{"id":55236,"date":"2026-04-10T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-10T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bahaiteachings.org\/?p=55236"},"modified":"2026-04-02T05:59:28","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T12:59:28","slug":"why-the-indigenous-messengers-of-god-matter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bahaiteachings.org\/why-the-indigenous-messengers-of-god-matter\/","title":{"rendered":"Why the Indigenous Messengers of God Matter"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In this installment of our extensive series of BahaiTeachings.org articles on Indigenous messengers of God<\/a>, Chris Buck and Kevin Locke consult together on why those messengers matter to the modern world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q<\/strong>: Kevin, let\u2019s talk a little more about the whole idea of the Indigenous messengers of God, in general, from a Baha\u2019i perspective, and why those messengers are so important to consider. You and I have very clear reasons for creating this \u201cIndigenous Messengers of God<\/a>\u201d series \u2014 a very real and practical purpose, in fact. But first, let\u2019s review the fundamental basis for the series. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Baha\u2019u\u2019llah<\/a>, as you know, did not mention the Indigenous messengers of God directly. He did so indirectly, in such passages of his writings as this one, a favorite passage of your late mother, Patricia Locke:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Unto the cities of all nations He hath sent His Messengers, Whom He hath commissioned to announce unto men tidings of the Paradise of His good pleasure, and to draw them nigh unto the Haven of abiding security, the Seat of eternal holiness and transcendent glory. \u2013 Baha\u2019u\u2019llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha\u2019u\u2019llah<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Here, Kevin, you and I agree that \u201cthe cities of all nations\u201d must refer to all countries around the world, including the Americas \u2013 the \u201cFirst Nations.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now please follow my logic here: The following letter from the Universal House of Justice<\/a> states that Abdu\u2019l-Baha<\/a> had, in effect, added the Buddha to the Manifestations (Messengers or Prophets) of God not previously mentioned by Baha\u2019u\u2019llah. After quoting this passage below, I will explain the relevance of this interesting point:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Baha\u2019u\u2019llah made no mention of Buddha, and if it had not been for Abdu\u2019l-Baha\u2019s statement we would not have been in a position to state definitely that Buddha had been a Manifestation of God. There are a myriad traditions in the legends of peoples that point back to some sort of divine revelation but, as the beloved Guardian\u2019s secretary pointed out on his behalf in a letter written to an individual believer on 13 March 1950, \u201c\u2026 We cannot possibly add names of people we (or anyone else) think might be Lesser Prophets to those found in the Qur\u2019an, the Bible and our own Scriptures. For only these can we consider authentic Books.\u201d We must just accept that there are undoubtedly many prophetic figures of whom all authentic record has been lost. \u2013 Letter, dated 27 October 1986, sent on behalf of Universal House of Justice to an individual<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

As to those \u201cmany prophetic figures of whom all authentic record has been lost,\u201d<\/strong> we know that anything lost may later be found. (We\u2019ll discuss this idea further in a subsequent article.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This process of adding to \u2014 and thereby augmenting and enriching \u2014 the list of names of the messengers of God to those previously mentioned by Baha\u2019u\u2019llah gets more interesting, considering that Abdu\u2019l-Baha also added the name of Krishna to those messengers of God whom Baha\u2019is recognize<\/a> as well. In his Tablet to Amir Khan, Abdu\u2019l-Baha also added the category<\/em>, or class, of Indigenous messengers of God to the Americas, but without mentioning specific names:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In ancient times the people of America were, through their northern regions, close to Asia, that is, separated from Asia by a strait. For this reason, it hath been said that crossing had occurred. There are other signs which indicate communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As to places whose people were not informed of the appearance of Prophets, such people are excused. In the Qur\u2019an it hath been revealed: \u201cWe will not chastise them if they had not been sent a Messenger.\u201d (Qur\u2019an 17:15.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Undoubtedly in those regions the Call of God must have been raised in ancient times, but it hath been forgotten now. \u2013 Abdu\u2019l-Baha, Tablet to Amir Khan<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Although we have referred to this passage several times throughout this series, let\u2019s see what the internal evidence, standing alone, suggests, by way of a close reading and textual analysis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here, \u201cthe people of America\u201d who lived \u201cin ancient times\u201d refers to those who dwelled on the American continents during the pre-contact period prior to Columbus and the subsequent European colonization (to put it politely). The \u201cpeople of America\u201d who lived \u201cin ancient times\u201d clearly identifies the Indigenous peoples \u2013 the original inhabitants of the Americas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consequently, the places where the Indigenous people of the Americas lived refers not only to \u201ctheir northern regions\u201d (i.e. North America), but evidently to all<\/em> of the Americas as well \u2014 that is, to the entire length and breadth of the Western Hemisphere, the so-called \u201cNew World.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interestingly, Abdu\u2019l-Baha doesn\u2019t fully endorse the Bering Land Bridge theory<\/a>, but simply mentions it (\u201cit hath been said\u201d) by way of acknowledging a contemporary scientific theory, perfectly in keeping with the Baha\u2019i principle of the harmony of science and religion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the final sentence of this brief yet significant tablet, Abdu\u2019l-Baha added the category of Indigenous messengers of God to those already identified in the writings of Baha\u2019u\u2019llah. He also added the Buddha and Krishna, as previously mentioned. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The context makes it clear that the terms \u201cCall of God\u201d and \u201cMessengers of God\u201d are synonymous, because the \u201cMessengers of God\u201d are the ones who originally raise the \u201cCall of God,\u201d as Baha\u2019u\u2019llah states in this exemplary passage:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These sublime words have streamed forth from the Pen of the Most High. He saith, exalted be His glory: \u201cThis is the day of vision, for the countenance of God is shining resplendent above the horizon of Manifestation. This is the day of hearing, for the call of God hath been raised<\/em>. It behoveth everyone in this day to uphold and proclaim that which hath been revealed by Him Who is the Author of all scripture, the Dayspring of revelation, the Fount of knowledge and the Source of divine wisdom.\u201d<\/strong> \u2013 Baha\u2019u\u2019llah, The Tabernacle of Unity<\/em>, p. 21 (emphasis added).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Space does not permit any further elaboration on this point \u2013 but suffice it to say that there is plenty of evidence in the Baha\u2019i writings to support this interpretation, which is my personal understanding, and not an \u201cofficial\u201d position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That said, that which is \u201cforgotten\u201d may also be remembered. We previously addressed this issue in Part 52 (\u201cRemembering \u2018Forgotten\u2019 Indigenous Religions\u201d)<\/a> of this \u201cIndigenous Messengers of God\u201d series. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kevin, do you have any further comments to add? Why is this topic important? Why have we spent so many articles in this series addressing it? What do we do with this information? Why is it useful? Why is it needed?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A<\/strong>: Just because a portion of humankind occupying half the planet Earth were ruthlessly slaughtered and disenfranchised of their birthright as human beings does not justify that their spiritual heritage \u2014 through which a huge portion of the world\u2019s basic foods, medicines and institutions were divinely inspired \u2014 should continue to be ignored. 
Now that the world is on a forced time-out in a worldwide lockdown, it is fitting to meditate on the spiritual heritage of half the planet and how it has benefitted us all. Two good references for reflection on this point are by Jack Weatherford, DeWitt Wallace Professor, Emeritus, Macalester College: Indian Givers: How the Indians of the Americas Transformed the World<\/em> (1988) and Native Roots: How the Indians Enriched America<\/em> (1991). His findings are summarized in a 1996 article, \u201cImpact of American Indian Civilizations on Europe and the World,\u201d in The Encyclopedia of the American Indian<\/em>. What Professor Weatherford omits is that the Indigenous people themselves attribute their contributions to America and to world civilization to those \u201cWise Ones\u201d commissioned by the \u201cGreat Spirit\u201d to raise the \u201cCall of God\u201d throughout the Western Hemisphere.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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