Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness
Formation | 1968 (formation) June 25, 1971 (incorporation) |
---|---|
Founder | John-Roger Hinkins |
Legal status | Non-profit religious corporation |
Headquarters | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Spiritual Director | John Morton |
Website | www |
The Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness (or MSIA) is a
History and teachings
MSIA teaches an active
The Founder,
MSIA considers itself a church in very few traditional senses of the word. A deeply ambivalent attitude towards traditional "religiosity" characterizes the "Movement." While it is legally incorporated as a church and provides tools and techniques for
Soul Transcendence, as defined by MSIA, is the process of becoming aware of yourself as a soul and as one with
Founder
According to Hinkins' official web site, he first attended the University of Utah, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology in 1958 and a Secondary Teaching Credential in 1960; he later performed post-graduate work at the University of California, Los Angeles, the University of Southern California and California State University, Los Angeles.[3] Hinkins also held a California Secondary Life Teaching Credential, and a Doctorate of Spiritual Science from the Peace Theological Seminary & College of Philosophy,[3] an unaccredited institution which Hinkins founded in 1977.
In the early 1960s, Hinkins took a correspondence course with the
In late 1963, Hinkins underwent a
In 1971 Hinkins formally organized MSIA as a tax-exempt church based in
John-Roger died at age 80 on October 22, 2014, of pneumonia after several years of poor health.[6]
Related organizations founded by John-Roger
- Peace Theological Seminary & College of Philosophy (PTS)
- Institute for Individual and World Peace (IIWP)
- Insight Seminars
- Heartfelt Foundation
- Mandeville Press
Criticism and controversy
MSIA has been criticized by a variety of people over the years, but
Ex-MSIA Minister Peter McWilliams wrote
McWilliams chronicles his extended relationship with Hinkins, accusing him of various misrepresentations and improprieties. However, McWilliams later agreed to abandon the copyright to MSIA to settle
In his book The Missionary Position author Christopher Hitchens criticizes both Mother Teresa and John-Roger for a staged photo shoot where the two posed together in a studio with a blank backdrop.[9] A blurred backdrop of Calcutta's poor was added later. Hitchens questions the ethics of such a shoot, as well as Mother Teresa for accepting US$10,000 as part of an "Integrity Award" from MSIA, which he describes as having been "exposed in print as corrupt and fanatical".
Cult allegations
MSIA has frequently been accused of being a cult of personality. Whether or not MSIA should be labeled a cult is a matter of dispute. Both the movement and its founder have been through alleged scandals (published in People Magazine and the Los Angeles Times among other publications) suggesting financial improprieties as well as sexual misconduct by Hinkins.[10] MSIA gained widespread attention during the senatorial campaign of Michael Huffington, whose wife, Arianna Huffington, denied that she was a member of MSIA. [citation needed]
Notable persons who have studied in MSIA
Several well-known individuals and public figures have been involved with MSIA. The most prominent of these is
References
- ^ Frequently Asked Questions
- ^ Lewis, James R.; Petersen, Jesper Aagaard. Controversial New Religions. Oxford University Press, New York: 2005, pp. 335–336.
- ^ a b John-Roger
- ^ CESNUR - The Origins of the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness (MSIA)
- ^ a b University of Virginia Library Archived 2007-05-31 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "John-Roger dies at 80; founder of controversial new-age church - Los Angeles Times". Los Angeles Times. 23 October 2014.
- ISBN 0-7734-9192-9.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-10-10. Retrieved 2009-02-04.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ISBN 1-85984-054-X.
- ^ Arianna's Mandatory Cult Meetings
- ^ New Yorker profile, October 13 2008
- ^ Rolling Stone profile, 4 December 2006
- ^ "Arianna's Mandatory Cult Meetings".
- ^ a b Bright, Laren. "The Less Known Side of Sally Kirkland". sallykirkland.com: Sally Kirkland. Archived from the original on 20 April 2010. Retrieved 27 March 2010.
on December 4, 1975, Sally was ordained as a minister by MSIA's founder, John-Roger.
- ^ King-Newman, Jaime. "Spiritual Warrior: the Art of Spiritual Living - What they're saying". Mandeville Press. Retrieved 27 March 2010.
John-Roger is my teacher and my friend.
- ^ Delmonteque, Bob. "Leigh Taylor- Young Weaves Spirituality and Service Into Hollywood Life". Journal of Longevity. 11 (10). Archived from the original on 2010-04-28. Retrieved 27 Mar 2010.
Leigh became an ordained minister in the Church of the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness (MSIA) in 1975.
- ^ "Jsu Garcia Biography". jsugarcia.com. Archived from the original on 4 July 2010. Retrieved 27 March 2010.
One of the most important aspects of Garcia's life is his dedication to Peace Theological Seminary College of Philosophy, for which he and his friend, author John-Roger, have traveled throughout the world each year for the past nine years in an effort to bring peace to troubled areas such as Egypt and Israel
- ^ Wolf, Gary (25 Sep 2007). "Getting Things Done Guru David Allen and His Cult of Hyperefficiency". Wired Magazine. Condé Nast Digital. pp. Issue 15.10. Retrieved 27 March 2010.
- ^ www.life102.com
- ISBN 0-931580-34-X., pp 6-7.
- Frank Rich. "Journal; Manchurian Candidate II", The New York Times, 1994-10-13.