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E. G. Browne

Explore the life and academic work of Edward Granville Browne, a renowned scholar who dedicated himself to studying the Babi and Baha'i Faiths. Discover his contributions, criticisms, and historical errors in understanding these movements. Presented by John M. Gruda on Feb 21, 2019, at WSU Humanities Department.

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E. G. Browne

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  1. E. G. Browne • and the Baha'i Faith • Presented By John M. Gruda • Feb.21, 2019 • WSU Humanities Department

  2. Life of Edward Granville Browne • Born in Gloucestershire on February 7, 1862 • Thought of medicine as his early concentration of study • At Cambridge, he divided his time learning Arabic, Persian and Turkish. • He moved from the study of Sufism to the early Babi movement in July 1886

  3. Some of Browne’s Academic Work • A Year Amongst the Persians, his travels through Iran between October 1887 and September 1888 • The Persian Revolution of 1905-1909 • Literary History of Persia (Four Volumes) Published 1924 • Materials for the Babi Religion, published in 1918

  4. Interest and Criticism of His Work • Browne made his reputation on his study of the Babi and Baha'i Faiths, but it also opened him to considerable criticism. Why was he studying such a small and insignificant movement? • However, Professor R. A. Nicholson, his successor at Cambridge wrote that, “I am not sure whether taking a long view, we ought not to consider it as the most original and valuable of all his contributions to our knowledge of Persia.”

  5. Diversions from Baha'i History • Browne loved Persia, but he was also puzzled. As Baha'i scholar MoojanMomenhas written, many fleeing Iranians would come and find a welcome place in his home. Browne was disappointed that the Baha’is of Iran did not take up the cause of constitutional reform, but he was well aware that Abdu’l Baha had forbidden Baha’is to interfere in politics. He surely must have realized that were the Baha’is to supported the Constitutionalists, that fact would have been used to deal a crushing blow to the forces of the Constitutionalists by their enemies.

  6. Historical Errors in E. G. Browne’s Work • Browne loved the Babi movement in Iran, however as the religion changed into the Baha'i Faith, Browne insisted on calling it the Babi religion. • This is largely due to the fact that Browne did not understand the transition and the historical factors at work. He also misunderstood the claims of Baha’u’llah. • Browne saw the early Babi movement as the beginning of the Faith, Browne thought that the Baha’I Faith was a sect of Babism. This is largely due to Baha’u’llah’s half-brother, Azal. This created confusion in his analysis.

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