Chaplains

Bahá'í

Chaplain: Mr Christopher Boardman Jones Phone: 0428 107 173 E-mail: chris.jones@law.mq.edu.au Web Site: www.bahai.org.au

Academic & Vocational Qualifications: Bachelor of Theology (Honors with Distinction) Otago 1995, Master of Theology (Honors with Distinction) USYD 2001. 4th Year PhD Candidate, Centre for Environmental Law, Thesis on Protection of Indigenous Medical Knowledge with Special Focus on Indigenous Spiritual Concerns.

Relevant Experience: Member of national executive committees for both the Association for Bahá'í Studies Australia, and the Bahá'í National Committee for Racial Harmony. Has published a number of articles and chapters in international journals/books related to spiritual and religious issues such as the elimination of religious prejudice, a spiritual methodology of scholarship, the importance of the spiritual value of cultural diversity for the development field , and issues in law in considering the spiritual value of Indigenous peoples and their knowledge. He has been a member of the Macquarie University Human Research Ethics Committee since 2002.

Philosophy / Approach to Chaplaincy / Purpose / Passion:

Within the Bahá'í Faith, there are no individual positions of authority equivalent to the religious leadership of clergy in the Christian Faith. While there are annually elected administrative bodies on local and national levels called Spiritual Assemblies, only collective decisions have any authority. The individuals that comprise such bodies have no authority in themselves. In spite of this a Bahá'í representative chaplain position can still offer a number of potential benefits both to the Bahá'í community and to the wider community. Such services include:

1. Identification and provision of consultative resources for students who wish to discuss needs particular to their Baha'i identity.
2. Actively encourage and assist students in relating Baha'i teachings to their research and work. These teachings include such principles as the equality of women and men, the elimination of all forms of prejudice, the vision of humanity as one family, and religious unity in diversity.
3. Facilitate inter-religious unity through attendance at Chaplain meetings, involvement in planning of inter-faith events, development of friendships with other Chaplains, and in promoting the development of inter-religious centres on campus.

My personal vision is to facilitate the recognition in others that each person, culture and religion has a unique intrinsic form of spiritual genius that is a source of humility for us and inspires a genuine affection for all members of our common human family.