Bahai Library Online

The list below may be incomplete, as many older documents are
incompletely tagged. Please see the list and email us to help.

Tag: "Civilization"

tag name: Civilization type: Miscellaneous; Science: natural, social, and applied
web link: bahai-library.com/tags/Civilization
variations or
mis-spellings:
global civilization; material and spiritual civilization
related tags: History (general)
referring tags: Advancement of civilization; Barbarity; Moderation; Society building
Inventory subject: Greek philosophers; Greek civilization; Materialism; material vs. spiritual civilization; Means of establishment of future civilization; Progress and the continual ascent of material civilization; Two kinds of civilization; material and spiritual civilization
notes:

"... Material civilization is like unto the lamp, while spiritual civilization is the light in that lamp. If the material and spiritual civilization become united, then we will have the light and the lamp together, and the outcome will be perfect. For material civilization is like unto a beautiful body, and spiritual civilization is like unto the spirit of life. If that wondrous spirit of life enters this beautiful body, the body will become a channel for the distribution and development of the perfections of humanity..."

– 'Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, talk no. 5 (14 April 1912)

See also:

Bahai.org: An Ever-Advancing Civilization – Coherence Between the Spiritual and Material

bahaidata.org: Q1276   ·   Links to Bahá'í wikis (bahai9, bahaipedia, etc.)
references: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civilization; bahaipedia.org/Civilization; www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/search#q=Civilization; www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/search#q=Civilization material spiritual

"Civilization" has been tagged in:

56 results from the Main Catalog

from the main catalog (56 results; expand)

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  1. 2025-07. Bahá'í Sacred Writings. Bahá'u'lláh, Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í World Centre, comp. . — A comprehensive collection of selections from the Writings of Baha’u’llah and the Writings and u...
  2. 2025-04-21. Global Community, A. Bahá'í World. — The global Baha’i community advances unity, social transformation, and spiritual principles throug...
  3. 2025. Toward a Bahá'í Political Philosophy: Manifestation, Authority, and the Form of Civilizational Unity. Iman Motlagh Arani. — On a systematic political philosophy of the Baha’i Faith, which unites metaphysical origins with a...
  4. 2025. From Sensate Decline to Spiritual Renewal: Sorokin, the Crisis of Meaning, and the Bahá'í Faith. Behrooz Sabet. — On Sorokin’s cyclical theory of cultural change in light of the contemporary crisis of meaning and...
  5. 2024. Essay on Bahá'í Philosophy, An: Expanded with an Additional Section. Behrooz Sabet. — Outline of a Baha’i-inspired philosophy that bridges science, religion, and classical thought, off...
  6. 2023-11-28. Reflections on the First Century of the Formative Age. Universal House of Justice. — Overview of the Faith's developments and activities during the previous century, including the Guard...
  7. 2022-11-01. Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Nine Year Plan. Universal House of Justice. — Matters relating to the Nine Year Plan (2022-2031), ethnic and cultural diversity, humanity's crisis...
  8. 2022. 'Abdu'l-Bahá on the World Stage. Iraj Ghanooni, Naeem Nabiliakbar, trans, Adib Masumian, trans. . — A contrast of the spiritual purpose of ‘Abdu'l-Baha's first visit to Paris with the secular aims o...
  9. 2022. Qur'anic Kerygma: Epic, Apocalypse, and Typological Figuration. Todd Lawson. — Article contains no mention of the Babi or Baha'i Faiths, but includes themes of relevance to Baha'i...
  10. 2022. Reis naar het Hart van de Qur'án: Het Heilige Boek van de islam voor hen die nadenken (door een niet-moslim). David Russell Garcia, Kees Poolman, trans. . — Een overzicht van de Koran en zijn thema's: islam versus het christendom; wetten, geestelijke en soc...
  11. 2021-05. Secret of Divine Civilization, The. Fariba Moghadam. — Overview of the history Abdu'l-Baha's treatise, and its themes presented through a compilation of qu...
  12. 2020-04-10. Writings of the Báb, The: Notes from Talks given by Dr. Nader Saiedi. Nader Saiedi, Anonymous, comp. . — Structured summarized notes from Dr. Saiedi’s 2019 talks on the Bab’s Writings, delivered at the...
  13. 2020. Muhammad as Educator, Islam as Enlightenment, and the Quran as Sacred Epic. Todd Lawson. — To Islam, civilization in prosperity and harmony is sacred; education is pivotal in the journey from...
  14. 2019. Writings of the Báb: Lecture Series at the Norwegian Summer School. Nader Saiedi. — On topics including the concept of God; Manifestations of God; Day of Resurrection, heaven and hell;...
  15. 2018/2025. Additional Tablets, Extracts and Talks. Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í World Centre, trans. . — 216 selections, last updated 2025.
  16. 2017-09-18. Verge of the New, The: A Series of Talks. Steven Phelps. — Introducing a way of looking at the past and future of religion in the context of the scientific rev...
  17. 2017-03-03. Toward Prosperity: The Role of Women and Men in Building a Flourishing World Civilization. Bahá'í International Community. — Calls for gender equality, moral education, and inclusive systems to build a just, prosperous world ...
  18. 2017. Religion in an Ever-Advancing Civilization. Bahá'í International Community. — On the unity of humanity and the decline and renewal of religion.
  19. 2017. Themes of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Tablets of The Divine Plan Illustrated by Scriptural References to the Bible and the Qur'án. Lameh Fananapazir. — The Tablets of the Divine Plan, as well as Abdu'l-Baha's Will and Testament and the Tablet of Carmel...
  20. 2015. Theses on Modernity and the Bahá'í Faith. Mikhail Sergeev. — On how new religious movements respond to modernity; cycles of religion; project of modernity; cultu...
  21. 2013. Materials Studied at the 114 Global Youth Conferences in 2013. Bahá'í World Centre. — Compilation presenting materials studied during the global Baha’i youth conferences in 2013, organ...
  22. 2012. Human Knowledge and the Advancement of Society. Hoda Mahmoudi. — Knowledge is the means toward realizing a global civilization. The current Five Year Plan focuses th...
  23. 2012. 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Encounter with Modernity during His Western Travels. Wendi Momen. — Abdu'l-Baha's responses to the West's technology and innovations on the one hand, vs. its archaic ra...
  24. 2010. Historical Consciousness and the Divine Plan. Douglas Martin. — A series of eight short talks (total around two hours), in both audio and video formats, on the evol...
  25. 2009. As It Was in the Days of Noah: So Unfolds the Surprising Fulfilment of Biblical Foresights of the 'Return'. Don Dainty. — Booklet exploring the biblical and Baha'i concept that rejection of the Manifestation results in cal...
  26. 2008. Permanence of Change, The: Contemporary Sociological and Bahá'í Perspectives. Hoda Mahmoudi. — Sociohistorical changes of the Axial Age and the Renaissance, sociological views on modernity and it...
  27. 2007-08-16. Generation of Knowledge and the Advancement of Civilization. Haleh Arbab.
  28. 2006. Andalusí Theosophy: A Recontextualization. Vahid Brown. — The role of interconfessionalism in the emergence of Islamic and Jewish theosophical movements in ...
  29. 2005. 'Abdu'l Bahá's Tablet of the Two Calls: Civilizing Barbarity. Manooher Mofidi. — The relatioship between civilization and barbarity, and the capabilities of humanity.
  30. 2005. One Common Faith. Universal House of Justice. — Examines humanity’s spiritual crisis, critiques materialism and religious division, and affirms re...
  31. 2004. La Cultura Hispano Árabe en Latino América. Boris Handal. — The influence of the Hispano-Arab culture in Latin American history, from a linguistic point of view...
  32. 2003-10. Voyage to the Heart of the Koran: The Holy Book of Islám for Thinking Minds (By a Non-Muslim). David Russell Garcia. — A lengthy overview of the Qur'an and its themes for a Baha'i audience; holy war and fighting; reason...
  33. 2002. Creation. Lasse Thoresen. — Contributing to the creation of a new civilization as a researcher or an artist means participating ...
  34. 2000. Fact and Fiction: Interrelationships between History and Imagination. Bahíyyih Nakhjavání. — On the tension between "fact" and "fiction," between objective history and our relative and subjecti...
  35. 1999. Characteristics of Bahá'í Administrative Order and Liberal Democratic Notions: A Comparative Study. Farzin Aghdasi. — Characteristics of Western civilization and its forms of democratic government; the Baha'i Administr...
  36. 1999. Knowledge and Civilization: Implications for the Community and the Individual. Farzam Arbab. — Exploration of the relationship between science and religion as two great systems of knowledge that ...
  37. 1997. Medieval Islam: The Influence of Islam on Judaism and Christianity. Anjam Khursheed. — Prior to the Renaissance, Islam inspired revivals in the cultural traditions of Christianity and Jud...
  38. 1996-05-13. Disintegration of Society and the Development of a New Order. Universal House of Justice. — On the disintegration of society and the development of a new order, and how the advancement of civi...
  39. 1995-10. Baha'i Approach, The: Moderation in Civilization. Arthur Lyon Dahl. — Baha'i approach to nature and ecology.
  40. 1994. Les Paradigmes cachés de l'histoire: Comparaison de l'histoire des premiers siècles du christianisme et de la foi bahà'ie. Jean-Marc Lepain. — Exploration of some lessons from history relevant to our era and our near future, from the perspecti...
  41. 1993. Kitab-i-Aqdas: Its Place in Bahá'í literature. Bahá'í World Centre Office of Public Information. — Offers a broad introduction to the Aqdas and its themes.
  42. 1991. "Evolution of Reality," by George Land: Commentary. Tony Michel.
  43. 1990. Evolution of Reality, The. George Land. — Entropy maintains that all structures eventually decay. Humanity's challenge is to understand that n...
  44. 1985. Commentary on the Saying "Knowledge is Twenty-Seven Letters", A. Mírzá Abu'l-Faḍl Gulpáygání, Juan Cole, trans. . — An explanation of a saying of Imam Ja'far as Sadiq, which was quoted in the Kitab-i-Iqan, about the ...
  45. 1985. Letters and Essays, 1886-1913. Mírzá Abu'l-Faḍl Gulpáygání, Juan Cole, trans. . — Treatises of "the greatest and most learned of all Baha'i scholars" about Alexander Tumansky; on mee...
  46. 1971. Unity of Civilization, The. Robley Edward Whitson. — Excerpt of a chapter on unity of humankind and civilizations. No mention of the Baha'i Faith, but th...
  47. 1970. Unity of Nations, The. Albert Ross Vail, Emily McLellan Vail. — A meditation on Baha'i-inspired themes of peace and the betterment of society. Does not mention the ...
  48. 1969. Message to the Indian and Eskimo Bahá'ís of the Western Hemisphere. Rúhíyyih Khánum. — Letter to Native American and Inuit believers, about the assurance given in the Baha'i Writings that...
  49. 1963. Islamic Contributions to Civilization. Stanwood Cobb. — Overview of the many inventions and sciences which were developed by or transmitted by Islamic peopl...
  50. 1957 [1875]. Secret of Divine Civilization. Abdu'l-Bahá, Marzieh Gail, trans. . — Originally issued anonymously in 1875, this was ʻAbdu'l-Baha's program for the developmental reform...
  51. 1954. Cause of the Rise and Fall of Civilizations, The. Ruth Moffett. — A chart correlating the growth of maturity of humanity and the evolution of religions with major eve...
  52. 1953. Muhammad the Educator. Robert L. Gulick. — On the life of Muhammad from the standpoint of influence on world culture. What methods did he use t...
  53. 1939. Heart of the Gospel: The Bible and the Bahá'í Faith. George Townshend. — Using only the text of the Bible, Townshend provides a new reading of Scripture as a guidebook for t...
  54. 1934. Security for a Failing World. Stanwood Cobb. — An overview of the influence of religion on the world and its relation to modern problems. Baha'i pr...
  55. 1907-10. Extracts from Notes Taken at Acca. Aline Shane-Devin. — Discussion on spiritual concepts, prayer, the importance of loving and understanding God; creation a...
  56. 1902. Divine Revelation: The Basis of All Civilization. Anton Haddad. — Commentary on the influence of the Prophets on human society.
 
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