Baha'i Cosmological Symbolism and the Ecofeminist Critique

This article is composed of three parts. The first part documents the constituents of Baha'i cosmological symbolism--such as dualism, theism, and redemptive history. By "cosmological symbolism" is here meant a system of symbols used to portray the origin, nature, and existence of the cosmos. As will be shown, the most immediate antecedents of Baha'i cosmological symbolism are various biblica texts (most elements can be observed in the Book of Genesis alone and often as mediated through the Qur'an). Biblical cosmological symbolism--especially those aspects that relate to dualistic theism--has been criticized severely by some feminists and environmentalists, and their arguments can also be applied to Baha'i cosmology. The second part of this article provides a brief introduction to the main feminist/environmentalist arguments. The third part summarizes and examines the eschatological character of Baha'i cosmological symbolism since Baha'i eschatology provides answers to many feminist and ecological objections.