Advancement of Women : A Baha'I Perspective

Preface ix The Transformation of Human Society The Equality of Men and Women 5(1) The Teachings of Baha'u'llah 6(5) A Statement of Principles 6(1) The Baha'i Administrative Order 7(4) The Use of Power 11(1) The Process of Change 11(8) Defining Equality The Significance of Equality 19(1) A Brief Historical Survey 19(17) Attitudes toward Women in Antiquity 20(3) Teachings of the Manifestations of God 23(4) Religious Practice 27(9) Baha'i Teachings on Equality 36(13) A Spiritual and Social Principle 37(3) The Education of Girls and Women 40(4) The Participation of Women in the World at Large 44(2) Complementarity, Not Uniformity 46(3) The Baha'i Approach to Implementation 49(4) Creating the Psychological Climate for Change 49(2) Designing the Future 51(1) Methodology 52(1) The Present Day 53(8) Family Dynamics and Peace The Family as Matrix 61(2) Traditional Family Values and Warfare 63(11) The Patriarchal Family 63(7) The Transmission of Attitudes to the Wider Society 70(4) Baha'i Family Values and Peace 74(23) The Baha'i Family 74(2) The Role of Parents 76(3) Collaboration, Cooperation, and Encouragement 79(2) Decision-Making 81(6) The Baha'i Family's Contribution to Creating Peace 87(1) Changing Attitudes 88(1) Teaching the Skill of Consultation 89(1) Fostering Women's Development and Participation 90(7) Women and Baha'i Law Equality and Law 97(1) The Nature of Baha'i Law 98(4) Women and the Laws of Personal Conduct 102(16) Devotional Practices 102(3) Sexual Conduct 105(6) Marriage and Divorce 111(7) Financial Rights 118(2) Service on Baha'i Institutions 120(14) The Application of Baha'i Law 134(5) Implementing Equality: The Ministries of Baha'u'llah and `Abdu'l-Baha' Belief and Practice 139(1) The Actions of Baha'u'llah 140(12) His Teachings 140(2) His Guidance and Encouragement to Women 142(3) Examples from His Personal Relationships 145(1) Asiyih Khanum 146(2) Bahiyyih Khanum 148(1) Other Baha'i Women 149(3) The Role of `Abdu'l-Baha 152(42) The Exemplar of the Baha'i Faith 153(9) Authoritative Interpreter 162(1) Timeliness 162(1) Enlarging the Context 163(4) Challenging Stereotypic Thinking 167(1) Use of Analogy 167(1) Use of Rhetorical Questions 167(1) Use of the Direct Challenge 168(1) Use of Examples from History 169(2) Use of Contemporary Examples 171(1) Assigning Responsibilities 172(1) Ethel Rosenberg 172(1) Corinne True 173(3) Agnes Parsons 176(1) Ella Cooper and Helen Goodall 177(1) Lua Getsinger 178(1) Agnes Alexander and Martha Root 178(2) Providing Encouragement 180(3) Promoting the Enlightenment of Women 183(8) Fostering Intellectual Development 191(3) The Power of Example 194(7) Implementing Equality: The Role of Shoghi Effendi and the Universal House of Justice The Formative Age of the Baha'i Dispensation 201(2) The Role of Shoghi Effendi 203(22) Interpreting the Teachings 204(1) Developing the Administrative Order 205(7) Fostering the Advancement of Women 212(4) International Assignments to Women 216(1) Effie Baker 216(1) Keith Ransom-Kehler 217(4) Martha Root 221(2) Amelia E. Collins 223(2) The Role of the Universal House of Justice 225(42) Elucidating the Teachings 226(2) Advancing the Process of Implementation 228(7) Fostering Women's Participation in Baha'i Administration 235(5) The Office for the Advancement of Women 240(9) Promoting the Social and Economic Development of Women 249(2) Education 251(4) Health Care 255(3) Attitudinal Change 258(3) Significance of the Examples 261(6) Practicing Equality The Moral Imperative 267(1) Translating the Baha'i Teachings into Practice 268(31) The Spiritual Dimension 269(2) Individual Conduct 271(6) Interaction with Society 277(6) Applying the Principle of Equality of the Sexes 283(1) At the Individual Level 283(4) Within Marriage and the Family 287(4) Within the Community 291(3) Facing the Future with Confidence 294(5) Appendix: Two Wings of A Bird: The Equality of Women and Men, a statement by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States 299(8) Notes 307(26) Glossary 333(12) Bibliography 345(6) A Basic Baha'i Reading List 351(4) Index 355