A Christian Exploration of the Baha’i Faith

This article was published exclusively online in the Christian Research Journal, Volume 48, number 03 (2025).

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The Baha’i Faith, despite its relatively recent origins, has achieved an impressive global reach, making it the second most widely diffused religion in the world today, surpassed only by Christianity. This remarkable spread has naturally sparked curiosity, prompting many to seek a deeper understanding of its history and beliefs. As Christopher Buck notes, “Given its impressive geographic spread as the world’s most widely diffused religion in the world today (second only to Christianity), the Baha’i Faith is increasingly attracting interest.”¹

At the heart of Baha’i theology lies a profound emphasis on unity and oneness. Robert Stockman aptly summarizes this core principle: “The concepts of oneness and unity are important starting points in understanding the Baha’i Faith. The Faith has often been summarized as teaching three onenesses: the oneness of God, of religion, and of humanity.”² This foundational concept is expanded by Shoghi Effendi, a key figure in Baha’i history, who expressed the faith’s view on divine revelation: “[Baha’i’s] teachings resolve around the fundamental principle that religious truth is not absolute but relative, that Divine Revelation is progressive, not final. Unequivocally and without the least reservation it proclaims all established religions to be divine in origin, identical in their aims, complementary in their functions, continuous in their purpose, indispensable in their value to mankind.”³

For those approaching the Baha’i Faith from a Christian perspective, understanding these core concepts and their historical context is crucial. This article provides such an overview, tracing the faith’s origins, exploring its major figures, outlining its beliefs and practices, examining its contemporary global presence, and drawing comparisons and contrasts with Christianity, concluding with a Christian critique.

Historical Overview: The Emergence of a Global Faith

The Baha’i Faith emerged from a complex tapestry of religious and historical developments in 19th-century Persia (modern-day Iran). To understand its genesis, one might imagine a series of nested dolls, each revealing a smaller, more specific origin. The Baha’i Faith arose out of the Babi religion, which itself was a splinter faith from Twelver Shi’ism, a majority branch within the minority Shia denomination of the world religion of Islam. While Shia Islam constitutes only about 15 percent of the global Muslim population, it is the predominant Islamic denomination in Iran, the birthplace of the Baha’i Faith.

The mid-19th century in Iran was a time of heightened religious anticipation, particularly within Twelver Shi’ism. This branch of Islam believes in a succession of twelve imams, direct descendants of Muhammad through his daughter Fatima and her husband Ali. The Twelfth Imam, known as al-Mahdi or “the Guided One,” is believed to have gone into “occultation” or hiding in 844 AD and is expected to return with power on the Day of Judgment. This belief fueled apocalyptic speculation, with many anticipating the Hidden Imam’s return around the millennium year of 1844. This is not dissimilar to the heightened Christian expectations of Christ’s final return in the year 1,000 (and 1,033) AD.⁴

Amidst this fervent atmosphere, a heterodox movement within Twelver Shia Islam known as Shaykhism gained prominence. Unlike mainstream Twelver Shi’ism, which expected a literal return of the Twelfth Imam, Shaykhism maintained that the return would be spiritual in nature. This movement provided the fertile ground from which the Babi religion, and subsequently the Baha’i Faith, would grow, with most early converts to the Babi religion coming directly from Shaykhism. As scholar Moojan Momen observed, “it is doubtful if the Bab would have attracted so many adherents if it had not been for the Shaykhi doctrines.”⁵

In this way, the Baha’i Faith did not emerge in a vacuum but from a specific historical and theological context of Shia Islam. Its immediate and intense persecution, rooted in its perceived departure from Islamic orthodoxy, forced its early adherents to flee, which contributed to its global diffusion.

Major Figures and Their Roles

The Baha’i Faith’s remarkable journey from a persecuted movement to a global religion is intimately connected to its three most significant pioneers and the administrative structures they established.

The Bab (Siyyid Ali Muhammad): The Gateway to a New Era (1819–1850). Siyyid Ali Muhammad is revered as the forerunner of the Baha’i Faith and the founder of the Babi religion. The honorific “Siyyid” indicated his descent from the Prophet Muhammad. Though not formally trained as a religious cleric, he was regarded as a holy man and experienced visions from an early age, a phenomenon not entirely unusual within Iran’s rich mystical Sufi and poetic traditions. The pivotal moment in Baha’i history occurred on May 22, 1844. Mulla Husayn, a Shaykhi leader desperately searching for the Promised One, was drawn to the young Siyyid Ali Muhammad. In a profound encounter, Husayn challenged Siyyid Ali Muhammad in two ways: first, by asking him to explain a complex Islamic text; and second, by requesting an impromptu commentary on one of the Qur’an’s most difficult chapters. Siyyid Ali Muhammad succeeded in both, leading Husayn to declare, “I sat enraptured by the magic of his voice and the sweeping force of his revelation.”⁶

At that moment, Siyyid Ali Muhammad declared himself al-Bab, meaning “the gateway.” He proclaimed, “This night, this very hour will, in the days to come, be celebrated as one of the greatest and most significant of all [times].”⁷ He further stated, “Truly, I am the Bab, the Gate of God, and you are the Babu’l-Bab, the gate of that Gate,”⁸ prophesying that Husayn would be the first of eighteen disciples to independently seek and believe in him, thus inaugurating his mission “to deliver the Message of God…and quicken the souls of men.”⁹

Initially, the Bab instructed his followers to observe Shariah Islamic law, but he soon began proclaiming that his new revelation transcended it, ushering in a new world order. This directly conflicted with classical Islam, which held Muhammad as the final prophet and rejected any subsequent revelations. Consequently, a joint fatwa declared the Babi movement to be heretical. As scholar Catharina Raudvere notes, “Muslim tradition has not accepted revelations more recent than Islam,” thus regarding Baha’i and Babi faiths as “Muslim apostates.”¹⁰ The Bab claimed not only to be the successor to Muhammad but also to Christ and other significant religious figures, proclaiming himself as the long-awaited Messiah. As his followers grew, so did opposition. From 1847 until his execution by firing squad in 1850, the Bab was imprisoned. Despite this, he composed hundreds of thousands of verses, guiding his followers and prophesying the coming of “Him Whom God shall make manifest.”¹¹

Baha’ullah (Mirza Husayn Ali): The Promised One (1817–1892). Born into an aristocratic Iranian family in 1817, Mirza Husayn Ali became a follower of the Bab at the age of 27. His wealth and prominence initially shielded him from persecution, and he traveled widely, making many converts. In 1848, he adopted the name Baha (“Glory”), later endorsed by the Bab as Baha’ullah (“Glory of God”). In 1852, Baha’ullah was imprisoned. Under brutal conditions, he received a vision marking him as the manifestation of God prophesied by the Bab. In 1863, Baha’ullah publicly declared his identity as God’s messenger to his followers in an event known as the Declaration in Ridvan, marking the official beginning of the Baha’i Faith. He made three key claims: the Baha’i Faith would not use violence; he would be the last manifestation of God for a thousand years; and his message was blessed and would expand.¹²

Baha’ullah spent the rest of his life in exile, first in Turkey and then in Acre, Israel, where he died in 1892. During this period, the Babi religion transformed into the global Baha’i Faith, headquartered in Israel. He wrote more than 15,000 works regarded as divine revelation, and he claimed to be the authoritative messenger of God whom “the people of the world” should obey.¹³ In fact, Baha’ullah interpreted himself as the Messiah for six religious traditions: Judaism, Christianity, Zoroastrianism, Shia Islam, Sunni Islam, and the Babi religion. For instance, he claimed to be the Paraclete Jesus predicted in John 14–17 and even asserted that he was God the Father, whose Son, Jesus, had concealed this truth because his followers were not yet ready to receive it.¹⁴

Abdul Baha: The Exemplar and Architect (1844–1921). Before his death in 1892, Baha’ullah explicitly appointed his oldest son, Abdul Baha, as his definitive interpreter. Baha was the first to hear his father’s claims, and he knew all the key influencers of the Baha’i Faith. While not a manifestation of God like his father or the Bab, Abdul Baha was a capable ambassador for the faith. He traveled throughout the Middle East, Europe, and North America, articulating the Baha’i vision of solving global ills and skillfully answering questions about God, prophets, and the relationship between Baha’i and other religions.

Shoghi Effendi: The Guardian of the Faith (1897–1957). Abdul Baha appointed his oldest grandson, Shoghi Effendi, as the Guardian of the Baha’i Faith before his death in 1921.¹⁵ Effendi’s leadership marked a significant transition for the Baha’i Faith. The crumbling Ottoman Empire, which had persecuted the Baha’is, was replaced by the British, who were friendly toward the religion, allowing it to expand. Effendi capitalized on this, expanding and beautifying the Baha’i World Centre in Haifa, Israel, making it an international destination. A polyglot, he translated key Baha’i writings into European languages, crucial for the faith’s global expansion. Lacking the magnetic personality of his predecessors, Effendi led through his strengths in writing, translation, administration, and institution building.

The Universal House of Justice: Guiding the Global Community (1963–Present). When Shoghi Effendi died unexpectedly in 1957, he had established the institutional structures that continue to characterize the Baha’i Faith today. These structures, rather than a single authoritative individual, now provide leadership at local, national, and international levels.

At the local level, each Baha’i community is guided by a Local Spiritual Assembly of nine elected members who oversee congregational life and outreach. Nationally, Effendi called for National Spiritual Assemblies, also comprising nine elected members whose crucial role includes electing members to the highest international body.

At the international level, the role of the Universal House of Justice was expanded, an institution created by Baha’ullah but whose members had not yet been elected. Since 1963, the Baha’i Faith has been officially led by nine members elected every five years. Headquartered in Haifa, Israel, the Universal House of Justice functions as a supreme court for all matters of Baha’i doctrine and practice.

One of its significant contributions is the distribution and publication of Baha’i writings. A notable document, “The Promise of World Peace,” written in 1985, outlines the Baha’i Faith’s primary aim: achieving world peace.¹⁶ This goal, far beyond merely ending war, requires resolving issues such as discrimination, racism, prejudice, child exploitation, world hunger, opposition to technology and science, socio-economic disparity, unbridled nationalism, religious strife, oppression of women, lack of universal education, and the absence of an international language. Thus, what began as a small movement in 19th-century Persia has evolved into a global religion advocating a new social order based on active, mutual, and joint engagement for planetary transformation.

Core Beliefs and Sacred Texts

The Baha’i Faith is built upon a distinct set of theological principles, articulated through an extensive corpus of sacred and authoritative writings. For instance, at the heart of Baha’i belief are the three onenesses.

First is the oneness of God. Baha’is believe in one incomparable, eternal, all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-loving God who is the sole Creator and Sustainer of the universe. This God is transcendent and unknowable in his essence, yet he reveals himself to humanity through so-called manifestations.

Second is the oneness of religion. This is perhaps the most distinctive Baha’i belief. It states that religious truth is not absolute but relative, and divine revelation is progressive, not final. All established religions are considered divine in origin, identical in their aims, complementary in their functions, continuous in their purpose, and indispensable to humanity. God sends a series of divine messengers (e.g., Abraham, Moses, Zoroaster, Buddha, Krishna, Jesus, Muhammad, the Bab, and Baha’ullah) who progressively reveal God’s will and teachings according to humanity’s evolving capacity. Each manifestation brings a fuller measure of truth suitable for their time, building upon and sometimes superseding previous dispensations.

Third is the oneness of humanity. This principle emphasizes the fundamental unity of the human race, transcending all racial, national, gender, and religious divisions. Baha’is believe that humanity has reached a stage of maturity where its inherent oneness must be recognized and actualized. This calls for eliminating all forms of prejudice, promoting the equality of men and women, ensuring universal education, and establishing an international language to foster global understanding.

Sacred Texts. The Baha’i Faith places immense importance on the written word, with its sacred texts being the direct revelations of the Bab and Baha’ullah. Unlike many religions where oral traditions preceded written scriptures, Baha’i revelation was primarily written down by the manifestations themselves. The corpus is vast, encompassing tens of thousands of documents, mostly in Arabic and Farsi, but also in Turkish, English, and French. These include poems, treatises, manuals, laws, instructions, and numerous letters, many of which are very lengthy.

The foundational books include the writings of the four earliest leaders: the Bab, Baha’ullah, Abdul Baha, and Shoghi Effendi. However, only the writings of the Bab and Baha’ullah are considered sacred and divinely inspired; those of Abdul Baha and Shoghi Effendi are authoritative but not of divine origin.

Key writings of the Bab, classified by scholar Nader Saiedi into interpretive, philosophical, and legislative stages, often offer interpretations of the Qur’an, mirroring Jesus’s interpretations of the Hebrew Bible.¹⁷ A pivotal work is the Qayyum al-Asma (also known as Tafsir-i-Suriy-i-Yusif), written in 1844. Modeled after the Qur’an with 114 chapters, this book is where the Bab first declared himself “al-Bab” and the Promised One, articulating the principle of progressive revelation and disclosing his identity as well as that of the next manifestation, Baha’ullah. Baha’ullah’s writings are equally extensive, with the Kitab-i-Aqdas (The Most Holy Book) being his primary book of laws. His other works, such as Seven Valleys and Four Valleys, delve into mystical themes.

Baha’i Practices and Community Life

Baha’i practices are designed to foster individual spiritual growth and contribute to the collective goal of world unity and peace. Unlike many religions, the Baha’i Faith does not have a clergy or professional priesthood. Instead, its administration is run by elected bodies at various levels (as discussed previously).

Individual Practices. Individual Baha’is are encouraged to cultivate a deep personal relationship with God through the following practices:

• Daily prayers: Baha’is choose one of three prayers to recite daily, emphasizing devotion and connection with God.
• Fasting: A nineteen-day fast is observed annually in March, during which time Baha’is abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset (similar to Ramadan in Islam). This period is for spiritual reflection and renewal.
• Study: Baha’is are encouraged to meditate and study the sacred Baha’i writings discussed previously.
• Gathering: Baha’is are encouraged to congregate together, but this most often takes place within the home. There are very few public buildings.
• Service: A fundamental aspect of Baha’i life is active service to humanity, seen as a form of worship and a means of contributing to the betterment of the world.
• Ethical Living: Baha’is adhere to a strict moral code that includes prohibitions against drugs and alcohol, gambling, and gossip. Emphasis is placed on honesty, trustworthiness, chastity, and purity of heart.
• Investigation of truth: Baha’is are enjoined to independently investigate truth rather than blindly following tradition or authority.

Baha’i Today: A Global Presence

From its messiah-based beginnings in the mid-19th century, the Baha’i Faith has experienced remarkable growth and diffusion. As of recent estimates, the Baha’i Faith has approximately seven to eight million adherents worldwide, making it one of the fastest-growing religions in terms of proportional increase and geographic spread. This global presence is very diverse. The Baha’i community actively promotes unity in diversity, attracting followers from all racial, ethnic, and socio-economic backgrounds. In fact, this commitment to racial and ethnic unity is a hallmark of the Baha’i community, reflecting its core principle of the oneness of humanity. Through its various institutions and the efforts of individual Baha’is, it engages in activities aimed at promoting interfaith dialogue, social and economic development, gender equality, human rights advocacy, and universal education.

Similarities and Differences with Christianity: A Comparative Look

For Christians seeking to understand the Baha’i Faith, it is helpful to explore points of similarity and difference. While both traditions share common ground in their moral teachings and belief in divine revelation, there are fundamental theological distinctions.

Let’s start with the similarities. Christians share belief in monotheism with Baha’is. Although Baha’is affirm different manifestations of the Godhead, they do uphold belief in one God. Similarly, both Christians and Baha’is do believe that this God has sent messengers throughout history. Baha’is include Jesus among these manifestations, while Christians, of course, recognize Jesus as the unique Son of God who has no rivals. In this way, both religions acknowledge a progressive unfolding of God’s plan through history commonly referred to as progressive revelation. However, the nature and finality of that progression is quite different, given that Christians do not recognize any definitive revelation after the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In terms of morality, both faiths stress the importance of individual spiritual growth, ethical conduct, love, service, justice, and the cultivation of virtues.

There are, however, many important differences between Christianity and the Baha’i Faith. To begin with, Baha’is differ in their understanding of the Godhead. For instance, the concept of the Trinity, a core tenet of Christianity, is rejected among Baha’is as compromising God’s unity. Next, the nature of Christ is understood differently. Although Jesus is revered as a manifestation of God in a long line of messengers, he is not seen as uniquely divine or the Son of God in the Christian sense. In Christianity, for example, Jesus Christ is believed to be the unique Son of God, truly God and truly man, the second Person of the Trinity. His deity, virgin birth, sinless life, atoning death, bodily resurrection, and ascension into heaven are foundational to Christian beliefs.

Next are items related to atonement and salvation. In the Baha’i Faith, salvation is understood primarily as spiritual progress and development through obedience to God’s laws and the teachings of the manifestations. There is no concept of atonement for sin through a sacrificial death. In historic Christianity, by contrast, salvation is understood as a gift of God’s grace, received through faith in Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross which atoned for humanity’s sin. This salvation is not earned by works or human achievement.

There are additional differences between the two religions. For instance, while respecting previous scriptures, Baha’is believe that the revelations of the Bab and Baha’ullah supersede and complete earlier dispensations, making the Baha’i writings the most authoritative and current divine guidance. Previous revelations are seen as relative and incomplete for the current age. This is rejected among Christians, who regard the Bible as the complete and infallible revelation of God’s will and redemptive plan for the world, culminating in Jesus Christ. No further divine revelation can supersede or add to core truths of the Bible. Also, in terms of the last days, Baha’is understand the return of Christ as a spiritual return, fulfilled in the person of Baha’ullah, who brought a new revelation for a new age. In contrast, within Christianity, the return of Christ is understood as a physical, bodily return of the Lord Jesus at which time He will establish His kingdom and judge the earth. Finally, when it comes to the figure of Muhammad, Baha’is regard him as a manifestation of God who brought revelation to the people in the form of the Qur’an. By contrast, Christians do not consider Muhammad a God-sent messenger, and they reject the Qur’an as divine revelation.

A Christian Apologetic Critique of the Baha’i Faith

When all is said and done, the Baha’i Faith presents a number of fundamental theological departures that render it irreconcilable with orthodox Christianity. While we can appreciate Baha’i ideals of peace, unity, and moral living, its core claims about God, Christ, and revelation stand in stark contrast to biblical truth.

The most significant point of divergence lies in the Baha’i understanding of God and the nature of Jesus Christ. Baha’i’s strict monotheism explicitly rejects the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. For Christians, the Trinity is not merely a theological abstraction but is essential to understanding God’s very nature and the means of our salvation. If God is not Triune, then the Christian understanding of God’s self-existence, His eternal love, and the very possibility of atonement through a divine Son is undermined.

In addition, the Baha’i view of Jesus as merely a manifestation of God, equal in station to other prophets and to the Bab and Baha’ullah, undercuts Christ’s deity and His role in the Godhead. The Bible presents Jesus as the unique Son of God, truly God and truly human (John 1:1, 14; Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 1:1–3). His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, atoning death, and bodily resurrection are not merely exemplary actions but divine acts central to God’s redemptive plan. The Baha’i claim that Baha’ullah is the return of Christ or even “God the Father whose Son, Jesus, had concealed”¹⁸ is a theological distortion that contradicts biblical Christology and the consistent testimony of Scripture regarding Jesus’s identity and future return.

Another critical difference lies in the understanding of humanity’s problem and God’s solution. The Baha’i Faith emphasizes spiritual development, obedience to laws, and the cultivation of virtues as the path to human perfection and salvation. While these are commendable aspirations, they differ from the Christian doctrine of salvation.

Christianity teaches that humanity’s fundamental problem is sin — a rebellion against a holy God — which results in spiritual death and separation from Him (Romans 3:23, 6:23). This sin problem requires a divine solution: atonement. Jesus Christ, being God incarnate, lived a perfect life, died a sacrificial death on the cross, and rose again, thereby atoning for humanity’s sins and offering reconciliation with God. The Baha’i system, by lacking a concept of atonement for sin, presents a different path to spiritual truth that does not address the biblical understanding of humanity’s fallen state and the necessity of divine redemption.

Finally, while the Baha’i Faith champions unity and inclusivity, promoting the oneness of humanity and religion, its claims about the Bab and Baha’ullah being the latest and greatest manifestations, and the Baha’i Faith being the culmination of religious truth, inherently create a new form of exclusivity. If Baha’ullah is the promised one for all religions and his teachings are the most complete and current revelation, then adherence to Baha’i becomes the ultimate path to truth and unity.

From a Christian perspective, while God desires all people to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4), the Bible presents Jesus Christ as the only way to God (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). This is not an arbitrary exclusivism but stems from the unique identity of Jesus as the incarnate God and the one who offered Himself as the atoning sacrifice. This exclusivity is a central, non-negotiable aspect of Christian faith, which stands in opposition to the Baha’i concept of multiple, equally valid paths culminating in the Baha’i Faith.

In closing, while the Baha’i Faith offers appealing ideals of peace, unity, and moral living, its foundational theological claims about the nature of God, the identity and role of Jesus Christ, the finality of divine revelation, and the means of salvation are irreconcilable with orthodox Christian doctrine. Christians, therefore, while respecting Baha’is as individuals and commending those values shared with the Christian tradition, must critically evaluate the Baha’i Faith’s theological claims against the unchanging truth of the Bible and the unique person and work of Jesus Christ.

Derek Cooper, PhD, is managing director of Thomas Institute, an educational travel company specializing in learning on location. He is the author of fifteen books, including Christianity and New Religious Movements: An Introduction to the World’s Newest Faiths (P&R Publishing, 2023), from which this article is partially adapted.

NOTES

1. Christopher Buck, Baha’i Faith: The Basics (Routledge, 2021), 2.
2. Robert Stockman, The Baha’i Faith: A Guide for the Perplexed (Bloomsbury Academic, 2013), 31.
3. Shoghi Effendi, “Fundamental Principle of Religious Truth 4.19,” in The World Order of Baha’ullah: Selected Letters (Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1991), 57–60.
4. Derek Cooper, Twenty Questions That Shaped World Christian History (Fortress Press, 2015), 155–172.
5. Moojan Momen, An Introduction to Shi’i Islam: The History and Doctrines of Twelver Shi’ism (George Ronald, 1985), 231.
6. Nabil-i-Azam, Dawn Breakers: Nabil’s Narrative of the Early Days of the Baha’i Revelation (Bahá’í Publishing, 1932), 60.
7. Nabil-i-Azam, Dawn Breakers, 61.
8. Nabil-i-Azam, Dawn Breakers, 61.
9. Nabil-i-Azam, Dawn Breakers, 63.
10. Catharina Raudvere, Islam: An Introduction (I. B. Tauris, 2015), 8.
11. Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Bahaullah, 100.
12. Nader Saiedi, Logos and Civilization: Spirit, History, and Order in the Writings of Baha’ullah (University Press of Maryland, 2000), 242.
13. Peter Smith, An Introduction to the Baha’i Faith (Cambridge University Press, 2008), 24, 27.
14. Baha’ullah, The Tablets of Baha’ullah (Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1988), 11.
15. Abdul Baha, The Will and Testament of Abdul Baha (Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1990), 26.
16. The Promise of World Peace: A Letter by the Universal House of Justice to the Peoples of the World (University of Maryland Press, 2015), 8–9.
17. Nader Saiedi, Gate of the Heart: Understanding the Writings of the Bab (Wilfrid Laurier Press, 2008), 29–36.
18. Baha’ullah, Tablets of Baha’ullah, 11.

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