Paul: I would like to suggest that

1. Christian/Bahá’í dialogue is a PROCESS not a weapon to be used in debate between Bahá’ís and Christians or a short-cut in the conversion process.

2. Christian Bahá’í dialogue be based on mutual education, i.e. the relationship become a learning co-operative. It should generate and maintain interest in a lifelong study of the subject.

3. In a conceptual matrix of this process (the dialogue), there are at least three dimensions:

x receptivity of the Christian

y the attitude of the Bahá’í

z the knowledge of the Bahá’í

Gary: "There is Only One Christ. I find that this principle always raises a certain number of Bahá’í eyebrows. Don’t we say there are lots of "Christs"? Don’t we insist that Jesus Christ was simply "one among many"? Don’t we say Christ was fine for His time, but that was then, and this is now, and so we need Baha’u’llah and His teachings to replace Christ and the Bible? Yes, we Bahá’ís say plenty of things like this, particularly to our Christian friends. And no matter what other wonderful things we may say, we seem always to bog down at this juncture in arguments about the uniqueness of Christ. By doing so, we miss Baha’u’llah’s point regarding the oneness of the Manifestations. What we must see is that Christians who insist on the everlasting uniqueness and supremacy of Christ are correct — in a very important sense. They didn’t invent this principle: It is upheld both in the Bible and in the Bahá’í teachings.

"...Most Christians, I find, intuitively understand this distinction between the Divine Christ (the indwelling Presence of God) and the human, historical Jesus. Many understand it in a very explicit and thoughtful way: It is, after all, standard Christian theology. Instead of trying to undermine or diminish their concept of Christ, we do better to expand their vision: Help them see that Christ — this Divine Christ — is even greater and more universal than they may have realized. If we confirm their belief in Christ, and explain it in this manner, we create a shared sense of commitment that is most attractive. And we demonstrate that boundless reverence for Christ in no way contradicts our belief in Baha’u’llah, or in progressive revelation. If we evince this attitude toward Christ (which is common to both the Bible and the Bahá’í teachings); if we emphasize that in this sense, there is only one Christ — it’s often amazingly easy to reach agreement in principle regarding His nature and station. Not every Christian will agree with every word we say on this topic, but that’s irrelevant. The point is that this familiar, easily understood perspective rarely takes Christians outside their comfort zone. And once we find common cause regarding the identity of Christ, it becomes possible to discuss freely all the other sticky issues that paralyze Baha’i-Christian dialog."

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John: I think Bahá’ís need to analyse in more details the doctrinal differences of different Christian denominations and prepare a set of guidelines for tackling Bahá’í-Christian dialogue with each denomination. I don’t think it’s sufficient to have a general Bahá’í-Christian dialogue. What Bahá’ís need to do is, after extensive research, prepare a Bahá’í-Catholic dialogue and a Bahá’í-Protestant dialogue, etc., right down to the denominational level…All this is my humble opinion, of course.

Bahá’ís tend to make the same mistake as Christians. Christians often talk about non-Christians as though non-Christians are a homogeneous bunch. It’s true to a point, but not in face-to-face discussion. I think Bahá’ís often tend to talk about Christians as a homogeneous bunch.

Matt: If you are teaching Christians I think the most important thing to do is to try to show them that the Bahá’í approach to Chrsitianity and Christ is not SOLELY an explanation of how the Bahá’í religion fits in with Christianity, but really offers a more realistic, magnanimous, and beautiful view of Christianity than the common, Orthodox understanding.

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John (again): What the Bahá’í needs to do is to treat a dialogue with a Christian as a learning exercise. I think the key is to ask the Christian questions, to let the Christian explain their point of view to the Bahá’í. Not to talk too much. To introduce Bahá’í concepts slowly. To point the Christian to easy books to read. In my experience, Bahá’ís talk too much. I think listening, understanding, and gently introducing ideas are a much more fruitful approach. Unless the Christian specifically wants more detail, I suspect it’s usually better to say too little about the Faith rather than too much. Moderate in speech, but maximum in listening.

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Chris: ... Using the Bible for proof texts as the indisputable Word of God in a fundamentalist sense is extremely problematic and in fact goes against several essential tenets of Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation. This approach denies the contextuality of religious truth, the need for humility and perhaps most of all an "openness" to the "other" which is an essential manifestation of spiritual love. Each individual has a unique set of capacities to reflect different aspects of the "imago dei". In the fundamentalist approach to using scripture as proof texts (which unfortunately many Bahá’ís engage in) there is no quiet listening side which is open to new perspectives. This "masculine" aspect of teaching needs to give way to a more "feminine" one in which love rather than intellectual coercion is the modus operandi.

Michael Sours wrote about "...three important Bahá’í principles that will help us develop and maintain a spirit of friendliness when we discuss the Bahá’í Faith with Christians...

1. Emphasizing areas of agreement;
2. Listening to other points of view and learning about the scriptures, beliefs, and terminology of those with whom we converse;
3. Adapting our presentation to the particular terminology and temperament of the people to whom we speak."

A Useful Web Site

• Do Bahá'ís believe in the Bible?
• What do Bahá'ís believe about Jesus Christ?
• Do Bahá'ís believe Christ was the Son of God?
• Doesn't the Bible also say Jesus Himself was God?
• What about the Trinity?
• Do Bahá'ís believe Christ rose from the dead?
• So do Bahá'ís believe in an afterlife?
• Do Bahá'ís believe in Satan?
• What is the relationship between Christ and Bahá'u'lláh ?

In 1964 Pope Paul VI's first encyclical focused on dialogue: "dialogue is demanded nowadays...is demanded by the dynamic course of action which is changing the face of modern society. It is damanded by the pluralism of society and by the maturity man has reached in this day and age. Be he religious or not, his secular education has enabled him to think and speak, and to conduct dialogue with dignity."

If possible please send your comments before the next ABS Board meeting on 31 January.

Please send your feedback and contributions to Colin Dibdin, PO Box 319, Rosebery NSW 2018, or by e-mail to cdibdin@ozemail.com.au . Feel free to phone or fax me anytime as well, on (02) 9317 3883.

Remember, Interest Groups only survive if people show their interest. I look forward to your input.

With warm regards,

Colin Dibdin