Ten Year Crusade
Encyclopedia
The Ten Year World Crusade (10 Year World Crusade) (1953-1963) was launched by Shoghi Effendi
in an effort to facilitate an organized expansion of the Bahá'í Faith
.
Among the goals of the plan, the Bahá'ís began an enormous effort of teaching and consolidating their Faith, and in 1963 the plan culminated with the first election of the Universal House of Justice
, which today remains as the highest elected body of the Bahá'í Faith.
The four primary goals http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/se/MBW/mbw-24.html#gr3 of the Ten Year Crusade were outlined as follows:
A further list of goals for the Ten Year Crusade by Shoghi Effendi can be found in his Messages to the Bahá'í World.
To those Bahá'ís who arose to open new territories to the Faith during the Ten Year Crusade, the title 'Knight of Bahá'u'lláh
' was given.
Before the plan was completed, Shoghi Effendi died in 1957 and the Hands of the Cause
continued the Ten Year Crusade following Shoghi Effendi's instructions until the formation of the Universal House of Justice in 1963.
After its election, the House of Justice wrote:
Shoghi Effendi
Shoghí Effendí Rabbání , better known as Shoghi Effendi, was the Guardian and appointed head of the Bahá'í Faith from 1921 until his death in 1957...
in an effort to facilitate an organized expansion of the Bahá'í Faith
Bahá'í Faith
The Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in 19th-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories....
.
Among the goals of the plan, the Bahá'ís began an enormous effort of teaching and consolidating their Faith, and in 1963 the plan culminated with the first election of the Universal House of Justice
Universal House of Justice
The Universal House of Justice is the supreme governing institution of the Bahá'í Faith. It is a legislative institution with the authority to supplement and apply the laws of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, and exercises a judicial function as the highest appellate institution in the...
, which today remains as the highest elected body of the Bahá'í Faith.
The four primary goals http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/se/MBW/mbw-24.html#gr3 of the Ten Year Crusade were outlined as follows:
- a) the development of institutions at the World Centre;
- b) consolidation of the twelve countries where the Faith was well established;
- c) consolidation of all other territories already open; and
- d) the opening of the remaining "chief virgin territories" around the globe.
A further list of goals for the Ten Year Crusade by Shoghi Effendi can be found in his Messages to the Bahá'í World.
To those Bahá'ís who arose to open new territories to the Faith during the Ten Year Crusade, the title 'Knight of Bahá'u'lláh
Knights of Bahá'u'lláh
The title Knight of Bahá'u'lláh was given by Shoghi Effendi, Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith, to Bahá'ís who arose to open new territories to the Faith during the Ten Year Crusade....
' was given.
Before the plan was completed, Shoghi Effendi died in 1957 and the Hands of the Cause
Hands of the Cause
The Hands of the Cause of God, Hands of the Cause, or Hands were a select group of Bahá'ís, appointed for life, whose main function was to propagate and protect the Bahá'í Faith...
continued the Ten Year Crusade following Shoghi Effendi's instructions until the formation of the Universal House of Justice in 1963.
After its election, the House of Justice wrote:
- "The rightness of the time was further confirmed by references in Shoghi Effendi's letters to the Ten Year Crusade's being followed by other plans under the direction of the Universal House of Justice. ..."
- (Messages from the Universal House of Justice, 1963-1986, p. 50)