In Vitro Fertilization, Artificial Insemination, Surrogate Mothers, The Condition of the Soul

Memorandum

19 May 2003

To: The Universal House of Justice

From: Research Department

In Vitro Fertilization and Related Issues

A number of questions have been raised recently about issues pertaining to in vitro fertilization and related approaches designed to assist couples experiencing difficulties in fulfilling their desire to have a family. This memorandum is prepared with the aim of assembling the pertinent material found in authoritative texts of the Faith, for use in responding to such questions in the future.

1. The General Issue

In a number of letters written on its behalf, the Universal House of Justice has confirmed the permissibility of Bahá’í couples’ exploring the use of certain recently developed procedures which seek to facilitate the process of conception, within limits set out in the Bahá’í teachings.

“The Bahá’í view is very balanced. While appreciating the value of the new medical techniques which enable previously childless couples to enjoy the blessings of a family, the teachings define such limits as are necessary to preserve the dignity of the individual and the sanctity of marriage. (25 October 1984, written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to a National Spiritual Assembly)

Some of these limits are discussed in succeeding sections of this memorandum.

The process of seeking medical assistance when difficulties are being experienced should also be considered in the light of the advice given by the House of Justice to believers in such circumstances:

“The House of Justice exhorts you, when you have taken all possible steps, to accept God’s Will, whether or not that means having children of your own, and to turn your faces towards the many fields of service to humanity.” (12 October 1987, written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to a Bahá’í couple)

“You may find it comforting to realize that the Bahá’í teachings indicate that the bearing of children is but one of the purposes of marriage, albeit the primary one. Bahá’ís who find that their marriage is not blessed with children may partake of many of the meritorious functions associated with parenthood through adoption or through assisting in the education of children. (19 September 2001, written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer)

Inmates of the celestial Pavilion; “spiritual” locations

Memorandum

Date: 15 June 1994

To: The Universal House of Justice

From: Research Department

Inmates of the Celestial Pavilion

The Research Department has considered the questions about the meaning of a passage from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh raised by Mr. . . . in his electronic mail message of 20 May 1994. The passage in question appears in Adib Taherzadeh's ‘The Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh’. Bahá'u'lláh states:

“These are the days in which God hath proved the hearts of the entire company of His Messengers and Prophets, and beyond them those that stand guard over His sacred and inviolable Sanctuary, the inmates of the celestial Pavilion and dwellers of the Tabernacle of Glory. How severe, therefore, the test to which they who join partners with God must needs be subjected!”

Mr. . . . enquires about the meaning of a number of phrases in this extract. We provide the following response.

By way of introduction, we wish to note that, as Mr. . . . undoubtedly knows, authoritative interpretation of the Writings is the exclusive province of the designated interpreters, 'Abdu'l-Bahá and the Guardian. To date, the Research Department has not been able to locate any reference in the Writings or the letters of Shoghi Effendi which interprets this particular passage from Gleanings. It is not, therefore, possible for us to state with any certainty what the text means. Mr. . . . is encouraged to arrive at his own understanding of the statement.

1. "God hath proved the hearts. . ."

To assist Mr. . . . in thinking about the meaning of the above phrase, it is suggested that it might well be helpful to consider the phrase within the context of the overall passage. The passage appears to underline the power of God, the greatness of the Revelation and the judgment to which all will be subjected in these "days". As if to emphasize the pervasiveness of this "test", it seems that Bahá'u'lláh is calling attention to the fact that, not only are "they who join partners with God" to be "subjected" to a "severe" test, but also that "God hath proved the hearts" of the other souls mentioned in the passage.

For additional statements about "they who join partners with God", Mr. . . . is referred to Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh; see, for example, pp. 99-100, p. 166, p. 192, pp. 197-198,2 and Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh Revealed after the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, p. 124 and p. 185.3