Organizational Development
Resources from Science and Bahá’í Writings

Last Revised: April 2014
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Topic	Secular Articles	Secular Videos	Bahá’í Scripture	Bahá’í Articles	All Internet Links
I.  Introduction
II. Vision & Mission
III. Strategic Plan
IV. People Resources
V. Capital Resources
VI. Technology Resources
VII. Leadership
VIII. Entrepreneurship
IX. Organizational Culture
X. Wellness & Sustainability

Two fundamental teachings of Bahá’u’lláh, Prophet Founder of the Bahá’í Faith, are that 1) we are personally responsible for investigating truth, and 2) we are to use science and religion as the standards for making judgments. These materials have been assembled to assist in that task.

         The first principle of Baha'u'llah is independent investigation of truth, that is, all the nations of the world have to investigate after truth independently and turn their eyes from the moribund blind imitations of the past ages entirely. Truth is one when it is independently investigated, it does not accept division. Therefore the independent investigation of truth will lead to the oneness of the world of humanity.
                    ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Japan Will Turn Ablaze, p. 35

        There is no contradiction between true religion and science. When a religion is opposed to science it becomes mere superstition: that which is contrary to knowledge is ignorance.
       How can a man believe to be a fact that which science has proved to be impossible? If he believes in spite of his reason, it is rather ignorant superstition than faith. The true principles of all religions are in conformity with the teachings of science.
       The Unity of God is logical, and this idea is not antagonistic to the conclusions arrived at by scientific study.
                     ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Paris Talks, p. 141

It is hoped that all the Bahá’í students will...be led to investigate and analyse the principles of the Faith and to correlate them with the modern aspects of philosophy and science.  Every intelligent and thoughtful young Bahá’í should always approach the Cause in this way, for therein lies the very essence of the principle of independent investigation of truth.
                      (Letter on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, 6 August 1933.)
                       Source: http://www.mediafire.com?mwjlvzotnzw

With regard to the harmony of science and religion, the Writings of the Central Figures and the commentaries of the Guardian make abun­dantly clear that the task of humanity, including the Baha’i community that serves as the "leaven" within it, is to create a global civilization which embodies both the spiritual and material dimen­sions of existence. The nature and scope of such a civilisation are still beyond anything the present generation can conceive. The prosecution of this vast enterprise will depend on a progressive inter­action between the truths and principles of religion and the discoveries and insights of scientific inquiry. This entails living with ambiguities as a natural and inescapable feature of the process of exploring reality. It also requires us not to limit science to any particular school of thought or methodological approach postulated in the course of its development. The challenge facing Baha’i thinkers is to provide responsible leadership in this endeavour, since it is they who have both the priceless insights of the Revelation and the advan­tages conferred by scientific investigation.
                     (Issues Related to the Study of the Baha’i Faith: Extracts from Letters written on behalf of the
                     Universal House of  Justice, May 1998.)
                     Source: http://bci.org/bahaistudies/reference_documents/scholcan.htm