User:MrChois/巴哈伊行政体系

巴哈伊行政体系指巴哈伊信仰的行政管理体制。[1]

巴哈伊行政体系由两部分组成:由选举产生的与受任命的。巴哈伊信仰的最高管理机构是位于海法世界正义院

一些特征使巴哈伊行政体系区别于与之类似的世俗政府的体系,如由选举产生的代表须依据他们的内心正义观来行使他们的权力,而非像世俗政府代议机关的代表那样反映他的选民的意志。竞选活动、候选人提名、党派活动都是被禁止的。世界正义院的宗教权威是由巴哈伊信仰的创立者赋予的。

巴哈伊行政体系主要受以下文件所规范,[2]

巴哈伊行政体系的特征

结构

巴哈伊行政体系中同时存在选举和任命这两种不同的组成原则,并依这两种原则独立各自机构。选举部分的最高机构是世界正义院,其拥有“制定有关圣作中未被明确提及事项的规定的专属权力”。任命部分的最高机构是圣护,圣护本人被赋予“解释圣作的专属权利”。这两套独立的系统的神圣权威,源自阿博都巴哈的遗嘱中的清楚描述:

“这神圣的嫩枝——上帝圣道的守护者和将由普选产生的世界正义院,皆受阿帕哈美尊照顾与保佑,皆受崇高圣尊庇佑与无误指引(愿我能为他们两者献身)。他们所作的一切决定都是上帝的旨意。违背他或他们就是违背上帝;反抗他或他们就是反抗上帝;反对他就是反对上帝;和他们争斗就是和上帝争斗;和他争论就是和上帝争论;否认他就是否认上帝;不信他就是不信上帝;偏离、脱离和背弃他诚然就是偏离、脱离和背弃上帝。”[3]

在这份遗嘱中,守基·阿芬第被任命为首任圣护。阿博都巴哈同时在其中详述了未来巴哈伊行政体系的结构,并释明了选举和任命程序。守基·阿芬第尽其一生,构建了选举世界正义院所需的基础体系。在此基础上,世界正义院1963年完成了首次选举。

巴哈伊行政体系中,没有专业的神职人员,一切事务由选举产生的、无党派属性的自我管理组织完成。社群管理与道德管理这两个宗教团体传统机能,也并非通过个人执行,而是由两个分支构成的组织性框架达到目的。

选举体系

巴哈伊选举在巴哈伊社群中拥有权威的特定机构,这些机构被巴哈欧拉称为"the Rulers"。这些机构的成员,在个人意义上没有任何权威。仅当他们以适当的方式组成,并且以一个机构的名义作出决定时,此决定才在这个社群中被视为有效。巴哈欧拉曾设想一个由9位或更多的成年巴哈伊组成的最高正义院与地方正义院。阿博都巴哈则在他的遗嘱中揭示了"第二级"或国家正义院。作为胚胎期的组织,国家和地方正义院目前以“灵体会”命名。一般认为,在将来时期成熟时,“灵体会”将成长为功能完善的正义院。

世界正义院在道德上被视为绝无谬误的,虽然这一说法并非以显而易见的方式被理解,因为世界正义院在不仅制定新的规范,也曾废止自己之前制定的规范。当然世界正义院不能改动巴哈欧拉阿博都巴哈在其著作中已明定的规范。国家灵体会与地方灵体会的决定一般必须得到执行,除非被上一级的由选举产生的机构所否决。而仅当相应灵体会由适当的方式组成,且其出席会议的灵体会成员达到法定人数时,上述决定方为有效。这些决定的制定,通过一个适当的磋商程序。

世界正义院

世界正义院(UHJ)是巴哈伊信仰的最高管理机构。在巴哈伊圣作中,世界正义院被确认为“至善之源且无缪的”。世界正义院的组成人员由五年一次的选举选出,有选举权的人是选举时时任的国家灵体会的成员。

国家灵体会

国家灵体会(NSA)一般以国家为单位组成。虽然存在某一地区的巴哈伊组建了自己的灵体会(如阿拉斯加)的情况。也有多国巴哈伊共同组建同一灵体会的,如波罗的海国家加拿大美国的巴哈伊在历史上也曾属于一个共同的灵体会管理。 国家灵体会的具体组建方式由世界正义院决定,并可视情况变更。如现在,美国与加拿大已有其自己的灵体会。每个国家灵体会每年由地方灵体会的代表选举产生。

地区灵体会

地区灵体会(RBC)存在于几个较大的建立有国家灵体会的国家。他们受国家灵体会管理,由此灵体会所辖区域的地方灵体会的组成人员选举。他们越来越多的负责起和社区成长与发展有关的活动,也在地方灵体会间有关上述方面事务的协调工作中扮演一定的角色,并对其提供相关指导。

地方灵体会

地方灵体会(LSA)可以以城镇、城市或县为单位组成,并由当地巴哈伊每年一次的直接选举组成。如果一个地区只有9个巴哈伊,那么就没有进行选举活动的必要。地方灵体会负责在地方层面管理巴哈伊的社群生活与其他有关事务,包括十九日灵宴会的协调工作、圣日的纪念活动、葬礼服务、婚姻咨询等等。在实践中,上述职能也有通过地方灵体会任命的专业委员会完成的。

任命体系

巴哈欧拉常常提及巴哈伊社群中的“博学者”们。此种类似其他宗教中由专业神职人员担任的道德导师的职位,在巴哈伊中最是以圣辅的形式出现。巴哈欧拉阿博都巴哈守基·阿芬第都曾任命若干圣辅。因守基·阿芬第去世,出现了无圣可辅的情形,世界正义院遂建立了顾问系统作为替代。这些经由任命产生的成员以个人为单位履行职责,且没有在具体的事务上发布命令的权威,作为担任顾问角色的“博学者”,他们有道德义务对巴哈伊社群表达他们的担忧和关切。他们常常提醒巴哈伊社群注意信仰核心机构的指导,或者在具体事情发生时提醒大家注意相关的经文。总体而言,他们的职责范围无严格限定,但大致包括传播信仰和维护信仰两方面。

国际顾问

国际顾问即国际研习中心的组成人员,是由世界正义院任命的九名巴哈伊。他们在巴哈伊世界中心协助世界正义院的工作。他们在国际层面对巴哈伊社群提供自己的建议,同时他们负责协调洲际顾问的服务工作。

洲际顾问

洲际顾问即洲际委员会的组成人员。他们在信息流转上扮演重要角色,如常和国家灵体会直接沟通,向某国的巴哈伊社群传达巴哈伊世界中心的指令。他们往往集中负责一个或几个国家的事务。

辅理会

辅理会的成员由洲际顾问任命,他们在更小的地域内协助洲际顾问的工作。他们和相应地域内的地方灵体会或区域委员会一起为服务工作。在某一地域范围内,通常有两类辅理会,一类负责传播信仰、一类负责维护巴哈伊社群。会虽然两类工作常常重叠。两类辅理会均直接向任命他们的洲际顾问负责。

助手

助手,辅理会的成员有时在基层会任命一些助手。这些助手经常与基层的地方灵体会沟通,或常常在某些活动中发表讲话,或者整理社群中巴哈伊成员的想法。有时,他们会有非常区域性的指导,如要求对某一城市的青年巴哈伊多加注意。助手依辅理会成员的需要,角色较为灵活。

Elections

 
Vietnamese Baha'is elect their National Spiritual Assembly in Danang, in 2009.

Bahá'ís consider their electoral process to be a sacred act, essential to the health of the community. Great effort is spent on organizing elections to meet with the exacting standards set by Shoghi Effendi.

Method

Bahá'í elections use what is described as a three-stage councilor-republican system to determine electors. Who the electors are and who the eligible members are depends on the scope of the election. At all levels, only residents within the jurisdiction of the body being elected are eligible for membership. In general, adult Bahá'ís in good standing resident in the jurisdiction are both the electorate (either directly or through delegation) as well as the pool of potential members to serve on the body being elected.

Voting itself is held using a system sometimes called plurality-at-large. It is similar to a simple plurality election except that there are multiple positions open for election. In the typical case, there are nine memberships on an Assembly or House of Justice (barring by-elections), and therefore voters are given ballots with nine spaces, or are given nine separate ballots. Electors write the individual names of nine eligible Bahá'ís, without repeating. The nine Bahá'ís with the most votes are elected. In cases of tie votes for the ninth-least-populous vote (for example), a run-off election is held (unless one of the tied candidates is a member of a minority in the community and is deemed elected).

Bahá'í elections do not include any sort of constituency for members - all members are considered to be at-large. Members are chosen by the electorate based on Shoghi Effendi's stated criteria consisting of five qualities:

"Let us recall His explicit and often-repeated assurance that every Assembly elected in that rarefied atmosphere of selflessness and detachment is in truth, appointed of God, that its verdict is truly inspired, that one and all should submit to its decision unreservedly and with cheerfulness ... the elector ... is called upon to vote for none but those whom prayer and reflection have inspired him to uphold... Hence it is incumbent upon the chosen delegates to consider without the least trace of passion and prejudice, and irrespective of any material consideration, the names of only those who can best combine the necessary qualities of unquestioned loyalty, of selfless devotion, of a well-trained mind, of recognized ability and mature experience... Nothing short of the all-encompassing, all-pervading power of His Guidance and Love can enable this newly enfolded order to gather strength and flourish amid the storm and stress of a turbulent age, and in the fullness of time vindicate its high claim to be universally recognized as the one Haven of abiding felicity and peace."[3]

非党派性

守基·阿芬第明确反对政党政治和西方民主的其他实践,如政治选举、候选人提名等,因此:

  • 提名和竞选是禁止的。巴哈伊不应该以让自己当选为目的推介自己。
  • 巴哈伊在投票时征询他人的意见是不被鼓励的。
  • 巴哈伊在投票时以抽象、不具有个人指向性的方式学习和讨论守基·阿芬第列举的为大家服务所需的五项品质是被鼓励的。
  • 巴哈伊在投票时应仅仅以某人是否具有为大家服务所需的五项品质为基础,而不是物质原因或其他特质,除非该特质可成为洞察该五项品质的依据。
  • 当选的结果是服务。尽管当选人可能存在个人困难,请求当选人履行职责或替换当选人也是被允许的。
  • 如果某类型的被选举人属于成员中的少数群体(在美国指的是少数种族),他将自动被授予该位置。如果被选举人是否为少数群体这一事实并不十分明确,抑或对是否使用该规则发生了争议,将在这一少数群体中举行单独选举以做出决定。

守基·阿芬第认为这些要素对于选举人合理的行使选举权、达到选举目的,同时防止选举被操纵是很重要的。

Electoral scope

Local or regional

At the local (city, town, county) level of administration, the Local Spiritual Assembly, adult Bahá'ís in that particular locality get to vote once a year for their nine-member Local Spiritual Assembly.

In the United States, Canada, and India, regional councils are elected by members of these Local Spiritual Assemblies in an election conducted by mail. Again, no nominations occur, each Local Spiritual Assembly member is directed to submit the names of those individuals who are resident in the region they feel are best suited to serve.

Some larger Bahá'í communities, such as in the city of Toronto, Ontario in Canada, are slated to move to an indirect delegated system similar to that used in National elections.

National

The selection of the National Spiritual Assembly is indirect using an electoral-unit delegation method. The nation is divided into voting districts or units. In each district the members are charged to select one or a few delegates who will represent them at the annual national convention, and who will vote for the members of the National Spiritual Assembly. The members at the local level then elect the individual(s) whom they believe will best represent them at the national convention, and who is the best qualified to vote for National Spiritual Assembly members. No input is provided to the delegate on whom to vote for in the national election. The number of delegates per country is determined by the Universal House of Justice according to the size of the national community[來源請求]; the National Spiritual Assembly determines the geographic area covered by each unit/district.[來源請求]

世界

1963年起,每五年,所有国家灵体会的成员都会被召集到位于以色列海法巴哈伊世界中心参加国际会议并选举产生世界正义院。选举在一定程度上类似国家灵体会的产生方式。无法出席的人,可以以邮寄方式投票。

Service on multiple institutions

Bahá'ís may, depending on circumstances, serve on multiple institutions. Members of National Spiritual Assemblies have served on Local Spiritual Assemblies, and assistants within the appointed institutions may serve on Local Spiritual Assemblies. However, beyond this there are several practical limitations. National Spiritual Assemblies may ask Local Spiritual Assemblies to excuse those who are members of both bodies from executive positions, to free their time to do the work of that National Spiritual Assemblies. Members of the Auxiliary Boards appointed by the Counsellors who are elected to such an institution are asked to choose to serve either in their elected or appointed capacity, but not both. Members of the Universal House of Justice do not simultaneously serve on other elected bodies, though this may not be a formal policy.

注释

  1. ^ Smith, Peter. administration (PDF). A concise encyclopedia of the Bahá'í Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications: 24–29. 2000. ISBN 1-85168-184-1. 
  2. ^ [1] [2]
  3. ^ Shoghi Effendi, Directives from the Guardian, p. 23 [Emphasis added]

参考文献