User:Brettz9/meetings for teaching/sequence of teaching
Here is one interpretation of the Writings cited in Sequence of teaching.
- Read Sequence of teaching (the first three subsections) if you have not already done so.
- Look over the sequence below, read its rationale and summary below, and if you prefer another sequence, create your own
- Commit to memory such a sequence (at least the bold texted portions on the left and the corresponding proof/subject summary)
| Who may be in particular need | Proof/Subject summary | Proof/Subject |
|---|---|---|
| atheists/agnostics polytheists pantheists/panentheists |
Existence of God Oneness of God |
Proving the Existence of God Meaning of Oneness of God (including transcendental God) Rejection of pantheism/panentheism |
| Deists (who cannot believe a God would intervene or care about us) reincarnationists |
Bounties of God | Proving the bounties of God (despite our undeserving), capable of intervening/personal God and immortality of the soul; importantly, see also suffering of the innocent Rejection of reincarnation |
| apatheists/mystics who don't see the need or benefit | Need for religion | Proving the need for religion and need for obeying Manifestations of God, including future rewards and punishments (and fear of God) |
| search | Describe the search process: sources of guidance/types of proofs (what seeking); modes of determining truth and qualities of the seeker/stages of seeking (how to seek) to guide them in assessing the truth of specific Prophets; the latter on how to seek could instead be covered as the very first step of this sequence, but since the types of proofs refer to specific Prophets, that portion at least would probably most logically be covered just before examining those Prophets | |
| past religionists | Past Prophets | Study, as per sequence of teaching, the Life of Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad, The Báb, Bahá'u'lláh (to show truth of seeker's own religion and bring them up to the present, noting the questionable historicity of stories about Adam, etc. Also optionally cover Buddha, Confucius, Lao Zi; also cover need for the Holy Spirit as not sufficient to stay with a past One) |
| religionists who forget that opposition to Prophets has occurred or are awaiting specific prophecies' fulfillment | Opposition and Prophecy | Cover specifically how opposition has occurred as per Iqan and how Faiths began in obscurity (so seeker can recognize the same situation for this time) Cover specifically those challenging prophecies between the Manifestations and concepts needed to understand progressive Revelation |
| Protestants (and Catholics) Sunnis (and Shí'ahs) |
Peter and Imamate | Bring believer toward recognizing primacy of Peter (though also Reformation) and the truth of the Imamate (but not of extremists) |
| Bahá'ís | Covenant, History, Teachings | Cover the Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh and the history of the Bahá'í Faith (including distinguishing with past Covenants and past events) Cover the moral and social principles, spiritual teachings, teaching, laws and the Administrative Order (including distinguishing with past teachings, laws, and administration) |
Rationale[edit]
Note that the above sequence and the following rationale are not meant to be too rigid. For example, some may benefit from an initial introduction to the social teachings of the Faith before any systematic presentation of proofs. The suggested sequence is merely intended to help keep in mind the seeker's needs, and a likely ordering of needs, including the fact that some seekers may need to first better understand their own religion.
The justification for this sequence is that if someone has a hard time with even the concept of a Creator, they may have a hard time recognizing the Manifestation of God for this day or His authority. Once proof of a Creator may be established, the seeker may still not be convinced that such a Creator is one Who could or does care about His creation. If a seeker becomes convinced of the potential for goodness and the capacity for intervention in a Creator in the figure of a Manifestation of God, one still might not feel there is any need for them to heed the call of such a Figure. Once they may perceive it is in their interest to heed such a call, the seeker may still not know which kind of Figure to search for and how to search. Once persuaded of reasonable criteria for seeking, the seeker is still in need of examining specific claimants to such a station.
Once a Jew may see the truth of Abraham and Moses according to rational criteria, he or she may be open to persuasion about Jesus. They may not be ready to hear about Muhammad or Bahá'u'lláh, but with the proximity in time, shared similarities in belief, it may be easier for a Jew to first recognize Jesus.
Once a Christian may see the truth of past Manifestations of God and the rational basis for having accepted Christ, he or she may be open to hearing about Muhammad. While this may be too great of a test for some, others may actually be most open to Muhammad due to His greater renown in history, and sympathy with His promoting the oneness of God and insistence on acknowledgement of Jesus among polytheistic tribes.
Finally, the believer in Islam, having seen the rational basis for his or her own Faith, may be open to considering the rational basis of the life and teachings of the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh.
Some religious believers may be in doubt about why the Faith faces such strong opposition today, so reminders about this having been the case in their own religion's history may be helpful. Similarly, specific prophecies may come to mind which raise questions as to their fulfillment. Being prepared to address these prophecies may assist certain seekers.
Once a believer is confirmed in the Faith, they may still need to be convinced of the legitimacy of Peter and the Imamate. This may assist them better appreciate the even stronger Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh.
Once having accepted the Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh, the seeker may be interested in and ready for gaining an introduction to more of the history and various teachings of the Faith, especially once they appreciate the infallibility of Bahá'í Central Figures and central institutions.
Summary as "justified faith"[edit]
This sequence can all be tied together and summarized as being a delivery of justified faith.
In other words, when we look at the proofs for God's existence and need for religion or the past Manifestations of God, we are justified in our faith in all these because the proofs are sound.
Similarly, when we look at the Covenant, with each step of succession having been challenged and then overcome, or the history, with its all-important dialectic of crisis and victory, we come to see that after any crisis, we are justified in having faith that it will be followed by an even greater victory, both because our faith in Bahá'u'lláh was justified and because the example of Bahá'í history shows that this process is indeed what happens.
And even the morals, laws, teaching, and Administration speak to our faith being justified in that they have their reason for being and are consistent with human nature and are productive of true unity.
Alternatively, we might think of the moral and social principles as being a call to us to demonstrate our faith based on all of the sound reasons we have to believe as seen through the proofs and history.
