What it means for our work to be Bahá'í-inspired.
The Institute is Bahá'í-inspired — meaning that the principles of the Bahá'í Faith inform the substance and the spirit of the work, while the work itself remains open to participation by all.
The principles that shape the work
Bahá'u'lláh taught that humanity is one — that the diverse peoples of the world are members of a single human family. He taught that science and religion are complementary instruments of understanding, that the equality of women and men is a fundamental requirement of human progress, that justice and the elimination of prejudice are the cornerstones of any peaceful society, and that the purpose of human life is to know God, to love God, and to advance the betterment of the world.
These principles shape the Institute's work — they inform the texts we study, the qualities we cultivate in children and junior youth, the ways we work together, and our aspirations for a society in which every soul can flourish.
Why we are open to all
The Bahá'í community holds that the perfecting of the human individual is a personal journey of the heart, and that the recognition of Bahá'u'lláh — when it comes — is the result of a soul's own search, not of persuasion. We therefore offer the Institute's courses and activities freely to anyone who wishes to take part, without expectation of religious commitment, and we are content to walk alongside any friend at the pace of their own questioning.
In our experience, this openness is the source of much that is beautiful in our work. The friendships that grow up around a children's class or a junior youth group cross every line of difference. Catholic and Muslim parents have their children in the same class as Hindu and Bahá'í and humanist parents. All are welcome. All belong.