Belief and Learning in Action

“Is not the object of every Revelation to effect a transformation in the whole character of mankind, a transformation that shall manifest itself, both outwardly and inwardly, that shall affect both its inner life and external conditions?”

— Bahá’u’lláh

Across Canada, Bahá’ís are working with a widening circle of their friends and neighbours to create patterns of community life that promote spiritual and material progress for all.

The vision of society expressed in Bahá’u’lláh’s writings centre on the oneness of the human family, calling on us to eliminate all forms of prejudice from our relationships — whether based on race, religion, gender, social class, or ethnicity.

We believe that the progress of society depends upon balanced relationships between the individual, the community, and institutions, each of which has its own responsibilities and roles to further social progress. Social change involves both individual transformation and the creation of just social, economic, and political institutions.

Social transformation, therefore, is seen as a process that brings the spiritual and material requirements of life into dynamic coherence. True prosperity increases when we draw upon the knowledge of both science and religion to promote human welfare. Science offers insight into the material world and safeguards individuals from superstition, and religion fosters values, motivates action, and builds the bonds of community life. The pursuit of knowledge, and its application to the needs of the community, is fundamental to the advancement of society.

With an attitude characterized by a willingness to learn, we are striving to contribute to a process of community-building in which acts of worship and efforts to promote the common good are woven together. Everyone willing to participate in this process is welcome. Its purpose, after all, is to help raise the capacity of more and more people to take charge of their development, so that all come to see themselves as active agents of their own and their communities’ progress.

The Bahá’í community also participates in the public sphere, with the aim of sharing insights from the Bahá’í teachings and the experience of the community as we seek to apply them to the betterment of society. The areas of focus for our participation in national public discourses include the participation of youth in social transformation, the role of religion in society, reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, and citizenship and civic engagement.