In the Beginning Was a Word: How Language Knits Reality Together

In the Beginning Was a Word is an accessible discussion intended for those who find delight in the extraordinary capacity of language to express what is otherwise inexpressible. Though only vibrations in the air, words possess a power akin to that of the law of gravity, by which physical objects are drawn together by mutual attraction, or the law of love, which orders and unifies metaphysical reality. Language provides the threads with which we weave together the various parts of our lives and reality as a whole.

In the Beginning Was a Word opens the reader to the ideas of how we as humanity understand sacred scripture, and how this understanding can enable humanity to build a World Commonwealth. To add to our comprehension is the Bahai Faith, helping to bring about such a World Commonwealth where all of humanity will live in peace. In chapters 19, author John Hatcher discusses how language is used by the Manifestations (or Prophets) of God, and helps humankind to become more spiritual. There is an exploration of the major differences between literal and symbolic interpretations of scripture, and what is meant by the phrase Word of God and how this Word can transform society. Chapters 1012 delve into topics such as the difference between direct and indirect language in sacred scriptures, how words from the Dispensation of one Manifestation lead to the Covenant of that one Manifestation and then prophesy the coming of the subsequent Manifestation, as well as the history of the central figures of the Bahai Faith.