APPENDIX 2: Study Guide

Bahá’í Academy, Panchgani

CENTURY OF LIGHT[1]

A Study Guide

	FORWORD
1.	Why should Bahá'ís thoughtfully study Century of Light?
	CENTURY OF LIGHT
2.	Why should Bahá'ís grasp the significance of the history of the twentieth century?
	I
3.	How did humanity bring ruin upon itself during the last century?	1
4.	How was the majority of the human family victimized by the western powers?	3–4
5.	What were the accomplishments of the peoples of the West?	4
6.	What was the spiritual situation of humanity at the turn of the century?	5
7. ☺	Compare the beginning of last century with the beginning of this century.	☺
	II
8.	What did 'Abdu'l-Bahá resolve to proclaim?	7
9.	What is the meaning of the CENTURY OF LIGHT?	8–9
10.	Explain how the quotation starting with, “Rather, should they view…” (p. 9) is a call to a new level of understanding, commitment, and action.	9
11.	What are the characteristics of the new culture that 'Abdu'l-Bahá brought about?	10–12
12.	What are some of the greatest names in Persian Bahá'í history?	12
13.	What do you know about the victory of the earliest years of the Master?	13
	„
14.	How is it that the fame of the Master preceded him to Europe?	15
	III
15.	What brought joy to the heart of 'Abdu'l-Bahá?	17
16. ☺	Why is an appreciation of the circumstances in which the Cause expanded in the West vital for us today?	17–18 ☺
17.	Why is the heroism of the early Western Bahá'ís as affecting as that of their Persian coreligionists?	18
18. ☺	In what way should our response to the Five Year Plan be similar to the activity of the early Western believers?	19 ☺
19.	How qualified, in worldly terms, was the Master when He embarked on His journey to the West?	19
	„
20.	What did the Master proclaim? List His proclamation in points.	22
21. ☺	What are the means to achieve the goals identified by 'Abdu'l-Bahá? How do they relate to the current Five Year Plan?	22
22.	How did 'Abdu'l-Bahá demonstrate the way in which the spiritual and the practical must interact?	22–23
23.	How were the Western Bahá'ís able to grasp what the Cause required of them?	23
24.	What was the secret bond between the individuality of the believers and the community?	24
25. ☺	How does this relate to the three components of “accelerating the process of entry by troops”?	☺
26.	What, in the final analysis, is the revolutionary change required in the structure of society, and to what should human nature submit?	25
	„
27.	How did 'Abdu'l-Bahá announce that he was the Center of the Covenant? (See drama in video of the World Congress 92)	26
28.	Who violated the Covenant? What did they do? And what became of their efforts?	26–28
29. ☺	What do you think will be the fate of the Covenant-breakers of today and tomorrow?	☺
30. ☺	How does the paragraph starting, “All Europe is an armed camp…”	☺
	„
31.	What was the view of the Communist Party regarding religion?	30
32. ☺	Compare the pressure that science and technology were exerting on the prevailing order at the turn of last century with its influence on the prevailing order today.	☺
33.	Why is President Woodrow Wilson described as an extraordinary statesman?	32–33
34.	What are the closely related developments that are associated with the dawn of world peace?	34
35.	Why was the League of Nations stillborn?	34–35
	„
36.	What action did 'Abdu'l-Bahá take to ensure the proclamation of the Faith all over the world? Explain.	35
37. ☺	How is our current Five Year Plan related to the Tablets of the Divine Plan?	☺
38.	Who should play a leadership role in establishing the Cause throughout the Planet? Who gave them this responsibility?	36–37
39.	What event dramatically illustrates the spiritual triumph of the Master?	37
	IV
40.	How long will it take for the potentialities released in the Formative Age to unfold?	39
41.	Who was 'Abdu'l-Bahá?	39–40
42.	What were His achievements?	40–41
43. ☺	Explain the two conditions for unity in the first paragraph on page 41.	41 ☺
44. ☺	How can these two conditions be integrated in the teaching work today?	☺
45.	Explain the definition of unity given in the second paragraph on page 41.	41
46.	What will ensure the unity of the Bahá'í Cause?	41–42
47.	What is an important fact for present day Bahá'ís to understand?	42
	V
48.	What are some positive developments that occurred after the 1st World War?	43–44
49.	What were some of the challenges that faced Shoghi Effendi at the beginning of his ministry?	45–49
50. ☺	What is the vital role that Bahíyyih Khánum played in guarding the interests of the Cause after the Master’s death? (Research topic)	48 ☺
51.	Why is the “sad history” referred to in the first line of page 49 important to an understanding of the Cause?	49
52.	Explain the last sentence, starting with, “The fate of this most privileged but unworthy…” of the first paragraph on page 49.	49
	„
53.	What is the vision that provided the organizing force of Shoghi Effendi throughout the thirty-six years of his guardianship?	49
54.	What is the metaphor used by Bahá'u'lláh, 'Abdu'l-Bahá, and Shoghi Effendi to describe this culminating point in human history?	50–51
55. ☺	How do the characteristics of the “stage of adolescence” mentioned in the first two lines on page 51, relate to the current affairs of the world today?	51 ☺
56. ☺	In what way do you think will the outcome of the twin forces of “integration” and “disintegration” that came about in the twentieth century (page 52) alter the condition in which the Bahá'í Cause would pursue its mission in the decades lying ahead?	☺
57. ☺	In what way does the paragraph starting “let us pray…” (page 53) relate to the current Five Year Plan?	53 ☺
	„
58.	What was the “obstacle” that proved to be “too great a test” to some valued coworkers?	54–55
59.	What is the mainspring of the unification of humankind?	56
60.	With what was the process of civil incorporation begun?	57
	„
61.	Who is responsible for the world’s greatest tragedies? How?	59<