Religious truth and the capacity to receive it

relativity of religious truth

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Editorial introduction

The sun is always the sun, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá observes; it is the earth’s changing position that alters how its light is received. Religious truth reaches us in the same way. He speaks, he says, according to the demands of the time and the capacity of his listeners, as a father makes gurgling sounds for an infant though his wisdom could measure the universe, and he recalls Christ telling the disciples that he had many things to say which they could not yet bear ^[1]. Bahá’u’lláh goes further: nothing is inscribed lawful or unlawful in itself; whatever God ordains in this day is the truth, and a Manifestation may forbid what had always been permitted. Shoghi Effendi draws the conclusion that religious truth is relative, not absolute, and revelation progressive, not final, while insisting that no earlier faith is belittled and that all are divine in origin and continuous in purpose. To hold continuity and change together without losing either is the task. It leads on to progressive revelation and the renewal of religion, and to the wider question of how truths that seem to differ can be complementary.

Selected passages

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The sun is always the sun. According to the position of the earth we receive its radiation differently.

(‘Abdu’l-Bahá -- ABU1957)

I speak according to the demands of the time and the capacity of my listeners. 'The father makes gurgling sounds for the newborn infant, although his wisdom be capable of measuring the universe.'

(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken on 1912-Oct-16 in San Francisco -- ABU3480)

They were the beginners therefore we spoke to them with gentleness -- speak always with the people from their standpoint. If you explain the difficult problems of mathematics or geometry for the children they will not understand, it is above and beyond their comprehension. That is why his holiness Christ says: I have many things to say unto you but you cannot comprehend them now, [howbeit] when the spirit of truth shall come he will lead you to all truth.

(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words to the friends, spoken at Hotel Marquardt on 1913-Apr-06 -- ABU0877)

Were this misunderstanding to be removed and reality to be investigated, it would become evident that the foundation underlying all religions is one and the same. The foundation of all the divine religions is reality.

(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Public address given at First Congregational Church on 1912-Oct-06 -- ABU0035)

Denomination, sects, religious confessions are but a variously close or loose connection with God: adorned with additions which are different with time and place.

(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken on 11 Jun 1910 -- ABU1484)

Inasmuch as human interpretations and blind imitations differ widely, religious strife and disagreement have arisen among mankind, the light of true religion has been extinguished and the unity of the world of humanity destroyed.

(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken at Unitarian conference in Boston, 1912-May-22 -- ABU0161)

It is incumbent upon all to turn their gaze towards the Cause of God and to observe that which hath dawned above the horizon of His Will, since it is through the potency of His name that the banner of "He doeth what He willeth" hath been unfurled and the standard of "He ordaineth what He pleaseth" hath been raised aloft. For instance, were He to pronounce water itself to be unlawful, it would indeed become unlawful, and the converse holdeth equally true. For upon no thing hath it been inscribed "this is lawful" or "this is unlawful"; nay rather, whatsoever hath been or will be revealed is by virtue of the Word of God, exalted be His glory.

(Bahá’u’lláh, 1299-08-14 [1882-Jul-1], to Mashhadi Baqir et al -- BH00048)

Different things are considered by us as of supreme importance - while in reality it has a relative importance - at our various stages of development. For example when we were children, we considered "plays" as of supreme importance but now that we are grown more important matters engage our attention.

(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken at Baltimore Hotel in Paris, 1913-May-11 -- ABU2384)

This book has been written for the people of the West, not for the [Muslim] divines. For the divines, the Fara'id is most suitable. This book has been written for the Europeans, according to their disposition, as though spoken at their table. The divines have their own disposition, the mystics have theirs, and likewise the Christians, Zoroastrians and Jews have theirs.

(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken on 1916-Jul-13 in Haifa -- ABU0675)

Were He to decree as lawful the thing which from time immemorial had been forbidden, and forbid that which had, at all times, been regarded as lawful, to none is given the right to question His authority.
He that hath acknowledged this principle will be endowed with the most perfect constancy.

(Bahá’u’lláh, Kitab-i-Aqdas (The Most Holy Book), 1290-05-15 [1873-Jul-11] -- BH00001)

Another point remains, and it is this: that in case of contagious diseases, such as the plague and cholera, whether cremation of bodies with lime or other chemicals is allowable or not. In such cases, hygiene and preservation are necessarily more important; for according to the clear divine texts, medical commands are lawful, and "necessities make forbidden things lawful" is one of the certain rules.

(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1902-Jun, to Dreyfus-Barney, Laura et al -- AB00273)

Further quotations · supplied wording and references

...the fundamental verity underlying the Baha'i Faith, that religious truth is not absolute but relative, that Divine Revelation is not final but progressive.

BA.185