LETTERS TO THE EDITOR COLUMN Dear Bahá’í friend, In the Winter newsletter, you invite comments on ABS activities and rashly I have decided to respond, although through circumstance I do not participate actively in the Association. Many times, I heard Hand of the Cause Collis Featherstone tell of his visit to the Guardian after attending the New Delhi Conference (1953). Having, at Shoghi Effendi's request, described the Conference and who was there, the topics of the talks, and the wonderful spirit there had been among the believers attending, Collis was asked, “But what was the result, what did it achieve? What has been the outcome?” Just as no-one, I assume, would question the importance of holding such a conference or the commitment of the believers who participated, so I do not question the need for the various ABS, or the devotion and talent of their members. However, I am curious (without having formed definite opinions of my own) as to what others think the Associations for Bahá’í Studies, as entities in their own right, actually achieve. Without wishing to be labour the point, I wonder what added value the Associations provide to the contributions of the gifted and able individuals who sustain their activities, and who would presumably be active even if the ABS were not there? If the ABS is a part of the larger Bahá’í community, rather than something divorced from the activities and concerns of the majority of believers and designed to keep the academically-minded out of mischief (as I have heard it rather naughtily described), then perhaps it is permissible to ask, what is the ABS contributing to the winning of the Four Year Plan? Just as individuals are encouraged to bring themselves to account each day, perhaps a similar review, less frequently, might apply to the ABS? So may I pose the question: how relevant are ABS activities to the progress of the Faith? Given that every individual has a responsibility to deepen in the Faith, how helpful and understandable is ABS output to the body of the believers in assisting them to be more effective and confident in proclaiming and teaching the Faith? Or are the functions of the ABS perforce quite separate? Why did the Universal House of Justice encourage the formation of ABS and how far have those objectives been met? In its October 1994 letter about external affairs strategies, the Universal House of Justice wrote to National Spiritual Assemblies, that agencies such as the ABS, “will often be in a position themselves to act as task forces, assuming the responsibility for specific projects, under the direction of the responsible National Spiritual Assemblies.” Is it appropriate, and has it been considered, that our ABS might undertake such tasks in the UK? If so, what? I don't have ready-made answers, and, at the risk of being repetitious I do not intend to be merely critical. But, just as I was asked by an inquirer at a recent Tonbridge “open day” of the Faith: “What difference will it make?”, so perhaps I can ask, in paraphrase of the question put to Collis Featherstone, what is the ABS achieving and what is it contributing to the winning of our goals? Warmly, Andrew Gash RESPONSE Dear Editor, Thank you for giving me the opportunity to respond to Andrew Gash's letter. I am assuming that he is not asking for justification for Bahá’í scholarship (see the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice’s compilation on scholarship in BSR 5.1 for elucidation of some of the reasons why Bahá’í scholarship is “of great potential importance for the development and consolidation of the Bahá’í community as it emerges from obscurity”), but would like clarification of the role of the ABS. There are many ways to answer this question and my comments are limited to a few thoughts. A word of background. In 1974, the Universal House of Justice wrote to the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada asking for them to consider ways to include the Faith in tertiary education curricula. This was the impetus to start the ABS. The founding ABS in Canada realised that this could not be done without a change in the culture of the Bahá’í community – to one which encouraged learning and the desire to learn, analytical and innovative thinking, an atmosphere of tolerance and respect for outstanding scholarly achievement. The ABS also started work on developing opportunities for scholars and students of the Bahá’í Faith, irrespective of their backgrounds, to participate in Bahá’í studies. Thus it began a pattern of holding conference (virtually the only opportunity that exists for individuals to present Bahá’í research), publishing journals (aimed particularly at university libraries and staff), and acting as coordination centres for those interested in Bahá’í studies. A strong effort has been made by the ABS to encourage correlation of the teachings of the Faith to the current problems of the world, and thus contribute to setting and broadening the Bahá’í studies agenda. It is difficult to evaluate to what extent it has succeeded in these tasks because they are mainly qualitative goals. It remains to be seen what effect our conferences have. The ABS-ESE has held about five scholarly conferences per year. The feature that distinguishes them from other Bahá’í activities is that they have been maintained. For example, the Religious Studies SIG conferences continues to have two weekend conferences per year and routinely attracts academics from North America and mainland Europe. A recent conference presenter was Margit Warburg, a non-Bahá’í professor of the sociology of religion at the University of Copenhagen. Our publications maintain a reasonable high quality, and the BSR is now included in two important bibliographic indexes (Religion Index and Index Islamicus). What would happen if we did not exist? Maybe a few concrete examples can help answer. Where would the Bahá’í who pioneered research into the relationship of the Faith and Catholicism (a religion of about 2 billion followers for which no specialist literature exists in English) present her findings, have them constructively criticised and get them published? Where would the non-Bahá’í academic who is researching whether the Bahá’í Faith is a cult or world religion turn for informed dialogue? Who would be working behind the scenes at getting academic books into university libraries, exploring opportunities for university courses on the Faith, attempting to network the human resources of certain Bahá’ís in the community so that they can serve the Faith most effectively? Who would remind the Bahá’í community that our Bahá’í Societies are a precious resource that needs. continual encouragement and systematic coordination? Where would there be opportunities for Bahá’ís and others to discuss and debate in an open and responsive environment, and on a regular basis, our response to the problems confronting our society? The evident advantages of collaboration in the dissemination of learning have been known since the dawn of civilization. In the modern age they will be apparent to anyone willing to see. Ultimately we are an association of people, and when we talk about the ABS doing this or that, we are talking about a group of 300-400 members. With more members and resources (we have managed to be financially self-sufficient over the last 3 years), our activities will hopefully become more transparently useful to the Bahá’í community. “We need profound Bahá’í scholars in the future, both to teach and to administer the Cause, and to answer the questions of the public, and help rebuild the world. This is a great challenge to you all, and presents a wonderful opportunity for service to humanity.” Shoghi Effendi, letter on his behalf, to Louhelen School Youth Session, August 1943 Seena Fazel The Associate is the newsletter of the Association for Bahá'í Studies (English-Speaking Europe), 27 Rutland Gate, London SW7 1PD, UK.