Reverend Bahá’í and other imaginary people: the Bahá’í Administrative Order

The Bahá’í Faith has no clergy. This is sometimes lost even on those who mean to write non-fiction about it. I represent our local community in interfaith efforts and have been called a “Bahá’í pastor” repeatedly. Sorry, no such animal.

Bahá’u’lláh provided for the administration of His community through elected institutions of nine members at the local, national and global levels. Local Spiritual...