International Community of Christ
Encyclopedia
International Community of Christ, Church of the Second Advent, is an independent Christian denomination that offers a distinctive, alternative presentation of Christian teachings and a new authoritative dispensation that it believes fulfills the messianic church under Jesus. The church functions primarily as a religious order known as the Order of the Holy Child (Jamilians). Originally organized in 1959 as the American Philosophical Institute of Cosolargy in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, it relocated to Peru, and in 1962 was renamed the Interdenominational Christian Church. The organization was subsequently known for a decade as the “Mystery School of the Andes” until a permanent center was established in Reno
, Nevada
, in 1972. Leading the International Community of Christ for more than three decades was Douglas Eugene "Gene" Savoy
, who served as head bishop from 1971 until his passing in 2007.
was an Essene
master teacher who, as earthly messiah and interpreter of God’s law, came to announce the appearance of the Sun of Righteousness (Malachi 4:1–2) for the redemption of the human family. He came not only to restore the True Mosaic Law for Israel, but also to unify the religious Orders of Light who held to a common solar teaching known in different forms throughout the ancient world and who were expecting his coming. With Jesus’ death and the martyrdom of his disciples, the new covenant of God was rejected and the redeeming force of the First Advent Sun of Righteousness was withdrawn from the world. However, it was prophesied by Jesus that in the End Times of the earth, God would again manifest as Christ through the Light of the Second Advent Sun of Righteousness (Matthew 24:27–31).
The church teaches that the long-awaited Second Coming
is the appearance of the New Sun of Righteousness. which has been manifesting since 1962. This cosmic event, in which God has incarnated His presence in divine light, ushers in a dynamic and unprecedented age on earth, bringing forth universal Christ-consciousness into the world on a level never before experienced in human history. The advent of the Second Sun of Righteousness was announced by Jamil (1959–1962), a wondrous child seer whose birth had been predicted by the prophets of many traditions and whose life fulfilled the scriptural requirements of the one to come as God’s final human messenger.
A synthesis of scientific, metaphysical, and religious principles for modern men and women, cosolargy is not restricted to the individual living the ascetic life. On the contrary, it is a cosmopolitan teaching that is available to anyone living in the modern world. Cosolargy teaches that solar light-energy is the carrier of intelligible information that, when properly applied by means of specialized solar techniques and other techniques of transcendence, activates latent psycho-physical and spiritual faculties (e.g., force centers and fields) in the individual, which leads to development of the spiritual Light body for ultradimensional participation in worlds of light while in the present time-space continuum. Cosolargy thereby provides the individual the means of achieving immortality of the spirit/soul and transcendence from lower dimensional existence. The church teaches that such a system was at the core of ancient high religious traditions, including those of ancient America, now lost, in whole or part, to modern society. For church believers, an important doctrine is that Jesus taught a similar system of light as a means for the human being to be “reborn” in spirit and return to God.
The church holds that the world is in the End Times, a period prophesied by all the great religions, in which God’s divine light will bring about a spiritual Golden Age that will restore a universal religion of light and eventually bring about the restoration of the creation to its original state. The church believes that a new solar epoch has dawned with the advent of the Sun of Righteousness. It teaches that man must learn to process the spiritual forces inherent within the heightened cosmic/solar energy streaming down upon the earth for the survival of the human species and for its continued evolution under a new state of the universe. Cosolargy restores and supplements the ancient spiritual systems of the past for the emergence of a highly developed, spiritually evolved modern individual. It is this tenet of the new advent, or appearance, of God’s presence and the non-denominational character of Cosolargy that allows the Church of the Second Advent to claim its teaching to be truly ecumenical and universal, for it is not restricted to Christianity alone.
The arts, sciences, and technologies of cosolargy constitute a new religious system made available to help the human species adapt to and survive new and increased levels of cosmic/solar radiation that are producing new life conditions on earth. In the broadest sense, cosolargy represents the ideal ecological system because the perpetuation of the planet and the human species is dependent upon harmonious coexistence n accord with a changing environment. The marriage of science and religion becomes reality in cosolargy because physiological, psychological, and spiritual attributes are involved directly with natural and supranatural laws. The Second Advent Church Community sees itself to be the precursor for the restoration of the great religions of the world, has been established to instruct humankind of this transforming condition, and is under mandate to revive and renew the Sacred Teachings of Light for those who seek illumination in the Second Advent Age. The Second Advent Church refers to this renewal as the “emerging new Christianity.”
Reno
Reno is the fourth most populous city in Nevada, US.Reno may also refer to:-Places:Italy*The Reno River, in Northern ItalyCanada*Reno No...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, in 1972. Leading the International Community of Christ for more than three decades was Douglas Eugene "Gene" Savoy
Gene Savoy
Douglas Eugene "Gene" Savoy was an American explorer, author, religious leader, and theologian. He served as Head Bishop of the International Community of Christ, Church of the Second Advent from 1971 until his passing...
, who served as head bishop from 1971 until his passing in 2007.
The Sun of Righteousness
The church maintains that JesusJesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
was an Essene
Essenes
The Essenes were a Jewish sect that flourished from the 2nd century BCE to the 1st century CE which some scholars claim seceded from the Zadokite priests...
master teacher who, as earthly messiah and interpreter of God’s law, came to announce the appearance of the Sun of Righteousness (Malachi 4:1–2) for the redemption of the human family. He came not only to restore the True Mosaic Law for Israel, but also to unify the religious Orders of Light who held to a common solar teaching known in different forms throughout the ancient world and who were expecting his coming. With Jesus’ death and the martyrdom of his disciples, the new covenant of God was rejected and the redeeming force of the First Advent Sun of Righteousness was withdrawn from the world. However, it was prophesied by Jesus that in the End Times of the earth, God would again manifest as Christ through the Light of the Second Advent Sun of Righteousness (Matthew 24:27–31).
The church teaches that the long-awaited Second Coming
Second Coming
In Christian doctrine, the Second Coming of Christ, the Second Advent, or the Parousia, is the anticipated return of Jesus Christ from Heaven, where he sits at the Right Hand of God, to Earth. This prophecy is found in the canonical gospels and in most Christian and Islamic eschatologies...
is the appearance of the New Sun of Righteousness. which has been manifesting since 1962. This cosmic event, in which God has incarnated His presence in divine light, ushers in a dynamic and unprecedented age on earth, bringing forth universal Christ-consciousness into the world on a level never before experienced in human history. The advent of the Second Sun of Righteousness was announced by Jamil (1959–1962), a wondrous child seer whose birth had been predicted by the prophets of many traditions and whose life fulfilled the scriptural requirements of the one to come as God’s final human messenger.
The Process of Spiritual Regeneration and The System of Cosolargy
Fundamental to the Second Advent teaching is that people can participate in the manifesting cosmic Christ and commune with God by developing personalized Christ Consciousness through spiritual regeneration and self-transformation by means of a sacred process. This process, which was taught by Jesus and his immediate disciples and is the “secret”gospel, was lost to the established churches but has been repossessed by the Second Advent Church through revelation. It involves a highly advanced spiritual system of disciplines by which the individual spirit is brought into contact with God’s Word through Light and made a living soul. The sacred system represents a living theology that the church calls cosolargy (a word created from cosmic, solar, and logos).A synthesis of scientific, metaphysical, and religious principles for modern men and women, cosolargy is not restricted to the individual living the ascetic life. On the contrary, it is a cosmopolitan teaching that is available to anyone living in the modern world. Cosolargy teaches that solar light-energy is the carrier of intelligible information that, when properly applied by means of specialized solar techniques and other techniques of transcendence, activates latent psycho-physical and spiritual faculties (e.g., force centers and fields) in the individual, which leads to development of the spiritual Light body for ultradimensional participation in worlds of light while in the present time-space continuum. Cosolargy thereby provides the individual the means of achieving immortality of the spirit/soul and transcendence from lower dimensional existence. The church teaches that such a system was at the core of ancient high religious traditions, including those of ancient America, now lost, in whole or part, to modern society. For church believers, an important doctrine is that Jesus taught a similar system of light as a means for the human being to be “reborn” in spirit and return to God.
The church holds that the world is in the End Times, a period prophesied by all the great religions, in which God’s divine light will bring about a spiritual Golden Age that will restore a universal religion of light and eventually bring about the restoration of the creation to its original state. The church believes that a new solar epoch has dawned with the advent of the Sun of Righteousness. It teaches that man must learn to process the spiritual forces inherent within the heightened cosmic/solar energy streaming down upon the earth for the survival of the human species and for its continued evolution under a new state of the universe. Cosolargy restores and supplements the ancient spiritual systems of the past for the emergence of a highly developed, spiritually evolved modern individual. It is this tenet of the new advent, or appearance, of God’s presence and the non-denominational character of Cosolargy that allows the Church of the Second Advent to claim its teaching to be truly ecumenical and universal, for it is not restricted to Christianity alone.
The arts, sciences, and technologies of cosolargy constitute a new religious system made available to help the human species adapt to and survive new and increased levels of cosmic/solar radiation that are producing new life conditions on earth. In the broadest sense, cosolargy represents the ideal ecological system because the perpetuation of the planet and the human species is dependent upon harmonious coexistence n accord with a changing environment. The marriage of science and religion becomes reality in cosolargy because physiological, psychological, and spiritual attributes are involved directly with natural and supranatural laws. The Second Advent Church Community sees itself to be the precursor for the restoration of the great religions of the world, has been established to instruct humankind of this transforming condition, and is under mandate to revive and renew the Sacred Teachings of Light for those who seek illumination in the Second Advent Age. The Second Advent Church refers to this renewal as the “emerging new Christianity.”