The Spirit of `Abdu’l-Bahá’s Journey to the West and its Multidimensional Significance

Abstract

For the first time in the history of religion, the Leader of a religion, appointed by the Founder of the religion to be His Successor, traveled to a different continent to personally bring its message to a new society. The significance of `Abdu'l-Bahá's travel to the Western hemisphere and his approach are examined here. Specifically, the following questions are explored? What were the general themes of `Abdu'l-Bahá's message to the West and what could have been the motives for what He shared? What form or approach did `Abdu'l-Bahá utilize to convey his message? What were the impacts of His travel to the West? Finally, what lessons could be learnt from `Abdu'l-Bahá's manner and the content of His message that could be applicable for today?