I
have always been intrigued by the many, many nineteenth century prophetic
movements all over the world. People from New York to Tehran to Nanjing were
all getting prophet fever. Some were preparing people for the coming of a great
day heralded by Christianity and Islam, others were claiming themselves to be
the long-awaited restored religion.
Observing
as a Baha'i, these new religious movements were part of a world upheaval in
religious thought that was in the context of the revelation of Baha'u'llah and
the concurrent collapse of established orthodoxy.
It
is amazing what they got right. William Miller's prediction of the return of
Christ was within months of the Bab's declaration of His mission. Most of the
movements held restorationist beliefs about the need for new guidance from God,
and many tried to create a moral code suitable for the modern world, teaching
of the equality of men and women or abstention from alcohol.
Here
are short summaries of them, and some mysterious connections to the Baha'i
Faith.