The Ascent of Society is a penetrating study that describes the objective of personal spiritual growth as an "ever-expanding sense of self" that requires social relationships in order to develop. John Hatcher focuses on the Bahá’í belief that human history is a divinely guided process in which spiritual principles are gradually and progressively expressed in social institutions. He demonstrates that the aspirant to spiritual transformation cannot view personal health and development as being possible apart from the progress of human society as a whole.
