By Martin Lavallee
Guest Blogger
Many of the heterodox Bahá'ís believe that Shoghi Effendi was silent about the Guardianship. He was not. In 1954, Shoghi Effendi spoke about the Guardianship.
Here is a question for you:
Where will the Seat of the Guardians be built in this "far flung arc"?
Cable 27 November 1954 (Shoghi Effendi, Messages to the Bahá'í World: 1950-1957):
"The raising of this Edifice will in turn herald the construction, in the course of successive epochs of the Formative Age of the Faith, of several other structures, which will serve as the administrative seats of such divinely appointed institutions as the Guardianship, the Hands of the Cause, and the Universal House of Justice."
Joel B. Marangella wrote:
"In reviewing this stream of communications to the Bahá'í world that flowed from Shoghi Effendi's pen, one notes that he repeatedly endeavored to give the believers a vision of the future developments in store for the Faith at the World Center as well as throughout the world. If one were to search these communications as well as the other copious writing of Shoghi Effendi concerning the World Order of Bahá'u'lláh, not a single word would be found alluding in the slightest to any possibility that the divine Charters referred to above would, in part, or in their entirety, become null and void.
"Quite to the contrary, all his acts and words were focused on their complete implementation and fulfilment. For example, only some three years prior to his passing he clearly wrote of the future edifices that would be raised on Mount Carmel to serve as the administrative seats for the highest institutions of the World Order of Bahá'u'lláh, edifices that included the seat of the Guardianship. Shoghi Effendi took the occasion of a message in which he described the acquisition of a piece of land on the slopes of Mount Carmel for the erection of 'the structure of the International Bahá'í Archives designed by the Hand of the Cause Mason Remey President of the International Bahá'í Council' to speak of the future edifices that would be built 'in the shape of a far-flung arc' surrounding the resting places of the members of the Holy Family of Bahá'u'lláh.
"Shoghi Effendi stated:
" 'The raising of this Edifice will in turn herald the construction in the course of successive epochs of the Formative Age of the Faith of several other structures which will serve as the administrative seats of such divinely appointed institutions as the Guardianship the Hands of the Cause and the Universal House of Justice.' And Shoghi Effendi went on to say in this message:
" 'The ultimate completion of this stupendous undertaking will mark the culmination of the development of a world-wide divinely-appointed Administrative Order whose beginnings may be traced as far back as the concluding years of the Heroic Age of the Faith.' And in the concluding passages of this message he proclaimed that 'The final establishment of this seat of the future Bahá'í World Commonwealth will signalize at once the proclamation of the sovereignty of the Founder of our Faith and the advent of the Kingdom of the Father repeatedly lauded and promised by Jesus Christ.' "
(Cable 27 November 1954)*
http://bahai-guardian.com/violation.html
Shoghi Effendi has written:
"The statement in the Will of `Abdu'l-Bahá does not imply that the Hands of the Cause of God have been given the authority to overrule the Guardian. `Abdu'l-Bahá could not have provided for a conflict of authority in the Faith. This is obvious, in view of His own words, which you will find on page 13 (p. 11 of 1944 U.S. edition) of the Will and Testament of `Abdu'l-Bahá. 'The mighty stronghold shall remain impregnable and safe through obedience to him who is the guardian of the Cause of God. It is incumbent upon...the Hands of the Cause of God to show their obedience, submissiveness and subordination unto the guardian of the Cause of God, to turn unto him and be lowly before him. He that opposeth him hath opposed the True One,' etc."
from Bahá'í News: http://www.rt66.com/~obfusa/newspage/288-55.htm
Then in 1956, the first Guardian referred to the interpretative infallibility reserved to the Guardianship:
"The infallibility of the Guardian is confined to matters which are related strictly to the Cause and interpretations of the Teachings; he is not an infallible authority on other subjects, such as economics, science, etc."
"The Guardian's infallibility covers interpretation of the revealed word, and its application. Likewise any instructions he may issue having to do with the protection of the Faith, or its well-being must be closely obeyed, as he is infallible in the protection of the Faith. He is assured the guidance of both Bahá'u'lláh and the Bab, as the Will and Testament of `Abdu'l-Bahá clearly reveals."
American Bahá’í News. Page 2 November 1945
And in 1957:
"Call upon Hands and National Assemblies, each continent separately, to establish henceforth direct contact and deliberate, whenever feasible, as frequently as possible, to exchange reports to be submitted by their respective Auxiliary Boards and national committees, to exercise unrelaxing vigilance and carry out unflinchingly their sacred, inescapable duties. The security of our precious Faith, the preservation of the spiritual health of the Bahá'í communities, the vitality of the faith of its individual members, the proper functioning of its laboriously erected institutions, the fruition of its worldwide enterprises, the fulfilment of its ultimate destiny, all are directly dependent upon the befitting discharge of the weighty responsibilities now resting upon the members of these two institutions, occupying, with the Universal House of Justice, next to the Institution of the Guardianship, foremost rank in the divinely ordained administrative hierarchy of the World Order of Bahá'u'lláh."
Shoghi Effendi, Messages to the Baha'i World - 1950-1957
Really, Shoghi Effendi was not silent on the Guardianship!
Guest Blogger
Many of the heterodox Bahá'ís believe that Shoghi Effendi was silent about the Guardianship. He was not. In 1954, Shoghi Effendi spoke about the Guardianship.
Here is a question for you:
Where will the Seat of the Guardians be built in this "far flung arc"?
Cable 27 November 1954 (Shoghi Effendi, Messages to the Bahá'í World: 1950-1957):
"The raising of this Edifice will in turn herald the construction, in the course of successive epochs of the Formative Age of the Faith, of several other structures, which will serve as the administrative seats of such divinely appointed institutions as the Guardianship, the Hands of the Cause, and the Universal House of Justice."
Joel B. Marangella wrote:
"In reviewing this stream of communications to the Bahá'í world that flowed from Shoghi Effendi's pen, one notes that he repeatedly endeavored to give the believers a vision of the future developments in store for the Faith at the World Center as well as throughout the world. If one were to search these communications as well as the other copious writing of Shoghi Effendi concerning the World Order of Bahá'u'lláh, not a single word would be found alluding in the slightest to any possibility that the divine Charters referred to above would, in part, or in their entirety, become null and void.
"Quite to the contrary, all his acts and words were focused on their complete implementation and fulfilment. For example, only some three years prior to his passing he clearly wrote of the future edifices that would be raised on Mount Carmel to serve as the administrative seats for the highest institutions of the World Order of Bahá'u'lláh, edifices that included the seat of the Guardianship. Shoghi Effendi took the occasion of a message in which he described the acquisition of a piece of land on the slopes of Mount Carmel for the erection of 'the structure of the International Bahá'í Archives designed by the Hand of the Cause Mason Remey President of the International Bahá'í Council' to speak of the future edifices that would be built 'in the shape of a far-flung arc' surrounding the resting places of the members of the Holy Family of Bahá'u'lláh.
"Shoghi Effendi stated:
" 'The raising of this Edifice will in turn herald the construction in the course of successive epochs of the Formative Age of the Faith of several other structures which will serve as the administrative seats of such divinely appointed institutions as the Guardianship the Hands of the Cause and the Universal House of Justice.' And Shoghi Effendi went on to say in this message:
" 'The ultimate completion of this stupendous undertaking will mark the culmination of the development of a world-wide divinely-appointed Administrative Order whose beginnings may be traced as far back as the concluding years of the Heroic Age of the Faith.' And in the concluding passages of this message he proclaimed that 'The final establishment of this seat of the future Bahá'í World Commonwealth will signalize at once the proclamation of the sovereignty of the Founder of our Faith and the advent of the Kingdom of the Father repeatedly lauded and promised by Jesus Christ.' "
(Cable 27 November 1954)*
http://bahai-guardian.com/violation.html
Shoghi Effendi has written:
"The statement in the Will of `Abdu'l-Bahá does not imply that the Hands of the Cause of God have been given the authority to overrule the Guardian. `Abdu'l-Bahá could not have provided for a conflict of authority in the Faith. This is obvious, in view of His own words, which you will find on page 13 (p. 11 of 1944 U.S. edition) of the Will and Testament of `Abdu'l-Bahá. 'The mighty stronghold shall remain impregnable and safe through obedience to him who is the guardian of the Cause of God. It is incumbent upon...the Hands of the Cause of God to show their obedience, submissiveness and subordination unto the guardian of the Cause of God, to turn unto him and be lowly before him. He that opposeth him hath opposed the True One,' etc."
from Bahá'í News: http://www.rt66.com/~obfusa/newspage/288-55.htm
Then in 1956, the first Guardian referred to the interpretative infallibility reserved to the Guardianship:
"The infallibility of the Guardian is confined to matters which are related strictly to the Cause and interpretations of the Teachings; he is not an infallible authority on other subjects, such as economics, science, etc."
"The Guardian's infallibility covers interpretation of the revealed word, and its application. Likewise any instructions he may issue having to do with the protection of the Faith, or its well-being must be closely obeyed, as he is infallible in the protection of the Faith. He is assured the guidance of both Bahá'u'lláh and the Bab, as the Will and Testament of `Abdu'l-Bahá clearly reveals."
American Bahá’í News. Page 2 November 1945
And in 1957:
"Call upon Hands and National Assemblies, each continent separately, to establish henceforth direct contact and deliberate, whenever feasible, as frequently as possible, to exchange reports to be submitted by their respective Auxiliary Boards and national committees, to exercise unrelaxing vigilance and carry out unflinchingly their sacred, inescapable duties. The security of our precious Faith, the preservation of the spiritual health of the Bahá'í communities, the vitality of the faith of its individual members, the proper functioning of its laboriously erected institutions, the fruition of its worldwide enterprises, the fulfilment of its ultimate destiny, all are directly dependent upon the befitting discharge of the weighty responsibilities now resting upon the members of these two institutions, occupying, with the Universal House of Justice, next to the Institution of the Guardianship, foremost rank in the divinely ordained administrative hierarchy of the World Order of Bahá'u'lláh."
Shoghi Effendi, Messages to the Baha'i World - 1950-1957
Really, Shoghi Effendi was not silent on the Guardianship!
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