| Period or division of the three ages through which the Bahá'í Faith must pass. The Heroic, or Apostolic Age, 'fell into three distinct epochs, of nine, of thirty-nine and of twenty-nine years' duration, associated respectively with the Bábí Dispensation and the ministries of Bahá'u'lláh and of 'Abdu'l-Bahá'.13 The first epoch of the Formative Age (1921—44/46) witnessed the 'birth and the primary stages in the erection of the framework of the Administrative Order of the Faith.'14 The second epoch (1946—63) witnessed the 'formulation of a succession of teaching plans designed to facilitate the development of the Faith beyond the confines of the Western Hemisphere and the continent of Europe'.15 The second epoch also witnessed the 'appointment of the Hands of the Cause, the introduction of Auxiliary Boards and the establishment of the International Bahá'í Council. The culminating event of the epoch was the election of the Universal House of Justice in 1963.'16 The third epoch (1963—86) witnessed 'the emergence of the Faith from obscurity and the initiation of activities designed to foster the social and economic development of communities'.17 The institution of the Continental Boards of Counsellors was brought into existence leading to the establishment of the International Teaching Centre. Assistants to the Auxiliary Boards were also introduced. The Seat of the Universal House of Justice was designed and built in this epoch. The fourth epoch (1986—) saw the beginning of the process whereby 'the specific goals for each national community will be formulated, within the framework of the overall objectives of the [Six Year Teaching] Plan, by means of consultation between the particular National Spiritual Assembly and the Continental Board of Counsellors.'18 |
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In addition, the term 'epoch' was also used by Shoghi Effendi to refer to the phases in the unfoldment of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Divine Plan. The first epoch of this Plan began in 1937 with the inception of the First Seven Year Plan by the North American Bahá'í community and concluded with the completion of the Ten Year Crusade in 1963. The second epoch began in 1964 with the inauguration of the Nine Year Plan of the Universal House of Justice.
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| [BD 79] |
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