Second International Bahá'í Council

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The Second International Bahá'í Council refers to an institution recognized by several competing Bahá'í divisions. It is seen by these as restoring the functions of the International Bahá'í Council first established by Shoghi Effendi in 1951 as a precursor to the Universal House of Justice.

The generally recognized global community of Bahá'ís believe that the International Bahá'í Council evolved properly into the Universal House of Justice elected in 1963, and thus to them there is no Second International Bahá'í Council. In the modern day, this group typically uses the term Bahá'í Council to refer to regional administrative boards.

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[edit] History

The Bahá'í writings identify two institutions which would govern the affairs of all Bahá'ís - an appointed, hereditary Guardian and an elected council called the Universal House of Justice. The Guardian instituted the first International Bahá'í Council and described it as the "embryonic" Universal House of Justice. Soon after the death of Guardian Shoghi Effendi, Charles Mason Remey, a highly respected and influential Bahá'í, claimed to be his successor. This claim sparked controversy and resulted in a split between his followers and the mainstream, who almost universally rejected this claim. The International Bahá'í Council, of which Mr. Remey was President, was ultimately disbanded.

In 1963 the larger group elected what they consider the legitimate Universal House of Justice, seated in Haifa, Israel. Mr. Remey viewed this election as contrived and illegitimate. He created ("activated") the Second International Bahá'í Council (sIBC) in October 1965 to replace the now-absent functions of the first such council. The Second International Bahá'í Council is seen by several groups of Remey's followers to be the true embryonic Universal House of Justice and these groups do not recognize the institution based in Haifa, Israel.

Mr. Remey later "deactivated" the Second International Bahá'í Council, an act which caused considerable difficulty within various factions of his followers. Several Bahá'í divisions have formed in the wake of Remey's claim to the Guardianship of the Bahá'í Faith, with differing views on this particular council.

[edit] Varying Views

[edit] Orthodox Bahá'í Faith

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According to the Orthodox Bahá'í Faith, Remey appointed Joel Marangella as the Guardian and president of the council, with both a letter in 1961 and the activation of the council in 1965. Marangella is seen as Remey's successor, and by extension the third Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith.

[edit] Bahá'ís Under the Provisions of the Covenant

On January 9th, 1991 Leland Jensen created the second International Bahá'í Council, which represents the governing body of the Bahá'ís Under the Provisions of the Covenant (BUPC). Jensen believed that he had been "chosen" by God to re-establish the administrative order [1].

The council was comprised of twelve appointed members (and twelve appointed substitutes for a total of "24 Elders") with the chair of the president (making 25) reserved for the Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith. According to its by-laws, the Guardian is president of the council and head of the executive branch, and the council comprises the legislative and judicial branch of the administration. The system was modeled on the principles laid out by the central figures and described by Shoghi Effendi as the "Twin Pillars" of the administration. [2].

Jensen believed that Mason Remey's adopted son Joseph Pepe was the Guardian of the Faith when this council was formed, so thereby invited him, as Guardian, to be the president of the sIBC. Pepe publicly denied being the Guardian, and never accepted the position on Jensen's second International Bahá'í Council, which began a long series of debates between the two [3].

After the passing of Jensen in 1996, the leadership of the BUPC passed on to the sIBC. In 2001 one of Jensen's followers, Neal Chase, claimed to have been adopted and appointed privately by Pepe as the fourth Guardian and president of the sIBC. In 2002, members of the council took Chase to court over his claims, after he had declared these dissenting council members as Covenant-breakers (see BUPC disputes).

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  • Abdu'l-Bahá (1944). The Will and Testament of `Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í Publishing Trust, Wilmette, Illinois 60091.
  • Effendi, Shoghi (1974). The World Order of Bahá'u'lláh, Bahá'í Publishing Trust, Wilmette, Illinois 60091
  • Lamb, J.T. (2004). Over the Wall. Page 10 Publishers, Missoula Mt, 59802

[edit] External links