By advancement of human consciousness is meant the forging of a pathway that enables a person to envision what might be possible for the human condition. Baha'u'llah has offered in His Revelation a vision for humanity that transcends significantly what was thought possible for the human race collectively, or the individual human being, to achieve at the time of His Revelation. His Revelation has, if you like, advanced human consciousness to the possibility that science and religion can be in harmony, that we can independently investigate truth without the need of clergy, that emancipation of women is possible, that the human race can become one human family.
These concepts and "advance human consciousness" progress from age to age, from Revelation to Revelation and will continue to be, from my humble perspective, the principle force for the social evolution of the human race for ever.
If the Roman, Greek and Tertulian gods conceptually offered this advancement at the time when they were believed by people, then they are a very sacred part of the unfolding Plan of the universe/God, according to Baha'i understanding.
