Gnostic Order of Christ
The Gnostic Order of Christ is the largest of several organizations,
that was formally founded in 1988, visibly emerged in
the mid-1990s from the remnants of the Holy Order of MANS.
The Holy Order of MANS was founded in the 1960s by Fr. Paul
Encyclopedia of Occultism & Parapsychology 5th Ed. Gnostic Order of Christ
647
Blighton, a former engineer who spent much of his life considering
the problem of the relationship between science and religion.
The end result was a new ordered community modeled
on a Roman Catholic religious order but following an esoteric
Christian theology. The Holy Order was effectively dissolved in
1986 when it merged into a small Eastern Orthodox jurisdiction,
the Greek Orthodox Missionary Archdiocese of Vasiloupolis.
Many of the scattered members of the former Holy Order
began to communicate with each other and one group who felt
called upon to continue its work organized the Gnostic Order
of Christ in 1988. Instrumental in the creation of the Gnostic
Order was Timothy D. Harris. Harris was an original member
of the Holy Order, having joined the Science of Man Church
that had preceded it. He was initiated by Blighton as a master
teacher and in 1970 was given the rites of ordination. In 1972,
Fr. Timothy left the Holy Order and became a private teacher
of metaphysics. In 1984 he received consecration as a bishop
from an independent Old Catholic bishop. Also instrumental
in the founding of the new Gnostic Order was Jessica Catherine
Burkhouse. She took her life vows with the Holy Order in 1978.
As Sister Jessica, she worked with the Immaculate Heart Sisters
of Mary, a female suborder within the Holy Order. She was ordained
as a master teacher in the Holy Order. Within the new
Gnostic Order, she has worked to reestablish the sisterhood as
the Immaculate Heart Servants of Mary.
The Gnostic Order is an esoteric order community that follows
the teachings and practice of the former Holy Order. It
has a theology built on Hermetic principles and follows a life
of ordered service. Members of the order accept the Master
Jesus as a universal teacher, but also accept the validity of all
spiritual paths and the sacred writings of all the great religions
as sacred literature. Bishop Timothy facilitated Burkhouse and
the other former master teacher who joined in the formation
of the Gnostic Order receiving similar episcopal consecration
to his own.
The teachers of the Gnostic Order are now scattered across
the United States. Headquarters have been established at P.O.
Box 8660, San Jose, CA 95155-8660. The order has a website
at httpwww.gnostic.net.
Sources
Gnostic Order of Christ. httpwww.gnostic.net. May 13,
2000.
