Phillip Charles Lucas – författare

". . . solid scholarship. . . . [It] will not only serve as a model for those studying the New Religious Movements of the late twentieth century, but will offer help to mainline and other religious institutions who are struggling with problems of identity and change in our complex society today." —Church History". . . a thoroughly enjoyable book that would fit well into a graduate readings seminar on new religious movements. . . .The book deserves a wide reading." —Nova Religio"Lucas's study provides a model of how best to combine the methodologies and analyses of the history of religions and sociology. He has provided the groundwork for continued tracking of developments in this new religious movement for comparative purposes." —Journal of the American Academy of Religion" . . . a carefully researched and well-written history of one of the important new religious movements to appear in the United States during the 1960s . . . the volume can be heartily recommended to all students of American religion." —American Historical Review"Lucas has written one of the best informed studies of the evolution of a metaphysical cult into mainline eastern orthodoxy." —The Reader's Review"This is an important book for libraries with holdings in American religion." —Choice" . . . a fascinating narrative . . . a rich feast for the investigator of the subculture of esoteric religion . . . " —American Studies International" . . . especially welcome. It offers an in-depth, meticulously documented history of a church, the Holy Order of MANS, that arose from the Christian esoteric mystery tradition and then metamorphosed into a traditionalist Orthodox Christian sect. This unlikely tale has more twists and turns than a whodunit . . . this volume is that rarest of finds: an academic book that is a delight to read." —Gnosis MagazineTraces the journey of a new religious movement from its start as a monastic-style New Age order to its transformation into the more conventional Christ the Savior Brotherhood, an Eastern Orthodox sect. A remarkable story of social and spiritual change in contemporary America.

The story of a small Florida community that has drawn spiritual seekers for over 125 yearsCalling itself a "metaphysical mecca," the small town of Cassadaga, between Orlando and Daytona Beach in central Florida, was established more than 125 years ago on the principle of continuous life, the idea that spirits of the dead commune with the living. Though the founders of Cassadaga have passed on to the "spirit plane," the quaint Victorian town remains the oldest continuously active Spiritualist center in the South and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. While the community has often been sensationalized and misrepresented, this is the first serious work to examine its history, people, cultural environment, and religious system.After presenting an overview of nineteenth-century religion, the book explores the town's early years, distinctive architecture, ritual life, core beliefs, healing work, and view of the future. It also probes the extent to which Cassadaga has assimilated New Age beliefs and reflects larger trends in contemporary American religious culture.The study includes a group biography based on interviews with four residents, plus a chapter on the colorful life of Eloise Page, a practicing medium in Cassadaga for more than 40 years. In addition, it features 47 photographs that guide readers through the town and portray residents engaged in various sacred and everyday activities.