even inimical in spirit to, the revealed teachings on which the tradition was based.." As if theology was the problem! Far from it, it is the entanglement of theology with power that is the nub of the problem. A religious community has theology, and has leaders -- neither of these is problematic or even optional. The problem is rather with leaders enforcing a theology or, more rarely (if ever?) theologians assuming power. The theology concerned always turns out to be one that serves the interests of power Sen ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Sen McGlinn http://senmcglinn.wordpress.com All is to be yielded up, save only the *remembrance* of God; all is to be dispraised, except His praise. Today, to this melody of the Company on high, the world will leap and dance: `Glory be to my Lord, the All-Glorious!' (Selections from the Writings of `Abdu'l-Baha, p. 93) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -- __________________________________________________ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:skg_z...@yahoo.com Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:leave-519876-17190...@list.jccc.edu Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to ly...@list.jccc.edu Or 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 (on-campus only) - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st Old Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai...@list.jccc.net New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.edu __________________________________________________ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:arch...@mail-archive.com Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:leave-520977-274...@list.jccc.edu Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to ly...@list.jccc.edu Or 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 (on-campus only) - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st Old Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai...@list.jccc.net New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.edu
