date |
event |
locations |
tags |
see also |
1922 5 Mar |
Shoghi Effendi writes to the American Bahá'ís calling for the establishment of local assemblies wherever nine or more believers reside and directing that all activities be placed under the authority of the local and national assemblies. [BA17-25; BBRSM120-1; CB300] |
BWC |
Shoghi Effendi, Life of; Shoghi Effendi, Basic timeline; Local Spiritual Assemblies; National Spiritual Assemblies; Administration |
|
1922 Apr |
Shoghi Effendi sent verbal messages through Consul Schwarz to Germany and Ethel Rosenberg to Britain to form local spiritual assemblies and to arrange for the election of a national spiritual assembly in each country. [CB293; ER209, 211-12; PP56] To the United States and Canada he sent a message to transform the 'Executive Board' into a legislative institution. [CB293; CT160; ER211-12; PP56] |
Germany; United Kingdom; United States; Canada |
Shoghi Effendi, Life of; Consuls; Albert Schwarz; Ethel Rosenberg; National Spiritual Assemblies; Local Spiritual Assemblies; Spiritual Assemblies; Executive Board |
|
1923 Dec |
The first local spiritual assembly in Australia is formed in Melbourne. |
Melbourne; Australia |
Local Spiritual Assemblies; First Local Spiritual Assemblies |
|
1924 Jul |
The second local spiritual assembly in Australia is formed in Perth. |
Perth; Australia |
Local Spiritual Assemblies |
|
1925 10 Apr |
Shoghi Effendi writes to the American National Spiritual Assembly indicating that the word ‘assembly’ is to apply only to the elected body of nine believers in each locality or to the national assembly, not to the believers as a whole. [BA83; SBBH258] |
United States |
Administration; National Spiritual Assemblies; Local Spiritual Assemblies; Spiritual Assemblies |
|
1933 25 Nov |
The first Spiritual Assembly of Addis Ababa was formed. [BW6:70]- The community is established by Sabri Elias, a pioneer from Egypt who thus earned the title Knight of Bahá'u'lláh. [BW6:70]
- Ethiopia is the only independent Kingdom in Africa at this date. [BW6:70]
- Wikipedia says that the Assembly was formed in "late 1934".
|
Addis Ababa; Ethiopia |
First Local Spiritual Assemblies; Sabri Elias; Knights of Bahaullah |
|
1939 Ridván |
The first Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Budapest is elected. There are about 14 believers in the community, mostly of Jewish ancestry. This will cause difficulty for the community in the Nazi persecutions that are to follow. [Rebirth: Memoirs of Renée Szanto-Felbermann p108]
According to the description of Renée Szántó-Felbermann, they could not even meet in Budapest: „It was at their (the Sugárs) house in Alag (today part of Budakeszi) that we elected the first Spiritual Assembly in the history of Hungary, Ridvan 1939. When we boarded the train for Alag, in order to avoid suspicion, we Bahá’ís did not remain together, but went by twos and threes. The same procedure was repeated on our arrival to Alag. It was a memorable, unforgettable evening, that Feast of Ridván in the small house at Alag fragrant with spring flowers. We were all deeply moved. And our dear Bertha Matthiesen was radiant. … Jenő Sugár was elected chairman, Mária Kleinberger became treasurer and I continued as secretary.” [www.bahai.hu]
- Ms Bertha Matthiesen spends a lot of time in Hungary between 1937 and 1939 when most declarations take place and the first spiritual assembly is formed.
[www.bahai.hu]
- Mr Emeric Sala (Imre Szalavetz) a Canadian Bahá'í who was born in Hungary visits Budapest in 1933 and in 1937.
[www.bahai.hu]
- Canadian travel teacher Ms Lorol Schopflocher visits Budapest in March-April 1937.
[www.bahai.hu]
|
Budapest; Hungary |
First Local Spiritual Assemblies; World War II; War (general); Persecution, Hungary; Persecution, Other; Persecution; Jews |
|
1939 12 Dec |
The Bahá’ís of Caracas, Venezuela, hold their first Nineteen Day Feast and afterwards elect a ‘Provisional Assembly’. |
Caracas; Venezuela |
Nineteen Day Feast; Local Spiritual Assemblies; Firsts, Other |
|
1943 |
The first Local Spiritual Assembly was formed in Jamaica. [BWNS233] |
Jamaica |
First Local Spiritual Assemblies; BWNS |
|
1943 4 Sep |
The first local spiritual assembly in Alaska is established at Anchorage. |
Anchorage; Alaska; United States |
First Local Spiritual Assemblies |
|
1955 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly of French Togoland (Togo) formed at Lomé. |
Lome; French Togoland (Togo); Togo |
First Local Spiritual Assemblies |
|
1958 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in the Kingdom of Tonga is formed at Nuku’alofa. |
Nukualofa; Tonga |
First Local Spiritual Assemblies |
|
1958 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly of Macau is formed. |
Macau |
LSA; First Local Spiritual Assemblies |
|
1958 Ridván |
The formation of the first local spiritual assembly of Taipei. [The Taiwan Bahá'í Chronicle by Barbara R. Sims p25] |
Teipei; Taiwan |
LSA; First Local Spiritual Assemblies |
|
1977 14 Sep |
The first local spiritual assembly in the Galapagos Islands is formed on Santa Cruz. |
Galapagos Islands; Ecuador |
First Local Spiritual Assemblies |
|
1989 Ridván |
The Local Spiritual Assembly of ‘Ishqábád (now Ashgabat, Turkmenistan) is re-formed after a lapse of 61 years, the first local assembly to be formed in the Soviet Union. [AWH73; VV111] |
Ishqabad; Turkmenistan; Soviet Union; Russia |
First Local Spiritual Assemblies |
|
1990 1990 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in Estonia is formed at Tallinn. [BINS223:3] |
Tallinn; Estonia |
First Local Spiritual Assemblies |
|
1990 Ridván |
The first local assembly to be formed in Hungary since before the Second World War is elected in Budapest. [BINS223:4] - The assembly was first elected in 1939 but lapsed during the war. [BINS223:4]
|
Budapest; Hungary |
Local Spiritual Assemblies |
|
1990 Ridván |
The re-formation of the Spiritual Assembly of Moscow with Hand of the Cause 'Alí-Akbar Furútan in attendance. [VV111-2] |
Moscow; Russia |
Local Spiritual Assemblies; Re-formation |
|
1990 6 Aug |
The first local spiritual assembly in the Ukraine is formed in Kyiv. |
Kyiv; Ukraine |
First Local Spiritual Assemblies |
Find ref |
1990 8 Sep |
The first local spiritual assembly on Sakhalin Island is formed in Yuzhno. [BINS232:5] |
Yuzhno; Sakhalin Island; Russia |
Local Spiritual Assemblies |
|
1991 Jan |
The first local spiritual assembly in Slovakia is formed in Bratislava. |
Bratislava; Slovakia |
First Local Spiritual Assemblies |
Find ref |
1991 2 Jan |
The first local spiritual assembly in Bulgaria is formed in Plovdiv. [BINS239:2] |
Plovdiv; Bulgaria |
First Local Spiritual Assemblies |
|
1991 25 Jan |
The first local spiritual assembly in Latvia is formed in Riga. [BINS241:3] |
Riga; Latvia |
Local Spiritual Assemblies; First Local Spiritual Assemblies |
|
1997 Ridván |
The Universal House of Justice restricted the formation of Local Spiritual Assemblies to the first day of Riḍván. This measure had the effect anticipated, a decrease in the number of these institutions but the fall was not drastic. [Message from the Universal House of Justice Ridván 2000] |
Worldwide |
Ridvan; Elections; Administration; Local Spiritual Assemblies; LSA, formation of; Growth; Statistics; Bahai Faith, Evolutionary nature of; Maturity |
|
1997 30 May |
In its message of 30 May 1997 the Universal House of Justice announced that they have authorized the formation of "State Bahá'í Councils" or "Regional Teaching and Administrative Committees" to be called "Regional Bahá'í Councils. Their intention was to provide a balance between centralization and decentralization. This structure had been in place in some countries, notably India, for some years prior to this time. See 23 May, 1986. [TP87-90]
For a synopsis of the letter see The Establishment of Regional Bahá'í Councils in Certain Countries, Their Characteristics and Functions.
The distinguishing effects of the establishment of Regional Bahá’í Councils are the following:
- It provides for a level of autonomous decision making on both teaching and administrative matters, as distinct from merely executive action, below the National Assembly and above the Local Assemblies.
- It involves the members of Local Spiritual Assemblies of the area in the choice of the members of the Council, thus reinforcing the bond between it and the local believers while, at the same time, bringing into public service capable believers who are known to the friends in their own region.
- It establishes direct consultative relationships between the Continental Counselors and the Regional Bahá’í Councils.
- It offers the possibility of forming a Regional Bahá’í Council in an ethnically distinct region which covers parts of two or more countries. In such a situation the Council is designated to work directly under one of the National Assemblies involved, providing copies of its reports and minutes to the other National Assembly.
- The greater degree of decentralization involved in the devolution of authority upon Regional Bahá’í Councils requires a corresponding increase in the capacity of the National Spiritual Assembly itself to keep fully informed of what is proceeding in all parts of the territory over which it has ultimate jurisdiction.
|
BWC; Haifa |
State Bahai Councils; Regional Bahai Councils; National Spiritual Assemblies; Local Spiritual Assemblies; Administration |
|