The International Community of Christ, Church of the Second Advent functions as a religious order known as the Order of the Holy Child (Jamilians).
Founded as the American Philosophical Institute of Cosolargy in 1959, the church relocated from Florida to Peru, where it was renamed the Interdenominational Christian Church, and was briefly known as the Mystery School of the Andes until a permanent headquarters was established in Reno, Nevada.
The teachings of the church include elements of Christianity, the New Age movement, the occult, and the mystery religions.
The International Community of Christ was founded by Douglas Eugene Savoy, an American explorer, theologian, and author.
The son of a Baptist preacher, Gene Savoy was said to have experienced visions, and to have received revelations, at the age of six. Later, he explored various religions of the world, including Judaism and the beliefs of the Essene community at Qumran, as well as other religions.
Savoy came to believe, and taught that Jesus was an Essene teacher who came to earth as the Messiah, not for the redemption of humanity, but to restore the Mosaic Law for Israel, to announce the Sun of Righteousness, and to unify the religious Orders of Light who held to a solar system of teaching that was known to the ancient world.
He taught that, although Jesus was inspired, with his death and that of his disciples, the new covenant that Jesus brought was rejected, and the redeeming force of the First Advent Sun of Righteousness was withdrawn from the world.
He claimed that only a portion of the teachings of Jesus was included in the New Testament, but that the most crucial of these were withheld from mainstream Christianity. Savoy declared that he had learned these truths through a careful examination of the Gospels and other Essene literature.
Savoy claimed, further, that his son, Jamil Sean Savoy, was the reincarnate Christ. According to Savoy, Isaiah 11:6 referred to his son in the passage, "A little child shall lead them." Savoy claimed that his son's prophecies about the restoration of the church were inspired by God, who had sent him.
Jamil died in 1962, at the age of three, but his father insisted that this was in keeping with what was supposed to happen and that the child had not really died, but had been transformed into the "world of light."
In 1972, Savoy founded the Jamilians and began publicizing his teachings. Savoy headed the church until his death in 2007.
The theology of the church is focused on Savoy's interpretation of the cryptic teachings of Jesus, as well as on new revelations. The human race is one of "light-beings," which the ancient sun worshippers of Egypt and Peru had discovered years ago. Christ's mission was not to redeem humanity, but to reveal these and other truths.
The cosmos derives its sustenance from the sun, the source of all energy. Jamilians are taught that they can experience the redeeming power of the sun, and by learning how to absorb solar energy properly, they can increase their lifespans by as much as twenty percent. The miracles displayed by Jesus and his disciples were accomplished through the power of the sun. When Christ returns to earth one day, he will come as a new and radiant sun.
His beliefs and doctrines are radically different than mainstream Christianity. For one, he gives much greater credence to visions and revelations than on the Bible or the canons of the Christian faith.
While the Scriptures make a sharp distinction between God and his creation, Savoy teaches that God receives his power from the sun. Rather than God being the sustenance of creation, he holds that creation provides sustenance to God.
He also teaches that Christ was essentially a messenger, pointing to the eternal sun, while the Scriptures teach that Jesus was sent to proclaim the kingdom of God, and to make it possible for humanity to enter this kingdom.
Perhaps the greatest departure was his proclamation that his own son was a reincarnate Christ.
The International Community of Christ refers to its theology as a living theology, or a spiritual system known as Cosolargy, the goal of which is to advance the spiritual cognition and reality of the practitioner through the use of transformed sunlight.
Regardless of the Christian influences of its founder, the beliefs and practices of the International Community of Christ has little resemblance to Christianity.
Upon the death of Gene Savoy, Sr. in 2007, the leadership of the church passed to his eldest son, Douglas Eugene Savoy, Jr. The church is believed to have a membership of about two thousand, with more than a hundred ordained ministers..
The focus of this category is on the International Community of Christ, by whatever name.
Recommended Resources
Advocates for Religious Rights and Freedoms
ARRF is an association of churches and ministers of the International Community of Christ who share an interest in preserving and defending freedom of religion from discrimination and in protecting the rights of individuals to religious expression. Its annual banquet and program are highlighted and scheduled online, and its councils, member associations, and leadership are stated.
http://www.arrf.org/
Founded by Gene Savoy, Sr. in 1957, the Community Communique is currently an online publication of the International Community of Christ, Church of the Second Advent. Full access to its content requires a subscription, which may be requested online. The news magazine offers information about the church’s administration, member organizations, missions, liturgy, music, and orders, as well as a calendar of events and special reports.
http://communitycommunique.net/
Affiliated with the International Community of Christ, Cosolargy is an important concept of the church, teaching that solar light-energy is the carrier of intelligible information that, when properly applied, can lead to spiritual development. Its site includes articles on a large variety of religious traditions, as well as the brain, the body, consciousness, growth, light, solar techniques, spiritual regeneration, and others.
http://cosolargy.org/
Gene Savoy was born in Bellingham, Washington in 1927, and passed away on September 11, 2007. Until his death, he was the founder and head of the International Community of Christ, and this was his official homepage. Biographical information is set forth, along with an overview of his work as an author, lecturer, producer, theologian, clergyman, and educator, as well as links to additional online resources.
http://www.genesavoy.org/
International Community of Christ, Church of the Second Advent
The denomination functions as a religious order known as the Order of the Holy Child (Jamilians). The official website of the religious body presents the story of the church’s founding, recommends primer exegetical texts, the Decoded New Testament, the Essaei Documents, and the Lost Gospel of Jesus, which may be ordered through the site, along with other resources. Affiliate organizations and a calendar of events are included.
http://www.communityofchrist.org/
ONE: International Community of Christ
The Online Nevada Encyclopedia offers a profile of the International Community of Christ, founded by Eugene “Gene” Savoy, and headquartered in Reno, Nevada since 1972. Its origins, previous names, and bases of operation, and an overview of the church’s beliefs and practices are set forth, along with an estimation of its membership, concentration of members, and the number of ordained ministers.
http://www.onlinenevada.org/articles/international-community-christ
