Synanon started as a drug rehabilitation program in the late 1950s but evolved over the following decades into a controversial and, by many accounts, destructive cult. Founded by Charles E. “Chuck” Dederich in 1958 in … Read more
The Church of Satan is a religious organization founded in 1966 by Anton Szandor LaVey in San Francisco, California. It is dedicated to the philosophy and teachings of LaVeyan Satanism, which is captured in LaVey’s … Read more
The Raelian Movement, or Raelism, emerged in the 1970s, rooted in the experiences of Claude Vorilhon, who later adopted the name Rael. This modern religious movement is underpinned by Rael’s claim of encounters with extraterrestrial … Read more
Introduction to Eckankar Eckankar is a modern spiritual movement founded in the 1960s by Paul Twitchell. It presents itself as the “Religion of the Light and Sound of God” and emphasizes direct personal experiences as … Read more
Introduction to the Temple of Set The Temple of Set is a religious organization founded in 1975 by Michael A. Aquino and several other members who left the Church of Satan. It is based on … Read more
The Genesis of Hon-Ming Chen and God’s Salvation Church Born in Taiwan, Hon-Ming Chen was an unassuming former professor who took on an entirely different role as the leader of the God’s Salvation Church. He … Read more
The Origins of Victor Wierwille Victor Paul Wierwille was born in 1916 in Ohio. He was an ordained minister who initially followed mainstream Christian teachings. Over time, Wierwille began to grow disillusioned with traditional religious … Read more
Sikhism: Disciples of God and Universal Truths Sikhism, pronounced as “sickh,” derives its name from the word “Sikh,” which means disciple in Punjabi. Sikhs are the devoted disciples of God, adhering to the teachings and … Read more
By situating Sabbatarianism within its social and historical context, Matt Goldish situates the Sabbatarians within the world of early modernity, making its history accessible to scholars and students alike. Both supporters and opponents of Sabbatarianism … Read more
Discordianism is a contemporary religion that has as its primary deity Eris, an Ancient Greek Goddess of discord. Followers of Discordianism are encouraged to worship Eris (Discordia in Latin), the Greek goddess of chaos and … Read more