Modernity and the millennium

By Juan Ricardo Cole

Book Description

In this groundbreaking scholarly exploration, Juan Ricardo Cole examines how a nineteenth-century spiritual movement navigated the profound social transformations reshaping the Middle East. Through the lens of the Baha'i faith, founded by the Iranian prophet Baha'u'llah, readers discover how religious communities responded to the sweeping changes that defined the modern era.

Cole traces the intricate relationship between spiritual vision and social reality as Baha'u'llah and his followers encountered five pivotal developments: the separation of religious and governmental authority, the transition from autocratic rule toward democratic ideals, the emergence of nation-states, the rise of nationalist movements, and the growing advocacy for women's rights.

The book reveals how this emerging faith community embraced certain aspects of modernity while offering what Cole terms a "utopian realist" critique of its darker manifestations. Readers will explore the Baha'i approach to religious tolerance and democratic principles alongside their resistance to militant secularization, industrial warfare, ethnic persecution, and economic oppression.

Drawing upon leading social theorists including Habermas and Giddens, this work illuminates not only the birth of a world religion but also the broader cultural and social shifts that transformed Iranian and Middle Eastern society during this pivotal century. For those seeking to understand how spiritual movements engage with social change, this study offers valuable insights into the complex dance between tradition and transformation.