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The Orthodox Bahá'í Faith is a movement which started within the Bahá'í Faith, though now independent of it. Total membership is estimated at up to a few thousand. Although the beliefs of the main division and the Orthodox Bahá'ís are for the most part identical, they differ on the issue of ongoing leadership. Known in India as the Lotus Temple, the Baháí House of Worship attracts an average of four million visitors a year (around 13,000 each day). ...
Between the years 1957 and 1960, the Bahá'í Faith underwent a severe test of succession. The majority of Bahá'ís, under the Hands of the Cause of God (a group of Bahá'ís that included Charles Mason Remey, and that was appointed by Shoghi Effendi according to the provisions of `Abdu’l-Bahá's Will and Testament) followed the Hands' corporate leadership of the Faith. The remainder followed Remey as the new individual leader of the group forming the Orthodox Bahá'í Faith. 1957 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
1960 was a leap year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ...
The Hands of the Cause in the Bahai Faith are a select group of appointed believers whose main function is to help propagate and protect the Bahai Faith on the international level. ...
Mason Remey, Hand of the Cause of God and Second Guardian of the Orthodox Bahai Faith Charles Mason Remey (May 15, 1874-1974) was the second Guardian a shism of the Baháís called the Orthodox Baháí Faith. ...
Nature of the Dispute During the time immediately following the unexpected death of Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith, Charles Mason Remey attempted to change the plan of his fellow Hands who had determined to elect the Universal House of Justice mentioned by both Baha'u'llah and Abdul-Baha. Remey signed the unanimous statement of the Hands that no document appointing a successor Guardian had been found, and that no such appointment of a blood relative was possible. Shoghi Effendi (1897-1957) The Guardians Resting Place in London Shoghi Effendi Rabbani was the Guardian of the Baháí Faith. ...
Seat of The Universal House of Justice The Universal House of Justice is the name used by Baháulláh for the elected supreme institution of the Baháí Faith, The nine-member institution administers the affairs of the Baháí community. ...
Baháulláh (1817–1892) (Persian: Mírzá Husayn-Alí (میرزا حسینعلی)) was the founder and prophet of the Baháí Faith. ...
Abdul Baha `Abdul-Bahá Abbas (May 23, 1844 - November 28, 1921) also known as Abbas Effendi, was the son of Baháulláh, the Prophet and Founder of the Baháí Faith. ...
The first proclamation was sent from the first conclave of the Hands, gathered in Bahji, "To the Bahá'ís of East and West" announcing that, as "The Aghsan (branches) one and all are either dead or have been declared violators of the Covenant by the Guardian", it was apparent "that no successor to Shoghi Effendi could have been appointed by him...." (Branches is the term used in the Bahá'í Faith for the descendants of Baha'u'llah.)
The second proclamation from the conclave of the Hands called on the believers to unite in completing the Guardian's Ten Year Crusade. The Hands pointed out that, in due course, the Bahá'í world would elect "the Universal House of Justice, that Supreme Body upon which infallibility, as the Master's Testament assures us, is divinely conferred: When that divinely ordained Body comes into existence, all the conditions of the Faith can be examined anew and the measures necessary for its future operation determined in consultation with the Hands of the Cause." Mason Remey again joined his fellow Hands in signing this second formal statement that there was no blood relative successor to Shoghi Effendi as Guardian of the Cause of God.
The Orthodox Bahá'ís acknowledge his signing the document. They believe that even the present Orthodox Guardian could have signed it, since they claim that it stated only that Shoghi Effendi had not appointed a successor by a Will and Testament, and that there were no living bloodline relatives he could have appointed. The larger Bahá'í Faith group maintains actual text of the proclamation, however, which Remey signed, makes the broad statement that "no successor to Shoghi Effendi could have been appointed by him" and does not limit itself either in the manner the designation would have been left (such as by allowing for an appointment outside of a Will and Testament) nor does it allow for a nonrelative to be appointed (see [1] (http://bahai-library.com/?file=uhj_ministry_custodians.html&chapter=1#36) for the text of this statement and see the text beginning at [2] (http://bahai-library.com/?file=uhj_ministry_custodians.html&chapter=4#231) for the Hands' further expanding on this position including their indicating that "aghsan" could only apply to male descendants of Bahá'u'lláh ). The Orthodox maintain a different position concerning the same documents. (Concerning the Hands interpretation of "Branch' see [3] (http://www.bahai-guardian.com/myth.html) and for explanation of why any Guardian could have signed the statements indicated see [4] (http://www.bahai-guardian.com/even.html))
The belief as to whether there was - or could be - another living Guardian, and whether the Universal House of Justice could properly function without a living Guardian was the basis for the division which followed.
Announcement of the Division Remey remained silent to the general Bahá'í community until 1960 when he stated that unity could not be preserved at the cost of the Guardianship. He maintained that he would not be able to convince the Hands that a living Guardian was indispensable, according to his interpretations of the Writings of the Faith.
In 1960 he proclaimed to the Bahá'ís that Shoghi Effendi had appointed him Second Guardian of the Bahá'í World Faith, and outlined the means by which the late Guardian had appointed him. According to Mason's Proclamation Shoghi Effendi appointed Mason Remey as the Head of the First International Bahai Council. The Council was named by Shoghi Effendi "the embryonic Universal House of Justice", but it was never activated by the Guardian. According to Mason's Proclamation, only a Guardian can be the President of an activated Universal House of Justice; that in 1957, with the passing of Shoghi Effendi, this embryonic institution automatically became the administrative body over the National and Local Assemblies per the instructions of the late Guardian; and that Mason Remey - as President of the embryonic Universal House of Justice - became the Second Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith. However, in the proclamation which Remey had earlier signed with the other Hands, it was indicated that the International Bahá'í Council had not yet fulfilled its charge (and that this institution was not to become the House of Justice but to instead help lead to its formation and that the body of the Hands would determine how it would evolve as such):"...the entire body of the Hands, assembled by the nine Hands of the World Centre, will decide when and how the International Bahá'í Council is to evolve through the successive stages outlined by the Guardian, culminating in the call to election of the Universal House of Justice by the membership of all National Spiritual Assemblies." Shoghi Effendi (1897-1957) The Guardians Resting Place in London Shoghi Effendi Rabbani was the Guardian of the Baháí Faith. ...
Mason Remey, Hand of the Cause of God and Second Guardian of the Orthodox Bahai Faith Charles Mason Remey (May 15, 1874-1974) was the second Guardian a shism of the Baháís called the Orthodox Baháí Faith. ...
The First International Bahai Council was appointed by Shoghi Effendi in 1951 in the only Proclamation he ever issued, declared by him to be the embryonic Universal House of Justice. ...
While the majority of Bahá'ís followed the Hands, and the Hands declared Mason Remey to be a Covenant-Breaker, some individuals followed Mason Remey. These became known as Orthodox Bahá'ís. The Orthodox Bahá'ís refer to the main group as sans-Guardian Bahá'ís. A Covenant-breaker or the act of Covenant-breaking is a term used by Baháís to refer to heresy. ...
Further Developments According to the members of the Orthodox Bahá'í Faith, Joel Bray Marangella became Guardian of the Orthodox Bahá'í Faith based on the activation by Mason Remey of the Second International Bahai Council with Marangella as its appointed President in October 1965, and by Remey's earlier written appointment of him as Guardian. Joel Bray Marangella is the present Guardian, or administrative and spiritual leader of the Orthodox Bahais. ...
The Second International Bahai Council was activated by Mason Remey in October 1965. ...
October is the tenth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ...
1965 was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ...
See Bahá'í divisions for subdivisions within the Orthodox Bahá'ís that have disputed this appointment. At almost every change in leadership of the Baháí and Bábí religions, there has been a debate ending with a split among the followers, and mutual excommunications in which each side condemns the other as Covenant-breakers. Baháí divisions deals with the various divisions in the history of these...
Extent Orthodox Bahá'ís now reside in over 77 localities throughout the world.
See also: Bábís The room where The Báb declared His mission on May 23, 1844 in His house in Shiraz. ...
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