The Order of Christ Sophia (OCS) is a small New Religion which, in the short span of eight years, has evoked intense controversy. An unusual synthesis of traditional Catholicism, esoteric cosmology, and psychology, the OCS already has centers in a dozen major cities in the United States. Thus far, however, it has eluded the attention of scholars of alternative religions. An offshoot of an earlier group, the Holy Order of MANS, the OCS developed a distinctive set of beliefs and practices that set it apart from the mother faith. It has cultivated some curious and provocative features for a Christian-based religion, including the elevation of women to full participation and status within the evolving sacred order. Its treatment of gender is refreshingly egalitarian; women can be priests, and Mary is deified and given equal status with Jesus. Another unusual feature of the group is its emphasis on introspection and intensive psychological and emotional work for all members. Beyond surveying the history, doctrines and practices of this unusual group, Lewis brings data from his study of the OCS to bear on many items of conventional wisdom in the New Religions field. He shows, for example, that far from joining the Order in response to a 'youth crisis,' the average age of new OCS members is 37. This and a number of other characteristics of the OCS membership challenge generally accepted conclusions about recruits to New Religions. Lewis also examines how various theoretical models, such as Rodney Stark's influential model of religious 'success,' pan out when applied to the OCS. In addition to the six core chapters of the book authored by Lewis, three other experts contribute chapters on: the results of personality and I.Q. tests administered to member; membership attitudes; comparison of OCS with mainstream denominations; and sex roles in the OCS.
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James Lewis is Associate Professor of Religion, University of Tromso, Norway.
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15 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
The Reason for Research,
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This review is from: Children of Jesus and Mary: The Order of Christ Sophia (Hardcover)
The question of legitimacy in a spiritual tradition is established by the tradition itself. The requirements for the passage of the right to ordain in the Holy Order of Mans tradition were clearly written down. The Holy Order of Mans tradition required that two teachers that had the right to ordain had to collaborate to pass to another these rights. If the authors of the book "Children of Jesus and Mary: The Order of Christ Sophia" would have done the research on Holy order of Mans they would have uncovered this fact. The research itself would have proven that Mr. Bowes claim to any legitimacy to the Holy Order of Mans tradition was false.
It is not the option of authors to decide for themselves any legitimate claims to a spiritual tradition. The author must use the requirements which the tradition itself uses. There are many elements to a spiritual tradition. Among these elements are the rituals, the teachings, the symbols, and the nature of its priesthood. Some of these elements are not subject to change, while others are. The symbols and the nature of the priesthood of a spiritual tradition are historically not subject to change. Again if the authors of the book "Children of Jesus and Mary: The Order of Christ Sophia" would have done the research they would have uncovered the fact that the priesthood of the Holy Order of Mans had an absolute prohibition against defrocking priests. If Mr. Bowes was actually an ordained priest or minister of the Holy Order of Mans tradition he would have known of this prohibition and complied with it. This prohibition was a major element to the Holy Order of Mans priesthood. Rt. Rev. Timothy Harris President of The Gnostic Order of Christ One of the Founders of The Holy Order of Mans
14 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Keep it Factual Please,
This review is from: Children of Jesus and Mary: The Order of Christ Sophia (Hardcover)
I have been reticent to wade into the debate over the lineage, or lack thereof, of the Order of Christ Sophia as it seemed to be a distraction from the Work I signed on for some 40 years ago. However, this latest attempt at representing as true that which clearly is not, has to be addressed.
I entered the Holy Order of MANS (HOOM) in early 1971 and was Ordained a Priest in 1973. I served in various capacities over the next 11 years including the running of a seminary center, pastoring a lay community and fulfilling the role of Director of Education for the entire Order. I sat on Esoteric Councils as well as many Regional Councils over those years. While running the Seminary in Indianapolis, I became acquainted with Peter Bowes and his wife. I liked them and they seemed to be a positive presence in the Christian Community of Indianapolis, of which they were members. The Christian Community was the lay extension of the HOOM. They were, in other words, parishioners. Peter later became a member of our Discipleship program which was a correspondence-based course that had no option for life-vows nor ordination. I also knew Master Raeson (Anthony) Ruiz and worked under his oversight when I was a new priest in Baltimore. He was my regional director. Master Raeson did, in fact, get asked to leave the HOOM and struck out on his own. While his Mastery is not in question in my mind, the statement that he had been given the Rites to Ordain in the HOOM lineage certainly is. He clearly had not been given that Rite. Now, that being said, he may very well have been given the ability to ordain from a source other than HOOM. He was after all, a Master Teacher. But those ordinations would NOT be in the HOOM lineage and those ordained by Raeson or by any of those he subsequently ordained, should not represent themselves as being the inheritors of the HOOM lineage. The issue of "lineage" may or may not seem important however, truthfulness IS. The Order of Christ Sophia may have a wonderful, spirit-filled mission and may be helping a great number of people but they should not feel the need to validate their existence on falsehoods. It merely detracts from whatever good they may be doing. What I have represented here is the Truth and needed to be stated publically. Rev. Gerald (Dominic) Indra
14 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointing,
By
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This review is from: Children of Jesus and Mary: The Order of Christ Sophia (Hardcover)
Whatever one's personal opinion of the Order of Christ Sophia, it is a growing, intriguing new religious movement (NRM), worthy of academic attention. Thus, I looked forward to the publication of this book. However, I am sad to report that it is very disappointing. As other reviewers have pointed out, most of the book reads like an infomerical for the OCS. There are a few more interesting sections, especially the statistical comparison of the OCS to other NRMs. If one wants to understand the viewpoint of current OCS leadership, this is an excellent resource. However, if you are looking for historical accuracy and a balanced treatment of controversies around the Order, you will have to seek elsewhere. The historical errors regarding the Holy Order of MANS and groups which derive from it are especially unfortunate. The documentary evidence is available and most of the principals are still alive and interviewable, yet the authors relied almost completely on information from OCS leadership and secondary sources. Graduate students looking for a project should pay attention, as a much better, more accurate book on the OCS remains to be written.
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