Lessons from the New Religion on The Block: A Baha’i Approach to Social Action

Countless intersecting problems infect our world and contribute to its disintegration: racism, nationalism, sexism, economic inequality, and climate change, to name a few. We need a global movement away from disintegration and towards integration, towards a unified world. This session explores the fresh ways the Baha’i Faith, a tradition that is less than 200 years old, can inform and inspire the kind of social action that pursues justice, creates equity, and, ultimately, cultivates unity. In particular, we will examine the Baha’i beliefs and practices of consultation, universal participation, and the oneness of humanity to discover “spiritual technologies” that can help heal our world. In addition, we will look at historical figures who have utilized Baha’i wisdom to architect a better future. This session is designed for people of all religious and spiritual traditions; we will discover what Baha’i wisdom can offer us all as we engage in social action.