“Civilization has unfolded. Nations have developed….Science, inventions and discoveries have increased. All of these show that the world of existence is continuously progressing and developing; and therefore, assuredly, the virtues characterizing the maturity of man must, likewise, expand and grow.”
— ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
Humanity is at present in an age of transition where it is leaving behind the immaturity of childhood and is approaching the threshold of maturity. Like the rest of the world, during this period Indian society is going through bewildering changes where systems, structures, and traditions of earlier times can no longer address the complex realities of the contemporary world. The cry everywhere is for a moral regeneration at the level of the individual and of the society to guide and orient this process of transition.
Historically, religion has been the primary force civilizing human nature and its contributions to morality and law have preserved the social fabric. Divine Messengers such as Krishna, Buddha, Zoroaster, Moses, Jesus Christ and Prophet Muhammad have advanced civilization by providing spiritual and moral teachings necessary for the needs of each age.
The Baha’i Faith is the latest chapter in this never-ending process of Divine Revelation. Baha’u’llah, the Prophet Founder of the Baha’i Faith, revealed that humanity is now in at a turning point in its collective evolution where it has the powers and capacities necessary to achieve the unity of humankind. This unification, which will be the hallmark of humanity’s coming of age, will involve the complete reordering of the life of the individual, the community, and the structures of society.
The purpose of the Baha’i Faith in this age of transition is to stimulate, nurture and guide the organic transformation of the inner life of the individual and of the structures of society as we advance towards the goal of the oneness of humankind.
