An outline of ‘Century of Light’

The below outline is a personal interpretation of ‘Century of Light’. The chapter headings have been added for ease of reference, and should not be considered authorized. If anyone has suggestions or corrections to improve this outline, please send an E-mail.


Page	§	Foreword

	1	Two processes: the changes of the world during the twentieth century, and the emergence of the Bahá'í Faith from obscurity.
	2	Century of Light reviews these two processes and the relationship between them.


		Introduction

	1	Humanity’s hopes for a better future.
	2	Only if humanity understands the implications of what occurred in the twentieth century, will it be able to meet the challenges that lie ahead.
	3	What made this insight possible.


		I The world during the first decade

1	1	The horrors of the twentieth century.
	2	‘A tempest, unprecedented in its violence…’

2	3	Europe, the United States and imperialism.
	4	The peace movement, relations between European royal families.
3	5	China, India, Mexico, Russia and Congo.
4	6	Colonialism.
	7	Technological development.
5	8	Scientific development.
	9	Philosophical development.
	10	Spiritual development (secularization).


		II The Bahá'í world during the first decade

7	1	'Abdu'l-Bahá.
8	2	His contact with officials, the Secret of Divine Civilization and knowledge.
	3	His Tablets to the Persian believers. His Tablet to the village of Kishih.
9	4	The call for a new level of understanding, commitment and action.
10	5	He shaped the consciousness and collective life of the Persian Bahá'í community.
	6	The first consultative bodies of Persia.
11	7	Bahá'í schools, medical facilities, Esperanto classes, a postal service, the abandoning of the use of public baths in Persia.
	8	The driving force: a moral transformation.
	9	The political situation and the role of the Bahá'ís.
12	10	Persian pilgrims to the Holy Land, and their influence.
	11	Travel-teaching in India, Burma and China. The first Bahá'í House of Worship in the world, in ‘Ishqábád.
13	12	The result: a diversity of racial, religious and national backgrounds.
	13	The construction of the Shrine of the Báb.
	14	The significance of the construction.
14	15	1908: freedom for 'Abdu'l-Bahá.

	16	1910: 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Egypt.
15	17	His contacts with intellectuals in Egypt.
	18	The role of Western diplomats and officials.


		III 'Abdu'l-Bahá and World War I

17	1	Introduction.
	2	'Abdu'l-Bahá’s approach to Western audiences.
18	3	The spiritual greatness of the early Western Bahá'í’s.
	4	The first Western Bahá'í pilgrims to ‘Akká.
19		'Abdu'l-Bahá’s Tablets to the Western Bahá'í’s.
	5	His journeys to Europe and North America (three years).

20	6	London.
	7	Paris and North America.
21	8	The principles He proclaimed.
	9	The coming of age of humankind and a global civilization.
22	10	Volition and action are necessary.
	11	'Abdu'l-Bahá’s actions.
23	12	Deepening the believers. Laying the cornerstone of the first Bahá'í House of Worship of the West.
	13	The creative power of the Western trips.
24	14	Oneness of the human race and new capacities.
	15	The relationship between the individual and the community.
25	16	The interracial marriage between Louis Gregory and Louise Matthew.
	17	Practical expression to the principles. The necessity of a revolutionary change in the structure of society.

	18	'Abdu'l-Bahá is the Center of the Covenant.
26	19	New York City is the City of the Covenant. 'Abdu'l-Bahá is the Covenant.
	20	Covenant-breaking activities in the Holy Land and Persia.
27	21	Covenant-breaking activities in North America: Ibrahim Khayru’lláh.
	22	'Abdu'l-Bahá foresaw a ‘winter of unprecedented severity’ – both for the Faith and for the world.
	23	Covenant-breakers in North America and Persia.
28	24	'Abdu'l-Bahá’s warning about World War I.
	25	'Abdu'l-Bahá in London and Paris.
29	26	His return to Haifa.

	27	1914-1918: World War I.
	28	Preliminary ‘rumblings’ during the first decade of the century (Japan, Russia, France, Germany and Italy).
	29	Conspiracies, resistance groups and separist organizations in the Romanov, Hapsburg and Ottoman Empires.
30	30	The Communist Party.
	31	The arms race.
31	32	Technological, economic and social change.
	33	The undermining of the authority of religious doctrines and moral standards.
	34	World War I: eight million dead and ten million disabled.
32	35	American President Woodrow Wilson.
	36	The words of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
33	37	The peace treaty: unjust and planting the seeds of World War II.
	38	Economic problems as a result of war debts. The rise of North American power.
	39	The League of Nations.
34	40	Shoghi Effendi’s commentary on this.
	41	The defects of the League of Nations.
35	42	Conclusion.

	43	'Abdu'l-Bahá’s Tablets of the Divine Plan.
36	44	The Báb and Bahá'u'lláh on North America.
37	45	Knighthood conferred on 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
	46	The ascension and burial of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.


		IV The Ascension of 'Abdu'l-Bahá

39	1	The end of the Apostolic Age.
	2	The station of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
40	3	His achievements.
41	4	He provided the means for unity and justice.
	5	The nature of unity.