University of Haifa Lectures in Bahá’í Studies

Soli Shahvar is the founding director of the Ezri Center for Iran and Persian Gulf Studies and Professor of Iranian Studies at the Department of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, University of Haifa, Israel, where he chairs the Lecture Series in Bahá’í studies

“This ground-breaking collection carries the reader from the founding of the Baháʼí faith to its establishment on the world stage. Going beyond text and history, the authors take a multidimensional approach, engaging the political and social dimensions of the Baháʼí faith as well as its outlook as a new religious movement. Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in understanding the larger world of the Baháʼí faith, these essays are at once definitive while setting the stage for further study.”—Herman Tull, Research Collaborator, Religious Studies, Lafayette College, Easton, Pennsylvania

• Elham Afnan: The Goodly Gifts: A Brief History of the Afnán Family – Soli Shahvar: The Bahá’í Schools and the Modernization of Education in Iran – Siyamak Zabihi- Moghaddam: The Introduction of Monogamy in the Iranian Bahá’í Community, 1873‒1936: A Study in the Progressive Application of Religious Law – John Paul Vader and Graham Hassall: Episodes from the Early History of the Bahá’í Faith in Switzerland, with Particular Reference to the Middle East – Richard W. Thomas: African American Bahá’ís, Race Relations and the Development of the Bahá’í Community in the United States – HeshmatMoayyad: Glimpses of Persian Bahá’í Poetry and Poets – Tiffani Betts Razavi: A Bahá’í Perspective on the Meaning of Work and Values – Nicola Towfigh: Apologetics and Interfaith Dialogue from a Bahá’í Perspective – Nazila Ghanea: A Bahá’í Perspective on ‘Defamation of Religions’ – Notes on Contributors – Index.