January 18. On this date in 1953, a letter written by Hand of the Cause of God Leroy Ioas on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, later referenced in a Bahai News article in March 1953, defined the terms "Age" and "Epoch."

 

January 18. On this date in 1953, a letter written by Hand of the Cause of God Leroy Ioas on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, later referenced in a Bahai News article in March 1953, defined the terms "Age" and "Epoch." He had served as a member of the NSA of the US, a member of the International Bahá’í Council, and a Custodian. Among other roles, he had accompanied Shoghi Effendi and Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum for their May 26, 1952, visit of Israeli President Yitzhak Ben-Zvi.

LETTER FROM HAIFA

DEFINES "AGES"

AND "EPOCHS"

In a letter dated January 18, 1953,

written on behalf of the Guardian by

Leroy Ioas, Assistant Secretary, the

terms "age" and "epoch" as used

by the Guardian are defined.

"The Faith is divided into three

Ages, the Heroic. the Formative, the

Golden Age, as has been outlined in

his writings. The Heroic Age closed

with the Ascension of 'Abdu'l-Baha.

The Formative Age is divided into

epochs. The first epoch lasted 25

years. We are now actually in the

second epoch of the Formative Age.

How long the Formative Age will

last is not known - and there will

probably be a number of epochs in

it.

"The Divine Plan of 'Abdu'l-Baha

is divided into epochs. The first Seven

Year Plan constituted the first

stage of the first epoch; the second

Seven Year Plan constitutes the second

stage; while the ten year Crusade

will constitute the third stage

of the first epoch of the Divine Plan.

The first epoch of the Divine Plan

will conclude with the conclusion of

the ten year Crusade."

-NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY