What do Baha’is teach about ecology?
Nature is God’s Will and is its expression in and through the contingent world’
Tablets of Baha’u’llah, p 142
One World
‘The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens.’ These words of Baha’u’llah summarise the Baha’i sense of world citizenship and commitment to stewardship of the earth. The oneness of humanity is, for Baha’is, the fundamental spiritual and social truth of this age. It implies a major restructuring of the world’s educational, social, agricultural, industrial, economic, legal and political systems. Baha’is believe this restructuring will enable the emergence of a sustainable, just and prosperous world civilisation that will exist on this planet for half a million years.
Nature reflects God
The world reflects the qualities and attributes of God, and should therefore be greatly respected and cherished. Baha’i Scriptures describe nature as an emanation of God’s will.
Interconnectedness
All things are interconnected and flourish according to the law of reciprocity. This principle underlies the Baha’i understanding of the way the universe works and the responsibilities of humanity.
Science and technology
Science and technology should help humanity to live in harmony with nature. Science should be guided by spiritual principles, to preserve as much as possible the earth’s bio-diversity and natural order, in a way that ensures long-term sustainability. A spiritually based civilisation in which science and religion work in harmony will preserve the ecological balance of the earth, foster stability in human population, and advance the material and the spiritual well-being of all peoples and nations.
Baha’i ecology in practice
A major Baha’i ecological project is the landscaping of their world centre in Haifa. A series of gardens, terraces and fountains run from the foot to the crest of Mount Carmel. The project offers a reflection of the spiritual principles that must be applied to world problems if humanity is to create a truly peaceful world. For more information see the Baha’i on-line newsletter, ‘One Country’, ‘Reshaping God’s holy mountain’
Examples of Baha’i development projects are described on their web-site bahai.org
Background information on Baha’i ecology is available on the One Country on-line newsletter Environment Stories section.
For news of a new webiste dedicated to the UNESCO World Heritage Baha'i Gardens in Haifa and Akko, Israel, link to the Batha'i World News Service. To go to the Baha'i Gardens website, link here. And to learn more about the praciticalities, link here.
