'The Reconciliation of Races and Religions' Summary

Thomas Kelly Cheyne, D.Litt. D.D., was an English divine and Biblical critic. He was born in London and educated at Merchant Taylors’ School, London and Oxford University. Subsequently he studied German theological methods at Göttingen. He was ordained in 1864 and held a fellowship at Balliol College, Oxford, 1868-1882. He became Oriel Professor of the Interpretation of Holy Scripture in 1885, which post he resigned in 1908. Cheyne was the first person to meet ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the leader of the Bahá’í Faith, on His arrival in Oxford on the 31st of December, 1912. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was impressed by Cheyne and gave him the epithet Ruhání (Spiritual) and addressed him as “my spiritual philosopher”. By 1914, this renowned Christian scholar became a member of the Bahá’í Faith. He wrote the present work, The Reconciliation of Races and Religions, in that same year. The book consists mainly of Bábí and Bahá’í historical and biographical notes. At the time, membership in the Bahá’í Faith did not require one to renounce membership in the church, so he remained a Christian minister. He was also interested in and had sympathies towards other religious teachings and movement such as the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).