The Universal Religion: Bahaism - Its Rise and Social Import

Hippolyte Dreyfus-Barney (1873 - 1928)

“Bahaism is not a new religion,” writes Hippolyte Dreyfus-Barney, “It is religion renewed… it does not pretend to represent the whole Truth; on the contrary, it recognises Truth in fundamental principles which are the basis of all former dispensations, and which for that very reason form the standpoint of concord too long lost sight of. And it requires people to renounce ancient superstitions, to abandon the dead letter in order to be penetrated by the living and vivifying spirit, then by that very means it confirms the original purity of their religion, whilst helping them to know and love everything profoundly beautiful in the others… it will suffice for me to indicate that the Bahais believe that from all eternity God has raised up among human creatures higher beings who have inculcated mankind with the great moral principles on which societies are founded, and have thus been the supreme guides of its evolution.”

Hippolyte Dreyfus earned his doctorate in law in February 1898 and became the first French Bahá’í in 1901. In 1903 he gave up his legal career to devote himself to oriental studies. He enrolled at the École pratique des hautes études university in Paris, where he studied Arabic and Persian to be able to translate the Bahá’í writings into French. He was one of the only Western Bahá’ís of his generation to received such formal training. He was the author of numerous books, articles and translations of the Bahá’í faith. Dreyfus-Barney attained in September 1902 with an American Bahá’í, Lua Getsinger, an audience with Muzaffaru’d-Din Shah in Paris. During this meeting the Shah was personally handed a petition to protect their co-religionists in Iran. After his marriage (1911) with the American Bahá’í Laura Clifford Barney, he adopted the name Dreyfus-Barney. He also traveled to numerous countries and represented the Bahá’ís in legal disputes. He died on 20 December 1928 and was buried in the Montmartre Cemetery in Paris. He was posthumously appointed by Shoghi Effendi as one of the 19 Disciples of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Please note that the term Bahaism is no longer used by Bahá’ís. The appropriate term is the Bahá’í Faith. (Introduction by Nicholas James Bridgewater)

Genre(s): Other religions

Language: English

Section Chapter Reader Time
Play 01 01 - Title, Preface, [The Rise of Bahaism]: Science and Religion Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:09:58
Play 02 02 - [The Rise of Bahaism]: Necessity of a Renewal of Religions; Bahaism—Its Character Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:11:11
Play 03 03 - [The Rise of Bahaism]: The Great Prophets; Babism Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:13:06
Play 04 04 - [The Rise of Bahaism]: The Exile of the Babis; Bahā’u’llāh Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:08:13
Play 05 05 - [The Rise of Bahaism]: Baghdād Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:15:05
Play 06 06 - [The Rise of Bahaism]: The Declaration of the Rizwān Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:10:12
Play 07 07 - [The Rise of Bahaism]: Constantinople; Adrianople Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:10:24
Play 08 08 - [The Rise of Bahaism]: ‘Akkā Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:08:55
Play 09 09 - [The Rise of Bahaism]: ‘Abdu’l-Bahā Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:10:20
Play 10 10 - [Social Import of Bahaism]: The True Religion Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:09:22
Play 11 11 - [Social Import of Bahaism]: Bahaism and the State Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:07:13
Play 12 12 - [Social Import of Bahaism]: Universal Peace Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:09:20
Play 13 13 - [Social Import of Bahaism]: Bahaism and Society—The Baītu’l-‘Adl Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:30:36
Play 14 14 - [Social Import of Bahaism]: Bahaism and the Individual Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:09:29
Play 15 15 - [Social Import of Bahaism]: Patriotism; Work Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:17:27