Book 11: bringing about spiritual and material progress
To the Bahá’ís throughout Aotearoa, tēnā koutou katoa e hoa mā, Alláh’u’Abhá!
The North and South Island Regional Institute Boards and all Auxiliary Board members, with the support of the Regional Bahá’í Councils, are working together to launch a nationwide
“Book 11: Material Means” campaign. They have written this message which the National Assembly wholeheartedly endorses.
Just over a year ago, the Universal House of Justice gave us, and fellow followers of Bahá’u’lláh around the world, the single aim for our efforts over the next twenty-five years: “the release of the society-building power of the Faith in ever-greater measures”. It then shared guidance from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Who explains that the more the qualities of cooperation and mutual assistance are manifested by a people, “the more will human society advance in progress and prosperity”. One of the ways in which we carry out this single aim is “learning how to bring about spiritual and material progress”.
As the National Spiritual Assembly informed us at our recent unit conventions across the Islands, Aotearoa is experiencing a “fresh surge of resourceful action”. Material resources are needed to support the various endeavours being undertaken, which requires drawing on, and strengthening, those attributes of the soul of generosity and sacrifice. We were particularly invited to consult on ways of increasing the Funds of the Faith—especially the National Fund, in order to repay the House of Justice the loan of $1,000,000 that it provided, unasked, for completing our wonderful residential centre for learning and focal point of love, Te Whare Akoranga Bahá’í.
The North and South Island Regional Institute Boards and all Auxiliary Board members, with the support of the Regional Bahá’í Council, are working together to launch a “Book 11: Material Means” campaign. The online launch of the campaign is planned for 19 March 2023. Some seventy friends in the North Island and more than thirty friends in the South Island have already been mobilised to serve as tutors and coordinators of this campaign, including, wherever possible, treasurers of Local Assemblies.
The first unit of the Book, Giving: The Spiritual Basis of Prosperity, focuses on “the attributes of a generous heart. Participants begin by exploring wealth as a concept, including the appropriate acquisition and expenditure of wealth. They then explore qualities related to generosity such as purity; love; detachment; freedom from greed and envy; forgiveness and forbearance; munificence; justice; and sacrifice.” The second unit, The Institution of the Fund, focuses on “the material means required to advance the civilisation-building enterprise currently underway. It explores concepts such as the diverse resources which are drawn upon in this process; the importance of trust and reliance on God; the way in which spiritual qualities moderate each other; the fact that means by definition must serve a purpose; the danger of treating money as an end in itself; the role of the Bahá’í Fund; the establishment of a new set of relationships among the three protagonists in the society-building endeavours; the spirit of sacrifice; universal participation; the role of the institutions in regard to the Fund; and the various types of Funds.” These units naturally flow into twelve lessons on Ḥuqúqu’lláh: the Right of God, by Dr Firaydoun Javaheri, which will be used as part of the Book 11 campaign in collaboration with representatives of Ḥuqúqu’lláh.
In its Riḍván 2021 message to the Bahá’ís of the world, the House of Justice indicated that it is a “measure of collective spiritual vitality” to see the “generosity and sacrifice with which, at a time of considerable economic upheaval, the critical flow of funds has been maintained—nay, invigorated”. As Bahá’u’lláh’s followers, together with all who wish to labour alongside them in this undertaking, intensify the process of growth in the clusters, the Riḍván 2022 message makes this acknowledgement: “Without question, to make such advances will entail colossal effort over the entire duration of the Plan. Yet we find these to be worthy aspirations towards which to strive, for they represent an ambitious but serious appraisal of what lies within reach.”
All believers—individuals, communities, groups of friends, nuclei, groups of families or households—are warmly invited to join Book 11 study circles. Local Spiritual Assemblies may decide to study Book 11 as an institution, an endeavour that has proven to be transformative. Tutors will be ready to offer the course in many ways (including online, in person, intensively, or over the course of several weeks) in order to allow everyone who wishes to, to participate. We look forward to seeing you!
