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Seeker_of_truth

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Why did the Hands choose to dissolve the International Baha'i Council after the passing the Guardian?
Explanations from the Universal House of Justice would be great too.

-Seeker
 
history lesson...

My understanding was that the first International Baha'i Council was appointment by Shoghi Effendi in 1951 as an embryonic beginning leading to the Universal House of Justice. The role of the International Baha'i Council was pretty restricted to a few functions.

The Baha'i world had yet to develope it's administrative institutions sufficiently to support the Universal House.. in that spirit after the passing of the Guardian in 1957 the (second) International Baha'i Council was elected in 1961 to prepare the Baha'i world for the election of the Universal House.

In 1963 you had the election of the Universal House of Justice and the Internatiuonal Baha'i Council ceded it's authority to the Universal House as it planned to do.

So the Hands didn't dissolve the Council, rather it ceded it's authority as planned to the Universal House after it was elected in my view.

- Art
 
The Guardianship:

17th Angel said:
You have an appointed title of; "The Guardian"? Awesome... How can you apply for that job? Seriously.....

What do you do?

Oh me? I am The Guardian.....
Click to expand...

Thanks 17th Angel for your post!

and welcome to Baha'i Forum at CR.

The Guardian of the Baha'i Faith is a special designation and institution set up in the Will and Testament of Abdul-Baha (See The Will and Testament of `Abdu'l-Bahá) which appointed Shoghi Effendi His grandson and descendent of both the Bab and Baha'u'llah to be Guardian. According to the Will of Abdul-Baha only a lineal descendent of the Guardian could succeed to that post.

After the passing of the Guardian in 1957 there was no Will left by Shoghi Effendi or descendents...no children. Hence the Guardianship ended with the passing of the Guardian. However the interpretations of the Guardian are still respected and followed by the Baha'is ...hence the Institution of the Guardianship has continued..as the body of his pronouncemnets continues.

- Art:)
 
A correction to my previous post...

The Guardian was free to appoint someone from another "branch" to succeed him but he left no Will and had no descendents.

The Will states that

O ye beloved of the Lord! It is incumbent upon the Guardian of the Cause of God to appoint in his own life-time him that shall become his successor, that differences may not arise after his passing. He that is appointed must manifest in himself detachment from all worldly things, must be the essence of purity, must show in himself the fear of God, knowledge, wisdom and learning. Thus, should the first-born of the Guardian of the Cause of God not manifest in himself the truth of the words:--"The child is the secret essence of its sire," that is, should he not inherit of the spiritual within him (the Guardian of the Cause of God) and his glorious lineage not be matched with a goodly character, then must he, (the Guardian of the Cause of God) choose another branch to succeed him.
 
I believe 17th Angel is affiliated with some splinter group or other claiming that there IS a second Guardian or eth or umpteenth by now.

The IBC was created as a practice House of Justice and it was severely limited in scope so none could claim it WAS a House of Justice later on (as some did).

Regards,
Scott
 
One should note that the Guardian is still with us in one important way--all the writings of the Guardian are in existence and continue to fulfill his role.

Regrds,
Scott
 
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