1979/09/01 by Frederick R. Lynch · 1 citation
Arts and Humanities · Social Sciences · Psychology · Medicine · #Religious Studies and Spiritual Practices #Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology #Psychedelics and Drug Studies #Occult #MAGIC (telescope) #Religious studies #Political science #Criminology #Philosophy #Sociology #Medicine #Physics #Astronomy
paper · doi:10.2307/1385654
openalex publication_date 1979/09/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2025/11/06
The evolution of the cosmology, social organization, and practices of a moder of Magic, as well as the social and psychological characteristics of its members, were examined to determine whether the organization more closely approximated the white, middle class Occult Establishment described by Martin Marty, or whether it resembled a which attracted individuals as suggested by Lofland and Stark. The findings confirmed Marty's description in that the evolution of the belief system, organization, and magical practices of the Church reflected the maturation of the wider Occult Establishment in the United States during the late 1960's. However, the model of conversion to a deviant perspective outlined by Lofland and Stark proved useful, not only in noting the emergence of a within the Church of the Sun, but also in examining the psychological and social-situational factors which led to adherence to a relatively conventional perspective and praxis. In theoretical and comparative perspective, the members of the Church of the Sun are like those in several other occult and new religious groups, seeking a deeper, more mystical, and more complex understanding of their individual identities within the context of modern mass society. They also often gain a powerful sense of community from their participation in collective ritual.