Baháʼí Faith in Australia

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The Baháʼí Faith has a long history in Australia. The first known mention of events related to the history of the religion was several reports in Australian newspapers in 1846. After sporadic mentions a turning point was a mention of Australia by

Iranian revolution, in 1978, there were approximately 50-60 Persian Baháʼí families in Australia. Persians, including Baháʼís, arrived in number following the revolution. See persecution of Baháʼís in Iran. Since the 1980s the Baháʼís of Australia have become involved and spoken out on a number of civic issues - from interfaith initiative such as Soul Food[7] to conferences on indigenous issues[8] and national policies of equal rights and pay for work.[9] Baháʼís in Australia include some well known people (see below - National exposure
).

The 1996 Census had an optional question on religion that 74% of respondents answered, and of those, 8,947 indicated Baháʼí.

World Christian Database) estimated some 19,365 Baháʼís in 2010.[13]

Earliest history

The first known mention of events related to the history of the religion was several reports in Australian newspapers in 1846:

These were reprints of an 1845 article in the London Times which relied on Muslim reactions to the new religion.

The Argus, 4 November 1850 in Melbourne which briefly mentions it.[18] In 1853 there was an event with caused great suffering among the Babís (whom Baháʼís regard as spiritual precursors of their religion.) The Babís were blamed for an attempted assassination of the Shah of Persia. Recent scholarship has identified a fringe element distinct from all the major aspects of the religion, its community and leadership at the time, as actually being responsible.[19][20] Nevertheless, coverage in newspapers at the time often echoed the Persian government's view blaming the Babís and Babís in large numbers were in fact executed as a result.[21]

ʻAbdu'l-Bahá's Tablets of the Divine Plan

ʻAbdu'l-Bahá wrote a series of letters, or

Star of the West magazine on 12 December 1919.[22]

(Tablet 7) "The moment this divine Message is carried forward by the American believers from the shores of America and is propagated through the continents of Europe, of Asia, of Africa and of Australasia, and as far as the islands of the Pacific, this community will find itself securely established upon the throne of an everlasting dominion..., if some teachers go to other islands and other parts, such as the continent of Australia, New Zealand,

Ceylon and Afghanistan, most great results will be forthcoming."[1]
(Tablet 8) "The teachers traveling in different directions must know the language of the country in which they will enter.… In short, after this universal war, the people have obtained extraordinary capacity to hearken to the divine teachings, for the wisdom of this war is this: That it may become proven to all that the fire of war is world-consuming, whereas the rays of peace are world-enlightening.… Consequently, a number of souls may arise and … and hasten to all parts of the world, especially from America to Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia, and travel through Japan and China."[23]

Establishment

Interior of the Sydney Baháʼí Temple

In 1920 Englishman John Hyde Dunn, and his Irish wife, Clara, sailed to Australia

Knight of Baháʼu'lláh together with Glad Parke, who travelled with her to the Society Islands (now French Polynesia) in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.[32]
During Roots subsequent visits each time the Baháʼí community grew in Tasmania.

Following a temporary move of

Esperantist pioneered to Brisbane, and Adelaide.) While many of the early converts refused to stay Baháʼís when pressed to leave their former associations many others did join the religion. By 1928 a list shows Australia with 6 local spiritual assemblies each with 9 members plus the general community.[33] There was a 1929 notice in the Sydney Morning Herald of a talk on ʻAbdu'l-Bahá.[34]

Expansion

Soon Baháʼí groups sprang up around the country. By 1934 there were enough Baháʼís to elect a national governing body, the first

Hand of the Cause of God in 1957 (d.1990) and he and four other Hands were present at the first international conference hosted by the Australian Baháʼí community in March 1958 when almost 200 Baháʼís from 17 Baháʼí communities gathered: Iran, Pakistan, (S) Korea, Japan, Southeast Asia, Tonga, New Guinea, Papua, New Hebrides, New Caledonia, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, New Zealand, Formosa, and the United States.[44]
Part of the ceremonies carried out was the dedication of the Temple site.

Yerrinbool Baháʼí School

Since its inception the religion has had involvement in

Perth (1974), Canberra (1975), Brisbane (1976), Sydney (1977), Hobart (1978), and Melbourne (1979). In 1983 the schools program included summer, spring and autumn schools, three deepening institutes, an annual studies conference, a "Third World Awareness" weekend sponsored by the Sydney Baháʼí youth, Baháʼís studies conferences sponsored by the University of Tasmania Baháʼí Society which lead to the initial formation of the Association for Baháʼí Studies chapter in Australia whose first meeting was at Yerrinbool.[48] More recently, Yerringbool Baháʼí School was formally registered as a not-for-profit college in Australia under the name of Yerringbool Baháʼí Center for Learning Ltd. (YBCL) which operates two divisions of Education for Peace Institute of Australia, and Yerrinbool College.[49]

Development in other states

Baháʼís in Brisbane were established as early as 1928 but it was not until 1949 that a local spiritual assembly was elected.

Wondai Shire and Caboolture in 1983.[50]
In 1987, local assemblies in Queensland numbered 25.

Refocussing attention on the Melbourne community active projects were initiated and the assembly was reformed in 1948. The members of that local spiritual assembly were Emily and Cyril Easey, Ron Cover and his mother Irene Cover, Freda Adams, Mrs E. Bennett, Madam Holden-Graham, Eleanor Wheeler, and Vi Hoehnke

Mordialloc and Brighton.[4]

In an atmosphere of growing tension over war, in October 1940 Gretta Lamprill in Tasmania was visited by government officers seeking information about the group's activities[32] and from then on the Baháʼís consciously sought out collaboration with like-minded social movements and involved academics and outstanding public figures of the day in their public meetings. In 1945 the only group of Baháʼís in Tasmania were in Hobart - consisting of six people.[51] By 1949 the Hobart community was able to elect its local spiritual assembly with founding members of Frank & Myra Brown, Mabel Bailey, Kit Crowder, Eileen Costello, Katherine Harcus, Gretta Lamprill, Katie Pharaoh, and Ben Raynor. Shirin Fozdar visited Tasmania in September 1952 for several talks before going on to introduce the religion to Vietnam in 1954.[32] In 1958 the Hobart community hosted a Tasmanian Baháʼí conference with representatives from Launceston, Clarence, and Glenorchy in June 1957.[52]

In 1982, the Canberra Baháʼí community was one of five communities asked by the Universal House of Justice to host a conference in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the death of Bahíyyih Khánum.[53]

Iranian immigrants

In 1948, Iranian Baháʼís seeking to emigrate to Australia were classified as "Asiatic" by Australia's

Iranian Australians
.

Sydney Baháʼí Temple

Main article: Sydney Baháʼí Temple
Sydney Baháʼí Temple

The

eucalypts. Other buildings located on the site include a visitor's centre, bookshop, picnic area, hostel, caretaker's cottage, and the administrative offices of the Australian Baháʼí community.[55][56] The property is set high in a natural bushland setting of 380,000 square metres (38 hectares) in Ingleside
, a northern suburb overlooking the Pacific Ocean. This Temple serves as the Mother Temple of Australia.

Six conferences held in October 1967 around the world presented a viewing of a copy of the photograph of

Hand of the Cause Ugo Giachery conveyed this photograph to the Conference for Australasia at Australia at the House of Worship.[58]

Multiplying interests

The Baháʼís of Australia have taken up efforts in a number of interests - internal and with respect to the civic discourse in Australia. In 1975 the Australian Baháʼí Publishing Trust was established and in 1984 the Australian branch of the Association of Baháʼí Studies was formed.[27] Representing the religion to the broader public the Baháʼís developed a voluntary program in Australian public/state schools for 30 minutes a week on religious classes[59] (called Special Religious Education, open to all religions.) The Baháʼís developed a Peace Pack that was approved by the State's Department of Education and Training starting in the 1980s. Some 6,000 primary school children, about 10% of Baháʼí families, among more than 300 state-run schools attended in 2007.[60][61] And informally since 2002 the Baháʼís of Adelaide, (and formally since 2003 by the Adelaide Local Spiritual Assembly) has run the Soul Food event - a once a month 1 hour program of readings from religious and non-religious texts mixed with music performed by a variety of Adelaide's professional musicians in the Art Gallery of South Australia's Auditorium during which no financial contribution is asked for or accepted and no promotions are permitted.[7] The event has since developed similar events in other locations in Australia.[62]

The religion entered a new phase of activity when a message of the Universal House of Justice dated 20 October 1983 was released.[63] Baháʼís were urged to seek out ways, compatible with the Baháʼí teachings, in which they could become involved in the social and economic development of the communities in which they lived. Worldwide in 1979 there were 129 officially recognized Baháʼí socio-economic development projects. By 1987, the number of officially recognized development projects had increased to 1482.

For the

Native title. In 1993 the Arrernte tribe co-sponsors an intercultural celebration, Heart of Australia Calling.[27] In 1997 the Association for Baháʼí Studies produced a book Indigenous Peoples: In the Wake of Mabo as a followup (see Mabo v Queensland.) In closing the UN International Decade of Indigenous Peoples (1993–2004) it held another conference (at Macquarie University) but this time ensuring as great a level of participation by Indigenous participants and keynote speakers and as many female participants and keynote speakers as possible and other similar priorities in order that the views and needs of Indigenous Peoples could be seriously heard and discussed and of practical benefit.[8]

In 2003 the Australian Baháʼí Community testified in support of Australian Human Rights Commission Legislation Bill of 2003 suggesting that reviews of its provisions should be considered in light of the Paris Principles.[64] In 2005 it testified to the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission of Australia making suggestions on a variety of issues affecting the challenges to equal rights and work/employment and pay for work.[9] In 2007 YWCA Australia's WomenSpeak Network submitted a paper to the Australian Government through the Federal Office for Women to delegations addressing the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. Their statement mentions that most women's groups did not believe the role of men and boys in achieving gender equality caught the imagination of many of the organisations involved in the WomenSpeak Network. They specified a notable exception of this position is of the Australian Baháʼí Community Office of Equality in that many men in the Baháʼí community play an active role in working towards gender equality.[9][65]

National exposure

From the 1980s onward various personalities associated with the Baháʼí Faith have been national figures in Australia. Combined with the swelling membership the religion has emerged from obscurity in Australia on national level. The first mark of this emergence is probably a graduate of the

Olympic medalist who grew up as a Baháʼí.[67] In 2001 the 2nd edition of A Practical Reference to Religious Diversity for Operational Police and Emergency Services added the Baháʼí Faith in its coverage of religions in Australia.[11] A TV medical-drama called MDA - Medical Defense Australia, which went on the air on 23 July 2002 through 2005 with an ongoing Baháʼí character, Layla Young, played by a non-Baháʼí[68] actress Petra Yared.[69][70] And Luke McPharlin has been visible as a distinguished Australian footballer who mentioned his spiritual beliefs in his reasons for his sportsmanship.[71] In 2015 news articles appeared covering various people - a singer,[72] a refugee family,[73] and a community elder.[74]

Size and Demographics

The 1996 Census had an optional question on religion that 74% of respondents answered, and of those, 8,947 indicated Baháʼí.

World Christian Database) estimated some 19,365 Baháʼís in 2010.[13]

The community of

state of Victoria celebrated their 75th anniversary and counted approximately 1600 adults, youth, and children, organised in more than 50 communities, with 29 local assemblies in the Melbourne metropolitan area with public events where hundreds of people come.[4]

In 2008 the Tasmanian Baháʼí community neared the opening of its Baháʼí Center in Hobart with assemblies in

Clarence, Devonport, Glenorchy, Kingborough and Launceston and more than 300 on the island.[76]

See also

Publications

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 0-87743-233-3
    .
  2. ^ a b c "Australian Baháʼí History". Official Website of the Baháʼís of Australia. National Spiritual Assembly of the Baháʼís of Australia. Archived from the original on 19 July 2008. Retrieved 20 July 2008.
  3. ^ a b William Miller (b. Glasgow 1875) and Annie Miller (b. Aberdeen 1877) - The First Believers in Western Australia Archived 26 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine The Scottish Baháʼí No.33 – Autumn, 2003
  4. ^ a b c d e f Hassall, Graham (December 1998), "Seventy Five Years of the Baháʼí Faith in Victoria", presented at a dinner marking 75 years of the Baháʼí Faith in Victoria, Australia: Association for Baháʼí Studies, Australia
  5. ^ a b The Baháʼí Faith: 1844-1963: Information Statistical and Comparative, Including the Achievements of the Ten Year International Baháʼí Teaching & Consolidation Plan 1953-1963, Compiled by Hands of the Cause Residing in the Holy Land, pages 22 and 46.
  6. ^ a b c Hassall, Graham (1989), Ata, Abe (ed.), Religion and Ethnic Identity, An Australian Study, Melbourne: Victoria College & Spectrum, pp. Chapter "Persian Baháʼís in Australia"
  7. ^ a b Coker, Richard; Coker, University of South Australia, Jan (9 December 2004). "Soul Food: collaborative development of an ongoing nondenominational, devotional event" (PDF). Education and Social Action Conference. Centre for Popular Education, University of Technology, Sydney: 65–7. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 July 2011.
  8. ^ a b "Social and Economic Development and the Environment". International Conference "Indigenous Knowledge and Bioprospecting". Australian Association for Baháʼí Studies. 28 April 2004. Archived from the original on 13 September 2007. Retrieved 20 July 2008.
  9. ^ a b c "Submission in response to selected questions from the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission discussion paper, Striking the Balance: Women, men, work and family". Striking the Balance - Women, men, work and family. Australian Baháʼí Community. June 2005. Archived from the original on 23 September 2008. Retrieved 21 July 2008.
  10. ^ a b "Census 96: Religion". 3 March 1998. Archived from the original on 5 May 2010.
  11. ^ a b c A Practical Reference to Religious Diversity for Operational Police and Emergency Services "2nd" edition
  12. ^ a b "SBS Census Explorer". SBS Online. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  13. ^ a b "Most Baha'i Nations (2010)". The Association of Religion Data Archives. 2010. Archived from the original on 2 March 2021. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  14. ^ "Mahometan Schism". Morning Chronicle. 4 April 1846. pp. 4, 5th column, top, as highlighted. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  15. ^ "Mahometan Schism". South Australian. 4 April 1846. p. 3, bottom of second column, top of next, as highlighted. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  16. ^ "Persia". South Australian. 11 April 1846. pp. 3, 5th column near bottom, as highlighted. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  17. ^ National Spiritual Assembly of the Baháʼís of the United States (1977). World Order. National Spiritual Assembly of the Baháʼís of the United States.
  18. ^ "English News". The Argus. 4 November 1850. pp. 2, 3rd column (scroll up and over from the opening of the page). Retrieved 30 September 2015.
  19. ^ The Attempted Assassination of Nasir al Din Shah in 1852: Millennialism and Violence, by Moojan Momen, 2004-03-23
  20. JSTOR 10.1525/nr.2008.12.1.57
    .
  21. ^ * "English News; Punishments for assassination attempt", The Argus, p. 4 (last column on the far right, just down from the top), 21 Jan 1853
  22. ^ ʻAbbas, ʻAbdu'l-Bahá (April 1919). Tablets, Instructions and Words of Explanation. Mirza Ahmad Sohrab (trans. and comments).
  23. ISBN 0-87743-233-3
    .
  24. ^ a b Moores, Marjorie (16 January 2008). "The Baháʼí Faith in Queensland". Local Spiritual Assembly of the Baháʼís of Brisbane. Retrieved 20 July 2008.[permanent dead link]
  25. ^ Hassall, Graham (9 March 1994). "Clara and Hyde Dunn". draft of "A Short Encyclopedia of the Baha'i Faith". Baháʼí Library Online. Retrieved 15 June 2008.
  26. ^ a b c Hassall, Graham (1988), "Australian Women and Religious Change: Margaret Dixson and the first Melbourne Baháʼís", Proceedings of the Association for Baháʼí Studies, Australia, Australia: Association for Baháʼí Studies, Australia
  27. ^
    ISBN 0-85398-404-2
    .
  28. ^ "Pioneer - excerpts from the letters and diaries of Martha Root". Baháʼí News. No. 209. July 1948. pp. 7–8.
  29. ^ Hassall, Graham (January 2000). "Pilgrimage". Ambassador at the Court: The Life and Photography of Effie Baker. bahai-library.com. Retrieved 11 October 2009.
  30. ^ "Baháʼí Activities in Other Lands; New Zealand". Baháʼí News. No. 55. September 1931. p. 6.
  31. ^ "Baháʼí Activities in Other Lands; Australia and New Zealand". Baháʼí News. No. 174. April–May 1945. p. 20.
  32. ^ a b c Hassall, Graham. "Baháʼí Faith in Tasmania 1923-1963". Articles / papers, unpublished. Baháʼí Library Online. Retrieved 20 July 2008.
  33. ^ The Baháʼí World: A Biennial International Record, Volume II, 1926-1928 (New York City: Baháʼí Publishing Trust, 1928), 182-85.
  34. ^ "Other Services; At Hyde Park Unitarian Church". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. 26 October 1929. p. 29. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
  35. ^ "First Annual Convention of Australia and New Zealand". Baháʼí News. No. 91. April 1935. p. 15. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
  36. ^
    ISBN 978-1-890688-11-0
    .
  37. ^ * "Baha'i lecture…". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. 6 February 1943. p. 1. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
  38. ^ Hassall, Graham (1989). 'Ala'í, Sitarih; Daws, Colleen (eds.). "Hilda Brooks and the Australian Baháʼí Community". The Role of Women in an Advancing Civilization. Association for Baháʼí Studies, Australia. Retrieved 11 October 2009.
  39. ISBN 978-0-909991-98-2
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  40. ^ Hassall, Graham (1992). "Pacific Baháʼí Communities 1950-1964". In H. Rubinstein, Donald (ed.). Pacific History: Papers from the 8th Pacific History Association Conference. University of Guam Press & Micronesian Area Research Center, Guam. pp. 73–95.
  41. ^ National Spiritual Assembly of the Baháʼís of Samoa (February 2004). "50th Anniversary of the Baháʼí Faith in Samoa". Waves of One Ocean, Official Baháʼí website. National Spiritual Assembly of the Baháʼís of Samoa. Archived from the original on 4 September 2009. Retrieved 15 June 2008.
  42. ^ Hassall, Graham (1988). "Yerrinbool Baháʼí School 1938 - 1988 - An Account of the First Fifty Years". collections Asia-pacific and Article_published. Baháʼí Academics Resource Library. Retrieved 15 June 2008.
  43. ^ International Community, Baháʼí (30 November 2004). "Royal welcome at jubilee gathering in Samoa". Baháʼí World News Service.
  44. ^ "Five Hands of the Cause, Representatives of 19 Countries Attend Intercontinental Conference in Sydney, Australia". Baháʼí News. No. 328. June 1958. pp. 3–4.
  45. ^ a b Momen, Moojan. "History of the Baháʼí Faith in Iran". draft "A Short Encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith". Bahai-library.com. Retrieved 16 October 2009.
  46. ^ Kingdon, Geeta Gandhi (1997). "Education of women and socio-economic development". Baháʼí Studies Review. 7 (1).
  47. ^ Hassall, Graham. "Yerrinbool Baha'i School 1938 - 1988, An Account of the First Fifty Years". Published Articles. Baháʼí Library Online. Retrieved 20 July 2008.
  48. ^ Association for Baháʼí Studies – Australia (10 April 1998). "Report on Scholarship, 1997". Scholarship Institute. Yerrinbool, Australia: Association for Baháʼí Studies – Australia. Retrieved 6 April 2008.
  49. ^ Hayati, Souri. "A Historical Institution". Yerrinbool Baháʼí Center for Learning. Archived from the original on 4 October 2011. Retrieved 20 July 2008.
  50. ^ "Welcome". Caboolture Baháʼí Community. 2003. Retrieved 22 July 2008.
  51. ^ "News from Other Lands; Australia". Baháʼí News. No. 176. August 1945. p. 12.
  52. ^ "International News - Teaching Conferences held in Tasmanian and Queensland". Baháʼí News. No. 320. October 1957. p. 5.
  53. ISBN 0-85398-234-1. {{cite book}}: |journal= ignored (help
    )
  54. ^ Bluett, Margaret (November 2005). "Nightingales in Terra Nova" (PDF). final. Dept. of Philosophy, School of Humanities, James Cook University, Cairns. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 August 2008. Retrieved 22 July 2008. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  55. ^ National Spiritual Assembly of the Baháʼís of Australia (2006). "Baháʼí House of Worship: Facilities". Archived from the original on 25 June 2007. Retrieved 17 June 2007.
  56. ^ National Spiritual Assembly of the Baháʼís of Australia (2006). "Baháʼí House of Worship: Construction". Archived from the original on 25 June 2007. Retrieved 17 June 2007.
  57. ISBN 0-87743-020-9
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  58. ISBN 0-87743-032-2
    .
  59. ^ Rossiter, Graham. "Finding the Balance: Religious Education in Australia". International Association for Religious Freedom. Retrieved 20 July 2008.
  60. ^ International Community, Baháʼí (5 April 2005). "Baha'i classes find wide appeal". Baháʼí World News Service.
  61. ^ "Baháʼí Education in State Schools". Children's Activities. Local Spiritual Assembly of the Baháʼís of Shellharbour. July 2008. Retrieved 20 July 2008.
  62. ^ "Relaxation and Spiritual Development". Soul Food. Baha'i Communities of South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia. 2007. Retrieved 22 July 2008.
  63. doi:10.1016/0048-721X(89)90077-8
    .
  64. ^ Scrine, Tessa, Executive Officer Government Relations (2003). "Testimony of the Australian Baháʼí Community to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Committee, 2003". Inquiry into the Australian Human Rights Commission Legislation Bill 2003, SUBMISSIONS AGREED TO BY THE COMMITTEE. Australian Baháʼí Community.{{cite conference}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  65. ^ "The role of men and boys in achieving gender equality" (PDF). Striking the Balance - Women, Men, Work and Family. YWCA Australia. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 October 2009.
  66. ^ Welcome to Audiophile Archived 22 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine Billy Field - "Best Of: You Weren't in Love With Me" comments
  67. ^ Cos I'm Free (AKA Cathy Freeman) Transcript of Program
  68. ^ Australian Baháʼí Community (5 June 2006). "First Baháʼí Character" (PDF). National Spiritual Assembly of the Baháʼís of Australia. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 August 2006. Retrieved 12 August 2006.
  69. ^ Australian Broadcasting Corporation (2005). "Layla Young - Receptionist/Student Liaison Officer, MDA". abc.net.au. Archived from the original on 17 January 2008. Retrieved 14 August 2006.
  70. ^ Australian Broadcasting Corporation (2005). "Medical Defense Australia: Episode Guide". abc.net.au. Archived from the original on 21 September 2006. Retrieved 14 August 2006.
  71. ^ Top sportsmen find support in faith, 11 August 2004 (BWNS)
  72. ^ Geoff Wood (16 February 2015). "The Baha'i soul of Australian singer Shameem". abc.net.au. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  73. ^ Lara van Raay (28 February 2015). "Growing up Baha'i". abc.net.au. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  74. ^ Brenda Humphries (17 March 2015). "My search for meaning only took 15 years!By". abc.net.au. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  75. ^ Kinsella, Elise (25 June 2008). "Whitehorse Baha'i group makes Iran rights plight plea". Whitehorse Leader.
  76. ^ Martin, Tim (22 June 2008). "Baha'i building on faith". Sunday Tasmanian. Archived from the original on 22 September 2008.

External links

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