Female Leaders in New Religious Movements (Palgrave Studies in New Religions and Alternative Spiritualities)

In this book, historians of religion and gender studies explore the biographies of a number of female leaders, and the factors within their groups and cultural contexts that support these women’s religious leadership. New Religious Movements have been supportive of women taking roles of leadership for a long time. Authors of this book examine issues of gender and female leadership from diverse theoretical and methodological standpoints. The book covers a broad range of groups both with regard to time and place, covering Paganism, Hindu guru groups, Christian organizations, esoteric/ mystical movements, African churches, and a Japanese NRM. The common focal point is the powerful, prophetic, charismatic women who have founded and/ or led New Religious Movements. Contents 6 Editors and Contributors 8 List of Figures 12 Chapter 1 Introduction: Female Leaders in New Religious Movements 13 Literature 20 Chapter 2 Women and NRMs: Location and Identity 22 Introduction 22 Background 23 Gender Differences and Alternative Spiritualities 26 Searching for Universal Spiritual Liberation 28 Feminine Responses to God: The Wicca Movement 29 The Pro-Ana/Mia Online Community 30 Feminist and Eco-Esoteric Spiritualities 33 African Matriarchal Movements 35 Womanist Spirituality in the West 36 Conclusion 37 References 38 Chapter 3 God’s Messenger: Ellen G. White 40 Introduction 40 Ellen White’s Leadership in Historical Context 41 Ellen White’s Early Years 43 Visionary, Public Speaker, Author, and Institution-Builder 48 Ordained by God: Navigating Gendered Leadership 52 Conclusion 55 Bibliography 58 Chapter 4 Elizabeth Clare Prophet: Gender, Sexuality, and the Divine Feminine 61 Introduction 61 Biographical Sketch 62 Early Spiritual Life and Influence of Mark Prophet 63 Titles, Offices, and Past-Life Beliefs 66 Taking and Exercising Power as a Female Leader 67 Major Theological Innovations 69 The Shelter Episode 71 Teachings on the Divine Feminine 72 Evaluation of Theological Innovations 77 Sexuality and Gender in CUT-TSL 78 Allegations of Sexual Impropriety 80 Ways to View Sexual Impropriety by a Spiritual Leader 81 Conclusion 84 References 84 Chapter 5 ‘Where There is True Love, Anything is Effortless’: Mata Amritanandamayi: Divine Mother and Religious Entrepreneur 88 Introduction 88 History and Hagiography 89 Charisma and Bhakti 93 Leadership, Power, and Controversy 95 Bhakti Practices Embodied and Disembodied—The Darshan Embrace, the Amma Doll, and Online Worship 100 Conclusion 102 References 106 Chapter 6 Mother and Father of Oneness: An Intersectional Reading of the Shared Leadership of Amma and Bhagavan 108 Introduction 108 A Hagiographical Sketch of Amma and Bhagavan: Marrying God Incarnate 111 Amma as a Woman and Guru: Power, Submission, Tradition and Progression 113 Shakti: Feminine Power in the Hindu Tradition 113 Female Gurus 115 The Shared Leadership of Amma and Bhagavan: Immanent, Transcendent and Integral Aspects of the Founders 116 Purusa and Prakriti: Male and Female as Ontological Principles 116 Married Guru Couples 120 Gender and the Self in Oneness: Family Life and Renunciation, the Local and the Global 122 Conclusion 125 Bibliography 127 Chapter 7 ‘I, Jehovah’: Mary Ann de Grimston and The Process Church of the Final Judgment 130 Introduction 130 The Early Years: Scientology and Compulsions Analysis 132 Robert and Mary Ann de Grimston: An (Un)Easy Leadership 135 Nassau and Xtul: From Psychoanalysis to Religion 138 The Process Church Is Born: Charismatic Leadership and Institutionalization 140 The End of The Process Church and Its New Incarnations 145 Conclusion: The Leader of the Pack 146 References 148 Chapter 8 Olivia Robertson: Priestess of Isis 150 Introduction 150 Daughter of the “Big House” 151 Life in Dublin 153 Finding the Feminine Face of God 155 Creating the Fellowship of Isis 158 The Well of Inspiration 159 Re-Enchantment Through the Goddess 160 A Charismatic Leader 163 Finding a Successor 165 The Future of the Fellowship 167 Bibliography 169 Chapter 9 The Power of Writing in Deguchi Nao’s Ofudesaki 174 Introduction 174 A Note on Sources Used 175 The Epistemology of Surprise 176 Seeing Meaning in the World 180 Appealing to Men and Losing Adachi 182 Becoming a Man and Gaining Onisaburō 184 A Strange, Shamanistic, and Spiritual Metamorphosis 188 “A Great Battle of Male and Female” 189 Onisaburō as Miroku 191 Conclusion: Reading the Ofudesaki as a Religious Text 193 Bibliography 196 Chapter 10 Females’ Subversive Interventions in the Religious Field in Ethiopia 198 Introduction 198 Overview of the Religious Field in Ethiopia 200 Emergence of Female Religious Leaders 202 Abebech Wuletu’s as a Leader 204 Conclusion: Subversive Interventions 209 Conclusion 211 Bibliography 215 Chapter 11 Female Leadership in Mudzimu Unoera Sect of Guruve, Zimbabwe 217 Introduction 217 Mudzimu Unoera Sect: A Historical Overview 219 Research Methodology 221 Tritnoi: Anti-language and Anti-society 222 Understanding the Leadership Patterns in New Religious Movements 225 Anti-structure?: Female Leadership in Mudzimu Unoera Sect of Guruve in Zimbabwe 227 Trampling Human Rights or Liberating Souls Through Female Leadership?: Critical Reflections 231 Conclusion 232 References 233 Chapter 12 The Politics of the Goddess: Radical/Cultural Feminist Influences of Starhawk’s Feminist Witchcraft 236 Radical and Cultural Feminisms 237 Z. Budapest and Dianic Wicca 239 Starhawk’s Feminist Witchcraft and the Reclaiming Tradition 240 Radical and Cultural Feminist Influences on Starhawk’s Writings 243 Conclusion 251 References 253 Chapter 13 The Chalice and the Rainbow: Conflicts Between Women’s Spirituality and Transgender Rights in US Wicca in the 2010s 256 Introduction 256 The Dyadic Leadership Model of British Traditional Witchcraft 259 Female Leaders in Early US Wicca 261 Transgender Inclusion and Women’s Spaces: The PantheaCon 2011 Conflict 262 Gender-Fluid and Nonbinary Pagan Theology 266 Accusations of ‘Trans-Exclusive Radical Feminism’ in the 2010s 268 Conclusion 273 References 283 Index 286 Front Matter ....Pages i-xi Introduction: Female Leaders in New Religious Movements (Inga Bårdsen Tøllefsen, Christian Giudice)....Pages 1-9 Women and NRMs: Location and Identity (Marzia A. Coltri)....Pages 11-28 God’s Messenger: Ellen G. White (Laura L. Vance)....Pages 29-49 Elizabeth Clare Prophet: Gender, Sexuality, and the Divine Feminine ( Erin Prophet)....Pages 51-77 ‘Where There is True Love, Anything is Effortless’: Mata Amritanandamayi: Divine Mother and Religious Entrepreneur (Inga Bårdsen Tøllefsen)....Pages 79-98 Mother and Father of Oneness: An Intersectional Reading of the Shared Leadership of Amma and Bhagavan (Elin Thorsén)....Pages 99-120 ‘I, Jehovah’: Mary Ann de Grimston and The Process Church of the Final Judgment (Christian Giudice)....Pages 121-140 Olivia Robertson: Priestess of Isis (Vivianne Crowley)....Pages 141-164 The Power of Writing in Deguchi Nao’s Ofudesaki (Avery Morrow)....Pages 165-188 Females’ Subversive Interventions in the Religious Field in Ethiopia (Serawit Bekele Debele)....Pages 189-207 Female Leadership in Mudzimu Unoera Sect of Guruve, Zimbabwe (Fortune Sibanda)....Pages 209-227 The Politics of the Goddess: Radical/Cultural Feminist Influences of Starhawk’s Feminist Witchcraft (Shai Feraro)....Pages 229-248 The Chalice and the Rainbow: Conflicts Between Women’s Spirituality and Transgender Rights in US Wicca in the 2010s (Michelle Mueller)....Pages 249-278 Back Matter ....Pages 279-290 Introduction: Female Leaders In New Religious Movements / Inga Bårdsen Tøllefsen, Christian Giudice -- Women And Nrms: Location And Identity / Marzia A. Coltri -- God's Messenger: Ellen G. White / Laura L. Vance -- Elizabeth Clare Prophet: Gender, Sexuality, And The Divine Feminine / Erin Prophet -- 'where There Is True Love, Anything Is Effortless': Mata Amritanandamayi: Divine Mother And Religious Entrepreneur / Inga Bårdsen Tøllefsen -- Mother And Father Of Oneness: An Intersectional Reading Of The Shared Leadership Of Amma And Bhagavan / Elin Thorsén -- 'i, Jehovah': Mary Ann De Grimston And The Process Church Of The Final Judgment / Christian Giudice -- Olivia Robertson: Priestess Of Isis / Vivianne Crowley -- The Power Of Writing In Deguchi Nao's Ofudesaki / Avery Morrow -- Females' Subversive Interventions In The Religious Field In Ethiopia / Serawit Bekele Debele -- Female Leadership In Mudzimu Unoera Sect Of Guruve, Zimbabwe / Fortune Sibanda -- The Politics Of The Goddess: Radical/cultural Feminist Influences Of Starhawk's Feminist Witchcraft / Shai Feraro -- The Chalice And The Rainbow: Conflicts Between Women's Spirituality And Transgender Rights In Us Wicca In The 2010's / Michelle Mueller -- Index. Inga Bårdsen Tøllefsen, Christian Giudice, Editors. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "I this book, historians of religion and gender studies explore the biographies of a number of female leaders, and the factors within their groups and cultural contexts that support these women's religious leadership. New Religious Movements have been supportive of women taking roles of leadership for a long time. Authors of this book examine issues of gender and female leadership from diverse theoretical and methodological standpoints. The book covers a broad range of groups both with regard to time and place, covering Paganism, Hindu guru groups, Christian organizations, esoteric/ mystical movements, African churches, and a Japanese NRM. The common focal point is the powerful, prophetic, charismatic women who have founded and/ or led New Religious Movements."--Provided by publisher Annotation In this work, historians of religion and gender studies explore the biographies of a number of female leaders, and the factors within their groups and cultural contexts that support these women's religious leadership