From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Bahá’í Faith in Georgia (country)
Bahá’í Faith in Georgia (country)
Bahá’í Faith
Early period
From 1850 onwards, small groups of Bábís spread across
the Caucasus including Georgia.[1] Jamshíd-i-Gurjí is a
noted member of the religion from Georgia who lived in
the lifetime of Bahá’u’lláh.[9] He was arrested in Constan-
Central figures tinople[10] and subsequently rather than being banished
Bahá’u’lláh with Bahá’u’lláh’s party to Akka or others to Cyprus, he
The Báb · `Abdu’l-Bahá was deported to Persia though in transit he was released
by the Khurds.[10]
Key scripture
By the time the effects of the October Revolution be-
Kitáb-i-Aqdas · Kitáb-i-Íqán gan to spread across the Russian Empire transforming it
The Hidden Words into the Soviet Union, Bahá’ís had spread through much
The Seven Valleys of Soviet territory.[11] And initially the religion still grew
Institutions in organization when the election of the regional Nation-
Administrative Order al Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the Caucasus and Turkistan
The Guardianship took place in 1925.[12] However, with the Soviet policy
Universal House of Justice of religious oppression, the Bahá’ís, strictly adhering to
Spiritual Assemblies their principle of obedience to legal government, aban-
History doned its administration and any properties were na-
Bahá’í history · Timeline tionalized. As the institutions of the Bahá’ís in the Sovi-
Bábís · Shaykh Ahmad et Republics were progressively dissolved[2] and so dis-
Persecution appeared from communication with Bahá’ís elsewhere.[3]
It is known that many were imprisoned and died, some
Notable individuals
were deported to Siberia, though most were deported to
Shoghi Effendi
Iran.[13] In 1953 Bahá’ís started to move to the Soviet
Martha Root · Táhirih
Republics in Asia, after the head of the religion at the
Badí‘ · Apostles
time, Shoghi Effendi, initiated a plan called the Ten Year
Hands of the Cause
Crusade. At the culmination of this plan, in 1963, vari-
See also ous centers were restored in the region including Geor-
Symbols · Laws gia,[4][14] where there was an individual Bahá’í identified
Teachings · Texts in Tibilisi.[6]
Calendar · Divisions
Pilgrimage · Prayer
Index of Bahá’í Articles
Modern community
The Bahá’í Faith in Georgia began with its arrival in the It was not until the onset of Perestroika that the Bahá’ís
region in 1850 through its association with the precursor began to meet and organize again. The first Local Spir-
religion the Bábí Faith during the lifetime of itual Assembly of Georgia to form was in 1991 in Tibil-
Bahá’u’lláh.[1] During the period of Soviet policy of re- isi.[6] After being part of the regional national assembly
ligious oppression, the institutions of the Bahá’ís in the with Russia since 1992, Georgian Bahá’ís elected their
Soviet Republics were progressively dissolved[2] and so first National Spiritual Assembly in 1995[7] with Hand of
disappeared from communication with Bahá’ís else- the Cause, Rúhíyyih Khanum representing the Universal
where.[3] However in 1963 an individual was identified[4] House of Justice.[15] In 2004 members of the Bahá’í com-
in Tibilisi.[5] Following Perestroika the first Bahá’í Local munity in Georgia opened the first Degree Confluence
Spiritual Assembly of Georgia formed in 1991[6] and Geor- point in Georgia.[16] Addressing circumstances in Geor-
gian Bahá’ís elected their first National Spiritual Assem- gia, Bahá’ís have observed that publishing their materials
bly in 1995.[7] The religion is noted as growing in Geor- is "not very easy", and "Some companies are not happy to
gia.[1] The Association of Religion Data Archives (relying print our material – they have only limited understand-
on World Christian Encyclopedia) estimated some 1600 ing. Plus they are afraid that if the government finds out
Bahá’ís in 2005.[8] they might have problems."[17] There is a project to re-
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Bahá’í Faith in Georgia (country)
vise school curricula to represent the diverse religions bahaistudies/courses/light/time-line-bahai.htm.
in Georgia on a more neutral basis than done in recent Retrieved 2009-05-05.
years. Not all schools introduced revised religious educa- [7] ^ Hassall, Graham. "Notes on Research on National
tion classes - "about half the schools in Tbilisi have these Spiritual Assemblies". Research notes. Asia Pacific
classes".[17] The Bahá’í Faith is among the religions with Bahá’í Studies. http://bahai-library.com/
a small following who function unobtrusively and have hassall_nsas_years_formation. Retrieved
mainly tended to be able to operate without much hostile 2009-05-05.
government attention.[18] [8] ^ "Most Baha’i Nations (2005)". QuickLists > Compare
Some 47 Georgian Bahá’ís traveled to Baku to be Nations > Religions >. The Association of Religion
among the 360 participants in a regional conference of Data Archives. 2005. http://www.thearda.com/
the religion in 2009.[19] QuickLists/QuickList_40c.asp. Retrieved
2009-07-04.
Demographics [9] `Abdu’l-Bahá (1997) [1971]. Memorials of the Faithful
The religion is noted as growing in Georgia.[1] The Associ- (Softcover ed.). Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Bahá’í
ation of Religion Data Archives (relying on World Christ- Publishing Trust. pp. 120–122. ISBN 0-87743-242-2.
ian Encyclopedia) estimated some 1600 Bahá’ís in 2005.[8] http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/ab/MF/
mf-44.html.iso8859-1#gr1.
[10] ^ Taherzadeh, A. (1977). The Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh,
See also Volume 2: Adrianople 1863-68. Oxford, UK: George
• Religion in Georgia (country) Ronald. pp. 328–9, 409. ISBN 0853980713.
• History of Georgia (country) http://www.peyman.info/cl/Baha’i/Others/ROB/
• Bahá’í Faith in Azerbaijan V2/p301-336Ch15.html#p328.
• Bahá’í Faith in Turkmenistan [11] "Baha’i Faith History in Azerbaijan". National
Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Azerbaijan.
http://www.bahai.az/lib/articles/histofaz/
References history_en.shtml. Retrieved 2008-12-22.
[1] ^ Balci, Bayram; Jafarov, Azer (2007-02-20), "Who [12] Hassall, Graham (1993). "Notes on the Babi and
are the Baha’is of the Caucasus? {Part 1 of 3}", Baha’i Religions in Russia and its territories". The
Caucaz.com, http://www.caucaz.com/home_eng/ Journal of Bahá’í Studies 05 (03). http://bahai-
breve_contenu.php?id=299 library.com/hassall_babi_bahai_russia. Retrieved
[2] ^ "Survey of Current Baha’i Activities in the East 2008-06-01.
and West: Persecution and Deportation of the [13] "Sufferings of the Believers in Turkistan and
Baha’is of Caucasus and Turkistan". The Baha’i World Caucasus". Bahá’í News (130): 2. October 1939.
(Wilmette: Baha’i Publishing Committee) VIII http://www.teachingandprojects.com/
(1938-40): 87–90. 1942. meansandmaterials.htm.
[3] ^ Effendi, Shoghi (1936-03-11). The World Order of [14] Momen, Moojan. "Russia". Draft for "A Short
Bahá’u’lláh. Haifa, Palestine: US Bahá’í Publishing Encyclopedia of the Bahá’í Faith". Bahá’í Library
Trust, 1991 first pocket-size edition. pp. 64–67. Online. http://bahai-library.com/
http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/se/WOB/ momen_encyclopedia_russia. Retrieved
wob-34.html#pg64. 2008-05-10.
[4] ^ Monakhova, Elena (2000). "From Islam to [15] Universal House of Justice (1995). "Ridván 1995".
Feminism via Baha’i Faith". Women Plus… 2000 (03). Ridván Messages. Bahá’í Library Online.
http://www.owl.ru/eng/womplus/2000/ http://bahai-library.com/uhj_ridvan_1995.
bachai.htm. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
[5] Compiled by Hands of the Cause Residing in the [16] Gornall, Leslie (2004-07-28). "42°N 44°E". Degree
Holy Land. "The Bahá’í Faith: 1844-1963: Confluence Project. Degree Confluence Project.
Information Statistical and Comparative, Including http://confluence.org/confluence.php?id=8324.
the Achievements of the Ten Year International Retrieved 2009-05-10.
Bahá’í Teaching & Consolidation Plan 1953-1963". [17] ^ Corley, Felix (2004-08-23). "GEORGIA: Religious
p. 84. http://bahai-library.com/ freedom survey, August 2004". F18News.
handscause_statistics_1953-63&chapter=1#84. http://www.forum18.org/
[6] ^ Ahmadi, Dr. (2003). "Major events of the Century Archive.php?article_id=400.
of Light". homepage for an online course on the book [18] Corley, Felix (2008-09-24). "AZERBAIJAN: Religious
“Century of Light”. Association for Bahá’í Studies in freedom survey, September 2008". F18News.
Southern Africa. http://www.bci.org/ http://www.forum18.org/
Archive.php?article_id=1192.
2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Bahá’í Faith in Georgia (country)
[19] Bahá’í International Community (2009-02-22). "The
Baku Regional Conference". Bahá’í World News
External links
Service. http://news.bahai.org/community-news/ • Georgian Bahá’í National Community
regional-conferences/baku.html.
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Categories:
• Religion in Georgia (country)
• Bahá'í Faith by country
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