Directives From the Guardian
187 TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS (Can Serve as Both)
"Regarding the statement made by the Guardian ... concerning
the fact that believers can serve both as teachers and administrators.
Shoghi Effendi would approve your Assembly
making this fact known to all the friends. For although it is
essential for the believers to maintain always a clear distinction
between teaching and administrative duties and functions, yet
they should be careful not to be led to think that these two types
of Bahá'í activity are mutually exclusive in their nature and as
such cannot be exercised by one and the same person. As a
matter of fact, the friends should be encouraged to serve in both
the teaching and the administrative fields of Bahá'í service. But
as there are always some who are more specially gifted along
one of these two lines of activity it would seem more desirable
that they should concentrate their efforts in acquiring the full
training for that type of work for which they are best suited by
nature. Such a specialization has the advantage of saving time
and of leading to greater efficiency, particularly at this early
stage of our development. The great danger, however, lies in
that by so doing the friends may tend to develop a sort of class
consciousness which is fundamentally contrary to both the spirit
and actual teachings of the Faith.
"It is precisely in order to overcome such a danger that the
Guardian thinks it advisable that the friends should be encouraged
to serve from time to time in both the teaching and the
administrative spheres of Bahá'í work, but only whenever they
feel fit to do so."
Directives From the Guardian
pages 70-71
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