'Abdu'l-Baha did not proclaim himself the authorized interpreter of Baha'i scripture. Baha'u'llah designated 'Abdu'l- Baha such in clear language in his will and in his Most Holy Book. The author's insinuation of usurpation is insulting to Baha'is. The author makes the same mistake when he states that Shoghi Effendi "assumed leadership." 'Abdu'l-Baha appointed him Guardian of the Baha'i Faith in his will.

To address 'Abdu'l-Baha as Abdul, and Shoghi Effendi as Shoghi, is not only disrespectful, but shows a woeful ignorance of Islamic names.

The Universal House of Justice is not the "central shrine of Baha'i." The Universal House of Justice is the 9-member council that guides the Baha'i community at the international level.

The Manifestations of God are not called "babs" in the Baha'i Faith. Baha'u'llah mentions more than nine such Messengers in his works. While Baha'u'llah's revelation is the culmination of the prophetic cycle gone before, he states that God's method of sending down revelations will continue. It is not "somewhat paradoxical" (as Corduan writes), nor simply "theoretically possible" that other Messengers of God will appear.

Corduan totally de-emphasizes Baha'i personal spirituality, and states that Baha'is focus on social action. This faith requires of its members daily obligatory prayer, reading of scripture, meditation, an annual fast, personal study, and the teaching of their faith to others. To divorce personal spirituality from social action is, for Baha'is, to betray God's will. Both are necessary.

Corduan criticizes the Baha'is for being inclusive, and then criticizes them for not being all-inclusive. What is included or not included is based upon the teaching of Baha'u'llah. This is the same principle that would apply for a Christian who weighs the world on the basis of the Bible, which is sometimes inclusive and sometimes not.

Corduan should review the references to sin in the Baha'i scriptures (of which there are many) if he wishes to understand its approach to individual salvation. Both individual and social redemption go hand in hand for Baha'is. His dismissal of the Baha'i approach in favor of Christian individual redemption also dismisses a social action tradition in Christianity that is as much based upon biblical principle as the salvation of the individual.

Corduan's use of W. M. Miller's anti-Baha'i polemical work in his bibliography suffices to indicate the author's intent, which is certainly not to provide an accurate picture for Christians so that they can engage in real dialogue. Any reader who follows this book will not communicate successfully with his Baha'i contacts. I do not recommend this book to Christians as an accurate or helpful way to learn about other religions.