The Religions Book

316

See also: God-consciousness 122–23 ■ Jesus’s message to the world 204–207

■ The origins of Ahmadiyya 284–85 ■ The revelation of Baha’i 308–309

I

n 1920, a Vietnamese civil

servant, Ngô Van Chiêu, stated

that during a seance he was

contacted by the Supreme Being,

who informed him that the time

had come to unite all the world’s

religions into one. Referring to

himself as Cao Ðài (Supreme Palace

or Altar), God explained that in the

past, his message had been

revealed through prophets

in two periods of revelation and

salvation, which had given rise

to all the world’s major religions.

He had now chosen, in a third

period, to reveal his truth via

seance ceremonies. Ngô Van

Chiêu, along with others who

had received similar revelations,

founded the Ðài Ðao Tam Ky Pho

Ðo (“Religion of the Third Great

Period of Revelation and Salvation”),

commonly known as Cao Ðài.

Combining elements of several

religions, especially Buddhist and

Confucian philosophy, Cao Ðài

reveres the prophets of all the

major world faiths, along with more

surprising figures such as Joan of

Arc, Shakespeare, Victor Hugo, and

Sun Yat-sen. In unifying the world’s

faiths and removing the religious

differences that lead to aggression,

Cao Ðài hopes to achieve world

peace. Despite this ambition,

the movement became associated

in the mid-20th century with the

Vietnamese nationalist movement,

and was involved in political

and military resistance to French

colonialism and, later, Communism. ■

IN CONTEXT

KEY FIGURE

Ngô Van Chiêu

WHEN AND WHERE

From 1926, Vietnam

BEFORE

6th century BCE In China,

Confucius teaches a philosophy

of morality, respect, sincerity,

and justice.

3rd century BCE Buddhism,

founded in India by Siddhartha

Gautama, spreads to China.

1st century CE Jesus, revered

as a saint in Cao Ðài, promises

to return to earth to complete

God’s purpose for humankind.

6th century Muhammad

receives the Qur’an, and says

it is a renewal of the message

given to Moses and Jesus.

AFTER

1975 The Communist regime

in Vietnam proscribes Cao Ðài.

1997 Cao Ðài is granted

formal recognition by the

Vietnamese authorities.

ALL RELIGIONS

ARE EQUAL

Because of the very

multiplicity of religions,

humanity does not always

live in harmony. That is

why I decided to unite

all...into one.

God’s message to

Ngô van Chiêu

CAO ÐÀI AIMS TO UNIFY ALL FAITHS