JOHANNA J. M. PETSCHE Johanna J. M. Petsche graduated with a PhD in Studies in Religion from the University of Sydney in 2013. Her dissertation was published as part of Brill's Aries Book Series and is entitled Gurdjieff and Music (2015). It centres on the piano music and esoteric teaching of George Ivanovitch Gurdjieff (c.1866-1949). Johanna is currently working as a lecturer on world religions and interpersonal communication at the University of Sydney and Australian Catholic University. She has published on Gurdjieff, H. P. Blavatsky, E. J. Gold, Scientology, Discordianism, and musicians Keith Jarrett and Sun Ra. She also teaches clarinet and performs in the chamber music group, Ensemble Spiritoso .
Hugh B. Urban is a professor of religious studies in the Department of Comparative Studies at Ohio State University. He is interested in the role of secrecy in religion, particularly in relation to questions of knowledge and power. His two main areas of research are religions of South Asia and new religions in the United States. He is the author of seven books, including Tantra: Sex, Secrecy, Politics and Power in the Study of Religion (2003) and The Church of Scientology: A History of a New Religion (2011).
David G. Bromley is Professor of Religious Studies and Sociology in the School of World Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University. After completing an undergraduate degree in Sociology at Colby College, I pursued graduate work in Sociology at Duke University, earning a Ph.D. in 1971. During and after my graduate work at Duke, I served on the faculty at the University of Virginia in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. I returned to Virginia when I joined the VCU faculty in 1983 as Chair of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. In the intervening years, I served as Chair of the Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work at the University of Texas at Arlington and as Chair of the Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice at the University of…
ADIDAM TIMELINE 1939 (3 November) Franklin Albert Jones was born in Long Island, New York. 1964-1970 Jones searched for ultimate truth, using psychoactive drugs. He followed several gurus and self-designed introspective processes. 1968-1969 Jones spent a year as a full-time employee/practitioner of Scientology. 1970 Jones reported attaining “complete enlightenment.” This was just one of several dramatic transformations he claims to have undergone. 1972 Jones's spiritual autobiography, The Knee of Listening , was first published. Jones began formal teaching. 1973 Jones announced his first name change, becoming Bubba Free John, and began “crazy wisdom” teaching. 1974 Jones proclaimed himself an avatar (incarnation) of God. 1983 Jones acquired Naitauba, a private several-thousand acre island in Fiji previously owned by television actor Raymond Burr. 1985 A series of critical, lurid newspaper exposés of…
THERIANTHOPY TIMELINE 1992: alt.horror.werewolves (AHWW) was founded on Usenet for werewolf fans; White Wolf role-play game, Werewolf the Apocalypse, was released. 1993: alt.fan.dragon was founded for dragon fans. 1994: The first version of the AHWW FAQ was produced; the first meetup or “Howl,” was held in Ohio, U.S. 1995: The revised AHWW FAQ used the phrase “Spiritual Therianthropy.” 1996: The Shapeshifter and Werewolf Handbook or Codex was written by Yaiolani; alt.lifestyle.furry newsgroup was founded for furries; an AHWW shirt was printed with an illustration by Jakkal; the first EuroHowl was held in Wales, an Internet Relay Chat channel opened for Therians. 1997: AHWW's “Winter of Discontent” caused users to move to other websites; werewolf ‘zine Fang, Claw & Steel was founded. 1998: Roy Wilkinson's Are You A Unicorn? unicorn site…
THE PROCESS CHURCH TIMELINE 1931: Founder Mary Ann Maclean was born in Glasgow, U.K. 1935 (October 8): Founder Robert Moore was born in Shanghai, China. 1936: Moore returned with his mother to England. 1960s: Moore and Maclean met through Scientology and married taking the name de Grimston. 1963: The de Grimstons left Scientology to found Compulsions Analysis in London, England. 1965-1966: Compulsions Analysis attracted clients and the de Grimstons changed the group’s name to The Process. 1966 (June 23): The Process left London for Nassau, Bahamas before ultimately settling at Xtul, Yucatan Peninsula. 1966 (October 7): The Process endured Hurricane Inez, viewing it as a religious experience and leading to the establishment of The Process as The Process Church of the Final Judgment. 1966-1968: The Process returned to London and…
Eckankar, The Religion of Light and Sound Founder: Paul Twitchell. Date of Birth: Twitchell's date of birth has been recorded as 1908, 1910, 1912, 1920 and 1922. Died: 1971. Birth Place: Paducah , Kentucky . Year Founded: 1965. Sacred or Revered Texts: The Shariyat-Ki-Sugmand is the major sacred text but many other books written by Paul Twitchell, Harold Klemp, as well as other Eckankar leaders are recomended to followers of Eckankar. Twitchell's books include Eckankar: The Key to Secret Worlds and An Introduction to Eckankar . Some of Klemp's books are The Art of Spiritual Dreaming . Size of Group: According to the official Eckankar homepage, there are approximately 50,000 members in over one hundred countries. FOUNDER/GROUP HISTORY Eckankar emerged during the Cultural Revolution of the 1960's during a time…
COVERT SHIN BUDDHISTS TIMELINE 1263: Shinran, the reputed founder of Shin Buddhism, died. 1499: Rennyo died. Although critical of secret teaching in his pastoral letters, he purportedly entrusted the “true” secret teachings to the laity rather than priests. 1722: Tsukiji, a Shin Buddhist temple, issued an edict that prohibits the practices of covert Shin Buddhists. 1754: Yamazaki Mokuzaemon was executed for teaching secret Shin doctrine in northern Japan. 1755: Covert Shin Buddhists were infiltrated and exposed by Shin Buddhist clergy. 1846: Ten people who were arrested in northern Japan for covert Shin activities were sent to prison for six months and were required to pay fines. 1879: Around this year, D.T. Suzuki, who became popular in the West for his works on Zen, was brought by his mother to participate…
APATHETIC AGNOSTIC (UCTAA) TIMELINE 1965: While attending the Royal Military College of Canada, John Tyrrell first used the phrases “I don't know and I don’t care” and ‘Apathetic Agnosticism’ to describe his religious beliefs. 1996: John Tyrrell founded The Universal Church Triumphant of the Apathetic Agnostic (UCTAA) with the creation of a single, sparse page on his personal site. At the time, the webpage included only the three Articles of Faith and a disclaimer. 1996: Later this year, the page expanded to include a Meditations section and a commentary on the Articles of Faith. The page was also placed on its own website. 1997: A church membership option was made available. 1998: A clerical hierarchy was established, with degrees and ordination being offered from the International University of Nescience. 2000: …
The Archives Project contains a listing of religious groups for which archival materials that are available in libraries, online, or at other locations. There are two types of listings on this page. One type of listing is a summary of materials contained at other locations. The second type is a listing of materials that are contained on the WRSP site. The second type is designated by a *** after the group name. BRANCH DAVIDIANS*** CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY*** JESUS PEOPLE LOMALAND MARY OLGA PARK MOORISH SCIENCE TEMPLE OF AMERICA NEW RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS PEOPLES TEMPLE RAJNEESH / OSHO SERPENT HANDING GROUPS SANTA MUERTE*** SATANIC CULTS SETH MATERIAL SHILOH WICCA