All in Good Faith

Author(s): Jean Potter, Marcus Braybrooke
Publisher: World Congress of Faiths

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All in Good Faith
Baha'i Faith, and so prayers at weddings and funerals are very much the personal choice of the families involved. Commemoration of Baha'i Holy Days always includes a suitable devotional
programme.
One of the most important gatherings for prayer in the Baha'i calendar is the Nineteen Day Feast. As its name implies, the Baha'i year consists of nineteen months of nineteen days. The Feast is held on the first day of each month. It is the occasion for regular consultation between the elected local Spiritual Assembly and the other believers in the locality. The programme of the Nineteen Day Feast consists of three parts. The first is entirely spiritual in character, consisting of prayers and readings from the Baha'i Holy Writings; the second is consultation, and the third, the material 'feast' and social gathering. The main purpose of the Feast is to foster fellowship, love and co-operation between the believers.
At the present time, Baha'i gatherings in most localities are held in the homes of the believers. Where a large community exists, they will either rent or purchase a larger property to serve as a local Baha'i Centre. Baha'i Houses of Worship (Temples) have been established in each continent. According to the teaching of Baha'u'llah, each House of Worship is open to the followers of all Faiths and the Holy Scriptures of all the major world religions are read in the House of Worship.
Sharing in Interfaith events
Baha'u'llah exorted His followers :
'O people! Consort with the followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship..... inasmuch as consorting with people hath promoted and will continue to promote unity and concord, which in turn are conducive to the maintenance of order in the world and to the regeneration of nations..... '(Tablets of Bah'ullah, pp 22,36).
Baha'is, therefore, have since the earliest days of their Faith, been eager for involvement in inter-faith dialogue and worship. The first mention of Baha'u'llah and His teachings in the West was made at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago on 23 September 1893, in a paper presented by Revd Henry H Jessop. Baha'is have been involved with the World Congress of Faiths since its inception in 1936..
Because the central teachings of the Baha'i Faith are the Oneness of God, the Oneness of Religion and the Oneness of Mankind, Baha'is find it easy to fit in with the format of interfaith worship, and do not see it as in any way compromising their beliefs.
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