Priesthood

Abolition (especially toward individual investigation and lack of spiritual mediation)

Excellence of Bahá'í Revelation also in strict exclusion of unwarranted practices of past Dispensations such as priestly domination

"We should also bear in mind that the distinguishing character of the Bahá'í Revelation does not solely consist in the completeness and unquestionable validity of the Dispensation which the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh and `Abdu'l-Bahá have established. Its excellence lies also in the fact that those elements which in past Dispensations have, without the least authority from their Founders, been a source of corruption and of incalculable harm to the Faith of God, have been strictly excluded by the clear text of Bahá'u'lláh's writings. Those unwarranted practices, in connection with ...priestly domination...have one and all been rigidly suppressed by the Pen of Bahá'u'lláh..."

(Shoghi Effendi, World Order of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 22)

The abolition of a professional priesthood and its sacraments and the absence of episcopal authority with its privileges, corruptions, and bureaucratic tendencies shows that the Bahá'í Administrative Order is not an absolutistic ecclesiastical government

"Nor can the Bahá'í Administrative Order be dismissed as a hard and rigid system of unmitigated autocracy or as an idle imitation of any form of absolutistic ecclesiastical government, whether it be the Papacy, the Imamate or any other similar institution, for the obvious reason that upon the international elected representatives of the followers of Bahá'u'lláh has been conferred the exclusive right of legislating on matters not expressly revealed in the Bahá'í writings. Neither the Guardian of the Faith nor any institution apart from the International House of Justice can ever usurp this vital and essential power or encroach upon that sacred right. The abolition of professional priesthood with its accompanying sacraments of baptism, of communion and of confession of sins, the laws requiring the election by universal suffrage of all local, national, and international Houses of Justice, the total absence of episcopal authority with its attendant privileges, corruptions and bureaucratic tendencies, are further evidences of the non-autocratic character of the Bahá'í Administrative Order and of its inclination to democratic methods in the administration of its affairs."

(Shoghi Effendi, World Order of Bahá'u'lláh, pp. 153-154)

Potentially praiseworthy role (even today)

"Nor should it be thought for a moment that the followers of Bahá'u'lláh either seek to degrade or even belittle the rank of the world's religious leaders, whether Christian, Muslim, or of any other denomination, should their conduct conform to their professions, and be worthy of the position they occupy. "Those divines," Bahá'u'lláh has affirmed, "...who are truly adorned with the ornament of knowledge and of a goodly character are, verily, as a head to the body of the world, and as eyes to the nations. The guidance of men hath, at all times, been and is dependent upon these blessed souls.""

(Shoghi Effendi, Promised Day Is Come, par. 271)

(Praise of former clergy who became Baha'is and taught the Faith)

"Many of the most valuable, enkindled and erudite teachers the Cause has possessed were formerly members of the clergy, Islámic or Christian."

(On behalf of? Shoghi Effendi, 10 May 1945, Unfolding Destiny, p. 442)

Now forbidden practices regarding

Explicit practices of certain religions

• asceticism
• baptism
• celibacy
• communion
• confession of sins/penance
• congregational prayer
• holy war
• binding interpretation of Holy Writ
• kissing of hands
• mendicancy
• monasticism
• prostration before others
• pulpits

Practices by certain members of prior Faiths' clergy members

• Muttering sacred verses in the street
• Pride in learning debarring one from God
• Esotericism

Practices now permitted or encouraged though previously forbidden/discouraged by priesthoods

• marriage

Undoing of prohibitions made (unwarrentedly?) by clergy

• hair, bones, fur not invalidating prayer
• music
• etc.

Todos for this page

• Add in info on Auxiliary Board re: taking over certain priestly functions (but not devotional or interpretive ones)
• Add info on being frequent source of opposition to the Faith

See also

• Learned
• Lecture