Practical Infallibility and the Baha'i Faith

Existing Forms of Infallibility

Logical Infallibility

The infallibility of an elected body is a logical expectation, if the infallibility is constrained to issues relevant to the mission of the organisation in which that body is elected. This logical infallibility comprises a subset of the mythical/superstitious definition of infallibility that is seen in most dictionaries and asserts correctness in all things. However, logical infallibility is still not quite the same because it constrains the inference of correctness by logic to those fields defined by and derived from, the collective values of the organisation's members.

Ideally, the members of a common interest organisation will vote for those who most accurately exemplify the values to which members collectively aspire. These values form the reason for acquiring membership in the first place - reinforcing the direction of the organisation as long as the values are presented honestly and organisational agendas do not drift away from deriving policy and action from these values rather than vice versa.

Thus in representing the values of the members, which values being synonymous with the reason for joining, only an elected body can be said to have any possibility of infallibility. This is because an institution representing the values of the members who are in reality, the whole of the organisation they make up; is therefore representing the interests and views as derived from the values of the organisation as a whole, as opposed to a few privileged or loudly outspoken individuals.

Legal Infallibility

There is a another practical usage for the term, "infallible" that is based on moral or legal rather than pseudo-scientific precepts. Where the interests of an individual entity are passed in trust to an executor by a "will" or are passed in trust to an attorney by an "enduring power of attorney", the executor or attorney can be "held blameless" or "infallible" in decisions regarding the estate and/or aforesaid interests. This legal infallibility is not a declaration that the attorney or executor so trusted will never disappoint the client, but that the attorney or executor has the final word on interpreting the client's wishes in the event that the client cannot be directly consulted for clarification. Legal infallibility has nothing to do with being right and everything to do with being "in the right" as its primary purpose is to establish that the identity and authority of attorney or executor is beyond question, and therefore that the decisions of the executor or attorney are final and binding.

Infallibility in the Baha'i Faith

In the Baha'i Faith, infallibility is constrained as follows:
"Know that infallibility is of two kinds:  essential infallibility and acquired infallibility.  In like manner there is essential knowledge and acquired knowledge; and so it is with other names and attributes.  Essential infallibility is peculiar to the supreme Manifestation, for it is His essential requirement, and an essential requirement cannot be separated from the thing itself."

(`Abdu'l-Baha:  Some Answered Questions, Page: 171)

Can essential infallibility be used as a scientific test of the veracity of the Baha'i Faith?

Whatever a Manifestation of God might say, truth or falsehood applies not to the scripture but rather to how the reader chooses to interpret it. In this sense, scripture cannot be tested by science because it is not falsifiable. `Abdu'l-Baha has, on many occasions, gone as far as to state that when a religious idea contradicts science, the idea is not true (See Science) However, as all religious ideas are the product of interpretation, however direct or literal, the source can always yield an alternative and perhaps more accurate interpretation, which confirms the unfalsifiable nature of scripture from a Baha'i perspective. Therefore, the entire question of the essential infallibility of Baha'u'llah does not provide the seeker with a scientific test of the truth of the Baha'i Faith, as there is no scientific test of any religion.

What limitations can be said to apply to the accuracy of statements by `Abdu'l-Baha?

Neither `Abdu'l-Baha, nor Shoghi Effendi are Manifestations of God. Thus, the Infallibility of both `Abdu'l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi is acquired, not essential. Acquired infallibility does not guarantee historical or scientific accuracy in any stretch of interpretation but rather only guarantees accuracy in the administration of the faith, and the preservation of the faith's values and derived/collective views on the interpretation of Baha'i scripture.

"The infallibility of the Guardian is confined to matters which are related strictly to the Cause and interpretation of the teachings; he is not an infallible authority on other subjects, such as economics, science, etc. When he feels that a certain thing is essential for the protection of the Cause, even if it is something that affects a person personally, he must be obeyed, but when he gives advice, such as that he gave you in a previous letter about your future, it is not binding; you are free to follow it or not as you please."

(Shoghi Effendi:  Directives of the Guardian, Pages: 33-34)

If infallibility is of only two types and `Abdu'l-Baha is not the Manifestation of God, then this quote concerning the Shoghi Effendi applies equally to `Abdu'l-Baha. Therefore neither historical/scientific accuracy nor agreement with the interpretations of other religious leaders, as gleaned from the statements of `Abdu'l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi, are a test of the validity of the Baha'i Faith.

The common application of legal infallibility and acquired infallibility to the administration of the Baha'i Faith

The concept of legal infallibility serves the same specification as acquired or conferred infallibility; such that the executor or attorney is held beyond question in deciding matters concerning the interests of the client that cannot be referred directly back to the client. By way of example, Shoghi Effendi died without indicating a successor to the Guardianship. If we hold that Shoghi Effendi had conferred or acquired infallibility in all matters concerning the Baha'i Faith, then out of respect for interests served by Shoghi Effendi, we must conclude that the decision to not disclose a successor to the Guardianship was a conscious decision made in the best interests of the Baha'i Faith, to terminate the Guardianship upon his death under the conditions of the time.

If we deem that Shoghi Effendi was simply indemnified with legal infallibility, then legally, the decisions made by Shoghi Effendi are still final and not subject to question - conferring an obligation to assume in the absence of hard evidence to the contrary, that all such decisions were made conscientiously by Shoghi Effendi, and with the full support of his predecessor, `Abdu'l-Baha. Such would include the decision to not name a successor; implying the intended termination of the Guardianship under the conditions of the time. Regardless of whether we acknowledge in Shoghi Effendi legal or conferred infallibility, the outcome and obligatory assumptions remain the same.

Perhaps some consolation can be gained by considering that wisdom is gained not from discovering the right answers, but instead from learning to ask the right questions; thus a decision to allow an interpretive institution such as the Guardianship to lapse, is far from being unreasonable.

Infallibility and the guidance of God

"To epitomize:  essential infallibility belongs especially to the supreme Manifestations, and acquired infallibility is granted to every holy soul. For instance, the Universal House of Justice,(1) if it be established under the necessary conditions - with members elected from all the people - that House of Justice will be under the protection and the unerring guidance of God.  If that House of Justice shall decide unanimously, or by a majority, upon any question not mentioned in the Book, that decision and command will be guarded from mistake.  Now the members of the House of Justice have not, individually, essential infallibility; but the body of the House of Justice is under the protection and unerring guidance of God:  this is called conferred infallibility."

(`Abdu'l-Baha:  Some Answered Questions, Pages: 172-173)

The Baha'i Faith is unique amongst religions in that it grants full legal membership to all that join and abide the Baha'i way of life. This includes the right to review the annual report and the right to elect the administration. As discussed earlier with respect to logical infallibility, the values held by the members of the Baha'i Faith; values based on love (See Kitabi Ahd, p220: "The religion of God is for love and unity; make it not the cause of enmity and dissension"), guard the abovementioned decisions against error. This implies that love guards such decisions against error, and 'Abdu'l-Baha also states severally, "God is love" (See Foundations of World Unity; p. 73, 102. Paris Talks; p. 180, 181. Promulgation of Universal Peace; p. 159, 290, 315), proving the likeness of logical infallibility and that of conferred infallibility as described in the above epitome - in spite of the difference of terms used.

Conclusion

In a very practical sense, conferred or acquired infallibility can be equated with legal infallibility or indemnity of an individual acting as executor or attorney. Likewise, conferred or acquired infallibility of an elected body such as the Universal House of Justice can also be equated with logical infallibility based on behavioural expectations of people acting with a transparent and common purpose. There is no need to endow the forms of infallibility the Baha'i Faith confers upon certain elements and institutions of the Administrative Order with supernatural qualities or powers beyond the concept of love, because the limitations to this conferred infallibility correspond to the same limitations encumbering the practical usage of the term in legally binding agreements and the chief aspiration of free, democratic society.