Lua Getsinger

Lua Getsinger
BornNovember 1, 1871
Hume, New York, US
DiedMay 2, 1916
Cairo, Egypt
Other namesLouise/Lulu/Lucinda Aurora Moore, Mrs. Edward C. Getsinger
OccupationSpeaker
Known forDisciple of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá
Title"Banner", “Herald of the Covenant” and "Mother of the believers"
SpouseEdward Getsinger

Louise Aurora Getsinger (1 November 1871 – 2 May 1916), known as Lua, was one of the first Western members of the Baháʼí Faith,[1] recognized as joining the religion on May 21, 1897, just two years after Thornton Chase.[2]: pxxvii 

Born into the rural countryside of western New York state and initially with a heterodox understanding of the teachings of the religion, by her fervor she corrected many understandings and grew to become a prominent disciple of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá with an international reputation, being named “Herald of the Covenant” and "Mother of the believers" by ʻAbdu'l-Bahá,[3]: p188 [4] head of the religion 1892-1921, and “mother teacher of the American Bahá‘í Community, herald of the dawn of the Day of the Covenant" by Shoghi Effendi in 1942,[5] head of the religion 1921–1957. Nevertheless, she faced trials of reputation among the Bahá'ís in America during a time when rumors arose if a woman traveled with a man other than her husband, which she did in promotional tours across America, into Canada and Mexico. Her husband grew doubtful, their relationship changed, and he sought a divorce. She was defended by the leadership of the religion and her reputation increased after her sudden death in Egypt.

A number of later leaders of the religion were directly affected by her, including members of the high office of the religion, the Hands of the Cause, Louis George Gregory, and John Henry Hyde Dunn, as well as May Maxwell, another prominent woman of the religion and mother of another Hand of the Cause Rúhíyyih Khánum, who had her own direct effect on Agnes Alexander, William Sutherland Maxwell, and Mason Remey and thus had an effect on the promulgation of the religion in America, (including across the color line,) England, France, Canada, India, Australia, New Zealand, and Argentina, in addition to her own direct contact with thousands of people before the end of the first World War.

  1. ^ Sandra Hutchinson; Richard Hollinger (2006). "Women in the North American Bahá'í Community". In Keller, Rosemary Skinner; Ruether, Rosemary Radford; Cantlon, Marie (eds.). Encyclopedia of Women and Religion in North America: Native American creation stories. Indiana University Press. pp. 776–786. ISBN 0-253-34687-8.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Stockmanv1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Crosson2013 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Maani was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Effendi Shoghi (2002) [1947]. This Decisive Hour: Messages from Shoghi Effendi to the North American Baha'is, 1932-1946 (Messages to America revised ed.). Baháʼí Pub. Trust. p. 101. ISBN 978-0-87743-249-4. OCLC 47844415.