Orthodox Bahá'í Faith
Encyclopedia
The Orthodox Bahá'í Faith is a small Bahá'í sect
that formed in 1960 by Mason Remey
, and subsequently was the name used by Joel Marangella after he claimed to be Remey's successor. The basis of the dispute is over the identity of the Bahá'í Guardian, a term referring to the appointed head of the religion, an executive hereditary office held by Shoghi Effendi
from 1921 to 1957.
Other than on the matter of leadership and organization, there are few differences between the orthodox and mainstream Bahá'ís in matters of doctrine. As a group who believe that Mason Remey was the second Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith, they are considered heretical Covenant-breaker
s by the majority of Bahá'ís who follow the leadership of the Universal House of Justice
.
Membership data of the Orthodox Bahá'ís is scarce. One source estimated them at no more than 100 members as of 1988. Memorandums from an Illinois court case in 2007 state their membership in the United States at 40. Websites claiming to represent the Orthodox community indicate followers in the United States and India. Joel Marangella himself resides in Perth, Australia
.
in 1957, the 27 living Hands of the Cause
, having the responsibility to acknowledge any appointment of a successor, gathered and decided that he had died "without having appointed his successor," and that the Universal House of Justice
would decide on the situation after its first election. Charles Mason Remey, one of the Hands, declared himself the successor to Shoghi Effendi in 1960. His claim was rejected by the 26 remaining Hands, on the basis that he was not a descendant of Bahá'u'lláh, nor was he appointed to the position by Shoghi Effendi. Remey based his claim on his being the president of the International Bahá'í Council
appointed by Shoghi Effendi in 1951. The result was that Remey was unanimously expelled from the Bahá'í community by the Hands of the Cause.
In 1962 Remey asked his supporters in the United States to organize themselves and elect a "National Spiritual Assembly Under the Hereditary Guardianship" (NSAUHG), first elected in 1963. The Assembly of 9 members was incorporated in New Mexico in 1964.
In 1964 the NSAUHG filed a lawsuit against the National Spiritual Assembly (NSA) of the Bahá'ís of the United States to receive the legal title to the Bahá'í House of Worship in Illinois, and all other property owned by the NSA. The NSA counter-sued, and in August 1966 Remey instructed the NSAUHG to withdraw from any action in the matter "regardless of the consequences." Later that year, Remey asked the NSAUHG to dissolve, as well as the International Bahá'í Council that he had appointed with Joel Marangella as president, residing in France. Marangella previously served on the National Spiritual Assembly of France in 1961, and was declared a Covenant-breaker when he accepted Mason Remey as the next Guardian.
Over the years following 1966 the followers of Mason Remey were not organized; with some of his followers concluding that Remey was suffering from dementia
, until several of the individuals involved began forming their own groups based on different understandings of succession.
In 1962 Remey gave Marangella a sealed envelope, with instructions to open it when the time was right. In 1965 Mason Remey called for the International Bahá'í Council, of which Marangella was president, to become active. Marangella then opened the sealed letter, which was a hand-written note by Remey appointing Marangella as his successor. Marangella looks upon that time as the time of his official appointment. Remey then changed his mind, deactivated the International Bahá'í Council in 1966, and in 1969 Marangella announced that he was the third Guardian. All of the members of the 1966 NSAUHG accepted Marangella's claim.
In 1970 Marangella appointed members to a "National Bureau of the Orthodox Bahá'ís in New York", which two years later was moved to New Mexico, and subsequently changed its name to "Mother Bahá'í Council of the United States" (1978) and "Provisional National Bahá'í Council" (2000), with all members appointed by Joel Marangella.
Bahá'í divisions
The Bahá'í Faith has had challenges to leadership, usually, at the death of every head of the religion. The vast majority of Bahá'ís have followed a line of authority from Bahá'u'lláh to `Abdu'l-Bahá to Shoghi Effendi to the Custodians to the Universal House of Justice. Sects diverging from this...
that formed in 1960 by Mason Remey
Mason Remey
Charles Mason Remey was a prominent and controversial American Bahá'í who was appointed in 1951 a Hand of the Cause, and president of the International Bahá'í Council...
, and subsequently was the name used by Joel Marangella after he claimed to be Remey's successor. The basis of the dispute is over the identity of the Bahá'í Guardian, a term referring to the appointed head of the religion, an executive hereditary office held by Shoghi Effendi
Shoghi Effendi
Shoghí Effendí Rabbání , better known as Shoghi Effendi, was the Guardian and appointed head of the Bahá'í Faith from 1921 until his death in 1957...
from 1921 to 1957.
Other than on the matter of leadership and organization, there are few differences between the orthodox and mainstream Bahá'ís in matters of doctrine. As a group who believe that Mason Remey was the second Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith, they are considered heretical Covenant-breaker
Covenant-breaker
A Covenant-breaker or the act of Covenant-breaking is a term used by Bahá'ís to refer to a particular form of heresy. Being declared a Covenant-breaker by the head of the Faith — which since 1963 refers to the elected nine-member Universal House of Justice, the governing body of the Bahá'ís....
s by the majority of Bahá'ís who follow the leadership of the Universal House of Justice
Universal House of Justice
The Universal House of Justice is the supreme governing institution of the Bahá'í Faith. It is a legislative institution with the authority to supplement and apply the laws of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, and exercises a judicial function as the highest appellate institution in the...
.
Membership data of the Orthodox Bahá'ís is scarce. One source estimated them at no more than 100 members as of 1988. Memorandums from an Illinois court case in 2007 state their membership in the United States at 40. Websites claiming to represent the Orthodox community indicate followers in the United States and India. Joel Marangella himself resides in Perth, Australia
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
.
Background
Following the unexpected death of the Bahá'í Faith's first Guardian Shoghi EffendiShoghi Effendi
Shoghí Effendí Rabbání , better known as Shoghi Effendi, was the Guardian and appointed head of the Bahá'í Faith from 1921 until his death in 1957...
in 1957, the 27 living Hands of the Cause
Hands of the Cause
The Hands of the Cause of God, Hands of the Cause, or Hands were a select group of Bahá'ís, appointed for life, whose main function was to propagate and protect the Bahá'í Faith...
, having the responsibility to acknowledge any appointment of a successor, gathered and decided that he had died "without having appointed his successor," and that the Universal House of Justice
Universal House of Justice
The Universal House of Justice is the supreme governing institution of the Bahá'í Faith. It is a legislative institution with the authority to supplement and apply the laws of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, and exercises a judicial function as the highest appellate institution in the...
would decide on the situation after its first election. Charles Mason Remey, one of the Hands, declared himself the successor to Shoghi Effendi in 1960. His claim was rejected by the 26 remaining Hands, on the basis that he was not a descendant of Bahá'u'lláh, nor was he appointed to the position by Shoghi Effendi. Remey based his claim on his being the president of the International Bahá'í Council
International Bahá'í Council
The International Bahá'í Council was an administrative institution of the Bahá'í Faith, first created in 1951 as a precursor to the Universal House of Justice, which replaced it in 1963.-Formation:...
appointed by Shoghi Effendi in 1951. The result was that Remey was unanimously expelled from the Bahá'í community by the Hands of the Cause.
In 1962 Remey asked his supporters in the United States to organize themselves and elect a "National Spiritual Assembly Under the Hereditary Guardianship" (NSAUHG), first elected in 1963. The Assembly of 9 members was incorporated in New Mexico in 1964.
In 1964 the NSAUHG filed a lawsuit against the National Spiritual Assembly (NSA) of the Bahá'ís of the United States to receive the legal title to the Bahá'í House of Worship in Illinois, and all other property owned by the NSA. The NSA counter-sued, and in August 1966 Remey instructed the NSAUHG to withdraw from any action in the matter "regardless of the consequences." Later that year, Remey asked the NSAUHG to dissolve, as well as the International Bahá'í Council that he had appointed with Joel Marangella as president, residing in France. Marangella previously served on the National Spiritual Assembly of France in 1961, and was declared a Covenant-breaker when he accepted Mason Remey as the next Guardian.
Over the years following 1966 the followers of Mason Remey were not organized; with some of his followers concluding that Remey was suffering from dementia
Dementia
Dementia is a serious loss of cognitive ability in a previously unimpaired person, beyond what might be expected from normal aging...
, until several of the individuals involved began forming their own groups based on different understandings of succession.
In 1962 Remey gave Marangella a sealed envelope, with instructions to open it when the time was right. In 1965 Mason Remey called for the International Bahá'í Council, of which Marangella was president, to become active. Marangella then opened the sealed letter, which was a hand-written note by Remey appointing Marangella as his successor. Marangella looks upon that time as the time of his official appointment. Remey then changed his mind, deactivated the International Bahá'í Council in 1966, and in 1969 Marangella announced that he was the third Guardian. All of the members of the 1966 NSAUHG accepted Marangella's claim.
In 1970 Marangella appointed members to a "National Bureau of the Orthodox Bahá'ís in New York", which two years later was moved to New Mexico, and subsequently changed its name to "Mother Bahá'í Council of the United States" (1978) and "Provisional National Bahá'í Council" (2000), with all members appointed by Joel Marangella.
External links
- The Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith website maintained on behalf of Joel Marangella.
- Orthodox Bahá'í Faith National Bahá'í Council of the United States