Memorandum
To: The Universal House of Justice
February 23, 1992
From: The Research Department
The Research Department has studied the questions concerning the possible existence of an ancient goddess religion and goddess worship contained in the letter dated 26 November l991 from ... ... explains that there is renewed interest in goddess worship in the United States and that neo-pagan groups are encouraging an elevated status of women and white witchcraft, which they regard as healing techniques. She seeks assistance in knowing how to respond to questions that are based on what she describes as "supposed new archaeological findings". We provide the following response.
1. Ancient Goddess Religion
The Research Department has not, to date, been able to locate any statements in the Bahá'í Writings concerning either the existence of an ancient goddess religion or the subject of goddess worship.
2. Responding to Questions about Goddess Worship
While the Research Department cannot provide detailed comment on the archaeological findings that are being presented as evidence of the existence of an ancient goddess religion and goddess worship, we would like to suggest a strategy that might assist ... in formulating her response to such questions. It is our view that by considering the reported research evidence and the underlying issues raised by such evidence within the overall framework of the Bahá'í teachings, it is possible to begin to generate responsive answers. We provide the following example as a stimulus to ...'s thinking.
Some archaeological records have been interpreted to suggest that, in certain neolithic civilizations, the Godhead was female and that goddesses were the principal religious figures. Female deities have been variously linked to the fertility of crops, the sovereignty of kingship, the protection of ceremonial centres, and the waging of warfare against enemies. These records raise such issues as the nature of God, the gender of the spirit, the nature and function of the Manifestation of God, the relationship between women and men, and the role of the feminine in religion and society. And these are issues on which the teachings of the Faith have a great deal to say.
2.1 The Nature of God
A number of authors express the view that religions which stress the maleness of the Supreme Being tend to deify the masculine principle and see it as the only source of legitimate authority. It is important, therefore, to appreciate the Bahá'í perspective on the nature of God. To assist ... in her study of this subject, we attach a brief compilation on this subject, from which a number of points can be drawn.
- From the Bahá'í perspective, the "Essence" of God is "unknowable".
- The "Reality of Divinity ... is invisible, incomprehensible, inaccessible, a pure essence which cannot be described ..."
- God is "exalted beyond every human attribute, such as corporeal existence..."
- "God is never flesh". The Godhead has no physical form and does not in any way resemble a human being, male or female.
- The "attributes" of the Manifestations of God are the means by which the "Divine characteristics and perfections" of God are made known to humanity.
For additional information about the nature of God, ... is referred to the book by Amatu'l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum, The Desire of the World (Oxford: George Ronald, 1982). Of particular interest is the listing of the names and titles of God found on pp. 167-186. It will be seen that many of these titles encompass such feminine qualities and attributes as have been associated with the so-called "Great Goddess".
2.2 The Gender of Spirit
In Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá (Haifa: Bahá'í World Centre, 1982), pp. 79-80, the Master affirms that both women and men are created in the image of God. He states:
“...in the sight of Bahá, women are accounted the same as men, and God hath created all humankind in His own image, and after His own likeness. That is, men and women alike are the revealers of His names and attributes, and from the spiritual viewpoint there is no difference between them. Whosoever draweth nearer to God, that one is the most favoured, whether man or woman....”
Further, in one of His Tablets, 'Abdu'l-Bahá indicates that "the spirit and the world of the spirit" are neither male nor female:
“Know thou that the distinction between male and female is an exigency of the physical world and hath no connection with the spirit; for the spirit and the world of the spirit are sanctified above such exigencies, and wholly beyond the reach of such changes as befall the physical body in the contingent world.” (From a Tablet, recently translated from the Arabic)
2.3 The Nature and Function of the Manifestation
The Manifestations of God embody the names, the attributes and the perfections of God. While 'Abdu'l-Bahá has clearly affirmed that women and men both reveal the attributes of God and that "from the spiritual viewpoint there is no difference between them", the Manifestations have the particular function of revealing the Will of God to humanity. Bahá'u'lláh explains in the Gleanings that the Manifestation of God "representeth the Godhead in both the Kingdom of His Cause and the world of creation".
Concerning the sex of the Manifestations of God and the implications for the equality of women and men, the Universal House of Justice, in a letter dated 27 October 1986 written on its behalf to an individual believer, provides the following elucidation:
“Even though there have been outstanding women such as Sarah, Asiyih, the Virgin Mary, Fatimih, Tahirih and the Greatest Holy Leaf in every Dispensation, it is an incontrovertible fact that all Manifestations of God known to us have been men. Moreover, it is a clear provision in Bahá'í administration that the Guardians were to be men and that membership on the Universal House of Justice is confined to men. Whether these facts point to a differentiation in function that is unalterable, or whether it was merely a characteristic of a period which will change when mankind attains its maturity is a matter that will, no doubt, become clear in the future. The important point for Bahá'ís to remember is that, in face of the categorical pronouncements in Bahá'í Scripture establishing the equality of men and women, even these facts are no evidence at all of the superiority of the male over the female sex. 'Abdu'l-Bahá has explained that equality does not mean identity of function. He has also stated that the few areas in which men and women are not equal are ‘negligible’.”
We must also remember that sex is a characteristic of this world, not of the spiritual world.
Hence, while no known Manifestations of God have, to date, been female, it is also true that throughout religious history outstanding women, who do not have the station of Manifestation or goddess, have performed many of the creative, nurturant and protective functions that have been ascribed to female deities and goddesses in ancient times. In other words, religious history provides examples of female role models who can inspire, motivate and empower the (women) believers. Further, it is interesting to observe that Bahá'u'lláh refers to His Revelation as the "Mother Book", which symbolizes, among other things, the creative and regenerative influence of His teachings, and in Some Answered Questions (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1984), 'Abdu'l-Bahá likens the Law of God to a woman. See Chapter 13.
2.4 The Role of the Feminine in Religion and Society
A number of recent archaeological records have suggested that there was a time when women had the preeminent role in religion and society and that later this role was taken over by men. They contrast this period with the present day and attribute contemporary social and ecological problems to the relative absence of the feminine element in society. While there are no specific references in the Writings to the early period, it is interesting to note that the Master indicates that "From the beginning of existence until the Promised Day men retained superiority over women in every respect". And, in one of His talks, 'Abdu'l-Bahá emphasises the uniqueness of the Bahá'í position on the equality of women and men. He states that Bahá'u'lláh establishes the equality of man and woman. This is peculiar to the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh, for all other religions have placed man above woman. (The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by 'Abdu'l-Bahá during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912 (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1982), p. 455)
Clearly, the Bahá'í Faith sees a role for the feminine in religion and society as 'Abdu'l-Bahá explains in the following extract:
“The world in the past has been ruled by force, and man has dominated over woman by reason of his more forceful and aggressive qualities both of body and mind. But the balance is already shifting; force is losing its dominance, and mental alertness, intuition, and the spiritual qualities of love and service, in which woman is strong, are gaining ascendency. Hence the new age will be an age less masculine and more permeated with the feminine ideals, or, to speak more exactly, will be an age in which the masculine and feminine elements of civilization will be more evenly balanced.” (From a talk, cited in Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era, 5th rev. ed. (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1987), p. 149)
For additional references to the importance of the contribution of women to religion and society, ... is referred to the compilation on Women (Thornhill, Ontario: Bahá'í Canada Publications, 1985).
2.5 The Equality of Men and Women
As ... indicates, some of the interpretations of the new archaeological findings and the activities of the neo-pagan groups directed toward raising the status of women underline a concern about the lack of recognition of the equality of women and men and the need to identify means by which the current imbalance can be redressed. The compilation on Women contains many extracts from the Bahá'í Writings and the letters of Shoghi Effendi and the Universal House of Justice which indicate the Bahá'í commitment to the principle of equality and its achievement, set out the steps that must be taken to raise the status of women and stress the importance of the participation of women in all walks of life to the attainment of peace. Further, reports of educational and deepening programmes and of social and economic development activities undertaken in the worldwide Bahá'í community, which are contained in such publications as "The American Bahá'í", serve to demonstrate the seriousness of the Bahá'í commitment to attempt to put this important spiritual principle into practice.
3. Concluding Statement
The comments contained in the above paragraphs are by no means exhaustive. They are intended to serve as a stimulus to assist ... in her thinking about the issues she raised, and to illustrate possible ways in which areas of common concern might be identified and bridges of communication built between the Bahá'í teachings and persons involved in goddess worship.
(Baha’i Library Online)
SOME EXTRACTS FROM THE BAHÁ’Í WRITINGS ON
THE NATURE OF GOD
From the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh
...God, the unknowable Essence, the divine Being, is immensely exalted beyond every human attribute, such as corporeal existence, ascent and descent, egress and regress. Far be it from His glory that human tongue should adequately recount His praise, or that human heart comprehend His fathomless mystery. He is and hath ever been veiled in the ancient eternity of His Essence, and will remain in His Reality everlastingly hidden from the sight of men. "No vision taketh in Him, but He taketh in all vision; He is the Subtile, the All-Perceiving."[Cf. Qur’án 6:104] No tie of direct intercourse can possibly bind Him to His creatures. He standeth exalted beyond and above all separation and union, all proximity and remoteness. No sign can indicate His presence or His absence; inasmuch as by a word of His command all that are in heaven and on earth have come to exist, and by His wish, which is the Primal Will itself, all have stepped out of utter nothingness into the realm of being, the world of the visible. (The Kitáb-i-qán (Wilmette: Bahá’i Publishing Trust, 1985), p. 98)
And since there can be no tie of direct intercourse to bind the one true God with His creation, and no resemblance whatever can exist between the transient and the Eternal, the contingent and the Absolute, He hath ordained that in every age and dispensation a pure and stainless Soul be made manifest in the kingdoms of earth and heaven. Unto this subtle, this mysterious and ethereal Being He hath assigned a twofold nature; the physical, pertaining to the world of matter, and the spiritual, which is born of the substance of God Himself. He hath, moreover, conferred upon Him a double station. The first station, which is related to His innermost reality, representeth Him as One Whose voice is the voice of God Himself.... The second station is the human station, exemplified by the following verses: "I am but a man like you." "Say, praise be to my Lord! Am I more than a man, an apostle?" (Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u'lláh (Wilmette: Bahá’i Publishing Trust, 1983). pp. 66-67)
Know assuredly that God’s creation hath existed from eternity, and will continue to exist forever. Its beginning hath had no beginning, and its end knoweth no end. His name, the Creator, presupposeth a creation, even as His title, the Lord of Men, must involve the existence of a servant.
...the habitation wherein the Divine Being dwelleth is far above the reach and ken of any one besides Him. Whatsoever in the contingent world can either be expressed or apprehended, can never transgress the limits which, by its inherent nature, have been imposed upon it. God, alone, transcendeth such limitations. He, verily, is from everlasting. No peer or partner has been, or can ever be, joined with Him. No name can be compared with His Name. No pen can portray His nature, neither can any tongue depict His glory. He will, for ever, remain immeasurably exalted above any one except Himself. (Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u’lláh. pp. 150-151)
From the Writings and Utterances of Abdu’l-Bahá
Existence is of two kinds: one is the existence of God which is beyond the comprehension of man. He, the invisible, the lofty and the incomprehensible, is preceded by no cause but rather is the Originator of the cause of causes. He, the Ancient, hath had no beginning and is the all-independent. The second kind of existence is the human existence. It is a common existence, comprehensible to the human mind, is not ancient, is dependent and hath a cause to it. The mortal substance does not become eternal and vice-versa; the human kind does not become a Creator and vice-versa. The transformation of the innate substance is impossible. (Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu ‘l-Bahá (Haifa: Bahá’i World Centre, 1982). p. 61)
God is eternal and ancient—not a new God. His sovereignty is of old, not recent—not merely existent these five or six thousand years. This infinite universe is from everlasting. The sovereignty, power, names and attributes of God are eternal, ancient. His names presuppose creation and predicate His existence and will. We say God is Creator. This name Creator appears when we connote creation. We say God is the Provider. This name presupposes and proves the existence of the provided. God is Love. This name proves the existence of the beloved. In the same way God is Mercy. God is Justice, God is Life, etc. Therefore, as God is Creator, eternal and ancient, there were always creatures and subjects existing and provided for. There is no doubt that divine sovereignty is eternal. (The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by Abdul-Baha during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912 rev. ed. (Wilmette: Bahá’i Publishing Trust, 1982). pp. 158-159)
Know that the reality of the Divinity and the nature of the divine Essence is ineffable sanctity and absolute holiness; that is, it is exalted above and sanctified beyond every praise. All the attributes ascribed to the highest degrees of existence are, with regard to this station, mere imagination. The Invisible and Inaccessible can never be known; the absolute Essence can never be described. For the divine Essence is an all-encompassing reality, and all created things are encompassed. The all-encompassing must assuredly be greater than that which is encompassed, and thus the latter can in no wise discover the former or comprehend its reality. No matter how far human minds may advance, even attaining the highest degree of human comprehension, the uttermost limit of this comprehension is to behold the signs and attributes of God in the world of creation and not in the realm of Divinity…
Minds are powerless to comprehend Him, and souls are bewildered as they attempt to describe His reality. “No vision taketh in Him, but He taketh in all vision, and He is the Subtile, the All-Informed!” [Qur’án 6:103]
Thus, in this connection, every statement and explanation is deficient, every description and characterization is unworthy, every conception is unfounded, and every attempt to contemplate its depths is futile. Yet for that Essence of essences, that Truth of truths, that Mystery of mysteries, there are splendours, effulgences, manifestations, and appearances in the world of existence. The Daysprings of those effulgences, the Dawning-places of those revelations, and the Sources of those manifestations are those Exponents of holiness, those universal Realities and divine Beings Who are the true mirrors of the sanctified Essence of the Divinity. All the perfections, bounties, and splendours of the one true God are plainly visible in the realities of His Holy Manifestations, even as the light of the sun is fully reflected with all its perfections and bounties in a clear and spotless mirror. And if it be said that the mirrors are the manifestations of the sun and the dawning-places of the daystar of the world, this is not meant to imply that the sun has descended from the heights of its sanctity or has become embodied in the mirror, or that that limitless Reality has been confined to this visible plane. God forbid! This is the belief of the anthropomorphists. No, all these descriptions, all these expressions of praise and glory, refer to these holy Manifestations; that is, every description, praise, name, or attribute of God that we mention applies to Them. But no soul has ever fathomed the reality of the Essence of the Divinity so as to be able to intimate, describe, praise, or glorify it. Thus all that the human reality knows, discovers, and understands of the names, attributes, and perfections of God refers to these holy Manifestations… (‘Abdu’l-Baha, ‘Some Answered Questions’, 2014 revised translation by the Baha’i World Centre)
From Letters Written on Behalf of the Guardian to Individual Believers
We find God only through the Intermediary of His Prophet. We see the Perfection of God in His Prophets. Time and space are physical things; God, the Creator, is not in a "place" as we conceive of place in physical terms. God is the Infinite Essence, the Creator. We cannot picture Him or His state; if we did, we would be His equals, not His creatures. God is never flesh, but mirrored in the attributes of His Prophets, we see His Divine characteristics and perfections. (9 October 1947)
The Master uses this term "the Divine Reality is sanctified from singleness" in order to forcibly impress us with the fact that the Godhead is unknowable and that to define It is impossible: we cannot contain It in such concepts as singleness and plurality which we apply to things we know and can experience. He uses the method of exaggerated emphasis in order to drive home His thought that we know the sun indirectly through its rays, the Godhead indirectly through the Manifestations of God. (20 February 1950)
(Baha’i Library Online)