• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

Who is the Baha’i Jesus and how does He differ from the Christian Jesus?

halbhh

The wonder and awe of "all things".
So that’s the Christian version....hey aren’t you a Baha’i!:D
Well, actually a very large number of Christians today might say it differently today than only the sometimes not full picture that "Christ died for our sins", or say more, that Christ suffered...(how should I word it....) ...'of' our sins, perhaps.

As I think of it, He suffered our sins, directly done against him -- slander (lies, false accusations), brutal attacks, cruelty, beatings, humiliations, false accusations piled on top of each other...mocking...

He suffered our evil, directly.

And He did not strike back, but continued to say truth, and give back only love for the wrongs done to him.

And in that way, He defeated sin, and through Him we can. This is somewhat like the "influence" theory, but I word it differently. I say He broke the power of sin, yes....but, if we can see and hear what happened to Him and how He spoke, then for us He actually on the cross destroys our hatred of God and one another, even!

(for more read Romans chapter 6 in a clear translation like the NIV -- Romans 6 NIV)
 

InvestigateTruth

Well-Known Member
Why only focus on the Torah and the Injil? Zaboor, Injil, Taurat, Suhufi Ibrahima wamoosa, scripture given to Jacob and the whole gang mentioned therein. Why not seek them too?
The Scriptures of Abraham do not exist today. There is no need for them in our time.
Do you know anybody today, who says, I believe in Abraham, but I do not believe in Moses, Jesus, or Muhammad? If there was such a person, then the Scripture of Abraham was needed for him to be guided with.

But Scriptures of Injil, or Torah are needed today, as there are Christian's and Jews in our time.
 
Last edited:

InChrist

Free4ever
Most of my threads are about religions other than my own. Recently a thread about the Muslim Jesus and another touching on the historical Jesus led to some thought provoking discussions. So with this thread I’d like to explore and compare the Christian Jesus and the Baha’i Jesus. Of course there is only one Jesus the Christ recorded in the NT. However there are different perspectives. For example there is the historical Jesus based on what we can reasonably establish to be true based on established methodology with analysis of historic documents and archaeology. Most scholars of antiquity would agree Jesus was an itinerant Jewish Preacher who was baptised by John the Baptist and crucified at the behest of Pontius Pilate.

The Christian Jesus is predominately understood through the four Gospels but also through the Apostolic letters. So beyond what we know of the historical Jesus, Jesus becomes so much more through the New Testament. Christ is understood to be God incarnate, the Son of God born to the Virgin Mary, one of the three aspects of the Trinity, and a fulfilment of Prophecies in Hebrew Scriptures. Jesus rose from the dead three days after being Crucified and then Ascended to be with His Father in Heaven during Pentecost after appearances to His Disciples. He inaugurated a New Covenant. Of course Christianity is a diverse religion and so there is a range of views but these are some of the key theological concepts in regards the Biblical Jesus.

Nearly six hundred years later, we have the emergence of Islam as the Quran is Revealed through Muhammad. Muhammad was the bearer of a Divine Message equivalent to the Torah through Moses and the Gospel through Christ brings a new vision. According mainstream Islam, Jesus was born to the Virgin Mary but is not the son of god. He is a Prophet who brought the Gospel which was subsequently lost or corrupted. He was not part of a triune god for God is strictly One. He is not God incarnate for God can have no partners. He was not crucified for God would not allow crucifixion of one so exalted as Jesus. So the Muslim Jesus is very different from the Christian Jesus. The two versions are not reconciled. Mainstream Islam discounts the testimony of the Gospels as being superseded by the Quran which is considered by Muslims as the Word of God.

1260 Islamic years from the beginning of the Islamic calendar, in the year 1844, a Persian Merchant from Shiraz claims to be the Promised Qa’im and the bearer of a New Revelation. As the movement spreads through Persia opposition from clergy and the government seeks to eradicate this new found movement. The Bab (meaning the Gate) is executed and later thousands of His followers put to death.

The purpose of the Bab’s mission was to prepare for Him Whom God shall make manifest. Bahá’u’lláh has a vision while in prison in Tehran during 1852 and was later recognised by most Babis to be the Promised One. Bahá’u’lláh according to Baha’is also brought a Divine Revelation. Over 40 years through tablets and letters He provided extensive commentary on many themes touching on Christian topics as early as the 1860s through the Kitab-i-Iqan.

After 1892 when Bahá’u’lláh passed away, His eldest so ‘Abdu’l-Baha was appointed successor, leader, and authorised interpreter. ‘Abdu’l-Baha came into close contact with Westerners who were interested in this new Faith. Eventually He traveled to Europe and North America including the USA during 1912. Through out His Ministry He spoke at length about many Christian topics. One of the most important works is a book titled Some Answered Questions.

So if you’ve made it this far, this is my limited understanding of aspects of biblical scholarship, Christianity, Islam and the Baha’i Faith. I’ve avoided providing my view on what the Baha’i Faith says about Jesus. I might write about it later. I’m interested to hear who on this forum can explain the Baha’i Jesus. Who is He? What does He have in common with the Christian Jesus and how does He differ? If I’ve misrepresented the position of mainstream Christianity, Islam or the Baha’i Faith please feel free to correct me. Thanks.

While I think you highlighted some important points concerning the biblical Jesus there are some main ones you left out, such as: Jesus Christ is the Savior who died for the sin of the world ( Luke 2:11; John 3:15-16; 4:42) and that He is the One Mediator between humans and God (1 Timothy 2:5).

From my understanding, Baha’is believe that Bahá’u’lláh is a greater manifestation of God than Moses, Muhammad, or the Savior Jesus Christ. So I would consider the Baha’i version of Jesus to be a false Christ, which Jesus Himself referred to... ( Mark 13:22; Matthew 24:24). Along with a false Christ, I think the Baha’i goal toward the unification of all religions falls right into the preparation for the coming one world religion and rule of the Antichrist.
 

VoidoftheSun

Necessary Heretical, Fundamentally Orthodox
I would like you to keep in mind that a "Christian" is someone who believes Jesus is God.
Any religion not adhering to this principle is not christian, and has no right to be called "Christian".

That is not true. "Christian" just means a follower of Jesus (of which it originated as a derogatory word to insult them, and the early followers of Jesus were Nazarenes).
Believing that Jesus was God is a later thing.
As far as the New Testament is concerned, the best you can get is that Jesus was somehow a literal "son of God" which exegetically is a flawed interpretation because a "son of God" is symbolic language in the Old Testament.

Believing Jesus is God, and in the Trinity, are both later additions and should be realized in that way.
You could say though, for instance, that you can't be a Catholic and someone that doesn't believe Jesus is God. Or that you can't be a Lutheran, Calvinist, Baptist, etc and not believe that Jesus is God. Such specifications are clearly true doctrinally for these sects.
 

Dawnofhope

Non-Proselytizing Baha'i
Staff member
Premium Member
Thats great. Thanks a lot. Yet, I must confess I don't have enough knowledge on the Bahai faith to make a decent analysis. What I learned I learned from you. I read the scripture quote a lot but your scripture is so vast just reading some is not enough. I will join in on some conversations to which I can contribute. I will end up asking more questions than contributing otherwise.

I'm heading off to work soon and I see this thread as already taken on a life of its own. That's fine.

It can be overwhelming for some who initially study the Baha'i Writings due to both the volume of the writings and the vastness of scope.

To properly understand the Baha'i Faith requires familiarity with the writings of the Central Figures (The Bab, Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha) as well as the authoritative interpretations of Shoghi Effendi and elucidations of the Universal House of Justice.

As a starting point find a single sentence or paragraph that makes sense to you from any other the five listed above and then slowly build your knowledge and understanding from that point.

For example, Shoghi Effendi in one of his letters to the Baha'is of the West in 1941 called 'The Promised Day has Come' wrote:

As to the position of Christianity, let it be stated without any hesitation or equivocation that its divine origin is unconditionally acknowledged, that the Sonship and Divinity of Jesus Christ are fearlessly asserted, that the divine inspiration of the Gospel is fully recognized, that the reality of the mystery of the Immaculacy of the Virgin Mary is confessed, and the primacy of Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, is upheld and defended.

Bahá'í Reference Library - The Promised Day Is Come, Pages 108-113


If that sentence provides some clarification about how Baha'is would consider Jesus and Christianity, even if you don't agree with it, then its a useful starting point.

Specific works that I have found particularly helpful in understanding a Baha'i perspective of Jesus and Christianity include:

The Kitab-i-Iqan written by Baha'u'llah 1861

Kitáb-i-Íqán - Wikipedia

The Kitáb-i-Íqán | Bahá’í Reference Library

The Christian topics section of Some Answered Questions - 'Abdu'l-Baha 1908

Some Answered Questions - Wikipedia

Some Answered Questions | Bahá’í Reference Library

As a bridge to understanding the Babi movement that led to the Baha'i movement

The Dawn Breakers or Nabil's narrative:

The Dawn-Breakers - Wikipedia

Bahá'í Reference Library - The Dawn-Breakers: Nabíl’s Narrative of the Early Days of the Bahá’í Revelation

An introductory book on the Baha'i Faith whose first chapters were reviewed by 'Abdu'l-Baha is Baha'u'llah and the new era.

John Esslemont - Wikipedia

Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era | Bahá’í Reference Library

But I'm not expecting anyone here to do much reading. However these are four important Baha'i books to enable a better understanding of the Baha'i Faith and how it relates to Christianity.
 

rational experiences

Veteran Member
I believe the Prophets of God bring healing to the sick and for those who are imprisoned by the conditions of this world, a reward awaits in the next. Go in peace sister.
Thank you for your blessing, and I wish it were the reality of the situation for every human and animal enduring science irradiation causes. To suffer incredible pain and then die to be promised to own what we first always owned....the spiritual eternal.

What a lot of humanity today do not realise that false preaching in science claiming that it would own the eternal in converting, involved the removal of our life in sacrifice, to claim that sacrifice was worthy of re gaining the eternal.

The factual human argument, we already own death naturally and our life should be lived in complete health and spirituality.
 

Dawnofhope

Non-Proselytizing Baha'i
Staff member
Premium Member
Of the Baha'i faith I am not educated.

This forum provides an opportunity for its members to better understand each other's faiths as well as engage in civil discussion and fellowship.

As a starting point in regards the Baha'i position on Christianity consider:

As to the position of Christianity, let it be stated without any hesitation or equivocation that its divine origin is unconditionally acknowledged, that the Sonship and Divinity of Jesus Christ are fearlessly asserted, that the divine inspiration of the Gospel is fully recognized, that the reality of the mystery of the Immaculacy of the Virgin Mary is confessed, and the primacy of Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, is upheld and defended.

Bahá'í Reference Library - The Promised Day Is Come, Pages 108-113

Listening to the posts you placed, it seems as if this religion believes in the divine nature of Jesus, his death and ressurection.

As above the Divinity of Christ are confirmed. He was crucified as outlined in the Gospels. His resurrection, however is not taken literally as seen by many conservative Christians. The resurrection is a theological narrative. While Christ was clearly resurrected, it was not His physical body.

However, it also seems as if this religion combines the Quran and the NT.

The Baha'i Faith does not 'combine' the Quran and NT. They are based on entirely separate Revelations from God as the Torah is separate from the Gospels. The Baha'i Faith acknowledges both the NT and Quran as inspired by Divine Revelation through Jesus and Muhammad respectively.

In this case, does Baha'i specify that Jesus is God, was born as man, crucified, died on the Cross, and was ressurrected, and went to heaven?

Keeping in mind the comments about the resurrection above, that is correct.

And how does this religion answer to the Quran that clearly state that Jesus was not God, and was not crucified?

"The crucifixion as recounted in the New Testament is correct. The meaning of the Quranic version is that the spirit of Christ was not crucified. There is no conflict between the two."
(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, July 14, 1943)
Lights of Guidance/Christ - Bahaiworks, a library of works about the Bahá’í Faith
 

firedragon

Veteran Member
The Scriptures of Abraham do not exist today. There is no need for them in our time.
Do you know anybody today, who says, I believe in Abraham, but I do not believe in Moses, Jesus, or Muhammad? If there was such a person, then the Scripture of Abraham was needed for him to be guided with.

But Scriptures of Injil, or Torah are needed today, as there are Christian's and Jews in our time.

How do you know scripture of Abraham does not exist today? Are you sure? You didn't even know about it two days ago. So now you are sure? Whats the research you have done? What is the scripture of Abraham? You have ignored it so far, and now to ignore it further you dismiss it by a weak statement. How about the Zaboor? Why did you ignore that?
 

Dawnofhope

Non-Proselytizing Baha'i
Staff member
Premium Member
True. Nothing is universal in any religion. Maybe in the Bahai faith, for which I cannot speak of due to the lack of knowledge.

Yet, this is the "creed of the trinity" that is followed by both Catholics and Protestants as a whole. I know some churches reject the trinity like the Subordinationists I presume like the Jehovahs Witnesses. The question in your post remains relevant to Christianity, and this is Christianity so I don't know how to address the few who don't follow the Trinity. Then your question should not relate to general catholicism or protestant denominations.

The Trinity concerns the complex relationships between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. All three aspects are acknowledged by the Baha'i Faith and the usefulness of considering the inter-relationships between the three is considered by 'Abdu'l-Baha.

Bahá'í Reference Library - Some Answered Questions, Pages 113-115

However the Trinity as defined by the Nicene Creed or Athanasian Creed is neither supported, nor rejected in the Baha'i Writings.
 

rational experiences

Veteran Member
This forum provides an opportunity for its members to better understand each other's faiths as well as engage in civil discussion and fellowship.

As a starting point in regards the Baha'i position on Christianity consider:

As to the position of Christianity, let it be stated without any hesitation or equivocation that its divine origin is unconditionally acknowledged, that the Sonship and Divinity of Jesus Christ are fearlessly asserted, that the divine inspiration of the Gospel is fully recognized, that the reality of the mystery of the Immaculacy of the Virgin Mary is confessed, and the primacy of Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, is upheld and defended.

Bahá'í Reference Library - The Promised Day Is Come, Pages 108-113



As above the Divinity of Christ are confirmed. He was crucified as outlined in the Gospels. His resurrection, however is not taken literally as seen by many conservative Christians. The resurrection is a theological narrative. While Christ was clearly resurrected, it was not His physical body.



The Baha'i Faith does not 'combine' the Quran and NT. They are based on entirely separate Revelations from God as the Torah is separate from the Gospels. The Baha'i Faith acknowledges both the NT and Quran as inspired by Divine Revelation through Jesus and Muhammad respectively.



Keeping in mind the comments about the resurrection above, that is correct.



"The crucifixion as recounted in the New Testament is correct. The meaning of the Quranic version is that the spirit of Christ was not crucified. There is no conflict between the two."
(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, July 14, 1943)
Lights of Guidance/Christ - Bahaiworks, a library of works about the Bahá’í Faith

Science relativity advice to self human and male, group of brothers in agreement, science.

Said the volcanic eruption of the spirits of God the stone made God the STONE entity Creator of its own heavens. So cosmological inference is fake when you want to discuss our planet and our life. Why it was said to be ONE only.

As a science law/relative truth. You cannot compare the heavenly gases to any other body in space, when our stone mass planet released it itself past and beyond where it finished as an entity STONE mass.

Stone mass therefore owns the place entity/Creator and not our heavenly gas mass. In relativity in science, the teaching. One body only is accepted and nothing else.

Volcanoes after the atmosphere existed still releases by underground explosive conditions gases....that do not in relativity relate historically to the natural heavenly body. And science gave those gases the CH that arose evaluation.

Volcanoes own that science review CHRIST.

Yet science also knows that to a human life those gases if they get released out of the ground body of earth is toxic....and methane or even carbon amassing kills of organic bio life.

In the past it is obvious that Carpenter means plate tectonics, and the gases released out of the ground in the Jeru salem area, as the ground mass is different began killing of the animals and human life...for it was stated to be arising out of the God stone mass. Upon where we stand in life.

Russia owns a landscape where animals die in the toxicity of the volcanic gas, therefore how is it not relative taught that life was sacrificed as the gas tombs of stone had their gases released and emptied out above ground, that arose into the atmosphere?

Humans said, water and flooding rain is how Nature in the Earth gases dealt with burning gases and their release.

Creation themes are human male owned/thought and are relative to their owned thesis of cause and effect, and science today in their philosophical creation arguments still argue relativity, or relates to the nativity.

Stable state he said was that ICE remassing and replacing its physical body presence 12th month in the Sun cycle of 12, supported newly born human baby DNA life returned and also animal life returned in a STABLE Noble Gas status. The teaching.

ICE was stated to have altered the giant race atmospheric gas life in Nature to allow small genetics and new Nature to live in the heavenly body as relative to why ICE was important for life continuance.

Water allows the presence of gas to exist, as a gas. Gases can kill in spirit terms human life. ICE colder than water was the holy teaching, its return.
 

Dawnofhope

Non-Proselytizing Baha'i
Staff member
Premium Member
Following the Qur'an, the book says It was always Islam and nothing else. Most won't accept this, but this is bottomline. So saying Islam emerged six hundred years later is wrong "according to the Qur'an". It even specifically quotes Abraham as calling believes Muslimeena.

Islam is commonly understood to be the religion founded by Muhammad by most commentators on religion. However I agree the term Islam based on a Quranic understanding can refer to other monotheistic religions such as Christianity and Judaism in their original forms.

Its not really accurate. The Quran says the Qur'an is the confirmation of the Gospel (not plural). And confirmation means the Qur'an repeats the teachings of the Gospel (again, not plural). Which means there was one Gospel, the teaching of Jesus, and the Qur'an clarifies it.

I am only responding to this comment of yours, so I hope someone will not start some kind of bidding war on this based on their perspective, and what's right and wrong. I am only stating the Quran and its perspective.

I agree that is the commonly held view of Muslims. The four Canonical Gospels that exist today are not considered to be that one original Gospel though.

Where this is relevant is the extent the Baha'i writings affirm the four Gospels as conveying that original Gospel. The Baha'i Writings are closer to these four Gospels than the prevailing Muslim view of the Quran. That accounts in part for significant differences between the Muslim and Baha'i Jesus.
 

VoidoftheSun

Necessary Heretical, Fundamentally Orthodox
The Trinity concerns the complex relationships between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. All three aspects are acknowledged by the Baha'i Faith and the usefulness of considering the inter-relationships between the three is considered by 'Abdu'l-Baha.

Bahá'í Reference Library - Some Answered Questions, Pages 113-115

However the Trinity as defined by the Nicene Creed or Athanasian Creed is neither supported, nor rejected in the Baha'i Writings.

Is my understanding correct that the term "The Son (of God)" is taken as a synonym with "Manifestation of God", but that in the case of Jesus it was a special symbolic title associated with him?

Each Prophet being somewhat of a manifestation of "The Son", in this sense?

Each "Manifestation of God" obviously being, as defined usually by Baha'i's as like reflections of rays of the Sun (of Reality).
If so, then I so radically respect such a view, with it's aspects of precedent in Babism, Shaykhism, Ismailism and even Vaishnavite Hinduism (being the Avatara doctrine, to which you'd attribute Krishna, etc)

I think it does better work at "reconciling" (though that perhaps is not the correct word cause we're dealing with the Ontology of Prophetology) these different theological views.
 

rational experiences

Veteran Member
As a female and a Healer, I never believed in the human male stories about life being sacrificed as a Holy event.

I studied spirit for my own self upon my own life path, living, existing and learning...which I think is a male idea of the Baha'i practice...to use information but impose self learning.

As a female and a Mother who had given birth to a male baby, it might be how I gained and lived my realisation, who would want their human baby harmed, whether it be a baby life or an adult male life.

So spiritually I always asked questions, for I always received correct answers historically about any subject. So if you test spirit and then spirit mind psyche advice, to think and relate information gives you correct information without personal study of it....then I proved it real. So believed.

Spiritually the story eternal said that space once never existed, yet due to burning by sounds in the eternal being held as o and O...when naturally it was a spirit talking to a spirit, the spirit would rise up out of the eternal and go into the spirit body it was talking to. So no controlled holding.

Spirit explained how God was released from its eternal form, which puts eternal as the holder of space as a hole in its body. Eternal communicated a vision to me by using our gases, and showed me that spatial hole from their side looking like a mound inside of a female vagina. So I then said okay, so males in conscious spirituality knew this evidence also...why they talk about the eternal as one holy word, only meaning eternal. Not any other word. One word, one meaning.

Father told me that our Mother spirit saved him. Nature emerged, manifested he emerged, manifested, the female spirit emerged manifested and moved out on his paths. Female totally demanifested and a portion of his male spirit demanifested, so he knew about returning to the eternal, by the experience of it.

So a group of his own male spirits were stuck in life manifestation due to the Nature Garden.

Reasons to understand its truth is relative to self ANTI expressions.

God the stone is stone due to space....so in review God the stone is God the stone only, in highest conscious awareness.

If you claim Mother of God, then consciously by previous being self spirit saved as if the male spirit was half male/half female spirit already...with our Mother human female spirit being one whole owned self. Talked and chose on behalf of 2 beings, which were just male...and not female, so he did not speak on behalf of the female....chose an ANTI theme.....which includes his self saving.

As a theory, to ask why the most highest teacher of God science would quote Mother of God, when space already owned God the stone planet. Makes no common sense, unless the spiritual consciousness does in fact own historic male self expression that we did first come of the body eternal.

Ask science today why are you so intent on such bio life human self intrinsic reasoning about our life presence and then infer ANTI science machine themes as science histories? As a relative question to just a natural male, a human, a human who was only living due to human sex, knowing that humans will not stop having sex?

We are all the same human life, think with the same human mind/brain but all own different reasoning. If I said to a scientist how come you do not understand my teaching, the answer would be, he never sought the experience of it....instead he speaks on behalf only for science as if he is science first and not a human first.

These types of human reasonings involved humans knowing but yet already knowing that when they die, they still own one spirit of self in the eternal, who communicates to our conscious mind from out of its own body, to enable us to realise we own a higher self purpose alter to science destruction.
 

Samantha Rinne

Resident Genderfluid Writer/Artist
Most of my threads are about religions other than my own. Recently a thread about the Muslim Jesus and another touching on the historical Jesus led to some thought provoking discussions. So with this thread I’d like to explore and compare the Christian Jesus and the Baha’i Jesus. Of course there is only one Jesus the Christ recorded in the NT. However there are different perspectives. For example there is the historical Jesus based on what we can reasonably establish to be true based on established methodology with analysis of historic documents and archaeology. Most scholars of antiquity would agree Jesus was an itinerant Jewish Preacher who was baptised by John the Baptist and crucified at the behest of Pontius Pilate.

The Christian Jesus is predominately understood through the four Gospels but also through the Apostolic letters. So beyond what we know of the historical Jesus, Jesus becomes so much more through the New Testament. Christ is understood to be God incarnate, the Son of God born to the Virgin Mary, one of the three aspects of the Trinity, and a fulfilment of Prophecies in Hebrew Scriptures. Jesus rose from the dead three days after being Crucified and then Ascended to be with His Father in Heaven during Pentecost after appearances to His Disciples. He inaugurated a New Covenant. Of course Christianity is a diverse religion and so there is a range of views but these are some of the key theological concepts in regards the Biblical Jesus.

Nearly six hundred years later, we have the emergence of Islam as the Quran is Revealed through Muhammad. Muhammad was the bearer of a Divine Message equivalent to the Torah through Moses and the Gospel through Christ brings a new vision. According mainstream Islam, Jesus was born to the Virgin Mary but is not the son of god. He is a Prophet who brought the Gospel which was subsequently lost or corrupted. He was not part of a triune god for God is strictly One. He is not God incarnate for God can have no partners. He was not crucified for God would not allow crucifixion of one so exalted as Jesus. So the Muslim Jesus is very different from the Christian Jesus. The two versions are not reconciled. Mainstream Islam discounts the testimony of the Gospels as being superseded by the Quran which is considered by Muslims as the Word of God.

1260 Islamic years from the beginning of the Islamic calendar, in the year 1844, a Persian Merchant from Shiraz claims to be the Promised Qa’im and the bearer of a New Revelation. As the movement spreads through Persia opposition from clergy and the government seeks to eradicate this new found movement. The Bab (meaning the Gate) is executed and later thousands of His followers put to death.

The purpose of the Bab’s mission was to prepare for Him Whom God shall make manifest. Bahá’u’lláh has a vision while in prison in Tehran during 1852 and was later recognised by most Babis to be the Promised One. Bahá’u’lláh according to Baha’is also brought a Divine Revelation. Over 40 years through tablets and letters He provided extensive commentary on many themes touching on Christian topics as early as the 1860s through the Kitab-i-Iqan.

After 1892 when Bahá’u’lláh passed away, His eldest so ‘Abdu’l-Baha was appointed successor, leader, and authorised interpreter. ‘Abdu’l-Baha came into close contact with Westerners who were interested in this new Faith. Eventually He traveled to Europe and North America including the USA during 1912. Through out His Ministry He spoke at length about many Christian topics. One of the most important works is a book titled Some Answered Questions.

So if you’ve made it this far, this is my limited understanding of aspects of biblical scholarship, Christianity, Islam and the Baha’i Faith. I’ve avoided providing my view on what the Baha’i Faith says about Jesus. I might write about it later. I’m interested to hear who on this forum can explain the Baha’i Jesus. Who is He? What does He have in common with the Christian Jesus and how does He differ? If I’ve misrepresented the position of mainstream Christianity, Islam or the Baha’i Faith please feel free to correct me. Thanks.

Asked and answered.

There is no Bahai Jesus, because Jesus is represented in Christianity.

"34Do not assume that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35For I have come to turn ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36A man’s enemies will be the members of his own household."

Jesus did not seek to bring about a one-world order, no matter how romantic that idea sounds to some of you here. Let's repeated that. Jesus did not seek to bring about a one-world order.

But let's look at the world before the 20th century and the rise of secularism and Bahai. Countries had moved from the Roman Empire, and other empires toward nationalism. Sovereignty of countries. Likewise, men and women, parents and children, and so on were becoming more independent from each other. It used to be a child was expected to be a farmer or follow their parent's footsteps. Now most children strike out on their own. Women used to not inherit, nor vote, nor hold jobs. Now not only can they do such things, they can still stay at home if they want to. Men can also be house-husbands. In fact, you want to know how things have changed even in 50 years? It's no longer that big a deal for a male to want to wear a skirt, to be genderfluid.

The problem of unity is lockstep conformity. Let's look at other movements that valued everyone being the same. I think you can think of a few. Everyone in uniform, marching down the streets of Germany... Yeah.

I don't want a unified peaceful world. I don't want everyone to "be safe" either. I want life risky, messy, and wonderfully free. I want us to go to stores dressed however we want, to worship all sorts of different things, and to be able to talk to Jesus about anything. Because Jesus is not about Christianity. Jesus is about seeing God in humanity. My besties, whenever I talk to them, I talk to Jesus. This Bahai "Jesus" is no one I'd like to meet.
 
Last edited:

firedragon

Veteran Member
Islam is commonly understood to be the religion founded by Muhammad by most commentators on religion. However I agree the term Islam based on a Quranic understanding can refer to other monotheistic religions such as Christianity and Judaism in their original forms.

I was stating the Quranic view since you quote it.
I'm heading off to work soon and I see this thread as already taken on a life of its own. That's fine.

It can be overwhelming for some who initially study the Baha'i Writings due to both the volume of the writings and the vastness of scope.

To properly understand the Baha'i Faith requires familiarity with the writings of the Central Figures (The Bab, Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha) as well as the authoritative interpretations of Shoghi Effendi and elucidations of the Universal House of Justice.

As a starting point find a single sentence or paragraph that makes sense to you from any other the five listed above and then slowly build your knowledge and understanding from that point.

For example, Shoghi Effendi in one of his letters to the Baha'is of the West in 1941 called 'The Promised Day has Come' wrote:

As to the position of Christianity, let it be stated without any hesitation or equivocation that its divine origin is unconditionally acknowledged, that the Sonship and Divinity of Jesus Christ are fearlessly asserted, that the divine inspiration of the Gospel is fully recognized, that the reality of the mystery of the Immaculacy of the Virgin Mary is confessed, and the primacy of Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, is upheld and defended.

Bahá'í Reference Library - The Promised Day Is Come, Pages 108-113


If that sentence provides some clarification about how Baha'is would consider Jesus and Christianity, even if you don't agree with it, then its a useful starting point.

Specific works that I have found particularly helpful in understanding a Baha'i perspective of Jesus and Christianity include:

The Kitab-i-Iqan written by Baha'u'llah 1861

Kitáb-i-Íqán - Wikipedia

The Kitáb-i-Íqán | Bahá’í Reference Library

The Christian topics section of Some Answered Questions - 'Abdu'l-Baha 1908

Some Answered Questions - Wikipedia

Some Answered Questions | Bahá’í Reference Library

As a bridge to understanding the Babi movement that led to the Baha'i movement

The Dawn Breakers or Nabil's narrative:

The Dawn-Breakers - Wikipedia

Bahá'í Reference Library - The Dawn-Breakers: Nabíl’s Narrative of the Early Days of the Bahá’í Revelation

An introductory book on the Baha'i Faith whose first chapters were reviewed by 'Abdu'l-Baha is Baha'u'llah and the new era.

John Esslemont - Wikipedia

Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era | Bahá’í Reference Library

But I'm not expecting anyone here to do much reading. However these are four important Baha'i books to enable a better understanding of the Baha'i Faith and how it relates to Christianity.

Thanks. I started with Al Kithab al Akdhas because its written in Arabic it is easier for me to look at the manuscripts itself. It was interesting. And I have also read Kithab I iqan but the English translation of course. My perspective on the faith is not necessary and is irrelevant. The Bahai perspective on Jesus is harmonising but has very big fundamental differences as well. By the way, I believe I have all the documents you have cited above, I also have purchased various other books by Women, Buck, Reingold on the Millerism concept, Hartz and Peter Smith etc. But lol, I have not read any of them.

I do not like to read peoples perspectives generally as if they are scripture but I find most people read perspectives rather than the scripture themselves. I find a lot of differences in theology anyway, yet I shall leave it at that. Obviously irrelevant.

The key difference between the Bahai Faith and the Christian understanding of Jesus is the trinity. It cannot be reconciled in my opinion, it can be harmonised with effort.
 

oldbadger

Skanky Old Mongrel!
Its not just huge, its encyclopaedic! I’m relying on the exceedingly short attention span of the average RF participant;)
Wow!
Doesn't that tell you something about your posts?

Now...... the thread title is:-
Who is the Baha’i Jesus and how does He differ from the Christian Jesus?

Well? See if you can tell us in a paragraph...... oh, alright........ three paragraphs.
 

ajay0

Well-Known Member
I see Jesus is Christ, who was born of Mary, of the Holy Spirit and who did die for our sins.

I see there is no true life without the acceptance of Jesus the Christ, in the station of the Son of God.

Regards Tony

The Prajapita Brahmakumaris too consider Jesus to be a son of God, and not God Himself.

The Brahmakumaris consider the monotheistic God to be an incorporeal point of light, and Jesus too claimed that God is light.

"God is light, and in him is no darkness at all".1 John 1:5

There is an interesting article on Jesus from the Brahmakumari perspective...

https://www.sustenance.brahma-kumaris.com/jesus-christ
 

firedragon

Veteran Member
The Prajapita Brahmakumaris too consider Jesus to be a son of God, and not God Himself.

The Brahmakumaris consider the monotheistic God to be an incorporeal point of light, and Jesus too claimed that God is light.

"God is light, and in him is no darkness at all".1 John 1:5

There is an interesting article on Jesus from the Brahmakumari perspective...

https://www.sustenance.brahma-kumaris.com/jesus-christ

Interesting. Thanks.
 
Top