In this first presentation of core Foundations lectures, Dr Williams outlines some of the features of the “phenomenon of divine revelation”.  Humanity has historically thought about the religions of humankind, and the revelations that formed them, in a disjointed and limited way.  This has led to an increasing belief that religion is incoherent and inconsistent with modern realities. The revelations of the Bab and Baha’u’llah teach us that the revelations of God are part of one process, one that is evolutionary, dynamic, and suited to human capacity at  the time they are revealed. This extraordinary idea- easily one of the most important ideas ever considered by human beings- allows us to see the interaction of God with humanity as a natural process, organic with the world and with history.  We can now talk about divine revelation as a recurring phenomenon, rather than a single event. The Baha’i writings will then use natural metaphors, like trees and the rising and setting of the sun, to describe the way revelations come to humanity.

This presentation will explore these ideas as a prelude to studying the historical unfoldment of the revelations of the Bab and then Baha’u’llah. A supplementary post will present several quotes from the Baha’i writings that reflect the themes in the presentation. Enjoy!

Running time- approximately 18 minutes.