Every Good Thing: Selections from Baha'i Scriptures Chosen for Christian Believers (Christian Believers Series) - Softcover

Thompson, Thom

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1499228821 ISBN 13: 9781499228823

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2014

Synopsis

EVERY GOOD THING is a careful, widely-based selection of Bahá’í Scriptures specially chosen for Christian believers. It is the second book in a series entitled: Christian Believers Series. The first book of that series is Questions From Christians: About Bahá’u’lláh and the Bahá’í Faith. The third in the series is: Famous Christians: In the Bahá’í Story, to be published in 2015. Selections include quotations from Bahá’u’lláh, including His famous ‘Letter to the Christians.’ Other selections are from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the son of Bahá’u’lláh and still other scriptures are from the Báb, the predecessor of Bahá’u’lláh. Finally, there are scriptural selections from Shoghi Effendi, the twentieth-century leader of the Bahá’í Faith and selections from the highest governing body of the Faith, the Universal House of Justice. This last source includes a letter written to all the people of the world often referred to as ‘The Peace Message.’ Any Christian who wants to investigate the Bahá’í Faith by going directly to its scriptural sources will be given a broad introduction to its teachings and principals from a person who himself comes from a Christian background and thus has some idea of what Christians might like to know.

About this title

About the Author

So there I was in Vanderbilt University Divinity School, headed for the Christian Ministry when I encountered the Bahá'í Faith and had to assess the claim of Bahá'u'lláh to bring a fresh Revelation of God to our world. More challenging still was His statement: "If ye be intent on crucifying once again Jesus, the Spirit of God, put Me to death, for He hath once more, in My person, been made manifest unto you." Somehow, I knew that I would need to be able to respond, one way or the other, to that statement. The Bahá'í teachings of human unity, the oneness of God, the oneness of humanity and the oneness of the prophetic figures of all religions attracted me greatly. Teachings about gender equality, elimination of prejudice of class and race and the need to seek agreement between the disciplines of science and religion, together with His statement: "This earth is one country and all mankind its citizens" impelled me to investigate further. Finally, casting my lot with Bahá'u'lláh as the Return of Christ's Spirit, I got a Master's in Social Work, opened Private Practice and taught at several major universities. After retiring from teaching and from a private practice of social work, I worked for a while in a prison, then learned of work with the military as a Counselor on Air Force bases through 2014. My new fulfilling career is writing. I told the Bahá'í story in 'Questions from Christians: About Bahá'u'lláh and the Bahá'í Faith', 2002. My second book, 2012 'Vanderbilt Boys...and what about the Girl?' told of three young people declaring their Faith in Bahá'u'lláh at Vanderbilt University in the late 1950's. The third book, to be published in early 2014 is 'Every Good Thing, ' my personal selection of Bahá'í Scriptures for Christian readers. A fourth book is finished and will be published in 2015, entitled 'Famous Christians.' I was amazed to find a number of Christians in Bahá'í history who played large and important roles in the establishment of the Faith, including one who saved the life of Bahá'u'lláh. But what prompted me or almost demanded of me to write this book was learning that a Christian had actually sacrificed his own life for the life of Bahá'u'lláh. In my writing, I am able to act out my dual-discipleship to Christ and to His Returning Spirit, Bahá'u'lláh. I am able to join freely and fully with Buddhist, Muslim and Jewish friends (and others) in our necessary and joyous task of contributing to a regenerated humanity and a united world.

Edition details

• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
• Publication date: 2014
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1499228821
• ISBN 13: 9781499228823
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 190