Ортодоксальные бахаи: История и современное состояние

Minority Bahá'í sect

The Orthodox Baháʼí Faith is an extremely small Baháʼí sect that was formed in 1960 by Mason Remey, and subsequently was the name used by one of his disputed successors, Joel Marangella. The sect is defined by a belief that the Guardianship of Shoghi Effendi (1921–1957) continued with further appointees, whereas the mainstream Baháʼís follow a line of leadership that transitioned to the elected Universal House of Justice in 1963 with no eligible appointees as Guardian. Other than on the matter of leadership and organization, there are few differences between the Orthodox and mainstream Baháʼís regarding their doctrine. As a group who believe that Mason Remey was the second Guardian of the Baháʼí Faith, they are excommunicated by the majority of Baháʼís and labelled covenant breakers. Those who supported Mason Remey feel in turn that the majority strayed from the original teachings. Membership data of the Orthodox Baháʼís is scarce. They are mostly located in the United States, with few members and no communal religious life. One source estimated them at no more than 100 members as of 1988, with the largest concentration being 11 in Roswell, New Mexico. In an Illinois court case in 2007 they reported membership in the United States at 40, and a news agency reported them at "about 50" in 2010. Websites claiming to represent the Orthodox Baháʼís indicate followers in the United States and India.

In 1961 Joel Marangella received a letter from Remey, and a note that, " in or after 1963. You will know when to break the seal." In 1964 Remey appointed members to a second International Baháʼí Council with Marangella as president, significant due to Remey's claim to Guardianship being based on the same appointment. In 1965 Remey activated the council, and in 1966 wrote letters passing the "affairs of the Faith" to the council, then later dissolving it. In 1969 Marangella made an announcement that the letter of 1961 was Remey's appointment of him as the third Guardian, and that he had been the Guardian since 1964, invalidating Remey's pronouncements from that point forward. In 1970 Marangella appointed members to a "National Bureau of the Orthodox Baháʼís in New York", which two years later was moved to New Mexico, and subsequently changed its name to "Mother Baháʼí Council of the United States" (1978) and "Provisional National Baháʼí Council" (2000), with all members appointed by Joel Marangella. Marangella gained the support of most of Remey's followers, who came to be known as Orthodox Baháʼís. Joel Marangella died in San Diego, California on Sept 1, 2013. A website claiming to represent Orthodox Baháʼís indicates followers in the United States and India, and a fourth Guardian named Nosrat’u’llah Bahremand.