Antoinism
Encyclopedia
Antoinism is a healer
and Christian
-oriented new religious movement
founded in 1910 by the Walloon Louis-Joseph Antoine (1846–1912) in Jemeppe-sur-Meuse
, Seraing
. With a total of 64 temple
s, over forty reading rooms across the world and thousands of members, it remains the only religion established in Belgium whose notoriety and success went outside the country. Mainly active in France, the religious movement is characterized by a decentralized structure, simple rites, discretion and tolerance towards other faiths.
Raised a Catholic, Antoine worked as a coal miner in his youth, then as a steelworker, before performing his military service in 1866. After marrying Catherine in 1873, he moved several times for professional reasons. Deeply impressed by Allan Kardec
's writings, he organized a spiritualist group in the 1890s. In 1893, the death of his son marked the definitive loss of his faith in Catholicism. In 1896, he explained his new spiritualist views in a book, then discovered the gifts of healing
. Quickly known as a healer, he gathered many followers, mainly among workers disappointed by Catholicism or medicine. In 1906, he broke with spiritualism and started a religion, then published three books outlining his doctrine and consecrated the first Antoinist temple. After his death in 1912, Catherine ensured the continuity of the religion, promoting a centralized worship around the person of her husband and providing additional rules in the organization. When she died in 1940, some differences happened between the French and the Belgian temples.
Antoinist beliefs combine some elements of Catholicism
, reincarnation
, and healing
. In the Antoinist views, the man must reach consciousness by getting rid of the illusion of matter produced by his intelligence—the source of evil and suffering. The purpose of the life is to release oneself from the cycle of reincarnation through a moral progression aided by "fluids"—all human actions, acquiered by silent prayer and the harm caused by diseases and enemies. As freedom of conscience and free will are considered very important in Antoinist creed, the religion does not practice proselytism
and is not exclusive. It does not provide any prescription on social issues. Although focused on healing, Antoinism does not interfere with the medical field, and does not discourage the resort to traditional medicine.
Simple and brief, services are performed in the temples, generally twice per day, and are composed of two forms of worship: "The General Operation", which consists of the transmission of the fluid to the churchgoers, and "The Reading" of Antoine's writings. Members who performed the services wear an entirely black dress, as sign of an intense involvement in the religion; they are not paid. Temples are also the place of consultations of a healer by people who wish to obtain a request, frequently related to health. Antoinist celebrations include Christian holidays and other three days that commemorate the founding couple and the dedication of the first temple. Registered as organism of public utility in Belgium and as religious association
in France, the religion is directed by a college composed of the most active members called desservants. It is financed by anonymous donations and do not ask for money from its followers. In France, the cult
classification of Antoinism in the 1995 Parliamentary Report was generally criticized by the sociologists who studied the religious group.
of Belgium in 1866, and filled his military obligations in Bruges
. During the Franco-Prussian War
, he accidentally killed a comrade, an event which led him to question the meaning of life. After marrying Jeanne Catherine Collon on 15 April 1873, he became the father of a son, Louis Martin Joseph, born in Hamborn, Prussia
on 23 September 1873, and baptized five days later. The family moved to Poland for professional reasons, then went in Belgium in August 1876, where Antoine became a vegetable vendor. In 1878, he began to suffer from recurring stomach aches. In February 1879, he returned to Poland; there his wife ran a school canteen. The family moved to Jemeppe-sur-Meuse (Belgium) in 1888, where he did build twenty houses for workers.
Despite his strong faith, Antoine was unsatisfied with his religion. He began to be influenced by the writings of Allan Kardec
and started a spiritualist movement called "The Vine Growers of the Lord" ("Les Vignerons du Seigneur"). After the death of his son on 23 April 1893, he and the group definitively broke with Christianity
. Antoine published in 1896 a book entitled Little Spiritualist Catechism (Petit catéchisme spirite) to explain his own doctrinal views. He then discovered the gifts of healing and by 1900, he received many sufferers to heal; thenceforth, he was known as the "healer of Jemeppe". He distributed remedies learned from Spiritualism and advocated vegetarianism
, as well as temperance and avoidance of fatty foods. In 1900, the prosecutor of Liege
asked two doctors to investigate the healing activities of Antoine. They noticed his "absolute sincerity", but also asserted that his activities could be "a danger to public health". He was eventually sentenced to a fine of 60 francs and suspended. He posted an advertisement in the spiritualist journal The Messenger (Le Messager), seeking doctors who would associate with him, but the attempt did not meet with success. At the same time, he was deeply influenced by Léon Denis' book In the Invisible. In 1905, he consulted up to 400 patients a day.
In 1906, Antoine discovered a spirituality he called a "new spiritualism", which led him to give up his remedies as well as traditional spiritualism
, to decide to heal by faith alone and to perform only collective healing in a temple, and thus started to lay the foundations of a structured religious movement. Probably at this time, Antoine's nickname "Antoine the Healer" (Antoine le Guérisseur) was replaced by "Antoine the Generous" (Antoine le Généreux), and the moral dimension became more present in the doctrine. On 15 June 1907, he was again sued by a court but was acquitted. From 1907, he published a review and three books which explained his new doctrine and which contained "The Ten Principles of the Father". Then from May 1909 to Easter 1910, he did not appear publicly, and lived in isolation to practice fasting
and prayer
; during this period, the worship was assumed by one of his followers, Mr. Deregneaucourt, who also published the Antoinist literature. On 15 August 1910, Antoine consecrated the temple of Jemeppe-sur-Marne, located in the Alfred Smeets street and which cost about 100,000 francs. On 2 December 1910, 160,000 signatures were gathered to demand official recognition of the Antoinist religion. Antoine presented his wife as his successor and appointed a council composed of followers to manage financial issues of the religion. Named "The Father" by his followers, he died on 25 June 1912 and 100,000 faithful came to pray over his body.
To seek to prevent any misappropriation of the charism of Antoine within the movement after his death, the Antoinist journal L'Unitif published articles which presented Catherine as the legitimate successor and also redefined precisely the limits of the healers' role. To avoid a succession crisis and to ensure the continuity of the religion, Catherine decided to promote a centralized worship around the person of her husband and thus established various rules between 1925 and 1930. For example, she placed, in the temple before the high platform, the photograph of her husband with the mention "The Father is making the Operation", then added her own portrait. She also authorized the desservants—the members the most involved in the religion—to perform the General Operation from the higher platform, but wanted that the ceremony would be preceded by a statement that it is the Father who performs the Operation and that the faith must be placed in him to obtain satisfaction. She insisted that the desservant installed in the platform would be sat during the reading of Antoine's writings. She also organized the Father's day, on 25 June, and rituals such as baptism, communion and marriage, which transformed the group into institutionalized religion. She ordered that nothing should be changed in her husband's writings and in 1932 closed reading rooms in which followers gave personal teachings. However, unlike the writings of her husband which can be sold by anyone, changes and rules established by Catherine are recorded in books only available to the desservants, thus remaining confidential.
In 1931, a street in Spa was named "Father Antoine Street" after a decision by the Liberal Party of the city.
on 1 April 1943, preferred to keep the portraits of the Antoines in the temple. In France, the Antoinists wanted to be faithful to all requirements provided by the founding couple. In spite of these differences, the two branches show each other support and tolerance. Thus, after the death of Catherine, there were two forms of Antoinism, which still remain different today: one in Belgium, and one in France.
In Belgium, the growth of the religion quickly begin to slow down, even to decline, as indicated by the fact that no temple has been built since 1968 and that several of them are currently unused because of a lack of dressed members and/or money. In contrast, the constructions of the temples in France has been continued until 1993, when a new temple in Toulouse was opened.
, and of a corporal world, governed by natural laws, in which matter is an illusion perceived by the imagination generated by intelligence. The man combines in himself both worlds, as he has a physical body and a divine consciousness. In Antoinist views, the importance of human laws and science is weakened as they are based not on consciousness, but on intelligence. The view of the matter is, however, not considered a sin, but an error that causes suffering.
The religious movement believes in a moral progression through reincarnation
after death: the transmigration of the spirit in a human body only reflects the degree of spiritual elevation. The reincarnated person has no recollection of the past lives, and can again make progress in his spiritual course that allows him, at the end, to reach the divine state which releases him from the cycle of reincarnation. The harm caused by disease and by people is seen as a beneficial cure, as the pain can increase one's spiritual progress and thus contribute to one's salvation
. It is therefore highly recommended to love one's enemies. The silent prayer
is also considered as a way to connect the spirit to consciousness. Antoine, who suffered from disease and demonstrated asceticism
and dedication throughout his life, is regarded by followers as a role model to attain salvation.
Antoinist doctrine provides another interpretation to the original sin
in the book of Genesis: Adam began to follow Eve, who had placed her confidence in a serpent, symbol of matter. By imagining the materiality of the physical world, he abandoned the divine consciousness in which he lived and produced the ideas of good and evil. The "tree of knowledge of good and evil
" in the Bible is redefined as "the tree of the science of the sight of evil". Antoinism claimed to not be an atheist religion, but has a particular conception of God: this one does not exist outside of humans, and they do not exist outside of God.
Flexible and little binding, Antoinist beliefs are close to the contemporary belief, as followers can chose the beliefs they wish and interpret events as they want. The religion attaches great importance to freedom of conscience and free will, which renders it attractive and promotes a diversity of beliefs among the followers who can refer simultaneously to other religious traditions. Some believers see Antoine as an incarnation of God; others, who continue to practice Catholicism
, consider him a prophet equal to Jesus Christ; others, who adhere to New Age
doctrines, perceive him as a spiritual figure. The movement rejects indoctrination of children and prozelytism, and tolerates other religions, as they teach the faith and prayer and thus detach people from the material world. It does not provide any prescription on issues such as divorce, abortion and sexuality, and do not use honorary titles, considering all people equal. A periodical directed by writer Louis Pauwels
summarized the main purposes of the religion as being the "mutual aid, spiritual and human solidarity, availability and hospitality".
is a recurrent theme in Antoinism. Thoughts, words, human actions and social ties are considered as fluids. As their quality depends on the moral progress of a person, there are "spiritual" and "heavy" fluids. They can be transmitted, perceived by the intelligence and purified through meditation. A good fluid is supposed to be acquired by love and prayer, and has various uses: it can act as a divine power that regenerates the whole person, destroy evil and heal. It is believed that Antoine can transmit the good fluid and that the temple platform is the place of the most number of fluids.
As good fluids are supposed to be transferable, the Antoinist dress used during the worship is often placed on the bed of a suffering person to help his recovery; similarly, some faithful put a request on a paper in a box under the platform so that the wish happen, others buy a photo of Antoine at a ceremony to be protected. To prevent negative fluids to enter the temple, several rules were established: for example, those who perform the worship are not allowed to wear jewelry or makeup in the building.
, and does not practice the laying on of hands
; the faithful may also resort to traditional medicine. In the books of the temple, it is stated that desservants are not allowed to discourage them to consult a doctor and they should pray that they find an "inspired" doctor. Generally, consulting an Antoinist healer is merely a supplement to allopathic medicine
. Because of its healer doctrine, the religious group is almost always compared to Christian Science
; however, in spite of several similarities with this religion as well as with Friedrich Hegel's works, Belgian historian Pierre Debouxhtay rejected the idea that they could have been potential influences on Antoine's doctrines.
Sociologist Anne-Cécile Bégot considered the Antoinist healing of the first decades a form of protest against (1) the efficiency of medicine, (2) the traditional representation of disease—the real healing can be attained only through a new approach to the disease, which is never considered a particular misfortune and thus is not reduced to its biological dimension—and (3) the management of disease—sick are always responsible for their own illness. However, she concluded that this protest has evolved throughout time as (1) the disease is now represented on an endogenous
etiological model, which indicates a process of individualization of the religion, and (2) the personal real-life experience is more presented as the cause of the disease than the relation to the global society.
, "the Antoinist worship is a ritual of intercession. (...) It is a time of big emotional intensity with an intimate aspect".
The service is composed of two practices:
There are few differences in schedules between the services in Belgium and that of France (see the table).
The Antoinist healing process does not include a doctrinal teaching nor a psychological manipulation
. It does not necessarily imply the end of the problem or illness, and can be divided into three phases: the relief provided by the healer through listening and intercession with God, then acceptance of the problem which requires the recognition of one's responsibilities, and finally the inner peace that results. Whether immediate or gradual, healings are never considered as miracle
s in the religion because they are supposed to occur inevitably when all necessary conditions, including the faith of the patient, are met. Even after several consultations, the consultant does not necessarily become a follower. Several sociologists deemed the Antoinist healing as "exorcist
" as well as "adorcist".
are also performed at the request of the concerned person, unless the family asks for rituals of another religion. The procession always takes place at the cemetery or the funeral home, and the deceased person is never brought to the temple. Desservants read the "Ten Principles of the Father", then an Antoinist text on reincarnation, to help the soul to come off the body to be reincarnated. Sociologists note that many people who never attend the Antoinist services asked for funeral rites of that religion.
, Christmas
, Easter
, Easter Monday
and Ascension
; these days, appropriate portions of Antoine's works are read during the services. There are also three special days in Antoinism, and attendance at worship is generally higher at these moments: (1) 25 June, the Father's Day. It was established by Antoine's wife shortly after his death. At first, Antoinists performed a pilgrimage to Jemeppe-sur-Meuse to participate in a procession through the city which outlined the main events of Antoine's life. The procession was withdrawn in 1937 and the pilgrimage seems to be no longer organized. That day, the faithful pay homage to the founder in the temples; (2) 15 August, the consecration of the temple's Day, which commemorates the consecration of the first temple; (3) 3 November, the Mother's Day, as anniversary of Catherine's death.
indicates an intense involvement in the religion by the person who makes this choice. Although not mandatory, it is devoted to faithful who perform the worship, celebrations and other tasks in the temple—all of them are called "moral work", as they are expected to participate in the moral elevation of followers. Entirely black, the dress for men was designed by Antoine, and that for women by Catherine, who precisely codified their dimensions in their writings. There are also dresses for young people of both sexes, but they are never actually worn. Historically, the wearing of the dress was the subject of a debate among the first Antoinists, some of them refusing to wear it. In the past, the dress was also worn in the street, and that was how the followers were immediately identified by the public. Currently, it is generally only worn in the context of worship, and it is put and removed in the locker room of the temple. Clothing for men is composed of a dress which resembles the one worn by Catholic clergy in the monastery, and closed by 13 buttons, plus a cashmere top hat. Clothing for women is a wide dress accompanied with a cape and a bonnet
with a veil. In the Antoinist view, the collar
is important as it is believed that the fluid resides here.
The only emblem of Antoinism is the tree of science of the sight of evil that features on the facade of the highest platform in the temple. It has seven branches which represent the seven deadly sins
, two eyes which symbolize the view of the sins, and the tree roots which are the symbol of the intelligence which links man to matter. In the branches the mention "Culte Antoiniste" ("Antoinist worship") is written.
in France. It was published in the Journal Officiel de la République Française
of 9 February 1924, and the last modification of the statutes appeared in the JO of 3 August 1988. Antoinist worship has been exempt from property taxes on the public part of its buildings since 1925 in Belgium and in France since 1934.
s are Antoinism's only place of worship. They are financed with anonymous donations and patronage
s, and often members participate in the construction. They are all consecrated prior to their use for worship, which means that, at a ceremony, they received a "good fluid" by one of the founders when they were alive or by a duly authorized follower.
The exterior facade displays an architecture which can be variable according to the temples, but always includes the words "Antoinist Worship" ("Culte Antoiniste") and the year of the building consecration. At the entrance, there is a porch
where various writings of the religious movement, the internal regulations (in France only), the list of the places of worship and the holidays, as well as photos of the Antoine couple and of the various temples, are exhibited behind display windows.
The inside walls are always painted in green, as symbol of reincarnation. There is no decoration, and small papers on the walls indicate to visitors that they should not speak in the temple. Several rows of wooden benches separated by a center aisle are devoted to the faithful and visitors. They are facing a two-floor platform where the worship is performed, and a text called "The Halo of Consciousness" ("L'Auréore de la Conscience") which is written on the back wall. In France only, the highest platform is adorned, from left to right, with a representation of the "tree of science of the sight of evil", the Antoinist symbol, then a photo of Antoine and another one of Catherine; the photo of the Father is slightly higher than the other two. On the left and the right, side rooms of around 15 m³ are used as consulting offices whose walls are orned with five tables; the most impressive of them is Antoine's image. There is also a cloakroom
and, adjacent to the temple, a small apartment continuously occupied by an Antoinist healer.
The movement is also owner of reading rooms, but no worship is celebrated in these places. As of 2011, Antoinism counts 64 temples: 32 in Belgium, 31 in France and 1 in the Principality of Monaco
. It has also opened reading rooms in Belgium, Metropolitan France, Réunion
, Guadeloupe
, Australia, Brazil, Italy, Congo and Luxembourg
.
published a hagiographic biography—although based on real facts—of Louis Antoine, which is also used by Antoinists to strengthen their faith, and thus sold in the temples.
In Belgium, a General Council was organized in 1911 by Antoine to manage all material issues. It is currently composed of nine members including a chairman, a treasurer and a secretary. The founction of the First Representative of the Father was abolished in 1971, and there are no internal regulations in the temples. In France, the movement is led by a religious association called "Culte Antoiniste" ("Antoinist Worship"). All the desservants are part of a College of Desservants which manage the material issues, and whose decisions are implemented by an Administrative Committee. Within the college, a Moral Secretary is elected and serves as legal representative of the religion. Locally, the desservants nominate auxiliaries among the dressed followers so that they perform reading during worship and/or serve as healers. A Council of Local Interior composed of seven members including desservants is used for issues related to the temple on which it depends. Women as well as men can be chosen as ministers, as Catherine promoted gender equality
in the worship. In all cases, Antoine, although deceased, remains the leader of the religion, which led Debouxhtay to compare him to the Pope
in the Catholic Church.
Antoinist healers are always dressed members, and are not paid. They do not attend specific training or receive any initiation rite. Those who want to access this function must feel spiritually "inspired" and obtain the desservant's approval. They must also promise to respect Antoinist rules including nondisclosure of confessions by consultants and not discouraging traditional medicine. Before receiving consultants, no kind of asceticism
is required, but mental preparation includes prayer and meditation. Regarded as mere intercessors, healers have a "charisma
of function" as they reproduce that of Antoine, which does not prevent some healers from becoming very popular among consultants.
Worship is practiced voluntarily, and desservants and dressed followers are not paid. When the founding couple was living, donations were rejected when the religion had enough money in its treasury. Only anonymous donations and bequest
s are accepted, and they go to the "Antoinist worship"'s treasury. In Belgium, the finances have been published in Le Moniteur Belge every year after the Council meeting.
Mainly composed of 40- to 50-year-old people and a majority of women, the membership is almost the same as that which was attracted by spiritualism in Belgium in the 19th century. The followers have mostly modest social status, such as miners and artisans, and are generally people interested in spirituality, but who are at odds with the Catholic Church or display a skeptical attitude towards traditional medicine. Antoinists are also sometimes Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, adepts of reiki
, yoga
, or t'ai chi ch'uan, or former Catholics. An accurate depiction of Antoinists of Northern France was made by writer André Thérive in his 1928 novel Without Soul (Sans âme). In 1945, Debouxhtay described followers as "very kind, very charitable and very obliging people".
newspapers published coverages about the religion, one of them stating that it "[was] attracting considerable attention in Europe". Author Françoise d'Eaubonne considered that the physique of Antoine, which she found attractive, may have contributed to his success. According to Bégot, the success of Antoinist healing in the early 20th century can be explained by the fact that "it offered an alternative to the legitimate institutions of control of body and soul", i.e. the Catholic Church and medicine. She added: "Carrier of a social protest, it is nevertheless a way of socioeconomic integration". French historian and sociologist Émile Poulat
stated that the religion "has always appeared calm and beneficient". As for Theosophists, they displayed a strong fellow feeling to Antoinism in their journals.
The religion received little opposition from the Catholic Church, which has sometimes criticized it but only on doctrinal issues, considering it heretic. For example, in 1918, priest of Liège Hubert Bourguet published a 50-page brochure in which he expressed concerns on the doctrines, qualified the sacred texts of Antoinism as "gibberish" and concluded that Antoine would have suffered from paraphrenia
. In 1925, Father Lucien Roure considered Antoinism "a doctrine of anarchy and amorality", with "negative teachings", confused and incoherent writings, and "credulous and docile" followers. In 1949, author Jacques Michel blamed Antoine for having substituted himself for Jesus Christ and deemed Antoinism a "demonic" faith. Later, in 1953, Maurice Colinon, then in 1954, the Father Henri-Charles Chéry, published books which analyzed non-conformist groups, including Antoinism.
According to Debouxhtay, Protestant
s were concerned about the Antoinist expansion in the 1930s, and several pastors published writings on this subject (Giron-Galzin, 1910; Rumpf, 1917; Wyss, c.1924). More recently, the religion was studied from a Protestant perspective by pastor Gérard Dagon
. From a philosophical standpoint, Antoinism was criticized by René Guénon
in an entire chapter of his 1923 book The Spiritist Fallacy (L'Erreur spirite), noting, to his point of view, "the nullity of [Antoine's] "teachings" which are only a vague mixture of spiritualist theories and Protestant "moralism"".
in the 1995 parliamentary reports which considered it one of the oldest healer groups. However, on 27 May 2005, the 1995 annex of the French report and cult classifications in which the Antoinist worship was listed, were officially cancelled and invalidated by Jean-Pierre Raffarin
's circulaire. Books published by Belgian and French anti-cult associations and activists sometimes included Antoinism in their lists of cults, such as Cults, State of Emergency—Better know them, better defend oneself in France and worldwide (Les Sectes, État d'urgence—Mieux les connaître, mieux s'en défendre en France et dans le monde), published by the Centre Roger Ikor
, and others. In the early 2000s, membership of an Antoinist mother in Valenciennes
was used by her former husband to remove from her the custody of their son; the decision received attention from media and was criticized by the French sociologist Régis Dericquebourg as being unjustified.
When heard by the Belgian commission on cults, philosopher Luc Nefontaine said that "the establishment of a directory of cult movements (...) seems to him dangerous, because it would also give a bad image of quite honourable organizations such as (...) Antoinism". Similarly, Dericquebourg, who deeply studied the religious group, concluded that Antoinism has no cultic aspect: it "has no totalitarian influence on its members, and do not dictate their behaviour to get in the world; it is not exclusive [and] shows no hostility towards social systems". According to Bégot, the group is a "cult" in the sociological language (not to be confused with the pejorative word "cult
"), characterized by a mystical experience, a break with the dominant religious tradition, and primacy of the individual on social issues. It has both magical and ethical dimensions.
Although it does not refer directly to the Gospel, Antoinism is often considered a Christian
based new religious movement
. In 1970, British sociologist Bryan Wilson classified Antoinism in the category of "thaumaturgical
sects". Secretary of the French episcopate for the study of cults and new religious movements Jean Vernette
also deemed the group a "healer church" and "a new religion of spiritualism, theosophy and elements of Christianity". A Belgian Protestant periodical said that the group, although officially listed as a cult at a time, was "rather a philosophical and religious movement". In an encyclopedia about sects, the journalist Xavier Pasquini qualified Antoinism a "genuine theosophical religion", and stated that it "does not ask for money from its followers, and does not practice excessive indoctrination".
by a man named Jousselin. A more important schism from Antoinism was initied by Pierre Dor (born 15 May 1862, Mons-Crotteux), Louis Antoine's nephew, and was named "Dorism". He first participated in the spiritualist circle of his uncle, "The Vine Growers of the Lord", but decided to splinter off, as he believed he had himself gifts of healing
. He tried to heal sufferers, but did not achieve success and returned to the group of his uncle. However, he accompanied one of his patients in Russia, where he enjoyed success since he healed about 7,000 people per week, but came back to Belgium after complaints from doctors. In Roux-Wilbeauroux, he built a hall called "The Moral School" ("L'École Morale") where he healed the sick and dispensed roughly the same teachings as that of his uncle. He explained his theory in two books respectively published in 1912 and 1913, entitled Catechism of the Restoration of the Soul (Catéchisme de la restauration de l'âme) and Christ Speaks Again (Le Christ parle à nouveau)—as he identified himself to Jesus Christ, and Antoine to John the Baptist
—which Debouxhtay considered as a potential plagiarism
of Antoine's writings. Dor encouraged a diet of vegetable
s boiled in water and chastity
before marriage. In 1916, he was convicted of illegally practicing the healing art. Thereafter, he moved to Uccle
, and his movement disappeared following his death on 5 March 1947. As Antoinism, Dorism was criticized by some Catholic clergy members.
Healing
Physiological healing is the restoration of damaged living tissue, organs and biological system to normal function. It is the process by which the cells in the body regenerate and repair to reduce the size of a damaged or necrotic area....
and Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
-oriented new religious movement
New religious movement
A new religious movement is a religious community or ethical, spiritual, or philosophical group of modern origin, which has a peripheral place within the dominant religious culture. NRMs may be novel in origin or they may be part of a wider religion, such as Christianity, Hinduism or Buddhism, in...
founded in 1910 by the Walloon Louis-Joseph Antoine (1846–1912) in Jemeppe-sur-Meuse
Jemeppe-sur-Meuse
Jemeppe-sur-Meuse is a section of the Belgian city of Seraing located in Wallonia, in the province of Liege. It was a separate municipality before the merging of municipalities in 1977. The inhabitants are about 10,000 and are called 'Jemeppians'.This town is best known for its steel industry, and...
, Seraing
Seraing
Seraing is a Walloon municipality of Belgium in Province of Liege. The municipality of Seraing includes the old communes of Boncelles, Jemeppe-sur-Meuse, and Ougrée. With Liège, Herstal, Saint-Nicolas, Ans, and Flémalle it forms the greater Liège agglomeration...
. With a total of 64 temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
s, over forty reading rooms across the world and thousands of members, it remains the only religion established in Belgium whose notoriety and success went outside the country. Mainly active in France, the religious movement is characterized by a decentralized structure, simple rites, discretion and tolerance towards other faiths.
Raised a Catholic, Antoine worked as a coal miner in his youth, then as a steelworker, before performing his military service in 1866. After marrying Catherine in 1873, he moved several times for professional reasons. Deeply impressed by Allan Kardec
Allan Kardec
Allan Kardec is the pen name of the French teacher and educator Hippolyte Léon Denizard Rivail . He is known today as the systematizer of Spiritism for which he laid the foundation with the five books of the Spiritist Codification.-Early life:Rivail was born in Lyon in 1804...
's writings, he organized a spiritualist group in the 1890s. In 1893, the death of his son marked the definitive loss of his faith in Catholicism. In 1896, he explained his new spiritualist views in a book, then discovered the gifts of healing
Gifts of healing
In Christian theology, the Gifts of healing are among the spiritual gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12. As an extraordinary charism, gifts of healing are supernatural enablements given to a believer to minister various kinds of healing and restoration to individuals through the power of the Holy Spirit...
. Quickly known as a healer, he gathered many followers, mainly among workers disappointed by Catholicism or medicine. In 1906, he broke with spiritualism and started a religion, then published three books outlining his doctrine and consecrated the first Antoinist temple. After his death in 1912, Catherine ensured the continuity of the religion, promoting a centralized worship around the person of her husband and providing additional rules in the organization. When she died in 1940, some differences happened between the French and the Belgian temples.
Antoinist beliefs combine some elements of Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
, reincarnation
Reincarnation
Reincarnation best describes the concept where the soul or spirit, after the death of the body, is believed to return to live in a new human body, or, in some traditions, either as a human being, animal or plant...
, and healing
Healing
Physiological healing is the restoration of damaged living tissue, organs and biological system to normal function. It is the process by which the cells in the body regenerate and repair to reduce the size of a damaged or necrotic area....
. In the Antoinist views, the man must reach consciousness by getting rid of the illusion of matter produced by his intelligence—the source of evil and suffering. The purpose of the life is to release oneself from the cycle of reincarnation through a moral progression aided by "fluids"—all human actions, acquiered by silent prayer and the harm caused by diseases and enemies. As freedom of conscience and free will are considered very important in Antoinist creed, the religion does not practice proselytism
Proselytism
Proselytizing is the act of attempting to convert people to another opinion and, particularly, another religion. The word proselytize is derived ultimately from the Greek language prefix προσ- and the verb ἔρχομαι in the form of προσήλυτος...
and is not exclusive. It does not provide any prescription on social issues. Although focused on healing, Antoinism does not interfere with the medical field, and does not discourage the resort to traditional medicine.
Simple and brief, services are performed in the temples, generally twice per day, and are composed of two forms of worship: "The General Operation", which consists of the transmission of the fluid to the churchgoers, and "The Reading" of Antoine's writings. Members who performed the services wear an entirely black dress, as sign of an intense involvement in the religion; they are not paid. Temples are also the place of consultations of a healer by people who wish to obtain a request, frequently related to health. Antoinist celebrations include Christian holidays and other three days that commemorate the founding couple and the dedication of the first temple. Registered as organism of public utility in Belgium and as religious association
Religious association
Religious association The Law of Separation of Church and State in 1905 instituted in France of religious associations also say parochial or sometimes in some churches, presbyteries, even today Islamic associations.These associations are non-profit associations,...
in France, the religion is directed by a college composed of the most active members called desservants. It is financed by anonymous donations and do not ask for money from its followers. In France, the cult
Cult
The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
classification of Antoinism in the 1995 Parliamentary Report was generally criticized by the sociologists who studied the religious group.
1846–1912: Founder Louis Antoine
Louis-Joseph Antoine was born on 7 June 1846 in Mons-Crotteux to a Roman Catholic family. He was the youngest of eight children — five brothers and two sisters, two of whom apparently died in infancy. His mother was Catherine Castille, born in 1797. He was raised in the Priesse street and attended primary school in Mons. From the age of twelve, Louis was employed as a coal miner, following in the footsteps of his father, and though young, showed great piety. One day, while working at the mine, his lamp went out without apparent reason, which he interpreted as a divine sign that he should abandon this work. Later, he was a steelworker in the Cockerill factory in Seraing. He was enrolled in the militiaMilitia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
of Belgium in 1866, and filled his military obligations in Bruges
Bruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
. During the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
, he accidentally killed a comrade, an event which led him to question the meaning of life. After marrying Jeanne Catherine Collon on 15 April 1873, he became the father of a son, Louis Martin Joseph, born in Hamborn, Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
on 23 September 1873, and baptized five days later. The family moved to Poland for professional reasons, then went in Belgium in August 1876, where Antoine became a vegetable vendor. In 1878, he began to suffer from recurring stomach aches. In February 1879, he returned to Poland; there his wife ran a school canteen. The family moved to Jemeppe-sur-Meuse (Belgium) in 1888, where he did build twenty houses for workers.
Despite his strong faith, Antoine was unsatisfied with his religion. He began to be influenced by the writings of Allan Kardec
Allan Kardec
Allan Kardec is the pen name of the French teacher and educator Hippolyte Léon Denizard Rivail . He is known today as the systematizer of Spiritism for which he laid the foundation with the five books of the Spiritist Codification.-Early life:Rivail was born in Lyon in 1804...
and started a spiritualist movement called "The Vine Growers of the Lord" ("Les Vignerons du Seigneur"). After the death of his son on 23 April 1893, he and the group definitively broke with Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. Antoine published in 1896 a book entitled Little Spiritualist Catechism (Petit catéchisme spirite) to explain his own doctrinal views. He then discovered the gifts of healing and by 1900, he received many sufferers to heal; thenceforth, he was known as the "healer of Jemeppe". He distributed remedies learned from Spiritualism and advocated vegetarianism
Vegetarianism
Vegetarianism encompasses the practice of following plant-based diets , with or without the inclusion of dairy products or eggs, and with the exclusion of meat...
, as well as temperance and avoidance of fatty foods. In 1900, the prosecutor of Liege
Liege
Liège is a municipality and a city of Belgium. The term Liège or Liege may also refer to:* Liege, a party to the oath of allegiance in feudalism .* Liège Island, in the Antarctic...
asked two doctors to investigate the healing activities of Antoine. They noticed his "absolute sincerity", but also asserted that his activities could be "a danger to public health". He was eventually sentenced to a fine of 60 francs and suspended. He posted an advertisement in the spiritualist journal The Messenger (Le Messager), seeking doctors who would associate with him, but the attempt did not meet with success. At the same time, he was deeply influenced by Léon Denis' book In the Invisible. In 1905, he consulted up to 400 patients a day.
In 1906, Antoine discovered a spirituality he called a "new spiritualism", which led him to give up his remedies as well as traditional spiritualism
Spiritualism
Spiritualism is a belief system or religion, postulating the belief that spirits of the dead residing in the spirit world have both the ability and the inclination to communicate with the living...
, to decide to heal by faith alone and to perform only collective healing in a temple, and thus started to lay the foundations of a structured religious movement. Probably at this time, Antoine's nickname "Antoine the Healer" (Antoine le Guérisseur) was replaced by "Antoine the Generous" (Antoine le Généreux), and the moral dimension became more present in the doctrine. On 15 June 1907, he was again sued by a court but was acquitted. From 1907, he published a review and three books which explained his new doctrine and which contained "The Ten Principles of the Father". Then from May 1909 to Easter 1910, he did not appear publicly, and lived in isolation to practice fasting
Fasting
Fasting is primarily the act of willingly abstaining from some or all food, drink, or both, for a period of time. An absolute fast is normally defined as abstinence from all food and liquid for a defined period, usually a single day , or several days. Other fasts may be only partially restrictive,...
and prayer
Prayer
Prayer is a form of religious practice that seeks to activate a volitional rapport to a deity through deliberate practice. Prayer may be either individual or communal and take place in public or in private. It may involve the use of words or song. When language is used, prayer may take the form of...
; during this period, the worship was assumed by one of his followers, Mr. Deregneaucourt, who also published the Antoinist literature. On 15 August 1910, Antoine consecrated the temple of Jemeppe-sur-Marne, located in the Alfred Smeets street and which cost about 100,000 francs. On 2 December 1910, 160,000 signatures were gathered to demand official recognition of the Antoinist religion. Antoine presented his wife as his successor and appointed a council composed of followers to manage financial issues of the religion. Named "The Father" by his followers, he died on 25 June 1912 and 100,000 faithful came to pray over his body.
1912–1940: Wife Catherine as successor
The illiterate wife of Louis Antoine, Catherine (born 26 May 1850, Jemeppe sur Meuse – died 3 November 1940, Jemeppe sur Meuse), called "The Mother" by the followers, was designated by him as his successor, but received no advice from him on how to manage the religion.To seek to prevent any misappropriation of the charism of Antoine within the movement after his death, the Antoinist journal L'Unitif published articles which presented Catherine as the legitimate successor and also redefined precisely the limits of the healers' role. To avoid a succession crisis and to ensure the continuity of the religion, Catherine decided to promote a centralized worship around the person of her husband and thus established various rules between 1925 and 1930. For example, she placed, in the temple before the high platform, the photograph of her husband with the mention "The Father is making the Operation", then added her own portrait. She also authorized the desservants—the members the most involved in the religion—to perform the General Operation from the higher platform, but wanted that the ceremony would be preceded by a statement that it is the Father who performs the Operation and that the faith must be placed in him to obtain satisfaction. She insisted that the desservant installed in the platform would be sat during the reading of Antoine's writings. She also organized the Father's day, on 25 June, and rituals such as baptism, communion and marriage, which transformed the group into institutionalized religion. She ordered that nothing should be changed in her husband's writings and in 1932 closed reading rooms in which followers gave personal teachings. However, unlike the writings of her husband which can be sold by anyone, changes and rules established by Catherine are recorded in books only available to the desservants, thus remaining confidential.
In 1931, a street in Spa was named "Father Antoine Street" after a decision by the Liberal Party of the city.
1940–: Continuity of the worship
The history of Antoinism was very quiet after 1940. In Belgium, Joseph Nihoul, the President of the Antoinist Council, then his successors, led the religion until their death, alongside the members of this body. The authority of Catherine was challenged just after her death by the Belgian branch of the movement, which has withdrawn the religious changes she made: removal of photographs in the temples, deletion of baptism, marriage and communion, opposition to the translation of Antoine's works... However, a Belgian group who, claming to be faithful to the true Antoinist tradition, opened a temple in AngleurAngleur
Angleur is a district of the Walloon city of Liège, Belgium, since 1977. It is located at the foot and on the slope of a hill in the southern part of Liège, located between the rivers Ourthe and Meuse. The lower part involves an area known as "Renory" and a railway station called "Angleur", and the...
on 1 April 1943, preferred to keep the portraits of the Antoines in the temple. In France, the Antoinists wanted to be faithful to all requirements provided by the founding couple. In spite of these differences, the two branches show each other support and tolerance. Thus, after the death of Catherine, there were two forms of Antoinism, which still remain different today: one in Belgium, and one in France.
In Belgium, the growth of the religion quickly begin to slow down, even to decline, as indicated by the fact that no temple has been built since 1968 and that several of them are currently unused because of a lack of dressed members and/or money. In contrast, the constructions of the temples in France has been continued until 1993, when a new temple in Toulouse was opened.
Beliefs
Theology
Antoinism believes in a dualistic universe composed of a spiritual world governed by the law of God or consciousnessConsciousness
Consciousness is a term that refers to the relationship between the mind and the world with which it interacts. It has been defined as: subjectivity, awareness, the ability to experience or to feel, wakefulness, having a sense of selfhood, and the executive control system of the mind...
, and of a corporal world, governed by natural laws, in which matter is an illusion perceived by the imagination generated by intelligence. The man combines in himself both worlds, as he has a physical body and a divine consciousness. In Antoinist views, the importance of human laws and science is weakened as they are based not on consciousness, but on intelligence. The view of the matter is, however, not considered a sin, but an error that causes suffering.
The religious movement believes in a moral progression through reincarnation
Reincarnation
Reincarnation best describes the concept where the soul or spirit, after the death of the body, is believed to return to live in a new human body, or, in some traditions, either as a human being, animal or plant...
after death: the transmigration of the spirit in a human body only reflects the degree of spiritual elevation. The reincarnated person has no recollection of the past lives, and can again make progress in his spiritual course that allows him, at the end, to reach the divine state which releases him from the cycle of reincarnation. The harm caused by disease and by people is seen as a beneficial cure, as the pain can increase one's spiritual progress and thus contribute to one's salvation
Salvation
Within religion salvation is the phenomenon of being saved from the undesirable condition of bondage or suffering experienced by the psyche or soul that has arisen as a result of unskillful or immoral actions generically referred to as sins. Salvation may also be called "deliverance" or...
. It is therefore highly recommended to love one's enemies. The silent prayer
Prayer
Prayer is a form of religious practice that seeks to activate a volitional rapport to a deity through deliberate practice. Prayer may be either individual or communal and take place in public or in private. It may involve the use of words or song. When language is used, prayer may take the form of...
is also considered as a way to connect the spirit to consciousness. Antoine, who suffered from disease and demonstrated asceticism
Asceticism
Asceticism describes a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from various sorts of worldly pleasures often with the aim of pursuing religious and spiritual goals...
and dedication throughout his life, is regarded by followers as a role model to attain salvation.
Antoinist doctrine provides another interpretation to the original sin
Original sin
Original sin is, according to a Christian theological doctrine, humanity's state of sin resulting from the Fall of Man. This condition has been characterized in many ways, ranging from something as insignificant as a slight deficiency, or a tendency toward sin yet without collective guilt, referred...
in the book of Genesis: Adam began to follow Eve, who had placed her confidence in a serpent, symbol of matter. By imagining the materiality of the physical world, he abandoned the divine consciousness in which he lived and produced the ideas of good and evil. The "tree of knowledge of good and evil
Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil
In the Book of Genesis, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil or the tree of knowledge was a tree in the middle of the Garden of Eden. . God directly forbade Adam to eat the fruit of this tree...
" in the Bible is redefined as "the tree of the science of the sight of evil". Antoinism claimed to not be an atheist religion, but has a particular conception of God: this one does not exist outside of humans, and they do not exist outside of God.
Flexible and little binding, Antoinist beliefs are close to the contemporary belief, as followers can chose the beliefs they wish and interpret events as they want. The religion attaches great importance to freedom of conscience and free will, which renders it attractive and promotes a diversity of beliefs among the followers who can refer simultaneously to other religious traditions. Some believers see Antoine as an incarnation of God; others, who continue to practice Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
, consider him a prophet equal to Jesus Christ; others, who adhere to New Age
New Age
The New Age movement is a Western spiritual movement that developed in the second half of the 20th century. Its central precepts have been described as "drawing on both Eastern and Western spiritual and metaphysical traditions and then infusing them with influences from self-help and motivational...
doctrines, perceive him as a spiritual figure. The movement rejects indoctrination of children and prozelytism, and tolerates other religions, as they teach the faith and prayer and thus detach people from the material world. It does not provide any prescription on issues such as divorce, abortion and sexuality, and do not use honorary titles, considering all people equal. A periodical directed by writer Louis Pauwels
Louis Pauwels
Louis Pauwels was a French journalist and writer.- Biography :Louis Pauwels was a teacher at Athis-Mons from 1939 to 1945 , Louis Pauwels wrote in many monthly literary French magazines as early as 1946 until the...
summarized the main purposes of the religion as being the "mutual aid, spiritual and human solidarity, availability and hospitality".
Fluids
Fundamental principle of the cosmos, the fluidFluid
In physics, a fluid is a substance that continually deforms under an applied shear stress. Fluids are a subset of the phases of matter and include liquids, gases, plasmas and, to some extent, plastic solids....
is a recurrent theme in Antoinism. Thoughts, words, human actions and social ties are considered as fluids. As their quality depends on the moral progress of a person, there are "spiritual" and "heavy" fluids. They can be transmitted, perceived by the intelligence and purified through meditation. A good fluid is supposed to be acquired by love and prayer, and has various uses: it can act as a divine power that regenerates the whole person, destroy evil and heal. It is believed that Antoine can transmit the good fluid and that the temple platform is the place of the most number of fluids.
As good fluids are supposed to be transferable, the Antoinist dress used during the worship is often placed on the bed of a suffering person to help his recovery; similarly, some faithful put a request on a paper in a box under the platform so that the wish happen, others buy a photo of Antoine at a ceremony to be protected. To prevent negative fluids to enter the temple, several rules were established: for example, those who perform the worship are not allowed to wear jewelry or makeup in the building.
Healing
Although focused on healing, Antoinism does not propose any diagnosis nor prescriptionMedical prescription
A prescription is a health-care program implemented by a physician or other medical practitioner in the form of instructions that govern the plan of care for an individual patient. Prescriptions may include orders to be performed by a patient, caretaker, nurse, pharmacist or other therapist....
, and does not practice the laying on of hands
Laying on of hands
The laying on of hands is a religious ritual that accompanies certain religious practices, which are found throughout the world in varying forms....
; the faithful may also resort to traditional medicine. In the books of the temple, it is stated that desservants are not allowed to discourage them to consult a doctor and they should pray that they find an "inspired" doctor. Generally, consulting an Antoinist healer is merely a supplement to allopathic medicine
Allopathic medicine
Allopathic medicine refers to the practice of conventional medicine that uses pharmacologically active agents or physical interventions to treat or suppress symptoms or pathophysiologic processes of diseases or conditions. It was coined by Samuel Hahnemann , a homeopath, in 1810...
. Because of its healer doctrine, the religious group is almost always compared to Christian Science
Christian Science
Christian Science is a system of thought and practice derived from the writings of Mary Baker Eddy and the Bible. It is practiced by members of The First Church of Christ, Scientist as well as some others who are nonmembers. Its central texts are the Bible and the Christian Science textbook,...
; however, in spite of several similarities with this religion as well as with Friedrich Hegel's works, Belgian historian Pierre Debouxhtay rejected the idea that they could have been potential influences on Antoine's doctrines.
Sociologist Anne-Cécile Bégot considered the Antoinist healing of the first decades a form of protest against (1) the efficiency of medicine, (2) the traditional representation of disease—the real healing can be attained only through a new approach to the disease, which is never considered a particular misfortune and thus is not reduced to its biological dimension—and (3) the management of disease—sick are always responsible for their own illness. However, she concluded that this protest has evolved throughout time as (1) the disease is now represented on an endogenous
Endogenous
Endogenous substances are those that originate from within an organism, tissue, or cell. Endogenous retroviruses are caused by ancient infections of germ cells in humans, mammals and other vertebrates...
etiological model, which indicates a process of individualization of the religion, and (2) the personal real-life experience is more presented as the cause of the disease than the relation to the global society.
Worship
The Antoinism worship takes place in temples. A dressed member welcomes anyone who enters the temple by calling them "brother" and "sister", even if they are just visitors. The service is very unceremonial and informal, as there is no liturgy, singing, or pre-set prayers, and lasts up to 30 minutes. Attendance at worship is not required and many people come sporadically. According to sociologist Régis DericquebourgRégis Dericquebourg
Régis Dericquebourg is a French sociologist of religions.He wrote his thesis on Jehovah's Witnesses under the direction of Jean Seguy. He holds a doctorate in psychosociology and a postgraduate degree in clinical psychology from the Institute of Paris 7...
, "the Antoinist worship is a ritual of intercession. (...) It is a time of big emotional intensity with an intimate aspect".
| Day | Country | |
|---|---|---|
| Belgium | France | |
| Sunday |
|
|
| from Monday to Thursday |
|
|
| Friday | — |
|
| 1 "The Charity Moral" or "The Ten Principles of The Father" | ||
The service is composed of two practices:
- "The General Operation" ("L'Opération Générale") : Established by Antoine in 1910, it begins and ends with three strokes of bell. It is briefly announced by a dressed member. After meditating in a room on the back of the temple, a desservant climb to the highest platform, and the dressed follower goes to the other platform. Both are standing and pray for a few minutes to transmit the fluid to the churchgoers. Then, if the reading of the sacred texts is scheduled just after, as it is the case in France, the desservant whispers to the dressed follower to perform the reading.
- "The Reading" ("La Lecture"): It lasts twenty minutes and consists of the reading of Antoine's book L'Enseignement by the dressed follower. The reading ends when he thanks the audience.
There are few differences in schedules between the services in Belgium and that of France (see the table).
Consultations by a healer
After the service, some people—regular faithful or visitors—may ask to consult a healer in one of the small rooms of the temple—although the desservant who lives in the apartment adjacent to the temple is always available to receive suffering persons. During these consultations, both are standing before Antoine's image: the patient expresses for a few minutes the request that he wishes to obtain, and the healer prays, sometimes while touching the consultant's shoulder or hand, presumably to convey the fluid. The healer's work is said to put again the consultant in the love of God that will allow him to find himself the spiritual journey leading to healing. For this purpose, the healer has to discover the origin of the consultant's problem, which is, in Antoinist beliefs, always linked to a person's own history, and to understand that he should bear the consequences of what was done in a preceding life.The Antoinist healing process does not include a doctrinal teaching nor a psychological manipulation
Psychological manipulation
Psychological manipulation is a type of social influence that aims to change the perception or behavior of others through underhanded, deceptive, or even abusive tactics. By advancing the interests of the manipulator, often at the other's expense, such methods could be considered exploitative,...
. It does not necessarily imply the end of the problem or illness, and can be divided into three phases: the relief provided by the healer through listening and intercession with God, then acceptance of the problem which requires the recognition of one's responsibilities, and finally the inner peace that results. Whether immediate or gradual, healings are never considered as miracle
Miracle
A miracle often denotes an event attributed to divine intervention. Alternatively, it may be an event attributed to a miracle worker, saint, or religious leader. A miracle is sometimes thought of as a perceptible interruption of the laws of nature. Others suggest that a god may work with the laws...
s in the religion because they are supposed to occur inevitably when all necessary conditions, including the faith of the patient, are met. Even after several consultations, the consultant does not necessarily become a follower. Several sociologists deemed the Antoinist healing as "exorcist
Exorcist
In some religions an exorcist is a person who is believed to be able to cast out the devil or other demons. A priest, a nun, a monk, a healer, a shaman or other specially prepared or instructed person can be an exorcist...
" as well as "adorcist".
Marriage, communion, baptism and funeral
Catherine established rituals such as baptism of infants, blessing of couples and communion of young people. They simply consist of an "elevation of thought" that take place after the services in a consulting room of the temple. These rituals have no particular meaning in the religion and are not considered sacraments; they are performed only at the request of followers, including young people, who want to provide a religious dimension to the important moments of their lives. FuneralFuneral
A funeral is a ceremony for celebrating, sanctifying, or remembering the life of a person who has died. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember the dead, from interment itself, to various monuments, prayers, and rituals undertaken in their honor...
are also performed at the request of the concerned person, unless the family asks for rituals of another religion. The procession always takes place at the cemetery or the funeral home, and the deceased person is never brought to the temple. Desservants read the "Ten Principles of the Father", then an Antoinist text on reincarnation, to help the soul to come off the body to be reincarnated. Sociologists note that many people who never attend the Antoinist services asked for funeral rites of that religion.
Holidays
As Antoine decided to model Antoinist holidays on Catholicism, followers celebrate Christian holidays, including All SaintsAll Saints
All Saints' Day , often shortened to All Saints, is a solemnity celebrated on 1 November by parts of Western Christianity, and on the first Sunday after Pentecost in Eastern Christianity, in honour of all the saints, known and unknown...
, Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
, Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
, Easter Monday
Easter Monday
Easter Monday is the day after Easter Sunday and is celebrated as a holiday in some largely Christian cultures, especially Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox cultures...
and Ascension
Feast of the Ascension
The Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord is one of the great solemnities, in the Christian liturgical calendar, and commemorates the bodily Ascension of Jesus into heaven. Ascension Day is traditionally celebrated on a Thursday, the fortieth day from Easter day...
; these days, appropriate portions of Antoine's works are read during the services. There are also three special days in Antoinism, and attendance at worship is generally higher at these moments: (1) 25 June, the Father's Day. It was established by Antoine's wife shortly after his death. At first, Antoinists performed a pilgrimage to Jemeppe-sur-Meuse to participate in a procession through the city which outlined the main events of Antoine's life. The procession was withdrawn in 1937 and the pilgrimage seems to be no longer organized. That day, the faithful pay homage to the founder in the temples; (2) 15 August, the consecration of the temple's Day, which commemorates the consecration of the first temple; (3) 3 November, the Mother's Day, as anniversary of Catherine's death.
Religious clothing and symbols
Wearing Antoinist religious clothingReligious clothing
-Christianity:Vestments are liturgical garments and articles associated primarily with the Christian religions, especially the Latin Rite and other Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Anglicans, Methodists, and Lutheran Churches...
indicates an intense involvement in the religion by the person who makes this choice. Although not mandatory, it is devoted to faithful who perform the worship, celebrations and other tasks in the temple—all of them are called "moral work", as they are expected to participate in the moral elevation of followers. Entirely black, the dress for men was designed by Antoine, and that for women by Catherine, who precisely codified their dimensions in their writings. There are also dresses for young people of both sexes, but they are never actually worn. Historically, the wearing of the dress was the subject of a debate among the first Antoinists, some of them refusing to wear it. In the past, the dress was also worn in the street, and that was how the followers were immediately identified by the public. Currently, it is generally only worn in the context of worship, and it is put and removed in the locker room of the temple. Clothing for men is composed of a dress which resembles the one worn by Catholic clergy in the monastery, and closed by 13 buttons, plus a cashmere top hat. Clothing for women is a wide dress accompanied with a cape and a bonnet
Bonnet (headgear)
Bonnets are a variety of headgear for both sexes, which have in common only the absence of a brim. Bonnet derives from the same word in French, where it originally indicated a type of material...
with a veil. In the Antoinist view, the collar
Collar (clothing)
In clothing, a collar is the part of a shirt, dress, coat or blouse that fastens around or frames the neck. Among clothing construction professionals, a collar is differentiated from other necklines such as revers and lapels, by being made from a separate piece of fabric, rather than a folded or...
is important as it is believed that the fluid resides here.
The only emblem of Antoinism is the tree of science of the sight of evil that features on the facade of the highest platform in the temple. It has seven branches which represent the seven deadly sins
Seven deadly sins
The 7 Deadly Sins, also known as the Capital Vices or Cardinal Sins, is a classification of objectionable vices that have been used since early Christian times to educate and instruct followers concerning fallen humanity's tendency to sin...
, two eyes which symbolize the view of the sins, and the tree roots which are the symbol of the intelligence which links man to matter. In the branches the mention "Culte Antoiniste" ("Antoinist worship") is written.
Organization
Status
In Belgium, the religion was organized as an association without lucrative purpose (absl) in 1922 and was immediately registered as organism of public utility. It is not recognized as a public worship, because there is no worship of a deity in the ceremonies. Currently headed by a college of desservants, the religion is legally registered as religious associationReligious association
Religious association The Law of Separation of Church and State in 1905 instituted in France of religious associations also say parochial or sometimes in some churches, presbyteries, even today Islamic associations.These associations are non-profit associations,...
in France. It was published in the Journal Officiel de la République Française
Journal Officiel de la République Française
The Journal Officiel de la République Française is the official gazette of the French Republic. It publishes the major legal official information from the national Government of France.-Publications:...
of 9 February 1924, and the last modification of the statutes appeared in the JO of 3 August 1988. Antoinist worship has been exempt from property taxes on the public part of its buildings since 1925 in Belgium and in France since 1934.
Places of worship
The templeTemple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
s are Antoinism's only place of worship. They are financed with anonymous donations and patronage
Patronage
Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows to another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings or popes have provided to musicians, painters, and sculptors...
s, and often members participate in the construction. They are all consecrated prior to their use for worship, which means that, at a ceremony, they received a "good fluid" by one of the founders when they were alive or by a duly authorized follower.
The exterior facade displays an architecture which can be variable according to the temples, but always includes the words "Antoinist Worship" ("Culte Antoiniste") and the year of the building consecration. At the entrance, there is a porch
Porch
A porch is external to the walls of the main building proper, but may be enclosed by screen, latticework, broad windows, or other light frame walls extending from the main structure.There are various styles of porches, all of which depend on the architectural tradition of its location...
where various writings of the religious movement, the internal regulations (in France only), the list of the places of worship and the holidays, as well as photos of the Antoine couple and of the various temples, are exhibited behind display windows.
The inside walls are always painted in green, as symbol of reincarnation. There is no decoration, and small papers on the walls indicate to visitors that they should not speak in the temple. Several rows of wooden benches separated by a center aisle are devoted to the faithful and visitors. They are facing a two-floor platform where the worship is performed, and a text called "The Halo of Consciousness" ("L'Auréore de la Conscience") which is written on the back wall. In France only, the highest platform is adorned, from left to right, with a representation of the "tree of science of the sight of evil", the Antoinist symbol, then a photo of Antoine and another one of Catherine; the photo of the Father is slightly higher than the other two. On the left and the right, side rooms of around 15 m³ are used as consulting offices whose walls are orned with five tables; the most impressive of them is Antoine's image. There is also a cloakroom
Cloakroom
A cloakroom, or sometimes coatroom, is a room for people to hang their cloaks. They are typically found inside large buildings, such as gymnasiums, schools, churches or meeting halls....
and, adjacent to the temple, a small apartment continuously occupied by an Antoinist healer.
The movement is also owner of reading rooms, but no worship is celebrated in these places. As of 2011, Antoinism counts 64 temples: 32 in Belgium, 31 in France and 1 in the Principality of Monaco
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
. It has also opened reading rooms in Belgium, Metropolitan France, Réunion
Réunion
Réunion is a French island with a population of about 800,000 located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar, about south west of Mauritius, the nearest island.Administratively, Réunion is one of the overseas departments of France...
, Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe is an archipelago located in the Leeward Islands, in the Lesser Antilles, with a land area of 1,628 square kilometres and a population of 400,000. It is the first overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. As with the other overseas departments, Guadeloupe...
, Australia, Brazil, Italy, Congo and Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
.
Publications
The Antoinist literature is mainly composed of Antoine's writings, considered as sacred by followers. They include three doctrinal books grouped into two volumes which are sold in the temples and read during the worship: Revelation of the Father (La Révélation par le Père), The Coronation of the Revealed Work (Le Couronnement de l'Œuvre révélée) and Development of the Teaching of Father (Le Développement de l'Enseignement du Père). Many statements from the Antoines are gathered into 14 books called Tomes, which remain only accessible to dressed members. From September 1911 to August 1914, the movement published a monthly newspaper, The Unitive (L'Unitif), which had 6,000 subscribers. In 1936, Belgian writer Robert VivierRobert Vivier
Robert Vivier was a Belgian poet and writer . He has been member of the Royal Academy of French Language and Literature of Belgium from 1950 to 1989.Among many other book, he wrote a biography of Louis Antoine, the founder of Antoinism....
published a hagiographic biography—although based on real facts—of Louis Antoine, which is also used by Antoinists to strengthen their faith, and thus sold in the temples.
Hierarchy and financial issues
The organization, which is the most reduced as possible, is slightly different in France and Belgium:In Belgium, a General Council was organized in 1911 by Antoine to manage all material issues. It is currently composed of nine members including a chairman, a treasurer and a secretary. The founction of the First Representative of the Father was abolished in 1971, and there are no internal regulations in the temples. In France, the movement is led by a religious association called "Culte Antoiniste" ("Antoinist Worship"). All the desservants are part of a College of Desservants which manage the material issues, and whose decisions are implemented by an Administrative Committee. Within the college, a Moral Secretary is elected and serves as legal representative of the religion. Locally, the desservants nominate auxiliaries among the dressed followers so that they perform reading during worship and/or serve as healers. A Council of Local Interior composed of seven members including desservants is used for issues related to the temple on which it depends. Women as well as men can be chosen as ministers, as Catherine promoted gender equality
Gender equality
Gender equality is the goal of the equality of the genders, stemming from a belief in the injustice of myriad forms of gender inequality.- Concept :...
in the worship. In all cases, Antoine, although deceased, remains the leader of the religion, which led Debouxhtay to compare him to the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
in the Catholic Church.
Antoinist healers are always dressed members, and are not paid. They do not attend specific training or receive any initiation rite. Those who want to access this function must feel spiritually "inspired" and obtain the desservant's approval. They must also promise to respect Antoinist rules including nondisclosure of confessions by consultants and not discouraging traditional medicine. Before receiving consultants, no kind of asceticism
Asceticism
Asceticism describes a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from various sorts of worldly pleasures often with the aim of pursuing religious and spiritual goals...
is required, but mental preparation includes prayer and meditation. Regarded as mere intercessors, healers have a "charisma
Charisma
The term charisma has two senses: 1) compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion in others, 2) a divinely conferred power or talent. For some theological usages the term is rendered charism, with a meaning the same as sense 2...
of function" as they reproduce that of Antoine, which does not prevent some healers from becoming very popular among consultants.
Worship is practiced voluntarily, and desservants and dressed followers are not paid. When the founding couple was living, donations were rejected when the religion had enough money in its treasury. Only anonymous donations and bequest
Bequest
A bequest is the act of giving property by will. Strictly, "bequest" is used of personal property, and "devise" of real property. In legal terminology, "bequeath" is a verb form meaning "to make a bequest."...
s are accepted, and they go to the "Antoinist worship"'s treasury. In Belgium, the finances have been published in Le Moniteur Belge every year after the Council meeting.
Membership
There are four categories of Antoinists: desservants who perform worship, people who wear the religious clothing, regular faithful who attend the service every week, and occasional members or visitors. As its aim is to heal and comfort through faith, Antoinism does not seek to convert new people. The number of followers is difficult to assess as there are no statistics established by the religion. After a period of rapid growth in Belgium, the number of followers is currently on the decline in the country and some temples were forced to close due to lack of money or faithful. In France, however, the religion remains active and counts about 2,500 regular members. Estimates of the worldwide membership vary from few thousand to 200,000. The future growth of the number of followers, however, can be affected by certain rules of the group. As it does not practice proselytism, Antoinism souffers from a lack of social visibility and many people do not know the existence of an Antoinist temple in their neighborhood. Moreover, because of the availability required for worship and the absence of income in the religion, dressed members and desservants are often old-age retired people.Mainly composed of 40- to 50-year-old people and a majority of women, the membership is almost the same as that which was attracted by spiritualism in Belgium in the 19th century. The followers have mostly modest social status, such as miners and artisans, and are generally people interested in spirituality, but who are at odds with the Catholic Church or display a skeptical attitude towards traditional medicine. Antoinists are also sometimes Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, adepts of reiki
Reiki
is a spiritual practice developed in 1922 by Japanese Buddhist Mikao Usui. The teaching was continued and adapted by various teachers. It uses a technique commonly called palm healing as a form of complementary and alternative medicine and is sometimes classified as oriental medicine by some...
, yoga
Yoga
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
, or t'ai chi ch'uan, or former Catholics. An accurate depiction of Antoinists of Northern France was made by writer André Thérive in his 1928 novel Without Soul (Sans âme). In 1945, Debouxhtay described followers as "very kind, very charitable and very obliging people".
Reception
When Antoine died in 1912, there were fewer than a thousand followers and thousands of supporters; in 1925, the number of followers rose to 300,000 in Belgium. During its first decades, Antoinism spread so fast that even AmericanUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
newspapers published coverages about the religion, one of them stating that it "[was] attracting considerable attention in Europe". Author Françoise d'Eaubonne considered that the physique of Antoine, which she found attractive, may have contributed to his success. According to Bégot, the success of Antoinist healing in the early 20th century can be explained by the fact that "it offered an alternative to the legitimate institutions of control of body and soul", i.e. the Catholic Church and medicine. She added: "Carrier of a social protest, it is nevertheless a way of socioeconomic integration". French historian and sociologist Émile Poulat
Émile Poulat
Émile Poulat , is a French historian and sociologist. Director of Studies at the École des hautes études en sciences sociales, he is also director of research at CNRS and historian of the contemporary church. He is a founding member of the Group of Sociology of Religion, director and member of the...
stated that the religion "has always appeared calm and beneficient". As for Theosophists, they displayed a strong fellow feeling to Antoinism in their journals.
The religion received little opposition from the Catholic Church, which has sometimes criticized it but only on doctrinal issues, considering it heretic. For example, in 1918, priest of Liège Hubert Bourguet published a 50-page brochure in which he expressed concerns on the doctrines, qualified the sacred texts of Antoinism as "gibberish" and concluded that Antoine would have suffered from paraphrenia
Paraphrenia
Paraphrenia is described as a group of psychotic illnesses distinct from paranoia and from schizophrenia.. Paraphrenia as a separate disorder is not included in either ICD 10 or DSM IV and is likely to be classified as atypical psychosis, schizoaffective disorder or delusional disorder using these...
. In 1925, Father Lucien Roure considered Antoinism "a doctrine of anarchy and amorality", with "negative teachings", confused and incoherent writings, and "credulous and docile" followers. In 1949, author Jacques Michel blamed Antoine for having substituted himself for Jesus Christ and deemed Antoinism a "demonic" faith. Later, in 1953, Maurice Colinon, then in 1954, the Father Henri-Charles Chéry, published books which analyzed non-conformist groups, including Antoinism.
According to Debouxhtay, Protestant
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
s were concerned about the Antoinist expansion in the 1930s, and several pastors published writings on this subject (Giron-Galzin, 1910; Rumpf, 1917; Wyss, c.1924). More recently, the religion was studied from a Protestant perspective by pastor Gérard Dagon
Gérard Dagon
Gérard Dagon was a French evangelical Protestant pastor, teacher, author, publisher and long-time anti-cult activist...
. From a philosophical standpoint, Antoinism was criticized by René Guénon
René Guénon
René Guénon , also known as Shaykh `Abd al-Wahid Yahya was a French author and intellectual who remains an influential figure in the domain of metaphysics, having written on topics ranging from metaphysics, sacred science and traditional studies to symbolism and initiation.In his writings, he...
in an entire chapter of his 1923 book The Spiritist Fallacy (L'Erreur spirite), noting, to his point of view, "the nullity of [Antoine's] "teachings" which are only a vague mixture of spiritualist theories and Protestant "moralism"".
Classification
In France, the Antoinist worship was classified as a cultCult
The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
in the 1995 parliamentary reports which considered it one of the oldest healer groups. However, on 27 May 2005, the 1995 annex of the French report and cult classifications in which the Antoinist worship was listed, were officially cancelled and invalidated by Jean-Pierre Raffarin
Jean-Pierre Raffarin
Jean-Pierre Raffarin is a French conservative politician and senator for Vienne.Jean-Pierre Raffarin served as the Prime Minister of France from 6 May 2002 to 31 May 2005, resigning after France's rejection of the referendum on the European Union draft constitution. However, after Raffarin...
's circulaire. Books published by Belgian and French anti-cult associations and activists sometimes included Antoinism in their lists of cults, such as Cults, State of Emergency—Better know them, better defend oneself in France and worldwide (Les Sectes, État d'urgence—Mieux les connaître, mieux s'en défendre en France et dans le monde), published by the Centre Roger Ikor
Centre contre les manipulations mentales
The Centre contre les manipulations mentales , widely named CCMM or Center Ikor Roger, is a French anti-cult association....
, and others. In the early 2000s, membership of an Antoinist mother in Valenciennes
Valenciennes
Valenciennes is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It lies on the Scheldt river. Although the city and region had seen a steady decline between 1975 and 1990, it has since rebounded...
was used by her former husband to remove from her the custody of their son; the decision received attention from media and was criticized by the French sociologist Régis Dericquebourg as being unjustified.
When heard by the Belgian commission on cults, philosopher Luc Nefontaine said that "the establishment of a directory of cult movements (...) seems to him dangerous, because it would also give a bad image of quite honourable organizations such as (...) Antoinism". Similarly, Dericquebourg, who deeply studied the religious group, concluded that Antoinism has no cultic aspect: it "has no totalitarian influence on its members, and do not dictate their behaviour to get in the world; it is not exclusive [and] shows no hostility towards social systems". According to Bégot, the group is a "cult" in the sociological language (not to be confused with the pejorative word "cult
Cult
The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
"), characterized by a mystical experience, a break with the dominant religious tradition, and primacy of the individual on social issues. It has both magical and ethical dimensions.
Although it does not refer directly to the Gospel, Antoinism is often considered a Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
based new religious movement
New religious movement
A new religious movement is a religious community or ethical, spiritual, or philosophical group of modern origin, which has a peripheral place within the dominant religious culture. NRMs may be novel in origin or they may be part of a wider religion, such as Christianity, Hinduism or Buddhism, in...
. In 1970, British sociologist Bryan Wilson classified Antoinism in the category of "thaumaturgical
Thaumaturgy
Thaumaturgy is the capability of a saint or magician to work miracles. It is sometimes translated into English as wonderworking...
sects". Secretary of the French episcopate for the study of cults and new religious movements Jean Vernette
Jean Vernette
Jean Vernette , was a French priest of the diocese of Montauban. In 1973, he was appointed national secretary of the French episcopate for the study of cults and new religious movements. He published several books on cults and new therapies...
also deemed the group a "healer church" and "a new religion of spiritualism, theosophy and elements of Christianity". A Belgian Protestant periodical said that the group, although officially listed as a cult at a time, was "rather a philosophical and religious movement". In an encyclopedia about sects, the journalist Xavier Pasquini qualified Antoinism a "genuine theosophical religion", and stated that it "does not ask for money from its followers, and does not practice excessive indoctrination".
Splinter groups
When Antoine was alive, a minor split group was led in VerviersVerviers
Verviers is a Walloon city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège. The Verviers municipality includes the old communes of Ensival, Lambermont, Petit-Rechain, Stembert, and Heusy...
by a man named Jousselin. A more important schism from Antoinism was initied by Pierre Dor (born 15 May 1862, Mons-Crotteux), Louis Antoine's nephew, and was named "Dorism". He first participated in the spiritualist circle of his uncle, "The Vine Growers of the Lord", but decided to splinter off, as he believed he had himself gifts of healing
Gifts of healing
In Christian theology, the Gifts of healing are among the spiritual gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12. As an extraordinary charism, gifts of healing are supernatural enablements given to a believer to minister various kinds of healing and restoration to individuals through the power of the Holy Spirit...
. He tried to heal sufferers, but did not achieve success and returned to the group of his uncle. However, he accompanied one of his patients in Russia, where he enjoyed success since he healed about 7,000 people per week, but came back to Belgium after complaints from doctors. In Roux-Wilbeauroux, he built a hall called "The Moral School" ("L'École Morale") where he healed the sick and dispensed roughly the same teachings as that of his uncle. He explained his theory in two books respectively published in 1912 and 1913, entitled Catechism of the Restoration of the Soul (Catéchisme de la restauration de l'âme) and Christ Speaks Again (Le Christ parle à nouveau)—as he identified himself to Jesus Christ, and Antoine to John the Baptist
John the Baptist
John the Baptist was an itinerant preacher and a major religious figure mentioned in the Canonical gospels. He is described in the Gospel of Luke as a relative of Jesus, who led a movement of baptism at the Jordan River...
—which Debouxhtay considered as a potential plagiarism
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is defined in dictionaries as the "wrongful appropriation," "close imitation," or "purloining and publication" of another author's "language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions," and the representation of them as one's own original work, but the notion remains problematic with nebulous...
of Antoine's writings. Dor encouraged a diet of vegetable
Vegetable
The noun vegetable usually means an edible plant or part of a plant other than a sweet fruit or seed. This typically means the leaf, stem, or root of a plant....
s boiled in water and chastity
Chastity
Chastity refers to the sexual behavior of a man or woman acceptable to the moral standards and guidelines of a culture, civilization, or religion....
before marriage. In 1916, he was convicted of illegally practicing the healing art. Thereafter, he moved to Uccle
Uccle
Uccle or Ukkel is one of the nineteen municipalities located in the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium.Uccle is known for its well-to-do areas, its green spots and its high rental rates.-History:...
, and his movement disappeared following his death on 5 March 1947. As Antoinism, Dorism was criticized by some Catholic clergy members.
See also
- List of Antoinist temples
- New religious movementNew religious movementA new religious movement is a religious community or ethical, spiritual, or philosophical group of modern origin, which has a peripheral place within the dominant religious culture. NRMs may be novel in origin or they may be part of a wider religion, such as Christianity, Hinduism or Buddhism, in...
- Religion in BelgiumReligion in BelgiumA 2006 inquiry in Flanders showed 55% of its inhabitants calling themselves religious, while 36% claimed to believe that God created the world.- Status of recognized denominations :...
- SpiritualismSpiritualismSpiritualism is a belief system or religion, postulating the belief that spirits of the dead residing in the spirit world have both the ability and the inclination to communicate with the living...