Search Results for: Susan Palmer

About Us

WORLD RELIGIONS AND SPIRITUALITY PROJECT (WRSP) WRSP HISTORY What has become WRSP originated with the New Religious Movements Homepage Project, which was founded in 1995 by Professor Jeffrey K. Hadden at the University of Virginia as part of an undergraduate course on New Religious Movements (NRMs). Student researchers compiled profiles of a broad range of NRMs. Given the paucity of information online at that time, the Religious Movements Homepage rapidly grew into one of the largest academic sites of its kind in the world. Professor David Bromley consulted with Professor Hadden regularly on the project during this period. Following Professor Hadden’s untimely death in 2003, Professor Douglas E. Cowan, Renison College of the University of Waterloo, managed the project website for the next seven years to assure its continuation. Ultimately…
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Twelve Tribes

TWELVE TRIBES TIMELINE 1937:  Elbert Eugene Spriggs (later known as “Yoneq”) was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee. 1971:  Spriggs joined the Jesus People Movement. 1972:  Spriggs met and married Marsha Ann Duvall . 1973:  The Spriggs co-founded the Vine Christian Community Church, a bi-weekly Bible study group for youth, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. 1974:  The Spriggs's community, associated with the “Vine Church,” bought and renovated Victorian houses and opened the Yellow Deli restaurant. 1975:  The Vine Church broke away from the First Presbyterian Church and began both holding outdoors services, called “Critical Mass,” and performing their own baptisms. 1975-1978:  Six additional Yellow Delis opened in Chattanooga, along with the Areopagus Café, a center for Christian dialogue. 1975-1978:  The Vine Church became a focus of “anticult” media articles, influenced by FREECOG (Free the …
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Osho/Rajneesh

OSHO/RAJNEESH TIMELINE 1931:  Osho/Bhagwan was born as Mohan Chandra Rajneesh in Kuchwada on the Indian plains. 1953:  Rajneesh experienced spiritual enlightenment under a tree in the Bhanvartal Garden, Jabalpur. 1958-1966:  Rajneesh received an appointment and moved from Lecturer to Professor (1960) at Jabalpur University. 1966:  Rajneesh resigned from Jabalpur University and assumes the title Acharya (Teacher), after his backers established an educational trust to support lectures and rural meditation camps. 1970:  Rajneesh formally initiated his first disciples). 1971:  Rajneesh first called himself Bhagwan (enlightened one) Shree Rajneesh. 1974:  The Shree Rajneesh Ashram was established in Pune. 1977:  The worldwide Rajneesh Movement peaked at approximately 25,000 active devotees. There were also residential centers and businesses in or near major Western European and American cities. 1981:  July 10: Ma Anand Sheela, Rajneesh's…
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Canadian Religious and Spiritual Traditions

The Canadian Religious and Spiritual Traditions Project documents the diversity of religious traditions in Canada through a set of profiles of religious and spiritual groups that originated in Canada. The profiles are supplemented by profiles of sacred sites and supporting video material and governmental reports. RELIGIOUS AND SPIRITUAL GROUP PROFILES SACRED SITES GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS VIDEO SOURCES Project Directors: Susan Palmer (McGill University) susan.palmer@mcgill.ca Hillary Kael (Concordia University) hillary.kaell@concordia.ca  
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Special Projects

THEMATIC PROJECTS RELIGIOUS AND SPIRITUAL MOVEMENTS AND THE VISUAL ARTS (Project Director: Massimo Introvigne) WOMEN IN THE WORLD'S RELIGIONS AND SPIRITUALITY PROJECT (Project Directors: Rebecca Moore, Catherine Wessinger) MARIAN APPARITIONAL AND DEVOTIONAL GROUPS (Project Directors: Joseph Laycock and Jill Krebs) SPIRITUAL AND VISIONARY COMMUNITIES (Project Director: Timothy Miller) NATIONAL RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE PROJECTS AUSTRALIAN RELIGIOUS AND SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS (Project Directors: Carole Cusack, Bernard Doherty) JAPANESE NEW RELIGIONS (Project Directors: Ian Reader, Erica Baffelli, Birgit Staemmler) CANADIAN RELIGIOUS AND SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS (Project Directors: Susan Palmer, John Peterson)  
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Canaidian Religious and Spiritual Traditions

]]>]]>]]>]]>]]>]]>HomeAbout UsPartnershipsProfilesResources WRSP AuthorsDonateContact CANADIAN RELIGIOUS AND SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS The Canadian Religious and Spiritual Traditions Project documents the diversity of religious traditions in Canada through aset of profiles of relligious and spiritual groups that originated in Canada. The profiles are supplemented by profiles of sacred sites and supporting video material and governmental reports. Project Directors:        Susan Palmer        John Peterson                           RELIGIOUS AND SPIRITUAL GROUP PROFILES SACRED SITESGOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS VIDEO SOURCES    Home | About Us |Partnerships |Profiles |Resources |WRSP Authors |Donate |Contact Copyright © 2015 World Religions & Spirituality Project VCU • Virginia Commonwealth University• All Rights ReservedWeb Design by Old Garden Arts
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VIDEO RESOURCES

Scholar’s Corner hosts and connects to a diverse set of video materials related to the study of emergent and alternative religions and spirituality: Nova Religio and WRSP have created a joint video project. Nova Religio produces video interviews with Nova Religio authors on their scholarly work and new trends and issues in religions. The World Religions and Spirituality Project conducts video interviews with authors on topics related to the academic study of emergent and alternative religions. The video interviews organized by Nova Religio can be accessed directly through the Nova Religio YouTube Video Channel and through Scholar’s Corner page. WRSP videos are posted on the WRSP YouTube Channel and are also available through the Scholar’s Corner page. Video interviews, conferences and seminars conducted under the auspices of INFORM (Information Network Focus…
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Preppers & Survivalists

PREPPERS AND SURVIVALISTS TIMELINE 1973:  The oil shortage crisis took place. 1975:  The term “survivalist” was coined by Kurt Saxon in his newsletter The Survivor. 1985 (April 16):  The FBI siege on the compound run by The Covenant, Sword, and Arm of the Lord group took place. 1992 (August):  The eleven-day siege and shootout between federal agents and the Weaver family at Ruby Ridge, Idaho took place. 1993 (February-April):  The siege and destruction of the Branch Davidian Compound in Waco, Texas took place. 1995 (April 19):  The Oklahoma City Bombing took place. 1999:  The Y2K bug scare took place. 2014:  The standoff at Bundy ranch in Nevada took place. 2016:  The occupation of Malheur National Wildlife Range took place. 2020:  The Covid-19 pandemic began. 2021 (January 6):  The siege of…
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Astronism

ASTRONISM TIMELINE 1998:  Brandon Reece Taylor (Cometan) was born in Preston, United Kingdom. 2013:  Cometan began receiving intense revelations. On, the Astronic calendar, this is known as the “Year of The Gift” when Cometan had the idea to create a fictional detective character (Jesse Millete), which eventually expanded and culminated in the creation of Astronism itself. 2014:  Cometan completed his education from Brownedge St. Mary’s Roman Catholic High School in Bamber Bridge. He then studied for two years at Preston’s Cardinal Newman College, graduating with three A levels. 2016:  Cometan commenced work on a Bachelor Degree in Business and Marketing at the University of Central Lancashire. Midnight on the first of July became known as the Dedication of Cometan or the Great Dedication; it was also the beginning of The Year…
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Apostles of Infinite Love

APOSTLES OF INFINITE LOVE TIMELINE 1905 (September 15):  Michel Collin was born in Béchy, Lorraine, France. 1928 (September 8):  Gaston Tremblay was born in Rimouski, Quebec, Canada 1933 (July 9):  Collin was ordained to the priesthood in Lille, France. 1935 (April 28):  Collin had a vision that resulted in the foundation of the Apôtres de L’Amour Infini (the Apostles of Infinite Love). 1940:  Tremblay had a vision of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, saying that he would found a “Company of Mary.” 1944 (August 15):  Tremblay entered the community of Hospitalers of St. John of God in Montreal. 1949 (August):  Tremblay had a vision of a future pope. 1950 (October 7):  Collin had a vision that God crowned him pope. 1951 (January 17):  In a decree, the Holy Office…
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