Church of Illumination
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The Church of Illumination
Guiding People to the Fulfillment of their Divine Potential
“Don’t you know that you are the
temple of God,
and that the Spirit of God dwells in
you?”
1 Corinthians 3:16
The
Church of Illumination registered in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1908. It
Once shown the Path,
individuals living the life based upon these principles unfold their divine
potential, as the rose blossoms to its full beauty.
Representing an entirely new, yet very ancient
religious concept, the Church of Illumination embraces a spiritual
interpretation of the Bible and other Divine texts. There is no structured
dogma to be accepted on pure faith and there is no formal creed.
The Church does not preach in the usual sense of
the term. Instead, it instructs individuals in the Biblical precepts of Divine
Law so they may realize the wisdom contained therein and apply it in their
daily life.
The Church of Illumination does not proselytize for formal
membership. However, it welcomes all people who desire to implement the wisdom of
the teachings in their daily life. Any individual may become an adherent, as
there no discrimination.
Mission
The Church of Illumination has one primary aim:
to teach individuals on how to harmonize
their lives with Divine Law and exemplify personal responsibility. In this
manner they will benefit both spiritually and materially, leading them to the
fulfillment of their divine potential. With such guidance, individuals are
empowered to make use of all of their talents to the benefit of themselves and
humanity.
Another
goal is to establish centers or groups where trained men and women ministers
will act as interpreters of the Divine Law. Many people have become
disillusioned with religious dogma and are seeking Spiritual guidance. In
humble service, the Church of Illumination seeks to fulfill this role.
Tenets
and Teachings
The Church’s teachings have their basis in the
words of the Nazarene, his disciples and the early Judeo-Christian sects prior
to the formation of the formal Catholic Church by the council at Nicaea. The
Church teaches that within each of us is a Divine Spark, our soul spark, which
is a part of God, our Creator. Our spiritual mission is to make every effort to
bring this soul spark into a conscious spiritual state of knowing itself and
God. This axiom is based on the
teaching of not only the Nazarene but also the Gnostic Fathers, including the
Immortal Origen, Clement of Alexandria, Marcion, Valentinus, Basilides, and St.
Paul.
The Church of Illumination recognizes that an
individual’s spiritual development is his or her personal responsibility, and
that faith is important as an incentive to each person’s actions. By our works
(feelings, thoughts, words and deeds) we sow the seeds of our spiritual
destiny. Great emphasis is placed on the Divine axiom from James (2:26), “faith without works is dead.”
Matthew (16:27) echoed the same truth,
“For the Son of man will come in the glory of his
Father with his holy angels; and then he will reward each according to his works.
While
the church espouses no creed or dogma, it does teach Fundamental Laws that govern all aspects of life. It is the
member’s life work to harmonize his or her actions with these Divine Laws.
These Fundamental Laws are based on the teachings of the Nazarene and other of
God’s Messengers.
First,
and greatest of these fundamental Laws, is that of Personal Responsibility. Personal Responsibility is the basis of
all true, righteous, fair and honorable relationship between others and us.
Personal Responsibility transcends “justification by faith” and “vicarious
atonement” in the sense usually taught.
The
Church teaches that there is only one God, our Creator. It also emphasizes that
we “reap what we sow” and the Golden Rule should govern our life. It teaches that
harmonizing our life with Divine Law is the manner of our salvation, the change
from mortality to Immortality.
The
Church of Illumination is founded on an individual’s honesty, innate morality,
fairness and sense of right and justice. It is also founded on faith in God and
the certainty of the operation of the Divine Law. It bases all its teachings
upon those of the Master Teachers of old- the Nazarene, his disciples, the
Gnostics and upon the experiences of men women who have made it a practice to
do all in their power to harmonize their life with Divine Law.
For
more information on the teachings of the Church of Illumination, we refer the
reader to the following books available from the Philosophical Publishing
Company:
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embraces the spiritual concepts as taught by the Word of God,
heralding the teachings of the Nazarene and other Divine Messengers of God. In
the study of this sacred path of living a life of personal responsibility,
individuals are guided by the Biblical teachings of Divine Law. 
P.O. Box 220