Meet Wade Fransson
(A Baha’i)
Blog #1 … By: Wade Fransson
Chapter 1 ~ Intellectual Coherence and Spiritual Commitment: Prerequisites to Religious Unity; My Journey from the Worldwide Church of God to the Baha’i Faith.
Introduction:
I’d like to personally thank Imam Mekye Abdus Salaam for inviting me to provide a weekly blog on the Baha’i Faith, for the Interfaith Library. By way of introduction it seemed appropriate to share my personal spiritual odyssey that spans continents and cultural landscapes, as – like the Israelites under Moses, wandering through the desert for 40 years, in search of the promised land, I transitioned, very slowly, and on a seemingly circuitous route, often crisscrossing familiar terrain, from time to time seemingly lost and directionless, from the Worldwide Church of God to the Baha’i Faith. The full narrative is a complex weave ~ with threads encompassing trials and triumph ~ that is chronicled across my three books: “The People of the Sign,” “The Hardness of the Heart,” and “The Rod of Iron.” This trilogy encapsulates the evolution of my beliefs and values as I navigated the complexities of religious exclusivity toward diversity and unity.
Rise to Prominence in the Worldwide Church of God:
My ascent within the Worldwide Church of God saw me immersing myself in linguistic pursuits, mastering German, French, Swedish, and learning enough Russian to be dangerous, in my desire to be of service to God, wherever He might send me. This led, increasingly, to opportunities to serve passionately in our youth programs in Scotland, South Africa, Germany, Austria, and the United States. This service in turn led to pastoring churches in Germany, Switzerland, and Estonia, and successes behind the Iron Curtain – in Poland in particular, and a pivotal trip to Russia, during the coup that led to Gorbachev’s abduction and the rise of Boris Yeltsin. My dedication, and these experiences, resulted in my appointment as Assistant and subsequently Interim Director of Family Ministries Globally, at the Worldwide Church of God headquarters, in Pasadena, California.
Understanding the Mosaic of Beliefs:
The unraveling of the Soviet Union, which I witnessed firsthand, paralleled the schism that ripped the Worldwide Church of God apart, just as I was achieving global prominence within that organization. I had sympathy with, and understanding of the perspectives of the three major sides of the doctrinal schism, as squabbling factions sought to recruit my participation. Through these diverse experiences, I gained profound insights into the global human experience, as I witnessed the shared human inclination to believe in the righteousness of one’s convictions. It became evident that, irrespective of nationality, religion, ideology, or identity, individuals worldwide believe their views to be correct, and therefore hold them to be the solutions to humanity’s challenges.
Recognizing the Puzzle Pieces:
Crucially, my journey helped me realize that part of the answer is, indeed, contained within each person’s beliefs. From South Africa to Sweden, from Switzerland to the Soviet Union, from Israel to Estonia, people were driven by a sincere desire to contribute to the betterment of humanity. However, the mosaic of diverse perspectives also underscored the importance of recognizing that, while everyone may have one or more pieces, no one possesses the complete puzzle. And eventually it became clear to me that, in failing to reach agreement between ourselves, none of us had all the answers. So I resigned, to separate my faith from my paycheck, initiating an independent exploration of truth and a search to find where God was active among the faithful. I literally traveled around the world, eventually focusing on India, before finding the answer I sought, in my backyard. The Pasadena Baha’i community formally met in one of the now defunct buildings established by The Worldwide Church of God, on the extended campus of Ambassador College, where I had obtained my degree in Theology. I had served, as a student, decades earlier, in this very building – the Western Justice Center. God does indeed have a sense of humor.
Sharing Insights, Seeking Harmony:
I’m thrilled to share my evolving understanding through a series of Baha’i-focused blogs at the Interfaith Library. The Baha’i principle of human oneness deeply resonates with the lessons, sometimes hard-won, from my personal journey chronicled in my trilogy. I hope our shared dialogue paves the way for greater global understanding and religious harmony. Despite our differences, we’re all threads in the rich tapestry of humanity. Only by recognizing and respecting each other’s perspectives can we truly grasp the whole picture, guided by the Divine Revelation’s gentle light.
Beyond Division, Embracing Unity:
Humanity’s unity is divinely assured, but the path demands conscious effort and unwavering commitment. The 2002 letter from the Baha’i Faith’s supreme body, the Universal House of Justice, addressed to the world’s religious leaders exemplifies this, highlighting religious unity as a missing piece in our collective quest. Their call for intellectual coherence and spiritual commitment echoes the core Baha’i teaching on oneness. They invite us to explore how all major religions, often seen as divisive, actually guide us towards universal principles of love, acceptance, and unity. By applying our intellect, we can bridge the seeming gaps between faiths. Yet, true unity requires a shared dedication to these universal principles, fueled by unwavering spiritual commitment. The companion book they issued, One Common Faith, was critical in helping me personally, and you may wish to check it out.
A Journey to Belonging:
My own conversion from Christianity to the Baha’i Faith testifies to the power of seeking unity amidst doctrinal differences. My trilogy delves into both my personal transformation and the broader challenges faced by religious communities. None of us have all the answers. And when we pretend, or worse, profess, that we do, it leads to the opposite of peace – disunity and division. The Baha’i Faith, embracing diversity rather than division, offered me a spiritual haven where differences are valued, not condemned. Reflecting on my journey, The Baha’i Faith calls for intellectual coherence and spiritual commitment – the cornerstones of building the religious harmony we all desire. None of us can achieve that alone. Alone we can go fast, but often in wrong directions. To go far, we need to go together. I’m honored to be on this journey with everyone involved with, or visiting, the Interfaith Library.
Mr. Wade, let me honestly say that this post has made a profound impact on me, particularly with the story of how you became a Baha’i. Your personal experiences and reflections on the unraveling of the Soviet Union and the schism within the Worldwide Church of God has deeply resonated with me.
Your description of witnessing the diverse perspectives and fervent convictions of people from various parts of the world have struck a chord with me. The idea that individuals across different cultures and belief systems hold their convictions to be the solutions to humanity’s challenges reflects a universal human inclination to seek righteousness in one’s beliefs.
The notion that each person’s beliefs contain a part of the answer to the world’s challenges, but that no one possesses the complete puzzle, has become a pivotal realization for me after reading this and marinating on this idea for a few. This recognition of the value of diverse perspectives and the humility to acknowledge that no single viewpoint holds all the answers has profoundly impacted my understanding of the world.
Your honesty and bravery in writing this post has led me to a surprising personal realization that truth can possibly be found elsewhere, especially as you mentioned you became a Baha’i. It’s clear that your journey and insights has appealed to me and probably many others. I will close by saying that you have significant reshaped my now evolving beliefs and worldly views on God and life. Thx.
Thank you so much for your very kind words. I’ll be blogging here weekly, I hope you’ll come back again.
Let me begin by saying that I am not an antagonist. I am a strong supporter of the interfaith movement and collective cooperation. I realize that it’s important to recognize that individuals may have different perspectives and experiences when it comes to engaging with various faith traditions, including the Baha’i faith.
I know that the Baha’i faith teaches that all major religions are interconnected and have come from the same divine source. Baha’is believe that each of the major world religions represents a stage in the spiritual evolution of humanity, and that the founders of these religions were messengers of God. I also understand that Baha’is believe in the essential unity of all religions and the oneness of humanity. “The essential unity of ALL religions” is where my issues lay.
This concept is a contentious issue in theology because of doctrinal differences, historical and cultural context, theological doctrines and inter-religious dialogue.
This idea presents a complex theological challenge by challenging traditional religious boundaries, and the unique historical and cultural contexts of different faith traditions. While I must admit that it has the potential to promote understanding and harmony amongst our diverse religious communities, it also requires careful consideration and engagement with theological and doctrinal differences.
I’m just saying such an idea is radical to me and requires the masses to be onboard. Respectfully, I’m not. But what the library is trying to do is gutsy and laudable.
Thank you! It is not, and will not be, easy to achieve Religious Unity and agreement. It took well over a decade of searching, just for me to get there, one individual. Thus the focus on Intellectual Coherence, and Spiritual Commitment. It’s like we are all inside our own onions. And peeling back the layers from the inside is hard. We have to move out beyond our comfort zones, and try to look at ourselves from the outside. That is what connecting to the Divine helps us do – whether we follow the example of Jesus, Mohammed, Buddha, or Krishna – whichever Prophet / Son / Manifestation of God – they all teach us to look deep into the Mirror of His Word. And when we do, we can begin to strip away the layers of dogma and corrupt interpretations.
And slowly, over time, with God’s assistance, this can be achieved.
This post is magnificent. Your points of view are concise and clear. What you all are doing is needed and necessary. Keep up the amazing work. I have you book-marked.
I’m humbled by your encouragement. Thank you so much!
Wade, good job on this Blog site, wish you the best of luck for some nice dialogue. Chris
I feel very elevated and encouraged reading this thread. Each and everyone’s comments stirs up in me this growing sense of my own humanity, whose soul presses onward to embrace not only greater truths, but also to be able to connect with others, in ways that transcend where i get stuck in my own views that filter my perception of others and their ideas. Learning how to honor each soul’s journey while becoming more personally accountable, by the grace of God, of how my own life experiences have led me from one state of consciousness to another, is awakening in me an understanding that the Spirit of God is, has been, and will continue to lead and guide us all collectively, albeit from oh so many paths.
Thank you so much for your encouraging words, and for pointing us towards that which leads not only to tolerance, but rather to respect.
Thanks for this clear viewpoint. Baha’u’llah builds on the foundations of all previous Faiths and uses their beliefs, concepts, and vocab. Baha’u’llah appealed to: “the rulers and kings of the earth, . . . to dedicate themselves to whatever will promote the highest interests of the whole of humanity,” Further, to the world religious leaders, He wrote: “The fundamental purpose animating the Faith of God and His Religion is to safeguard the interests and promote the unity of the human race, and to foster the spirit of love and fellowship amongst men. . . the rulers thereof will unitedly arise for the reformation of this age and the rehabilitation of its fortunes. Let them, after meditating on its needs, take counsel together and, through anxious and full deliberation, administer to a diseased and sorely afflicted world the remedy it requireth.” The ball is thrown back to World Statesmen to complete the greatest need facing our planet! Thanks for your efforts in this worthy task to work together with a diverse group! The task is great, when ” justice will assuredly be established amongst the children of men, and the effulgence of its light will envelop the whole earth.” Tablets of Baha’u’llah, pp 163-168
Thank you Steve, for your enlightening comment and presentation of these quotes. Students of biblical prophecy may wish to reflect on the light shed by those quotes on twin events in 1948 – the establishment of the State of Israel, as a homeland for the dispersed sons of Jacob, and the establishment of a standard by which the nations can be judged – the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Selah!