Responsibilities
The Universal House of Justice today guides the growth and development of the global Bahá'í community. The general functions of the Universal Houses of Justice, as stated by Bahá'u'lláh include to promulgate the cause of God, to preserve the law, to administer social affairs, to educate the people's souls, to guarantee the education of children, to make the world prosperous, and to care of the elderly and the ill who are in poverty. According to its constitution, the Universal House of Justice itself states that "The provenance, the authority, the duties, the sphere of action of the Universal House of Justice all derive from the revealed Word of Bahá'u'lláh which, together with the interpretations and expositions of `Abdu'l-Bahá and of Shoghi Effendi ... constitute the binding terms of reference of the Universal House of Justice and are its bedrock foundation." Some of the powers and duties according to the constitution include:
- Promoting the spiritual qualities that characterize Bahá'í life individually and collectively
- Preserving the Bahá'í sacred texts
- Defending and protecting the global Bahá'í community from repression and persecution
- Preserving and developing the world spiritual and administrative centre of the Bahá'í Faith
- Encouraging the growth and maturation of the Bahá'í community and administration
- Safeguarding individual personal rights, freedoms and initiatives
- Applying Bahá'í principles and laws
- Developing, abrogating and changing laws that are not recorded in the Bahá'í sacred texts, according to the requirements of the time
- Pronouncing sanctions against violations of Bahá'í law
- Adjudicating and arbitrating of disputes referred to it
- Administrating all religious funds and endowments such as Huqúqu'lláh that are entrusted to its care
Furthermore, the Universal House of Justice is instructed by Bahá'u'lláh to exert a positive influence on the general welfare of humankind, to promote a permanent peace among the nations of the world, ensure the "training of peoples, the up building of nations, the protection of man and the safeguarding of his honour". The Universal House of Justice is supported by the elected national and local governing bodies of the Bahá'í Faith, (the National Spiritual Assemblies and Local Spiritual Assemblies respectively). It has, furthermore, created several appointed institutions to support its work around the world; among these are the Continental Board of Counsellors and the International Teaching Centre.
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