The Baha'i Faith is an independent world religion. Its central theme is that humanity is one family and that the time has come for its unification into a peaceful global society. The Baha'i Faith was founded in Iran in 1844 and is now the second-most widely spread religion in the world. They come from all backgrounds and can be found in virtually every country on earth. The Founder of the Baha'i Faith, Baha’u’llah (1817-92), said that throughout history God has revealed Himself to humanity through a series of divine Messengers, whose teachings guide and educate us and provide the basis for the advancement of human society. These Messengers have included Abraham, Krishna, Zoroaster, Moses, Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad, the Bab and Baha’u’llah. Their religions come from the same divine source and are in essence successive chapters of one religion from God. Baha’u’llah proclaimed that He was the latest of these Messengers and that He brought new spiritual and social teachings for our time.
“A new life is, in this age, stirring within all the peoples of the earth,” Baha’u’llah said. The worldwide Baha'i community is working to put Baha'u'llah’s vision of a peaceful and united global society, encompassing the spiritual and material dimensions of life, into practice. Australian Baha’is come from a variety of national, ethnic and occupational backgrounds. We worship, serve and learn together as equals. We work side by side with other Australians as we learn how to be an effective, positive force in the community based on our commitment to peace, the oneness of humanity and the unity of religions. Many Australians are attracted by the inspiring spirituality of our Faith, its vision of a global civilisation and its participatory and inclusive organisation. They want to fulfil their own potential and play their part in building a better world. We encourage enquiries and like to hear from people interested in joining or working with us to learn how to implement Baha’i principles so that we can address the challenges facing us, our families and our world. We welcome new members, but it is not our way to push the teachings of the Baha’i Faith on anyone. We also offer a warm invitation to anyone wanting to attend our devotional meetings, study circles, empowerment programs for junior youth and classes for children. There is no requirement to be a member of the Baha’i community to fully participate in these activities. History
The Australian Baha’i community has its roots in the dedication of a small group of people nearly a century ago. In 1920, Englishman John Henry Hyde Dunn, and his English-Irish wife, Clara, arrived in Australia from the United States, where they had both emigrated. They were the first Baha’is to settle in this country. In 1922 the first Australians joined the Faith. They were Oswald Whitaker, a Sydney optometrist, and Effie Baker, a Melbourne photographer. Soon Baha’i groups sprang up around the country. By 1934 there were enough Baha’is to elect a national governing body, the first National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Australia and New Zealand (New Zealand later formed its own National Spiritual Assembly). In 1955 Fred Murray of South Australia was among the first Aboriginal people to become a Baha’i. The Baha’i Temple at Ingleside, Sydney was opened in 1961 and became the public symbol of a growing Baha’i community reaching out to the wider society. The size and diversity of the community was boosted in the 1980s when Australia opened its doors to those fleeing the resurgence of persecution of Baha’is in Iran. Their subsequent settlement, integration and contribution to Australian life have been a major success story. In recent years, the Faith has gained a higher profile through its activities for peace, human rights, interfaith harmony and gender equality, as well as the religious education we provide in many State schools in Australia. Many Australians now encounter the Australian Baha’i Community through the services we offer in neighbourhoods and other grassroots activities in many parts of Australia. The essence of being a Baha'i is to help humanity. We try to live up to that calling as we go about our daily lives. It provides a great sense of personal satisfaction and spiritual upliftment, and gives meaning and purpose to our lives. This can start from childhood. Small-scale service projects often arise in Baha'i children’s classes when children explore ways to contribute to their family, school and community. For example, children from the Baha'i children's classes in South Perth raised funds for the WA Cancer Council by holding a "Kidz Cafe" for their family and friends. Often Baha'i youth will decide to devote a year of their lives to a voluntary "youth year of service”. Many of them choose to help out in places ranging from remote Aboriginal communities to villages in the Pacific, inner suburbs of our cities, or the Baha’i World Centre in Haifa, Israel. All Baha’is are encouraged by the sacred writings of our Faith to choose a career in which we can render service to the community. Paid and unpaid work performed in a spirit of service is ranked as a form of worship. Many Baha'is volunteer to teach Baha’i classes in state schools or to run junior youth programs or to work with their neighbours in offering programs for the moral development of children. Others host devotional meetings or spiritual study circles. Australian Baha’is come from many backgrounds and walks of life. Some of us were raised as Baha’i children and others discovered the Baha’i teachings later in life and decided to become members. What unites us is our belief in Baha’u’llah and our commitment to serve humanity and to practise the teachings of our Faith in our daily lives. You can read about the thoughts and experiences of some Australian Baha’is by selecting from the menu. You can also view some short videos of Australian Baha'is reflecting on what the Baha'i Faith means to them. You need a recent version of Flash Player installed to view these presentations. https://www.bahai.org.au/Home.aspx
