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Advancing Beyond the Rabbani Charitable Trust
Bahá’í Conference in Orlando
Dear Friends of the Trust,
Early in 2013 the Rabbani Charitable Trust announced its
decision that it was timely to bring to a close the annual
event known as the Rabbani Trust Bahá’í
Conference in Orlando and that the 20th such Conference held
in December 2012 would be the final one of the series.
That communication went on to say that the Trust and the
National Spiritual Assembly were embarking on a process of
active consultation, pursuant to the guidance of the Universal
House of Justice, concerning the evolution and continuing
development of the Trust’s services to the Faith. And
further that “our goal is unity of vision, purpose and
action – and as these consultations bear fruit over the
coming months, we will be pleased to report on the
results.”
A subsequent update made mention of the Trust’s
continuing active exploration of other options of service and
continuing consultation with the National Spiritual Assembly.
A significant number of months now having passed, we felt it
timely to provide another update.
After exploring a number of possibilities for the future
direction of the work of the Trust, the Trustees concluded
that the guidance from the Universal House of Justice to
“...more directly support the progress of the
Faith” could best be achieved by seeking a way to
support the work of the Five Year Plan in a direct and
coherent manner. In consultation with Secretary of the
National Spiritual Assembly Kenneth Bowers, we jointly
concluded that the fundamental questions for our focus were:
How can the Trust (and/or others outside the administrative
order) complement the work of the Institutions? (and) If this
is feasible, by what process could we determine the
contribution to be made? It was agreed that the approach to be
used to try to discover the answers to these questions would
include participation in one of the Bahá’í
Social Action Seminars, followed by a visit to one of the
learning sites, followed by another consultation with Mr.
Bowers.
Having participated in one of the National Spiritual Assembly
sponsored Social Action Seminars, which involved intensive
study of and consultation concerning OSED’s 2012
Statement on Social Action, and having completed an extensive
visit to the East Valley learning site in the vicinity of
Phoenix, Arizona, followed by another consultation with Mr.
Bowers, we have emerged with some significant insights. These
include a much greater understanding of the vision of the
Universal House of Justice (and consequently the NSA)
regarding Social Action.
It has been a long road of discovery and prayerful reflection,
but we are now attaining some clarity about the answers to the
fundamental questions mentioned above. We have gained the
conviction that it is possible for much good to be done by
entities outside the administrative order and that such
entities are a resource that should not be ignored. And it
seems very clear that the highly dynamic process
(characterized by continuous learning and being guided by the
Institutions) of evolution and growth we have observed
continuously unfolding around us does not lend itself to
solitary decision-making by an entity, such as the Trust,
seeking to complement the work of the Institutions.
If an entity such as the Trust wishes to complement the work
of the Institutions in a way that is fully coherent, timely
and provides maximum value, there must be close collaboration
and consultation as the basis for identifying a path of
service.
If this collaboration is to work effectively, such an entity
must also find ways to stay close to the learning that is
taking place in the advanced sites, because that’s where
the Institutions are focused. Entities could then, from a
position of being well-informed about developments at the
forefront, consult with the NSA on how best to contribute
means or services that are fully coherent with that
institution’s work.
This spirit of consultation with the Institutions to
facilitate coherent collaboration is clearly and beautifully
expressed in the words of Shoghi Effendi, as shared with us in
the 2010 guidance we received from the House of Justice.
“Nothing short of the spirit of earnest and
sustained consultation with those whom we have prayerfully
and of our own accord placed in the forefront of those who
are the custodians of the priceless heritage bequeathed by
Bahá’u'lláh; nothing less than persistent and
strenuous warfare against our own instincts and natural
inclinations, and heroic self-sacrifice in subordinating
our own likings to the imperative requirements of the
Cause of God, can insure our undivided loyalty to so
sacred a principle—a principle that will for all
time safeguard our beloved Cause from the allurements and
the trivialities of the world without, and of the pitfalls
of the self within.”
The Trust, in conjunction with the National Spiritual
Assembly, is now pursuing this approach. As this process of
learning and collaboration proceeds, we welcome your prayers
on our behalf and any feedback, comments or suggestions you
may wish to offer. Just email us at email [at]
rabbanitrust.org.
With loving greetings,
The Rabbani Charitable Trust
Support for the work of the Trust is most welcome! (click
here to learn how)
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