BAHÁ’Í ALPHABET SOUP: Acronyms – abbreviations – abstractions

Bahá’ís use specialized words and abbreviations, like other groups, to describe their activities and organization. Here is a brief directory to help you navigate some of these terms. These definitions are not all-encompassing. As our experience grows in applying Baha’u’llah’s Teachings to the life of society, so will our understanding of fundamental concepts.

A B M : Auxiliary Board members advise and encourage institutions and Bahá’ís within a given geographic area. Members are appointed by the Continental Counselors. There are more than 900 ABMs around the world, with about 120 serving in North America.

A B S : Association for Bahá’í Studies refers to several organizations worldwide whose purpose is to promote and disseminate scholarship on the Bahá’í Faith and on the application of its teachings and principles to various academic fields.

A B S –North America: has an office in Ottawa, Canada, and operates under the jurisdiction of the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada. The organization publishes a scholarly journal and books, and hosts an annual conference, seminars, and a number of collaborative initiatives, focused on building capacity to engage in discourse in a wide variety of fields.

Animator: A person who acts as a guide to young people between the ages of 11 and 14 (junior youth) by assisting them in developing their capacities, encouraging them to contribute to the betterment of society. Training for this role is the study of Book 5 (Releasing the Powers of Junior Youth) in the main sequence of Ruhi Institute study materials.

A T C : Area Teaching Committee members are appointed to serve in clusters in collaboration with other institutions and believers to advance aspects of teaching and community building work. They are appointed by the Regional Bahá’í Councils.

B I H E : The Bahá’í Institute of Higher Education is an alternative online educational institution established in the late 1980s in response to the banning of Bahá’ís from entering public and private universities in Iran.

B D S : Bahá’í Distribution Service is an arm of the Bahá’í Publishing Trust and operates two online stores: BahaiBookstore.com and BahaiMusicStore.com. Customers can choose from thousands of print and eBook titles in various world languages, as well as digital media in a variety of formats.

B I C : Bahá’í International Community is the body responsible for publicly representing the Bahá’í community on the international level. It also aims to make contributions to international policy discourse by offering insights from the Bahá’í teachings for the purpose of empowering humanity to work effectively toward spiritual and material betterment. With offices in Addis Ababa, Brussels, Geneva, Jakarta, and New York, the BIC has been registered with the United Nations as a non-governmental organization since 1948 and has consultative status with UN agencies such as the UN Economic and Social Council and the UN Children’s Fund.

B I D O : Bahá’í International Development Organization is a global institution established in 2018 by the Universal House of Justice that assumes and extends the functions and mandate previously carried out by the Office of Social and Economic Development. Its primary purpose is to facilitate the global process of learning about development unfolding in the Bahá’í world, by fostering and supporting action and reflection, the gathering and systematization of experience, conceptualization, and training carried out in the light of the teachings of the Faith. Ultimately, it seeks to foster a distinctly Bahá’í approach to development.

B P T : Bahá’í Publishing Trust issues publications under three imprints: Bahá’í Publishing for sacred and authoritative texts and books intended primarily for adults; Bellwood Press for children’s books; and One Voice Press for titles that may be less directly associated with the Faith. The Publishing Trust was established by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States at the instruction of Shoghi Effendi in 1955.

BOSA: Bahá’í Online Services Account allows members in the United States access to community resources, online balloting, contact information and the national guidance library.

B N C : Bahá’í National Center is the building that houses various offices and agencies that serve the National Spiritual Assembly and is located in Evanston, Illinois. In many countries, National Centers are situated in the capital city. In this country it is in proximity to the Bahá’í House of Worship for North America, in Wilmette, Illinois.

B N O : Bahá’í National Organization refers to the offices and agencies in various parts of the country, including the Bahá’í National Center, that serve the National Spiritual Assembly.

Brilliant Star: Digital content and a quarterly magazine inspired by the Bahá’í teachings of peace, justice, and unity. Brilliant Star encourages the love of learning and offers an imaginative world where kids can investigate their faith, strengths, and sense of purpose. All registered U.S. Bahá’í children between the ages of 7 and 12 receive a complimentary subscription to the printed version of Brilliant Star as a gift from the National Spiritual Assembly. Brilliant Star also develops free online resources for families, parents, and teachers to use at home or in the classroom.

B W C : Bahá’í World Center located in Haifa, Israel and its environs, is the spiritual and administrative heart of the Bahá’í community. The World Center consists of the Shrines of Bahá’u’lláh, the Báb, and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, other holy sites in the area, and administrative buildings, including the Seat of the Universal House of Justice, the International Teaching Center Building, the Center for the Study of the Texts and the International Bahá’í Archives.

B W N S : The Bahá’í World News Service is a publicly-accessible online service from the Bahá’í World Center which publishes news stories on advances in the Faith, such as progress in the construction of Houses of Worship, the convening of conferences, and the contribution of Bahá’ís to various discourses of society.

C B C : The Continental Boards of Counselors, established by the Universal House of Justice in 1968, assist with the protection and propagation of the Bahá’í Faith. They work to inspire and enlighten Bahá’ís in the application of Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings in their everyday lives. They encourage action, foster individual initiative, and promote learning. They nurture and advise communities and Spiritual Assemblies to empower them to become guiding lights for society at large. There are currently 90 Counselors who are appointed for renewable five-year terms. These Counselors appoint the members of Auxiliary Boards which assist in designated locales.

Cluster: a geographic construct, generally defined as a group of villages or as a city with its surrounding suburbs, intended to assist in planning and implementing activities associated with community life. Clusters take into account existing boundaries, social and economic factors. Clusters facilitate the systematization of the teaching work in manageable areas through the initiation and gradual strengthening of programs of growth.

Core Activities: are the undertakings of Bahá’í community life worldwide and are considered as the essential building blocks of community life. These are devotional meetings, study circles, junior youth groups and children’s classes.

Cycle: 1. A period of time in which the community engages in regular systematic learning. Cycles are typically three months in duration, with four per year and have expansion and consolidation phases. 2. A learning cycle: Study of guidance found in the Bahá’í writings, Consultation on resources and opportunities, Action in which plans are devised and carried out, and Reflection on process and outcomes.

Deepening: a focused study of sacred writings or guidance on a particular theme or subject, which may be undertaken by individuals or in groups to advance spiritual understanding.

Devotional: a gathering for prayer and worship. The participants, format, length, venue and content of each devotional meeting are flexible, and meetings can be spontaneous or planned.

Feast: regular community gatherings, occurring on or near the first day of each 19-day month of the Bahá’í calendar. Each Nineteen-Day Feast consists of a devotional, an administrative and a social component.

Fireside: an event held in a Bahá’í home to share the teachings of the Bahá’í Faith. These may be one-on-one conversations or organized gatherings with presentations and speakers. Shoghi Effendi advised that every Bahá’í should attempt to hold a fireside at least once every nineteen days.

The Bahá’í Fund: An account designated for the purpose of supporting a Bahá’í community and its institutions or for disbursement at the discretion of those institutions. Only Bahá’ís may give to the funds. Members consider it a privilege and obligation. There is no set amount or proportion of income to be paid, amounts given are private, and it is forbidden to compel individuals to donate. There are local, national and international Funds.

Program of Growth: is an organized community process to achieve development, expansion and consolidation of the Bahá’í community. Programs of Growth have clear goals and measurable targets, undertaken in cycles lasting about three months. Different phases of a cycle may focus on planning, teaching, consolidation and human resource development.

I P G : Intensive Program of Growth is a program of growth that has gained in intensity due to a relatively larger number of participants and core activities. One goal of the Nine Year Plan is to have 14,000 programs of growth, with 11,000 being intensive, by 2031.

I S G P : Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity is a Bahá’í-inspired non-profit research and educational organization. Among its lines of action are seminars for university students, and a seminar for graduates and young professionals. These seminars are offered in collaboration with national communities, and aim to foster the capacity of young people to relate the teachings of the Faith to social issues important to the advancement of civilization.

I T C : The International Teaching Center is an administrative institution based in Haifa, Israel, at the Bahá’í World Center. It consists of nine Counselor members appointed by the Universal House of Justice and is responsible for assisting with the protection and propagation of the Bahá’í Faith at the international level. Members, who serve in renewable five-year terms, work closely with the Continental Boards of Counselors to consolidate and disseminate learnings from communities across the Bahá’í world.

J Y : Junior Youth: young people between the ages of 11 and 14. The Universal House of Justice has attached great importance to this age group, describing them as a “special group with special needs, as they are somewhat in between childhood and youth.”

J Y S E P : Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program is a program for young people which instills a sense of direction into the lives of the participants, enabling them to see themselves as spiritual beings and active contributors to society. Specifically for ages 11 to 14, or “junior youth,” this global movement channels their energy to contribute to the well being of their neighborhoods and the world.

L S A : Local Spiritual Assembly. At the local level, the affairs of the Bahá’í community are administered by the annually elected nine-member Local Spiritual Assembly. In any town or city where at least nine adult Bahá’ís reside, a Local Assembly may be formed. The Assembly works to promote the spiritual education of children and youth. It safeguards the resources of the community and lovingly encourages the talents and energies of community members. The assembly also organizes the Nineteen Day Feast during which Bahá’ís gather for prayer, consultation on the affairs of the community, and fellowship. The elected Assembly functions as a body and makes decisions through consultations.

Milestone: (Milestones of growth) are a conceptual model with measurable goals for considering Bahá’í community development along a continuum.

N A B I : Native American Bahá’í Institute is a Bahá’í center of learning located on the Navajo Nation Reservation in Arizona.

N S A : National Spiritual Assembly. The responsibility of fostering vibrant spiritual communities at the national level lies with 180 National Spiritual Assemblies elected annually in their respective territories. These nine-member institutions lovingly inspire and guide the activities of their Bahá’í community. They channel the community’s financial resources, oversee relations with government and work closely with Regional Bahá’í Councils. National Assemblies serve as “faithful stewards and loyal trustees” of those who have chosen them. National Assemblies are elected annually by delegates who are themselves elected in district, or “unit” conventions. Each year, the delegates assemble at their national convention where they consult and share insights about the progress of the Bahá’í community and vote for the nine members of the National Spiritual Assembly.

Nucleus: A group of people connected by one or more shared lines of action dedicated to the growth of their local Bahá’í community.

O C S : The Online Contribution System is the official application used by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States to receive contributions to the Funds of the Bahá’í Faith. OCS allows registered members and Bahá’í Local Spiritual Assemblies from the United States to make and manage their contributions.

O P A : Office of Public Affairs represents the Bahá’í community on the national stage by contributing to the defense of persecuted Bahá’í communities and to some of the most urgent and timely discourses. The office draws on the collective experience of the Bahá’í community and works with like-minded organizations and thinkers to contribute to religious freedom and social progress.

Persian B M S : Persian Bahá’í Media Service creates and distributes media content that supports the efforts of the Bahá’í friends in Iran as they contribute to the betterment of their society according to their beliefs. It is a trusted source among Iranians and Persian speakers to receive factual information about the Bahá’í Faith and learn about the Bahá’í community as an active member of society engaged in social and moral transformation.

Pioneer: a Bahá’í who voluntarily leaves his or her home to live in another place (often another country) for the purpose of teaching the Bahá’í Faith and contributing to the Bahá’í community-building process.

The Plan(s) (current Nine Year Plan): guidance given by the leadership of the Bahá’í Faith to create unity of thought, vision, focus and action for the growth of the Faith. These plans originate with the 1919 publication of the Tablets of the Divine Plan, written by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to the Bahá’ís of North America, in which believers were asked to travel to other countries to spread the Faith. In the 1930s and 1940s, under the guidance of Shoghi Effendi, teaching goals were initiated and then coordinated globally, beginning in 1953 with the start of the Ten Year Crusade. Currently, the international Bahá’í community is in the midst of a Nine Year Plan, directed by the Universal House of Justice. This plan has a single aim, to “release of the society-building power of the Faith in ever-greater measures.”

Ruhi Institute: a Bahá’í training program focused on spiritual development and the practical application of Bahá’í principles. At the direction of the Universal House of Justice, Ruhi Institute training has been adopted as the standard curriculum for all Bahá’í Training Institutes worldwide.

R B C : Regional Bahá’í Council is an administrative institution between the local and national levels that fosters community growth and development under the auspices of the National Spiritual Assembly. Members of an RBC can be either elected or appointed, depending on local requirements and the condition of the Bahá’í community. There are currently 13 RBCs in the United States.

R T I : Regional Training Institutes in the U.S. operate under their respective Regional Bahá’í Councils. While training institutes had existed earlier in some countries, in 1996 the Universal House of Justice called for the development of a network of training institutes around the world to provide well-organized, regular programs to advance the expansion and consolidation of the Faith. The courses of the institute assist individuals to deepen their understanding of the Bahá’í teachings and to gain the spiritual insights and practical skills they need to build vibrant communities and “to release the society-building power of the Faith.”

Study Circle: a participatory gathering for the study of the institute courses and carrying out their associated practices, led by a tutor whose role is not to act as an expert, but rather to facilitate the rhythm and pace of the study. Study circles focus on sacred Writings as a means of finding unity of vision and action, and on artistic expression as a means of enhancing understanding. They include practical components such as service projects, through which the spiritual principles discussed may be translated into action.

U H J : Universal House of Justice is the supreme governing institution of the Bahá’í administrative order responsible for guiding, organizing and coordinating the activities of the international Bahá’í community. Sometimes also referred to as “the House,” its messages and statements are authoritative guidance to the Bahá’í community. The Bahá’í writings affirm that decisions made by the Universal House of Justice are “the source of all good and freed from all error.” Its nine members are elected for five-year terms by members of every National Spiritual Assembly casting votes at an International Convention.

W I : The Wilmette Institute is an online educational institution offering university and extension courses, certificate programs, webinars, and educational initiatives dedicated to building a new society through transformative education. Its educational programs aim to develop the capacity of participants to contribute meaningfully to the current discourses of society exploring both spiritual and material dimensions of our collective advancement.

W L G I  (Radio Bahá’í): is a non-commercial educational radio station based in South Carolina since 1984. It is hosted at the Louis G. Gregory Bahá’í Institute. The station is owned by the Regional Bahá’í Council of the Southeastern States and is currently funded wholly from contributions of the Bahá’ís of the United States. WLGI strives to reflect universal spiritual principles and the application of the Bahá’í teachings in its programming.

Compiled by Leslie Farrell and Joyce Litoff with thanks to Bahaipedia.org