The purpose of the Trent Association for Bahá’í Studies (ABS) is “to study the teachings, history, and philosophy of the Bahá’í Faith, and to explore their application to the present world.” The guiding spirit and principles of the Bahá’í Faith are as such:

“The Bahá’í Faith stands identified with, and revolves around the principle of the organic unity of humankind as representing the consummation of the whole process of human evolution. It recognizes the unity of God and of his Prophets, upholds the principle of an unfettered search after truth, condemns all forms of superstition and prejudice, teaches that the fundamental purpose of religion is to promote concord and harmony, that it must go hand-in-hand with science, and that it constitutes the sole and ultimate basis of a peaceful, an ordered and progressive society. It inculcates the principle of equal opportunity, rights and privileges for both sexes, advocates compulsory education and the elimination of extremes of poverty and wealth, exalts work performed in the spirit of service to the rank of worship, recommends the adoption of an auxiliary international language, and adumbrates the necessary agencies for the establishment and safeguarding of a permanent and universal peace.”

It is perhaps necessary to be explicit about the universal nature of the Bahá’í religion, given that it is often taken for granted that religions necessarily claim exclusivity and finality. The Bahá’í Faith does neither, as it accepts and respects a diversity of paths and connections to the same divine source. Furthermore, the elimination of prejudice of all kinds and the embrace of unity is fundamental to Bahá’í belief.