Product Description
This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

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BAHÁ'Í PRAYERS FOR WOMEN:Selections from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, the Báb, `Abdu'l-Bahá, and the Greatest Holy Leaf

This has become one of our most popular books! The first printing sold out immediately. Now it is reprinted with a plum-purple cover. This is the first full-length Bahá'í prayerbook compiled with women's needs in mind.

 Includes prayers revealed for expectant mothers, parents, husbands, children, homes, protection from violence, purification, meals, etc. Also, includes prayers of the Greatest Holy Leaf, 'Abdu'l-Bahá's sister, and the premier woman of the Bahá'í revelation. 

This little book fits easily in a pocket or handbag. A perfect gift! 

Retail price: $14.95 cloth ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

PRICELESS
This is a priceless item for every women and feminine soul!!!The prayers touch every inch of your heart! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The world is much in need of re-visioning
The author sets out to re-think ideas which have persisted for millennia in Western philosophy and metaphysics in the hope that we will be stimulated to connect the threads of thought representing the love of wisdom and the quest for a true philosophy. The first chapter "Heart Thoughts" points out that the heart is more than an organ for circulating life fluids because it aches, sorrows, breaks, longs, imagines, is uplifted, loves, feels, sees - in fact it is the center of our emotions and the core of our being. The author goes on to say; "In this essay we shall explore the multifaceted heart, drawing from Christian, Islamic, Bahai and other religious scriptures and psychological perspectives, weaving ideas, teachings and metaphors into a rich tapestry rich with imagery."In the Old Testament Ezekiel tells us "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take a stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh." In religious traditions the heart is the seat of the soul, the source of true understanding. The world is very much in need of re-visioning and Cope has provided much food for thought. ... Read more

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Globalisation has become a buzzword that typically refers to the intensifying integration of the world economy, especially as midwifed by technological advances. It also implies a growing political and cultural sense that all humanity is globally interdependent. There have always been individuals of course who have advocated such awareness, one of them being the founder of the Baha'i faith, who formulated a spiritual equivalent as the religion's central doctrine in the late 19th century: "Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch".

Its emphasis on global unification made Baha'i an obvious candidate for a case study on new religions and globalisation. The chapters in this volume fall into two sections, diachronic and synchronic. The first part is organised chronologically, beginning with the emergence of the globalist tendency in the messianic vision of Babism, the precursor to Baha'i, and concluding with an analytic history of its leaders' changing attitudes to international politics. The second part considers a variety of global themes in contemporary Baha'i practice, including global thought in Baha'i writings, the impact of the internet, and the triumphalist and secular strains in Baha'i identity.

Though five million members make it one of the world's most successful new religions, Baha'i has attracted little scholarly attention. Most of the academics concentrating on Baha'i have contributed to this volume, which will appeal not only to students of modern religious movements, but to anyone interested in the ways religions can adapt to - and embrace - the modern world. ... Read more

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This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

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A collection of pioneering works on the academic study of Babi and Bahai history in Iran and in America. ... Read more

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"All should know…Women and men have been and will always be equal in the sight of God." — Bahá’u’lláh

The equality of women and men is one of the basic tenets of the Bahá’í Faith, and much is said on the subject in the Bahá’í writings. Until now, however, no single volume created for a general audience has provided comprehensive coverage of the Bahá’í teachings on this topic and its many aspects. In this broad survey husband and wife team Janet and Peter Khan address eve those aspects of equality of the sexes that are usually ignored or glossed over in the existing literature.

Tactfully treating a subject that often provokes argumentation, contention, polarization of attitudes, and accusations, the authors elevate the discussion to a new level that challenges all while offending none. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent
This book should be read by everyone.It is very well written.

This remarkable book covers women in Baha'i Faith.
The authors have written a bold, informative, and dramatic book that demonstrates the concept of the equality of women and men in the Baha'i Faith. This book is challenging, dynamic, well-written. It covers some ofhistory of women's contributions to the Baha'i Faith, descibes the vitalrole that they will make in the future, and explains the scripture basisfor this in the Baha'i Writings. While some knowledge of the Baha'i Faithis helpful reading this book, students of comparative religion will findthis book fascinating and useful for reference. This book covers Baha'icanonical law, social teachings, various aspects of contemporary history,and applications of the principle of gender equality in society at large. Ihighly recommend the book to all readers. ... Read more

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First American Baha'i
First American Bahá'í
This is an interesting biography written about the first American Baha'i, Thornton Chase. During his early life Chase was to study religion and to search constantly for Truth. He was 47 years old by the time he came across the Baha'i Faith in 1895.

Thornton Chase was born in 1847, grew up in New England, and had to face many challenges in his early family life. In the late 19th century new religions such as Hinduism, Theosophy and the teachings of Emmanuel Swedenborg were becoming popular in North America but it was in 1893 at the World Parliament of Religions held in Chicago that mention was first made of the Baha'i Faith. Shortly after this and when he was well into middle-age, Thornton Chase came across Baha'i, began to study it and recognised it as true and compatible with the Christian teachings he had grown up with in Protestant America.

Thornton Chase was talented in the art of writing, poetry and music and these talents were to aid him in his presentation of the Baha'i Faith from the time he accepted it until his death aged 65. He wrote an introductory book about the Baha'i Faith, helped to set up the first Publishing Trust, understood that high standards were expected of Baha'is and was a bright light in helping others to understand the significance of the Baha'i teachings. He was a successful businessman and beside living in New England he was also to live in Denver, Colorado, and California.

In 1907 he was one of the earliest pilgrims from the West to take the long sea journey to Akka in Palestine, then part of the Ottoman Empire, to visit `Abdu'l-Baha, son of Baha'u'llah, the founder of the Baha'i Faith. He returned to America rededicated to serving the Faith to the very best of his ability until the end of his life in 1912. He was also to assist the early Baha'is of the West in the construction plans for the first Baha'i Temple to be built in Chicago.

This is a well researched and thorough biography of a remarkable person in American Baha'i history. Thornton Chase is a person of whom little is presently known but who is likely to be better known in the future. ... Read more

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Using diaries, memoirs, official reports, private correspondence, newspapers,archives and interviews, Will C. van den Hoonaard has created the firsthistorical account of Bahá'ís in Canada. In addition, TheOrigins of the Bahá'í Community of Canada, 1898-1948 clearlydepicts the dynamics and the struggles of a new religion in a new country.

Thirty-nine original photographs effectively depict persons and eventsinfluencing the growth of the Bahá'í movement in Canada. ... Read more

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Wonderful collection of important Baha'i writings
This is one of my very favorite and most heavily used Baha'i books. I picked this up so that I could research angels in Baha'i literature and I found so much more in this volume. It isn't a very big book--but it provides great details on the journey of the soul on this planet and in the next realm. Also includes info on the meaning of dreams and the possibility of expanding dream states.Most quotes are directly from the writings which makes this book invaluable. I highly recommend this book. ... Read more

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An intriguing read, well worth adding to religion and spirituality collections
America is a melting pot, culturally and religiously. "Heritage of Light: The Spiritual Destiny of America" looks at the history of the Baha'i faith in America, looking at its early roots and how its roots follow strongly back to the early days of the faith in Iran, where early practitioners of the faith faced constant persecution before reaching America. Stating that Baha'i faith has a greater role in America than it does to its nation of origin, "Heritage of Light" is an intriguing read, well worth adding to religion and spirituality collections.
... Read more

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How can we come to understand the physical universe? What of the spiritual universe of the soul? How are these two connected and what can we know of this connection?
Based on 'Abdu'l-Bahá description of the journey of the atom from the mineral kingdom to the vegetable kingdom and from there to the animal and human kingdoms, B. Hoff Conow demonstrates how the Bahá'í Faith provides a model for both the physical and spiritual universes.
A thought-provoking philosophical treatment of the major spiritual ideas that run through the Bahá'í Writings. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A mediocre book about a remarkable man
Before discussing the merits of this book it is in order give a brief description of Alain Locke.

Locke was born in Philadelphia in 1885, and studied philosophy at Harvard. In 1907 he received a Rhodes scholarship enabling him to study at Oxford. While in Europe he traveled and came into contact with the philosophers Brentano and Meinong. It is notable that he was the first, and until 1960 the only, black Rhodes scholar. Upon his return he secured a position at
Howard University, Washington. He received his PhD in Philosophy (with a dissertation on axiology) from Harvard in 1918.
His work The New Negro: An Interpretation of Negro Life (1925) established him as (one of) the main forces of the Harlem Renaissance.

Alhtough his impression on academic philosophy has been slight (e.g.the 10 volume Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy has not one mention of Alain Locke). However, through his writing and lecturing he managed to influence american life, and secure a place in the history of the Harlem Renaissance and the american civil rights movement.

He was born into a Christian (Episcopalian) family but converted to the Bahá'i religion in 1918. Attracted by that religions teachings on the equality of races, he involved himself in the american community's Race Amity Conferences and other activities aimed at achieving equality between the races. His overall involvement in the baha'i community was however less than enthusiastic. Partly, this seems to have been due to the bahá'i-community's periodic inability to implement its lofty ideals into practice.

Locke's identity as a bahá'i has been unknown or at least unacknowledged by earlier biographers and researchers.

Turning to the book itself:
In addition to being a biography of Alain Locke this book's major contribution is to bring out and establish Locke's identity as a bahá'i.
Regarded purely as a biography the book is more than acceptable (approx. 4 stars) and enjoyable. Contrary to another amazon-reviewer, I think that the author solves the biographer's perpetual problem of choosing between a thematic and a chronological presentation in an admirable way. The chapters are thematically held together which breaks up the 'cover-to-cover'-chronology of the book (the reader is taken back and forth in time as the books proceeds), but within each chapter the chronology is maintained. This structure contributes to the readability of the book. In addition, it enables the reader to focus only on those aspects of Locke's life that interest her. Given that this book is not simply a biography, but aims to show the influence of Locke's association with the Bahá'i religion on his intellectual output, such a structure is without doubt preferable.

The book is, I guess, attractive to two, not necessarily distinct, groups of readers:
1. Those with an antecedent interest in Locke or the Harlem Renaissance. To this group, the book provides new insights and information about the extent and nature of Locke's involvement with the Bahá'i religion.
2. Those with an antecedent interest in the Bahá'i religion. To this group the book provides information about a, then-prominent, member of the bahá'i faith who, for strange reasons, is largely unknown in the contemporary literature on the bahá'i religion.
In addition, and more interestingly, Buck aspires to show how Locke's philosophical work and the Bahá'i teachings influenced one another, and in this way extract the basics of a 'bahá'i philosophy'(p.6 and pp.187ff). In this respect the author completely fails. The problem is not that what he says is wrong. He doesn't say anything of substance on the subject at all. (One suspects that this is to a large extent due to ignorance of philosophy on the part of the author.) This still leaves a pretty good biography of Locke's life, but the fact that he at several places promises to give such an account but fails to deliver detracts from the overall score.

Great biography of an underappreciated literary and philosophical giant.
Dr. Buck does a great, incredibly thorough job of presenting a biography of Alain Locke.Citations to nearly every factual statement in the book are provided.Locke was a giant of the Harlem Renaissance, the African-American community, and of the race unity movement.Yet he is poorly understood and often not even known at all.Buck proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that Locke was indeed a genuine Baha'i for most of his life.However Buck shows that Locke was an enigmatic, aloof, almost paradoxical Baha'i.My only criticisms of the book relate to its format and editing.The book is not presented as a chronological biography, but rather is divided into chapters, which are then divided into subsections.This separation of various periods of his life/activities, breaks the flow of the book and causes the book at times not to read well.Certain topics are repeated several times.But on the whole this definitely covers what the author wanted to do, i.e. describe Locke's spiritual life and philosophy, especially his Baha'i life.It's definitely required reading for anyone seriously studying Locke, anyone studying the history of the American Baha'is in the early 20th century, or anyone just interested in reading a biography of a Baha'i.

A Brief Description of Alain Locke: Faith & Philosophy
Christopher Buck, Alain Locke: Faith & Philosophy (Los Angeles: Kalimát Press, 2005). With an introductory essay by Professor Leonard Harris of Purdue University (today's leading scholar on Alain Locke).

One of the towering figures of African American history is Alain Locke -- the first black Rhodes Scholar, Harvard Ph.D., professor of philosophy at Howard University, "Dean" of the Harlem Renaissance. Locke was the most important African American intellectual between W. E. B. Du Bois and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Here are the opening paragraphs in Chapter One of Alain Locke: Faith & Philosophy:

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Chapter One
INTRODUCTION

Alain Locke democratized American culture and paved the way for the Civil Rights movement. During the Jim Crow era of American history, when civil rights were white rights, Locke was the genius behind the Harlem Renaissance, which David Levering Lewis aptly characterized as "Civil Rights by Copyright."1 Locke edited the monumental anthology, The New Negro (1925), hailed as the first national book of African America.2 In so doing, Locke ingeniously used culture as a strategy for ameliorating racism and for winning the respect of powerful white elites as potential agents for social and political transformation. Awakening the black masses to their noble African heritage and instilling pride in unique black contributions to American life, Locke may well be regarded as "the Martin Luther King of African American culture."3

Without Locke, there may not have been a Martin Luther King. The New Negro movement, for which Locke was the chief architect and spokesman, was singularly responsible for inculcating and cultivating the requisite group consciousness and solidarity necessary for the mobilization of African Americans during the Civil Rights era. As Martin Luther King was a man of faith, Alain Locke was also. Based on newly discovered documentation of his conversion in 1918, we can now say with certainty that Locke was member of the Bahá'í Faith for over three decades.

As the youngest independent world religion, the Bahá'í Faith was clearly a leader in advocating racial harmony and full integration during the Jim Crow era. Through his service on several national Bahá'í committees, Locke was instrumental in organizing a number of "race amity" events. At various times, Locke lent his prestige to the Bahá'í Faith: he publicly identified himself as a Bahá'í in a 1952 issue of Ebony magazine, for example. By virtue of his being both a race leader and a cultural pluralist, Locke is certainly the most important Western Bahá'í to date in terms of his impact on American history and thought. This book documents and demonstrates the synergy between Locke's profession as a philosopher and his confession as a Bahá'í, which confirmed his commitment to racial harmony as a necessary prerequisite to world peace.

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Many books have been written about Locke's contributions to black art and culture in the United States. These books have generally ignored the fact that Locke was a Baha'i. Alain Locke: Faith and Philosophy fills in that missing link, telling the story of Locke's services to this new world religion from 1918 until his death in 1954.

Based on Buck's painstaking archival research of the Alain Locke Papers at Howard University and elsewhere, this book also describes, for the first time in scholarship, Locke's philosophy of democracy ("A New Americanism") in nine dimensions -- ranging from the concept of "local democracy" all the way to "world democracy." Locke's philosophy of democracy presents a compelling argument for America's world role or "destiny" -- but if and only if America can first solve her own racial crisis at home.

This topic should be of contemporary interest, especially since America is taking such a controversial leadership role in exporting "democracy" in the Middle East and around the world. But what does "democracy" mean? And how does "democracy" compare with Baha'i social principles? Locke has a compelling answer that should interest all Americans.

Alain Locke: Faith & Philosophy is richly illustrated with rare historical photographs, including photos of Locke with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Ralph Bunche. ... Read more

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"The first book of its kind, Diessner has managed to lay a dialectical Bahá í-scientific foundation for the psychological study of the spiritual lives of people. Lucid in its prose, inching forth theory from keen insight, Bahá í scripture and scientific literature, Professor Diessner s debut book is a must read."Timothy Richel, Masters in Cognition & Education, University of Washington.


Contents:
The Image of the Manifestation as the Ontological Basis for a Bahá í Psychology: Oneness as Absolute Oneness and Oneness as Unity-in-Diversity; Action Research; Developmental Psychology Made New: Glimmerings from Spiritual Psychology; Western and Middle Eastern Developmental Stage Theories; Selflessness: Congruencies between the Cognitive-Developmental Research Programme and the Bahá í Writings; Differentiating Spiritual Principles from Kohlbergian Moral Principles: A Bahá í Interpretation; Beauty and Moral Education (with a Chinese Flavour); The Psychology of Beauty as a Foundation for Moral Education; Differentiating Physical, Social and Spiritual Aspects of Emotions; The Psychology of Materialism and Moral Development: Overcoming the Root Cause of Racism and Nationalism; The Myth of Psyche and Eros: An Interpretation Based on Correlates in the Bahá í Writings ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

psychology beyond the box
Dr. Rhett Diessner is brilliant in this collection of Essays which deal, through the Bahá'í concept of 'harmony between science and religion,' with the realm of psychology. the way in which he maneuvers around prejudice fearful taboos to reach the essential truth unhindered is refreshing and staggering to the imagination. masterfully, he articulates the present and missing pieces of western and eastern psychology, and unites them through concepts of the personal and social life, as well as theological concepts, found in the Bahá'í teachings.
for those seeking the an up-to-date understanding, in religious philosophy or competent psychology, this is a must read ... Read more

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Includes prayers and letters by the prophet-founder of the Bahâa§âi faith and by the appointed interpreter of Bahâa§âi sacred writings. ... Read more

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We need to change the ethical foundations of our lives
Over the last fifty years we have not made impressive progress in dealing with social problems such as world peace and disarmament, poverty reduction, racial injustice, human rights, equality of men and women and economic and social development generally. Is it that we have adopted the wrong approach? Might there be a better way? Anthony Lee believes so and by bringing together articles by ten authors he presents an alternative for us to consider. In the first paragraph of the introduction, the author makes his position clear "Anyone familiar with the Bahai teachings will recognize that they embody a progressive social program. Indeed, it might be said that, at least in comparison to other religions, the Bahai faith is primarily oriented toward social reform. It is certainly the only world religion that defines a consciousness of the unity of mankind as its central theme and dedicates itself almost single-mindedly to the achievement of that goal. Of course, the Bahai teachings also offer guidance to and demand change from the individual believer, who is called to the highest standards of personal morality and spiritual development. But it is clearly stated in the Sacred Writings of the Faith that no amount of individual saintliness, by itself, will achieve the result of overturning the unjust and oppressive social conditions throughout the world today."

Unity of mankind is not just a re-awakening of the spirit of brotherhood and goodwill among men but implies an organic change in the structure of society - a change such as the world has not yet experienced. This change will be based on twelve principles that he explains in the book. It is these twelve principles that constitute the foundation of a more enlightened and progressive social program.

The first chapter "A Worldwide Movement of Peace" by Brad Pokorny tells us that the successes of the peace movement over the past 100 years have been few and far between while the huge number of conflicts over the last couple of decades suggest a high degree of failure. Almost from the start, the Bahai Faith has been as much a movement for peace as a religion, expressed in educational efforts to promote a new kind of thinking necessary to establish a warless world, to forge a template for a new political order and to organize a network for peace. The author argues that the twelve principles each constitute an important element in building world peace. Our problems are so major that tinkering is no longer an option; we need to reinvent politics; we need to reinvent the world.

In somewhat similar vein, the other authors deal with the various social ills confronting us, usually coming to similar conclusions that we have tried the tinkering approach and have found it lacking. We need to change the ethical and moral foundations on which the world conducts business.

Einstein told us that we need a different way of thinking to get us out of the mess from the thinking that got us into the mess; we need a new paradigm, a new world view. These ideas constitute a new paradigm that should be put on the table alongside all the others. Then let us select some wise people to make the best choice and let us move ahead as quickly as possible along the chosen path so that we make better progress in the next fifty years than we did in the last fifty years. ... Read more