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 Baha'i 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 Baha'i 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 Baha'i faith, these essays are at once definitive while setting the stage for further study. -Herman Tull, Research Collaborator, Religious Studies, Lafayette College, Easton, Pennsylvania The University of Haifa Lectures in Baha'i Studies are an interdisciplinary dive into a dynamic field rooted in history, literary, legal, and religious scholarship addressing topics ranging from the origins of the religion in the nineteenth century to its interpretations and lived reality in the contemporary era and situated in the geographies of the Middle East, Europe, the United States. Though the Baha'i past and present have been characterized by persecution and marginalization, this collection also celebrates the innovation, resilience, and fortitude of a global community. -Jasamin Rostam-Kolayi, Professor and Chair, Department of History, California State University, Fullerton