Baháʼí Faith in Rwanda
Part of a series on the |
Baháʼí Faith |
---|
The Baháʼí Faith in Rwanda begins after 1916 with a mention by
Early days
ʻAbdu'l-Bahá's Tablets of the Divine Plan
ʻAbdu'l-Bahá wrote a series of letters, or
The intention of the teacher must be pure, his heart independent, his spirit attracted, his thought at peace, his resolution firm, his magnanimity exalted and in the love of God a shining torch.… Consequently, a number of souls may arise … and hasten to all parts of the world, especially from America to Europe, Africa, Asia ….
(and also offers a prayer that begins) O God, my God! Thou seest how black darkness is enshrouding all regions, how all countries are burning with the flame of dissension, and the fire of war and carnage is blazing throughout the East and the West. Blood is flowing, corpses bestrew the ground, and severed heads are fallen on the dust of the battlefield.
O Lord! Have pity…[1]
The first specific mention of Rwanda was from a telegram of
Beginnings
The first Baháʼí to travel through Rwanda may have been Marthe Molitor c. 1947 after joining the religion in Belgium though she moved on to the
Growth
The regional National Spiritual Assembly of Central and East Africa was established in 1956, with its seat in Kampala, and embraced
Baháʼís, perhaps in the thousands,[6] were among the 800,000 who perished in the Rwandan genocide[17] as well as at least one Baháʼí American-Rwandan family that helped rescue refugees.[18] The National Spiritual Assembly of Rwanda lapsed in 1996[19] following the Rwandan Civil War and was reformed in 1997.[7]
Modern community
Since its inception the religion has had involvement in
Demographics
There is an estimate the Baháʼí community was 40,000 before the genocide but more recently there appear to be about 10,000.[6] The World Christian Database (WCD)[9] 2001. In 2005 there were 28 local spiritual assemblies.[5][8] The 2005 WCD estimate was of just over 18900 Baháʼís.[10]
See also
References
- ^ ISBN 0-87743-233-3.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-900125-43-0.
- ^ ISBN 0-87743-036-5.
- ^ a b Compiled by Hands of the Cause Residing in the Holy Land. "The Baháʼí Faith: 1844-1963: Information Statistical and Comparative, Including the Achievements of the Ten Year International Baháʼí Teaching & Consolidation Plan 1953-1963". p. 110.
- ^ a b c d e f Baháʼí International Community (2005-02-02). "Thriving community builds social unity". Baháʼí World News Service.
- ^ a b c d "The Baháʼí Faith is gaining ground in Rwanda" (Press release). Office of Rwandais Information. 2005. Retrieved 2013-05-04.
- ^ a b House of Justice, Universal (1997). "Ridván Letter, 1997". Ridvan Messages from the Universal House of Justice. Baháʼí Library Online. Retrieved 2009-01-12.
- ^ a b c d Baháʼí Community of Canada (2007-10-10). "Thriving community builds social unity". Canadian Baháʼí News Service. Archived from the original on 2012-02-20.
- ^ a b "International > Regions > Eastern Africa > Rwanda> Religious Adherents". the arda.com. The Association of Religion Data Archives. 2001. Archived from the original on 8 January 2009. Retrieved 2008-12-04.
- ^ a b "Most Baha'i Nations (2005)". QuickLists > Compare Nations > Religions >. The Association of Religion Data Archives. 2005. Archived from the original on 2010-04-14. Retrieved 2009-07-04.
- ^ ʻAbbas, ʻAbdu'l-Bahá (April 1919). Tablets, Instructions and Words of Explanation. Mirza Ahmad Sohrab (trans. and comments).
- ^ Hassall, Graham. "Notes on Zaire". Asia Pacific Baháʼí Studies. Baháʼí Library Online. Retrieved 2009-01-12.
- ^ a b Baháʼí International Community (2005-01-02). "Spiritual solace in a recovering land". Baháʼí World News Service.
- ^ Hassall, Graham. "Notes on Central and East Africa". Asia Pacific Baháʼí Studies. Baháʼí Library Online. Retrieved 2009-01-12.
- )
- ^ House of Justice, Universal (1969). "Ridván Letter, 1969". Ridvan Messages from the Universal House of Justice. Baháʼí Library Online. Retrieved 2009-01-12.
- ^ Baháʼí International Community (January–March 2005). "Baháʼís in three African nations celebrate 50 years of accomplishments". OneCountry. Vol. 16, no. 4.
- ISBN 978-1-931847-45-2.
- ^ House of Justice, Universal (1996). "Ridván Letter, 1996". Ridvan Messages from the Universal House of Justice. Baháʼí Library Online. Retrieved 2009-01-12.
- ^ a b Momen, Moojan. "History of the Baha'i Faith in Iran". draft "A Short Encyclopedia of the Baha'i Faith". Bahai-library.com. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
- ^ Kingdon, Geeta Gandhi (1997). "Education of women and socio-economic development". Baháʼí Studies Review. 7 (1).
- .
- ^ "PROFILE: Orien Aid" (PDF). National Spiritual Assembly of the Baháʼís of the United States. December 2005. Retrieved 2009-01-12.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Baháʼí International Community (2006-09-19). "Youth conference in Burundi focuses on social transformation". Baháʼí World News Service.