Religion and Relevance: The Bahá’ís in Britain, 1899-1930

Studies in the Babi and Baha’i Religions, Volume 24

A pioneering effort to understand the origins and development of the British Bahá’í community. It is the first academic volume devoted to the history of the Bahá’í Faith in Britain.

The book outlines the story of the first people in the British Isles to identify themselves as Bahá’ís, and tracks their transition from interest in a fascinating new philosophy to membership in a burgeoning world religion. This work does not seek to answer the question of “why” people became Bahá’ís, rather it considers “how.” Using cognitive linguistic theory, and an early understanding of women and the social cohesion of movements, it explains the networks through which the Bahá’í teachings were disseminated. A must-read for anyone seriously interested in the history of the Bahá’í Faith in the West.