# Administration, Baha'i

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> Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: Glenford Mitchell, Administration, Baha'i, bahai-library.com.
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> 
> Administration, Bahá’í
> International system, originating in Bahá’í scripture, that governs the affairs of
> the Bahá’í Faith, which has no clergy and no professional learned class; a
> framework based on elected councils that hold legislative, executive, and judicial
> authority and on appointed individuals whose role is to protect, advise, and
> influence the Bahá’í community; the embryonic form of the future world order
> envisioned by Bahá’u’lláh. 1
> 
> ARTICLE OUTLINE:                                            FOUNDATIONS OF BAHÁ’Í
> ADMINISTRATION
> Foundations of Bahá’í Administration
> Origins
> The Covenant                                      Origins
> The Guardianship and the Universal House of       The system of Bahá’í administration has its origins
> Justice
> in the writings of Bahá’u’lláh and is regarded by
> The Constitution of the Universal House of
> Bahá’ís as having been divinely ordained. It is
> Justice
> The "Rulers" and the "Learned" in the Bahá’í      distinguished from other religious or secular forms
> Administrative Order                              of government by the fact that "Bahá’u’lláh has
> Institutions of Bahá’í Administration                  Himself revealed its principles, established its
> Local Spiritual Assemblies                        institutions, appointed the person to interpret His
> The Nineteen Day Feast                            Word [See: ‘Abdu’l-Bahá], and conferred the
> National Spiritual Assemblies                     necessary authority on the body designed to
> Decentralization: National Committees
> supplement and apply His legislative ordinances
> Decentralization: Regional Bahá’í Councils
> The Universal House of Justice
> [the Universal House of Justice]."2
> The Institution of the Counselors
> The primary documents on which the Bahá’í
> Principles of Bahá’í Administration
> Administrative Order is based are: (1) the Kitáb-i-
> Elections and Consultation
> Distinguishing Characteristics of Bahá’í
> Aqdas , the "Mother Book" of the Bahá’í Faith, in
> Administration                             which  Bahá’u’lláh lays down the laws and
> principles by which the operation of the
> ARTICLE RESOURCES:
> administration must be governed; (2) Bahá’u’lláh’s
> Notes                                           Tablet of Carmel (Lawh-i-Karmil ), which Shoghi
> Other Sources and Related Reading               Effendi, the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith, calls "the
> Charter of the World Spiritual and Administrative
> Centers of the Faith" on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel;3 (3) the Book of the Covenant (Kitáb-i-‘Ahd
> ),4 in which Bahá’u’lláh institutes His Covenant with the Bahá’ís, "to guide and assist" in laying the
> foundations of the Bahá’í order and "to safeguard the unity of its builders," 5 and affirms the
> appointment of His son ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as the Center of the Covenant; and (4) the Will and Testament of
> ‘Abdu’l-Bahá , described by Shoghi Effendi as "The Charter which called into being, outlined the
> features and set in motion the processes of, this Administrative Order,”6 among which are the
> establishment of the institution of the Guardianship and the appointment of Shoghi Effendi. The writings
> of Shoghi Effendi, particularly The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh    and Bahá’í Administration , in which
> he guides the development of Bahá’í administration, elucidate the overarching principles laid down by
> Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in these primary documents.
> 
> The Covenant
> The integrity of the Administrative Order is sustained by adherence to the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh.
> Since unity is the hallmark of Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings, the purpose of the Covenant is to preserve unity
> of belief and action and to protect the Bahá’í Faith from schism while ensuring the systematic
> realization of its spiritual, social, and humanitarian principles as the basis for a global civilization.
> Central to Bahá’í belief, the Covenant is an understanding by which the members of the Bahá’í
> community accept the station and authority of Bahá’u’lláh as the inaugurator of a new religious
> dispensation in which the unity of humanity is the pivotal principle and ultimate goal. To fulfill this
> principle, Bahá’u’lláh has made specific provisions in His writings. Preeminent among them are the
> designation, in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, of the principle of hereditary succession; ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s appointment,
> in the Book of the Covenant, as the Center of Bahá’u’lláh’s Covenant and the interpreter of His
> teachings; and the ordination, in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, of the Universal House of Justice as the supreme
> governing and legislative organ of the Administrative Order.
> 
> As the Center of the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá occupies a unique office in religious history.
> His ministry (1892–1921) formed a part of what Shoghi Effendi has termed "the Heroic, [or] the
> Apostolic Age of the Dispensation of Bahá’u’lláh," the period in which its Founders and early heroes lived
> and in which its foundations were established. 7 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s ministry also effected a transition
> between the Heroic Age of Bahá’u’lláh’s dispensation and the Formative or Iron Age, in which local,
> national, and international institutions of the Bahá’í Faith "were to take shape, develop and become
> fully consolidated, in anticipation of the third, the last, the Golden Age destined to witness the
> emergence of a world-embracing Order."8
> 
> The literature of the Bahá’í Faith mentions two forms of
> Covenant. One is the Covenant that every Prophet makes with
> His followers: that they will accept the future Prophet
> (Bahá’u’lláh states that a new Prophet will follow Him after the
> expiration of no less than one thousand years). The second type
> of Covenant pertains to the succession of authority. Bahá’u’lláh
> has made a Covenant with His people that they should accept
> ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as the Interpreter and Exemplar of His teachings;
> "Under the same category falls the Covenant the Master
> [‘Abdu’l-Bahá] made with the Bahá’ís that they should accept His
> administration after Him."9 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá clearly outlines the form
> of this administration in His Will and Testament, which Shoghi
> Effendi describes as "His greatest legacy to posterity, the
> brightest emanation of His mind and the mightiest instrument
> forged to insure the continuity of the three ages which
> constitute the component parts of His Father’s Dispensation." 10
> 
> The Guardianship and the Universal
> ‘Abdu’l- Bahá, left, and His grandson, Shoghi Effendi,   House of Justice
> in a photograph taken in 1919. Haifa, Israel. © Bahá’í
> The Guardianship is explicitly established in the Will and
> International Community. Bahá’í Media Bank
> 
> Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, but Shoghi Effendi indicates that it is
> also anticipated by Bahá’u’lláh in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas .11 The Universal House of Justice is ordained by
> Bahá’u’lláh, and the method of its establishment is described by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in His Will and Testament.
> According to the Will and Testament, both the Guardian and the Universal House of Justice are
> protected and guided by the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh. The provisions of the Will and Testament make it
> clear that the interpretations of the Guardian, functioning in his own sphere, and the enactments of the
> Universal House of Justice are binding: "Whatsoever they decide is of God. Whoso obeyeth him not,
> neither obeyeth them, hath not obeyed God."12
> 
> Regarding the Guardianship, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá states that, after His passing, it is incumbent upon the
> Bahá’ís to turn to Shoghi Effendi—"the sign of God, the chosen branch, the guardian of the Cause of
> God" and "the expounder of the words of God"—and, after Shoghi Effendi, to "the first-born of his lineal
> descendents." 13 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá explains that the Universal House of Justice, "which God hath ordained as
> the source of all good and freed from all error," is to be "elected by universal suffrage" among the
> Bahá’ís. Its members are to be knowledgeable, steadfast, and "the well-wishers of all mankind." The
> Universal House of Justice is responsible for enacting "all ordinances and regulations that are not to be
> found in the explicit Holy Text." 14
> 
> The Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá      complements the Kitáb-i-Aqdas in the ordination of the
> institutions. For example, the provision for interpretation of the Bahá’í scripture is extended through the
> appointment of the Guardian as successor to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá; the relationship of the Guardian to the
> Universal House of Justice is explained; the method of establishing the Universal House of Justice is
> outlined; the institution of the secondary Houses of Justice (at present known as National Spiritual
> Assemblies) is announced; and the institution of the Hands of the Cause of God, initiated by Bahá’u’lláh
> through His appointment of eminent Bahá’ís to promote spreading the Bahá’í Faith and to assure its
> protection, is confirmed and amplified in its role as an auxiliary of the Guardianship.
> 
> Thus, as Shoghi Effendi points out in a broad overview of the purpose of the Bahá’í Administrative
> Order, Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá have "in unequivocal and emphatic language, appointed those twin
> institutions of the House of Justice and of the Guardianship as their chosen Successors" and have given
> them mutually reinforcing roles: "to apply the principles, promulgate the laws, protect the institutions,
> adapt loyally and intelligently the Faith to the requirements of progressive society, and consummate the
> incorruptible inheritance which the Founders of the Faith have bequeathed to the world." 15 Writing
> further of the complementarity of the functions of these "twin institutions of the Administrative Order of
> Bahá’u’lláh," Shoghi Effendi explains:
> 
> Their common, their fundamental object is to insure the continuity of that divinelyappointed authority which flows from the Source of our Faith, to safeguard the unity
> of its followers and to maintain the integrity and flexibility of its teachings. Acting in
> conjunction with each other these two inseparable institutions administer its affairs,
> coördinate its activities, promote its interests, execute its laws and defend its
> subsidiary institutions. Severally, each operates within a clearly defined sphere of
> jurisdiction; each is equipped with its own attendant institutions—instruments
> designed for the effective discharge of its particular responsibilities and duties. 16
> 
> Regardless of the mutuality of the functions of the Guardianship and the Universal House of Justice,
> Shoghi Effendi categorically asserts that "Neither can, nor will ever, infringe upon the sacred and
> prescribed domain of the other." As member and permanent head of the Universal House of Justice, the
> Guardian could not, "even temporarily, assume the right of exclusive legislation," nor could he "override
> the decision of the majority of his fellow-members," but he would be "bound to insist upon a
> reconsideration by them of any enactment he conscientiously believes to conflict with the meaning and
> to depart from the spirit of Bahá’u’lláh’s revealed utterances." Moreover, he was "debarred from laying
> down independently the constitution that must govern the organized activities of his fellow-members."17
> 
> Shoghi Effendi’s ministry lasted for thirty-six years (1921–57), ending with his death six years before
> the first election of the Universal House of Justice, which took place according to his plans and
> expectations. The Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá sets out the conditions for the appointment of a
> successor by the sitting Guardian. These conditions became impossible to fulfill during the lifetime of
> Shoghi Effendi. As he had produced no progeny, and there was no eligible heir, Shoghi Effendi did not
> appoint a successor. The Universal House of Justice announced in a message on 6 October 1963 its
> finding "that there is no way to appoint or to legislate to make it possible to appoint a second Guardian
> to succeed Shoghi Effendi."18
> The Constitution of the Universal House of Justice
> Throughout his ministry, Shoghi Effendi spelled out the principles
> by which the administration of the Faith should be guided and
> urged the Bahá’ís to apply them, but he made it clear that it
> would be the function of the Universal House of Justice "to lay
> more definitely the broad lines that must guide the future
> activities and administration" of the Faith.19
> 
> On 26 November 1972 the Universal House of Justice adopted
> its constitution, which identifies the current units of Bahá’í
> Administrative Order and defines their methods of operation.
> Comprising two major parts, a declaration of trust and bylaws,
> the constitution expresses recognition of Bahá’u’lláh as "the
> Source of Authority"; acknowledges His Covenant, which
> continues to fulfill its purpose through the agency of the
> Universal House of Justice; affirms that the provenance,
> authority, duties, and sphere of action of the Universal House of
> Justice all derive from the revealed Word of Bahá’u’lláh and the
> interpretations and expositions of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and Shoghi
> Effendi; identifies its position as Head of the Faith, "There being   The entrance to the Seat of the Universal House of
> Justice, the home of the Bahá’í Faith's international
> no successor to Shoghi Effendi as Guardian of the Cause of            governing body. Date: 2005- 03- 21. Haifa, Israel. ©
> God;"20 and details the powers and duties invested in the             Bahá’í International Community. Bahá’í Media Bank
> 
> Universal House of Justice.
> 
> The bylaws specify the basis for membership in the Bahá’í community and outline the basic structure of
> the administration. The preamble to the bylaws describes the Universal House of Justice as "the
> supreme institution of an Administrative Order" consisting, "on the one hand, of a series of elected
> councils, universal, secondary and local, in which are vested legislative, executive and judicial powers
> over the Bahá’í community and, on the other, of eminent and devoted believers appointed for the
> specific purposes of protecting and propagating the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh under the guidance of the Head
> of that Faith."21 The bylaws state the obligations of members of these councils; describe the methods of
> Bahá’í election; uphold the right of appeal of individuals against actions of Local and National Spiritual
> Assemblies, and specify the procedures for such appeals and also for appeals by Local Spiritual
> Assemblies against decisions of National Spiritual Assemblies. They also assert the right of the Universal
> House of Justice to review action by any Spiritual Assembly and to approve, modify, or reverse such
> action.
> 
> The "Rulers" and the "Learned" in the Bahá’í Administrative Order
> In the Book of the Covenant, Bahá’u’lláh identifies as "the rulers and the learned" the two distinctive
> components of the Administrative Order that are described in the constitution of the Universal House of
> Justice.22 Shoghi Effendi explains, in a message written in 1931, that "'the learned' are, on the one
> hand, the Hands of the Cause of God, and, on the other, the teachers and diffusers of His teachings
> who do not rank as Hands, but who have attained an eminent position in the teaching work. As to the
> 'rulers' they refer to the members of the Local, National and International Houses of Justice. The duties
> of each of these souls will be determined in the future.'"23 These "duties"—and the various institutions
> to which they are assigned—were largely outlined or envisioned by Shoghi Effendi during his ministry.
> They are now defined in the constitution of the Universal House of Justice and are amplified in
> communications of the Universal House of Justice as circumstances require; an example is the
> statement entitled The Institution of the Counsellors, issued in January 2001 (See Section: Institutions
> of Bahá’í Administration.The Institution of the Counselors).
> The "rulers" comprise the administrative and governing authority that begins at the local level with the
> Local Spiritual Assembly and flows upward to culminate in the Universal House of Justice. These
> institutions at various levels (local, national, international) are all, without exception, corporate,
> democratically elected bodies with a prescribed term of office.
> 
> The "learned" includes the institutions of the Hands of the Cause and the Counselors. The members of
> these institutions are appointed and carry out their functions primarily as individuals. The Hands of the
> Cause, all now deceased, retained their appointments for life; the members of the institution of the
> Counselors are appointed for a given term. "The existence of institutions of such exalted rank," the
> Universal House of Justice asserts, "comprising individuals who play such a vital role, who yet have no
> legislative, administrative or judicial authority, and are entirely devoid of priestly functions or the right
> to make authoritative interpretations, is a feature of Bahá’í administration unparalleled in the religions
> of the past." 24 The functions of protection and propagation are performed by the institution of the
> Counselors in a collaborative and supportive manner with the elected governing bodies at the various
> administrative levels. This collaboration takes such forms as consultation on the plans and progress of
> the Bahá’í Faith between members of this institution and the elected bodies; acts of leadership in the
> teaching work—initiating activities, providing advice, and offering moral and practical support being
> among them; as well as mutually reinforcing efforts toward protecting the Faith from schism and
> attack.
> 
> By giving legislative and
> governing authority to
> elected councils and rank
> and moral authority to the
> institutions of the Hands of
> the Cause and the
> Counselors, the Bahá’í
> Administrative Order
> embodies beneficial
> elements that were
> formerly part of the priestly
> Seat of the Universal House of Justice and the International Teaching Center Building, Haifa, Israel, 2001. role, yet it avoids the
> Bahá’í Photographic Library
> pitfalls of clericalism. "The
> newness and uniqueness of this concept make it difficult to grasp," the Universal House of Justice
> explains, for "only as the Bahá’í community grows and the believers are increasingly able to
> contemplate its administrative structure uninfluenced by concepts from past ages, will the vital
> interdependence of the 'rulers' and 'learned' in the Faith be properly understood, and the inestimable
> value of their interaction be fully recognized." 25
> 
> INSTITUTIONS OF BAHÁ’Í ADMINISTRATION
> 
> Local Spiritual Assemblies
> The Local Spiritual Assembly was called into existence by Bahá’u’lláh: "The Lord hath ordained that in
> every city a House of Justice be established wherein shall gather counselors to the number of Bahá
> [nine]." 26 Thus, in any civil locality where the number of resident Bahá’í adults is nine or more, they
> convene on 21 April, the first day of the Ridván festival—a twelve-day period celebrated annually to
> commemorate Bahá’u’lláh’s declaration of His mission—and form a local administrative body of nine
> members known as the "Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of" that locality. Shoghi Effendi explains that
> Spiritual Assembly is a "temporary appellation" that will eventually be "superseded" by the "designation
> of House of Justice."27 At each subsequent Ridván, an annual meeting is held, at which the Bahá’ís
> consult on the reports of the Local Spiritual Assembly and its committees and exercise their right to
> offer recommendations to the Assembly and to elect the Assembly for a one-year term.
> 
> The Local Spiritual Assembly has full
> jurisdiction over all Bahá’í activities and
> affairs within its locality; it functions in
> accordance with the powers and duties
> set forth in the constitution of the Local
> Spiritual Assembly. Its duties include
> directing the expansion and consolidation
> of the community through teaching the
> Faith; spiritual training; protecting the
> Faith; aiding the needy; educating
> children; and arranging for regular
> meetings, Nineteen Day Feasts (See
> Section: Institutions of Bahá’í
> Administration.The Nineteen Day Feast),
> Alvin Blum (back row third from left) and Gertrude Blum (front row second from left)
> and commemorations of Bahá’í                 with other members of first Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Honiara, 1957.
> Solomon Islands. © Bahá’í International Community. Bahá’í Media Bank
> anniversaries. The Assembly attends to
> personal difficulties of community members and resolves disputes. It can be assisted by committees
> annually appointed by it to study and take action, at its direction, in various areas of Bahá’í activity for
> which the Assembly is responsible. Though invested with "an authority rendering them unanswerable for
> their acts and decisions to those who elect them," 28 Spiritual Assemblies must take the members of
> their communities into their confidence, familiarize them with their plans and activities, and invite any
> recommendations the members might wish to make.
> 
> Local Spiritual Assemblies are supported by local funds to which believers voluntarily contribute.
> Meetings of a Spiritual Assembly open with prayer. Decisions are reached through the process of
> consultation (See Section: Principles of Bahá’í Administration.Elections and Consultation). The Assembly
> seeks to communicate frequently with the Bahá’ís under its jurisdiction, principally through publishing
> newsletters and bulletins and through the holding of the Nineteen Day Feast.
> 
> The Nineteen Day Feast
> The Nineteen Day Feast—an essential function of local community life, the holding of which is a major
> responsibility of the Local Spiritual Assembly—derives from the Kitáb-i-Aqdas its existence as an
> institution. The format of the meeting, as described by the Universal House of Justice, consists of "three
> distinct but related parts: the devotional, the administrative, and the social." Prayers and readings
> "from the Holy Texts" precede "a general meeting where the Local Spiritual Assembly reports its
> activities, plans and problems to the community, shares news and messages from the World Center
> [See: Bahá’í World Center] and the National Assembly, and receives the thoughts and recommendations
> of the friends through a process of consultation." The administrative portion of the Nineteen Day Feast
> is followed by "partaking of refreshments and engaging in other activities meant to foster fellowship in a
> culturally determined diversity of forms which do not violate principles of the Faith or the essential
> character of the Feast."29 The Feast is normally held on the first day of each Bahá’í month.
> 
> National Spiritual Assemblies
> The Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá states that "in all countries a secondary House of Justice must
> be instituted." 30 At present known as a National Spiritual Assembly, this institution bears administrative
> authority for the Bahá’í Faith in its area. Its responsibility is "to stimulate, unify and coordinate by
> frequent personal consultations" the activities of individual Bahá’ís as well as Local Assemblies and, "by
> keeping in close . . . touch" with the Bahá’í World Center, to "direct . . . the affairs" of the Bahá’í Faith
> in its area of jurisdiction. 31 The powers and duties of the National Spiritual Assembly are detailed in its
> constitution.
> 
> A National Spiritual Assembly is formed in an area and at a time designated by the Universal House of
> Justice. Although in general the area of responsibility of a National Spiritual Assembly is coextensive
> with an independent nation, this is not always the case. A Spiritual Assembly may, as determined by
> the Universal House of Justice, exercise jurisdiction over a region comprising two or more contiguous
> states until each is strong enough to sustain its own National Assembly. This was so, for example, for
> Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, where Bahá’ís functioned for several years under the jurisdiction of a
> Regional Spiritual Assembly until a National Spiritual Assembly was established in each country in 1998.
> The formation of Regional Spiritual Assemblies offers a number of advantages. To name a few, it
> provides for and encourages evolutionary development of the Bahá’í administrative system; it accounts
> for a measure of involvement and training of undersized Bahá’í populations in administration on a large
> scale; and it stimulates the national aspirations of grassroots communities in countries where the Bahá’í
> populations are not yet strong enough to make the formation of independent National Assemblies
> viable.
> 
> In other situations a large country may be divided into separate jurisdictions, each with its own National
> Spiritual Assembly. Among the considerations that dictate such a division is the need to avoid the
> consequences of overcentralizing administrative functions. An example is the configuration of a country
> like the United States, with its fifty widely scattered states, in which three separate National Assemblies
> have been established—one for the mainland, one for the state of Alaska, and one for the state of
> Hawaii. Yet, because of the spirit of unity underlying Bahá’í activities, the existence of the three
> National Spiritual Assemblies does not interfere with the national identity of the populations they serve.
> The various arrangements of jurisdiction among National Assemblies reflect the flexibility inherent in the
> Bahá’í system of administration.
> 
> The National Spiritual Assembly results from a twostage election: the Bahá’ís of a country or designated
> region elect their delegates, and the delegates in
> turn elect nine adult Bahá’ís resident in that territory
> to be the members of the National Spiritual
> Assembly. The election of the National Assembly
> occurs at an annual national convention usually held
> during the period of the Ridván festival. The other
> principal business of the convention is consultation
> on Bahá’í activities, plans, and policies. Vacancies on
> the National Assembly that may occur during the
> year are filled by means of a by-election involving
> the delegates to the previous convention.
> 
> The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States.
> The obligations of members of both National and
> From left to right: H. Borrah Kavelin, Mamie Seto, W. Kenneth
> Christian, Elsie Austin, Paul Haney, Edna True, Horace Holley, Dorothy   Local Spiritual Assemblies have been set out by
> Baker, Matthew Bullock. April 1953. © Bahá’í International
> Community. Bahá’í Media Bank
> Shoghi Effendi and are summarized in the
> constitution of the Universal House of Justice:
> 
> to win by every means in their power the confidence and affection of those whom it
> is their privilege to serve; to investigate and acquaint themselves with the
> considered views, the prevailing sentiments and the personal convictions of those
> whose welfare it is their solemn obligation to promote; to purge their deliberations
> and the general conduct of their affairs of self-contained aloofness, the suspicion of
> secrecy, the stifling atmosphere of dictatorial assertiveness and of every word and
> deed that may savour of partiality, self-centredness and prejudice; and while
> retaining the sacred right of final decision in their hands, to invite discussion,
> ventilate grievances, welcome advice and foster the sense of interdependence and
> co-partnership, of understanding and mutual confidence between themselves and all
> other Bahá’ís. 32
> 
> The National Spiritual Assembly represents its community in relation to its national government and to
> other national Bahá’í communities. It is "the sole link that binds" the national community to the
> Universal House of Justice.33 The members of all National Spiritual Assemblies elect directly the
> Universal House of Justice (See Section: Institutions of Bahá’í Administration.The Universal House of
> Justice).
> 
> The seat of the National Spiritual Assembly is the Hazíratu’l-Quds (Arabic: the Sacred Fold), which
> consists of a number of component parts. Shoghi Effendi specifies that these may include a secretariat,
> a treasury, an archives, a library, a publishing office, an assembly hall, a council chamber, and a
> pilgrims’ hostel. The functions of the Hazíratu’l-Quds are complementary to those of the Mashriqu’l-
> Adhkár or House of Worship, which has its own attendant institutions.
> 
> Decentralization: National Committees
> The National Spiritual Assembly is charged with maintaining a balance between centralization and
> decentralization of its work. It carries out many of its functions and responsibilities through committees
> it appoints. According to Shoghi Effendi, "the role of these committees set up by the National Spiritual
> Assembly, the renewal, the membership and functions of which should be reconsidered separately each
> year by the incoming National Assembly, is chiefly to make thorough and expert study of the issue
> entrusted to their charge, advise by their reports, and assist in the execution of the decisions which in
> vital matters are to be exclusively and directly rendered by the National Assembly."34
> 
> Decentralization: Regional Bahá’í Councils
> To extend the measure of decentralization of the national administration, the Universal House of Justice
> announced in 1997 that Regional Bahá’í Councils may be formed, with its approval, in countries where
> this "new element of Bahá’í administration" is warranted. 35 The institution of the Regional Council
> operates within a range beyond that allowed a national committee. The functions of a Regional Council
> and the degree of authority conferred on it are within the discretion of the National Spiritual Assembly.
> The Council’s responsibilities include carrying out policies of the Assembly, supervising the smooth and
> efficient execution of the plans and projects of its region, taking initiative in promoting the Bahá’í Faith,
> and executing its decisions within the wide latitude of autonomous action allowed it by the National
> Assembly. Collaboration with Local Spiritual Assemblies and Bahá’ís in its area of jurisdiction is essential
> to its work. It regularly informs the National Assembly of its activities and of the condition of the Faith
> throughout its region. A Regional Council generally comes into existence through the election of nine
> persons by the members of all the Local Spiritual Assemblies in its region; in some instances the
> National Assembly may decide on a membership of seven or even five or may appoint the members
> from a slate of candidates recommended by the Local Spiritual Assemblies in the region. The Regional
> Council is authorized to appoint committees to assist with its work.
> 
> The Universal House of Justice
> The Universal House of Justice consists of nine men elected for a term of five years at the international
> Bahá’í convention, which takes place in the vicinity of the Bahá’í World Center in Haifa, Israel, during
> the period of the Ridván festival. A vacancy on the Universal House of Justice is filled by the calling of a
> by-election, unless in the judgment of the Universal House of Justice this falls too close to the time of
> the regular election for the entire membership. The electors comprise all currently serving members of
> National Spiritual Assemblies.
> 
> In its second message to the Bahá’í community, written shortly after its election in 1963, the Universal
> House of Justice declared that "It has no officers." 36 According to its constitution, the Universal House
> of Justice conducts its business through consultation by the full membership, except that it may from
> time to time provide for quorums of less than the full membership for specific classes of business.
> 
> The Universal House of Justice functions from its Seat on Mount
> Carmel in Haifa in close proximity to the Shrine of the Báb. The
> juxtaposition of these two structures, one representing the
> administrative and the other the spiritual center of a world
> community, symbolically fulfills the expectation expressed by
> Bahá’u’lláh on two visits to Mount Carmel. One visit was marked
> by His proclamation of the sacredness of the place and His
> forecast of the imminence of significant developments there.
> Recorded as the Tablet of Carmel, His pronouncement on this
> occasion has been described by Shoghi Effendi as the charter
> establishing the World Center of the Bahá’í Faith. The other visit
> was marked by Bahá’u’lláh’s pointing out to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá the
> spot where the remains of the Báb, His slain Forerunner,
> ultimately should be interred. Through these separate but
> related events, Bahá’u’lláh fixed the pivot of the operation of the
> community that would be raised in His name.
> 
> The Seat of the Universal House of Justice is situated at the
> apex of an arc traced by Shoghi Effendi to mark the positioning
> of the complex of buildings housing the institutions of the Bahá’í
> Faith at its World Center (See: Bahá’í World Center.Development
> The Seat of the Universal House of Justice. Haifa,
> Israel. © Bahá’í International Community. Bahá’í
> under the Universal House of Justice). Besides the Seat, this
> Media Bank                                         complex includes the Center for the Study of the Texts, the
> International Teaching Center Building, the International Bahá’í
> Archives, and the International Bahá’í Library. To facilitate the conduct of the internal affairs of the
> Bahá’í Faith, the House of Justice has set up a number of departments and offices at the World Center.
> For external affairs it has various offices functioning under the rubric Bahá’í International Community.
> These include a secretariat in Haifa; the United Nations Office in New York, with its branch in Geneva
> and offices elsewhere; an Office of Public Information that operates primarily from its headquarters in
> Haifa; and in New York an Office for the Advancement of Women.
> 
> The Institution of the Counselors
> The members of the International Teaching Center and of the Continental Boards of Counselors
> established by the Universal House of Justice are designated collectively as the institution of the
> Counselors. The Hands of the Cause of God appointed by Shoghi Effendi between 1951 and 1957 had
> primary responsibility for the protection and propagation of the Bahá’í Faith. In the performance of their
> duties they were to consult with and advise National Spiritual Assemblies concerning the expansion and
> consolidation of the Faith and to protect it against schism. They traveled extensively, educating the
> Bahá’í community about the religion and stimulating its members to action.
> 
> The death of Shoghi Effendi made impossible the further appointment of Hands of the Cause. Therefore,
> in 1968, the Universal House of Justice brought into being the institution of the Continental Boards of
> Counselors "to extend into the future the specific functions of protection and propagation conferred
> upon the Hands of the Cause." 37 Each of the five Boards of Counselors currently operates within a
> continental zone: Africa, the Americas, Asia, Australasia, and Europe. The Universal House of Justice
> appoints a Counselor for a term of five years. Because of the high administrative rank she or he
> occupies, a Counselor is not eligible for election to local or national administrative bodies; "If elected to
> the Universal House of Justice he ceases to be a Counselor."38
> 
> The work of the Counselors is carried out through the operation of two Auxiliary Boards in each
> continent, one for protection and one for propagation. Auxiliary Board members are appointed by and
> serve under the direction of the Continental Boards of Counselors. As deputies of the Counselors,
> Auxiliary Board members are assigned specific areas in which to serve. Their term of appointment is
> five years. The Auxiliary Board members appoint assistants at the local level, usually for a one-year
> term.
> 
> In clarifying the distinction between the work of the Continental Boards of Counselors and the Auxiliary
> Boards, on the one hand, and the National and Local Spiritual Assemblies, on the other, the Universal
> House of Justice has stated that "Authority and direction flow from the Assemblies, whereas the power
> to accomplish the tasks resides primarily in the entire body of the believers"; that it is "the principal
> task of the Auxiliary Boards to assist in arousing and releasing this power"; that, "if they are to be able
> to perform it adequately they must avoid becoming involved in the work of administration"; that the
> Auxiliary Boards "work closely with the grass roots of the community: the individual believers, groups
> and Local Spiritual Assemblies, advising, stimulating and assisting them"; that "The Counselors are
> responsible for stimulating, counseling and assisting National Spiritual Assemblies, and also work with
> individuals, groups and Local Assemblies"; and that the plans of Assemblies "should be well known to
> the Counselors and Auxiliary Board members, because one of the ways in which they can assist the
> Assemblies is by urging the believers continually to support the plans of the Assemblies." 39
> 
> Although Counselors and Auxiliary Board members consult with
> the National and Local Spiritual Assemblies about teaching plans,
> they do not administer the teaching work, nor do they adjudicate
> in personal cases, for these fall within the sphere of
> responsibility of Spiritual Assemblies; however, "Counselors and
> Auxiliary Board members should watch and report on . . . the
> proper working of the administrative institutions." When an
> Auxiliary Board member determines that a Local Spiritual
> Assembly is not functioning correctly, he or she "should call its
> attention to the appropriate texts"; and "if the Counselors find
> that a National Spiritual Assembly is not functioning properly,"
> they are duty bound to point this out to the Assembly, assisting
> it to overcome the problem. 40
> 
> In 1973 a new institution designated as the International
> Teaching Center was established at the Bahá’í World Center "To
> coordinate, stimulate and direct the activities of the Continental
> Boards of Counselors and to act as liaison between them and
> the Universal House of Justice."41 It also remains alert to the
> conditions of the Bahá’í Faith throughout the world and, on the
> basis of its observations, makes reports and recommendations to
> the Universal House of Justice and advises the Continental
> Boards of Counselors.                                                 Members of the Continental Boards of Counsellors and
> their Auxiliary Board members at the January 2001
> inauguration of the International Teaching Centre
> The membership of the International Teaching Center consists at       Building. Date: 16 January 2001. Haifa, Israel.
> present of nine Counselors, who are appointed to a term of five       Photographer: Ineta Alvarado. © Bahá’í International
> Community. Bahá’í Media Bank
> years. The Hands of the Cause—as permanent members
> throughout their lifetimes, retaining the right to request and attend meetings as they wished—were
> able to participate in the functioning of the International Teaching Center during the first decades of its
> existence. Meanwhile, the Counselor members handled the regular work of the institution through
> consultation among themselves and at times with the Hands. These operational arrangements freed the
> Hands of the Cause from day-to-day administrative duties while preserving their prerogatives in
> influencing the development of the International Teaching Center.
> 
> PRINCIPLES OF BAHÁ’Í ADMINISTRATION
> 
> Elections and Consultation
> The principles regarding elections and consultation are among the most distinctive features of Bahá’í
> administration. Campaigning and nominations are strictly avoided in any Bahá’í election. A silent and
> prayerful atmosphere prevails. Electors act entirely independently in voting by secret ballot and in
> selecting, as called for in the Bahá’í writings, only those whom conscience prompts them to uphold.42
> With the exception of Hands of the Cause (until 2007, when the last of the Hands of the Cause died)
> and Counselors, all adult Bahá’ís in good standing are eligible for election to Local and National
> Assemblies; eligibility for election to the Universal House of Justice is restricted to adult males.
> 
> In voting—"without the least trace of passion and prejudice, and irrespective of any material
> consideration"—for members of any Bahá’í institution, the elector looks for the qualifications of
> "unquestioned loyalty, . . . selfless devotion, . . . a well-trained mind, . . . recognized ability and
> mature experience." 43 All Bahá’í elections, except elections for officers of Assemblies and committees,
> are by plurality vote taken by secret ballot. The election of officers of a Spiritual Assembly or committee
> is by majority vote of the Assembly or committee, taken by secret ballot.
> 
> Bahá’u’lláh’s call to Assembly members to "take counsel together" implies that decisions must be made
> through consultation.44 Averring that "In all things it is necessary to consult," Bahá’u’lláh repeatedly
> and variously emphasizes the importance of consultation, extolling it as "a cause of awareness and of
> awakening," the "bestower of understanding," and "a shining light which, in a dark world, leadeth the
> way and guideth."45 Shoghi Effendi affirms that "Consultation, frank and unfettered, is the bedrock of
> this unique Order."46 He also states that the principle of consultation is a basic law of Bahá’í
> administration and is applied to all Bahá’í activities that affect the collective interests of the Faith.
> 
> ‘Abdu’l-Bahá elaborates on the process of consultation by enumerating the requisites for participants:
> love and harmony, purity of motive, radiance of spirit, detachment from all else save God, humility, and
> patience and long-suffering in difficulties. While striving for truth and unity of thought, the participants
> should freely express their opinions, observing courtesy, dignity, and moderation in their modes of
> expression. They should neither stubbornly insist on their own views nor belittle the opinions of others;
> none should have hurt feelings because of opposing opinions, for "The shining spark of truth cometh
> forth only after the clash of differing opinions."47 Having satisfied themselves that all views have been
> expressed and the relevant law or principle considered, the members reach a decision either
> unanimously or by majority vote. In the case of a majority vote, the minority subsequently joins the
> majority in upholding the decision, since to object to or censure a decision thus made violates the spirit
> of consultation. In such a spirit of detachment, a united position prevails; in that same spirit, a decision
> is changed if it is seen later to be wrong.
> 
> Through election, the members of a Spiritual Assembly derive the right to exercise collectively the
> authority conferred on the institution by Bahá’u’lláh; and, through consultation, the Assembly as a
> corporate entity makes decisions that are authoritative and thus binding on the community under its
> jurisdiction. A distinctive aspect of Bahá’í administration in this context is that authority is not personal.
> In fulfilling their responsibilities as elected or appointed officers, or otherwise as designated agents of
> the Assembly, individuals exercise executive authority as allowed by the Assembly, but the Assembly
> retains the right to review, approve, and correct the actions of such individuals.
> But beyond the mechanics and functional objectives of a Bahá’í
> election are the sense of sacredness and the commitment to
> unity that pervade its conduct. The attitude of the Bahá’í
> community, in this respect, is shaped by a belief that, since the
> system of Bahá’í administration originates in the holy writings of
> the Faith, it is a divine creation and not simply a means devised
> by human beings to meet the practical necessities of
> organization. Voters, therefore, approach their task by fostering
> an atmosphere of prayer and reflection devoid of campaigning
> and are guided in their choices by an unencumbered conscience
> "exercised in private in an attitude that invites communion with
> the Holy Spirit." 48 Consequently, they regard the results as
> fulfilling the will of God; and those so elected are held to be
> One of the delegates casting her vote in May 2005 for answerable to that same will and not just to their electorate.
> the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of
> South Africa. May 2005. © Bahá’í International        "An election thus conducted," the Universal House of Justice
> Community. Bahá’í Media Bank
> avers, "portrays an aspect of that organic unity of the inner and
> outer realities of human life which is necessary to the construction of a mature society in this new Age.
> In no other system do individuals exercise such a breadth of freedom in the electoral process." 49
> 
> Distinguishing Characteristics of Bahá’í Administration
> The fact that the system of Bahá’í administration is a direct provision of the revelation of Bahá’u’lláh,
> and not an innovation imposed by conditions after His passing, is of unique and critical importance. The
> essentiality of the Administrative Order is upheld by Bahá’í law as borne out in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, in
> which Bahá’u’lláh calls attention to "this wondrous System—the like of which mortal eyes have never
> witnessed. 50 It is the designated instrument for the realization of the Bahá’í teachings. Its
> indispensability to the very existence of the Faith is made plain in Shoghi Effendi’s categoric statement
> that "To dissociate the administrative principles of the Cause from the purely spiritual and humanitarian
> teachings would be tantamount to a mutilation of the body of the Cause, a separation that can only
> result in the disintegration of its component parts, and the extinction of the Faith itself." 51
> 
> It is clear, then, that the Bahá’í system of administration is distinguished by its origin in the laws
> enunciated by Bahá’u’lláh; by the unifying provisions of His Covenant; by the authority conferred on
> ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi, the authorized interpreters of Bahá’u’lláh’s purpose, and on the
> Universal House of Justice, the institution designated to supplement and apply His laws; by the balance
> struck in the system between centralization and decentralization; by the democratic methods applied in
> creating and maintaining the institutions, which are not answerable for their acts to those who elect
> them but are responsive to their counsel and advice; by the spirit of the functioning of the
> Administrative Order, including its freedom from factionalism and partisanship; and by the flexibility the
> Universal House of Justice employs in making and abrogating its own enactments in accordance with
> the exigencies of the times. An example of this flexibility is the recent introduction to the administration
> of teaching of measures to meet current conditions. The object has been to decentralize by dividing a
> country into units comprising incorporated or nonincorporated localities of a range that make for
> manageable clusters. A teaching committee and a permanent regional institute are assigned to each
> cluster to ensure that the process of community building resulting from the expansion and consolidation
> of Bahá’í membership is effected through the constancy of study circles, devotional meetings, children's
> classes, and junior youth programs. The functioning of these agencies is coordinated by a Regional
> Bahá’í Council, in countries where such councils exist, and also benefits from a consultative relationship
> with the institution of the Counselors. Such a development is to continue until its purpose is served.
> 
> The Administrative Order incorporates within its structure certain elements that exist in the three
> recognized forms of secular government—democracy, autocracy, and aristocracy—without replicating
> any of them:
> 
> The hereditary authority which the Guardian is called upon to exercise, the vital and
> essential functions which the Universal House of Justice discharges, the specific
> provisions requiring its democratic election by the representatives of the faithful—
> these combine to demonstrate the truth that this divinely revealed Order, which can
> never be identified with any of the standard types of government referred to by
> Aristotle in his works, embodies and blends with the spiritual verities on which it is
> based the beneficent elements which are to be found in each one of them. 52
> 
> Author: Glenford E. Mitchell
> 
> © 2009 National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. Terms of Use.
> 
> .
> 
> Notes:
> 1. This article describes Bahá’í administration in normative terms, based on authoritative Bahá’í texts.—Ed.
> 2. Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh: Selected Letters, 1st pocket-size ed. (Wilmette, IL, USA:
> Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1991, 2000 printing) 145.
> 3. Shoghi Effendi, Messages to the Bahá’í World, 1950–1957 (Wilmette, IL, USA: Bahá’í Publishing Trust,
> 1971, 1999 printing) 63.
> 4. See Bahá’u’lláh, Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh Revealed after the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, comp. Research Department of
> the Universal House of Justice, trans. Habib Taherzadeh, 1st pocket-size ed. (Wilmette, IL, USA: Bahá’í
> Publishing Trust, 1988, 2005 printing) 15: 217–23.
> 5. Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, new ed. (Wilmette, IL, USA: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1974, 2004
> printing) 323.
> 6. Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By 325.
> 7. Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By 324.
> 8. Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By 324.
> 9. From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, in Lights of Guidance: A Bahá'í Reference File, comp.
> Helen Hornby, 6th ed. (New Delhi: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1999) 593: 181.
> 10. Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By 325.
> 11. Bahá’u’lláh, The Kitáb-i-Aqdas: The Most Holy Book, 1st pocket-size ed. (Wilmette, IL, USA: Bahá’í
> Publishing Trust, 1993, 2005 printing) ¶42: 36; n66: 197–98.
> 12. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (Wilmette, IL, USA: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1944,
> 1997 printing) 11.
> 13. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Will and Testament 11.
> 14. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Will and Testament 14.
> 15. Shoghi Effendi, World Order 19–20.
> 16. Shoghi Effendi, World Order 148.
> 17. Shoghi Effendi, World Order 150.
> 18. Universal House of Justice, Messages from the Universal House of Justice, 1963–1986: The Third Epoch
> of the Formative Age (Wilmette, IL, USA: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1996) 5.1: 14.
> 19. Shoghi Effendi, Bahá’í Administration: Selected Messages, 1922–1932 , 1974 ed. (Wilmette, IL, USA:
> Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1974, 1998 printing) 63.
> 20. Universal House of Justice, The Constitution of the Universal House of Justice (Haifa: Bahá’í World
> Centre, 1972) 3–6. Note: The constitution has also been published in volumes 15 to 20 of The Baha’i
> World; see, for example, vol. 20: 1986–92 (Haifa: Bahá’í World Centre, 1998) 609–17.
> 21. Universal House of Justice, Constitution 8.
> 22. Bahá’u’lláh, Tablets 15: 221.
> 23. Shoghi Effendi quoted in Universal House of Justice, Messages 1963–1986 111.3a: 215.
> 24. Universal House of Justice, Messages 1963–1986 111.14: 217.
> 25. Universal House of Justice, Messages 1963–1986 111.14: 217.
> 26. Bahá’u’lláh, Kitáb-i-Aqdas ¶30: 30.
> 27. Shoghi Effendi, World Order 6.
> 28. Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By 331.
> 29. Universal House of Justice, A Wider Horizon: Selected Messages of the Universal House of Justice,
> 1983–1992 (Riviera Beach, FL, USA: Palabra, 1992) 66–67.
> 30. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Will and Testament 14.
> 31. Shoghi Effendi, Bahá’í Administration 39.
> 32. Universal House of Justice, Constitution 10–11.
> 33. Shoghi Effendi, Directives from the Guardian, comp. Gertrude Garrida (New Delhi: Bahá’í Publishing
> Trust, 1973) 136: 50.
> 34. Shoghi Effendi, Bahá’í Administration 141.
> 35. Universal House of Justice, letter to National Spiritual Assemblies, 30 May 1997, published in Universal
> House of Justice, Regional Bahá’í Councils (Wilmette, IL, USA: National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of
> the United States, 1997) 2.
> 36. Universal House of Justice, Messages 1963–1986 2.5: 9.
> 37. Universal House of Justice, Constitution 15.
> 38. Universal House of Justice, Constitution 16.
> 39. Universal House of Justice, Messages 1963–1986 72.3: 150–51, 72.9: 152.
> 40. Universal House of Justice, Messages 1963–1986 72.8: 152.
> 41. Universal House of Justice, Messages 1963–1986 132.3a: 247.
> 42. The voting age for Bahá’í elections is twenty-one.
> 43. Shoghi Effendi, Bahá’í Administration 88.
> 44. Bahá’u’lláh, Tablets 6: 68.
> 45. Bahá’u’lláh, in The Compilation of Compilations, comp. Universal House of Justice, vol. 1 (Maryborough,
> VIC: Bahá’í Publications Australia, 1991) 170, 166, 168: 93.
> 46. Shoghi Effendi, in Compilation of Compilations, vol. 1, 192: 103.
> 47. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, comp. Research Department of the
> Universal House of Justice, trans. Committee at the Bahá’í World Center and Marzieh Gail, 1st pocket-size
> ed. (Wilmette, IL, USA: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1996, 2004 printing) 44.1: 93.
> 48. Universal House of Justice, Individual Rights and Freedoms in the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh (Wilmette,
> IL, USA: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1989) 10.
> 49. Universal House of Justice, Individual Rights and Freedoms 10.
> 50. Bahá’u’lláh, Kitáb-i-Aqdas ¶181: 84.
> 51. Shoghi Effendi, World Order 5.
> 52. Shoghi Effendi, World Order 154.
> 
> Understanding the Citations
> Citing Bahá’í Encyclopedia Project Articles
> Other Sources and Related Reading:
> The principal works of Shoghi Effendi in which the Bahá’í administration is defined are The World Order of
> Bahá’u’lláh and Bahá’í Administration. See also Principles of Bahá’í Administration: A Compilation, 4th ed.
> (London: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1976); and Shoghi Effendi, Guidance for Today and Tomorrow (London:
> Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1973) 110–11. Other important texts include the constitutions of the Universal
> House of Justice (Constitution) and of the National Spiritual Assembly and the Local Spiritual Assembly,
> which have been published in various formats; see, for example, “The National Spiritual Assembly” and “The
> Local Spiritual Assembly” in The Bahá’í World, vol. 20: 1986–92 (Haifa: Bahá’í World Centre, 1998) 718–
> 24. Works by the Universal House of Justice that illuminate various aspects of Bahá’í administration are
> Individual Rights and Freedoms in the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh and The Institution of the Counsellors
> (Haifa: Bahá’í World Centre, 2001). Many relevant letters from the Universal House of Justice are published
> in Messages from the Universal House of Justice, 1963–1986 . See also the Universal House of Justice,
> letter to the Bahá’ís of the world [on the electoral process], 25 Mar. 2007, Bahá’í Library Online,
> http://bahai-library.com/file.php5?file=uhj_2007_3_25&language=All         (accessed 13 Feb. 2009).
> Compilations of Bahá’í authoritative texts on Bahá’í administration include: Lights of Guidance: A Bahá’í
> Reference File 1–303: 1–87; Compilation of Compilations, vol. 1, 93–110 (Consultation), 315–18
> (Elections), 319–66 (Universal House of Justice), 419–58 (Nineteen Day Feast), and 489–550 (Funds and
> Huqúqu’lláh); The Compilation of Compilations, comp. Universal House of Justice, vol. 2 (Maryborough,
> VIC: Bahá’í Publications Australia, 1991) 29–60 (Local Spiritual Assembly), 83–136 (National Spiritual
> Assembly); Compilation of Compilations, comp. Universal House of Justice, vol. 3 (Ingleside, NSW: Bahá’í
> Publications Australia, 2000) 46–59 (Issues Concerning Community Functioning), 60–91 (National
> Convention), 139–153 (Bahá’í Elections); and The Continental Boards of Counselors (Wilmette, IL, USA:
> Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1981).
> On the history of the Bahá’í administration, see Eunice Braun, From Strength to Strength: The First Half
> Century of the Formative Age of the Bahá’í Era (Wilmette, IL, USA: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1978). See also
> Eunice Braun’s The March of the Institutions: A Commentary on the Interdependence of Rulers and Learned
> (Oxford: George Ronald, 1984) and her From Vision to Victory: Thirty Years of the Universal House of
> Justice (Oxford: George Ronald, 1993); John E. Kolstoe, Consultation: A Universal Lamp of Guidance
> (Oxford: George Ronald, 1985); Roger Coe, "An Organic Order: An Approach to the Philosophy of
> Bahá’u’lláh through the Writings of Shoghi Effendi," in The Vision of Shoghi Effendi: Proceedings of the
> Association for Bahá’í Studies Ninth Annual Conference, November 2–4, 1984, Ottawa Canada (Ottawa:
> Association for Bahá’í Studies, 1993) 25–56; Udo Schaefer, "Infallible Institutions?" Bahá’í Studies Review 9
> (1999/2000): 17–45; June Manning Thomas, Planning Progress: Lessons from Shoghi Effendi (Ottawa:
> Bahá’í Studies Publications, 1999).
> 
> Understanding the Citations
> Citing Bahá’í Encyclopedia Project Articles
>
> — *Administration, Baha'i (Used by permission of the curator)*