Monday, October 24, 2005
FR. JOHN ROSSNER
As you read through this blog, keep in mind that ecumenism invites the Anglican church to join us.
Fr. Frederick Shade, priest in the Theosophical Liberal Catholic Church that I blogged on last week, mentions a book titled IN SEARCH OF THE PRIMORDIAL TRADITION by Fr. John Rossner in his article "Notes on Mystical Christianity".
Fr. Rossner is an Anglican/Episcopalian priest, and Adjunct Professor at Concordia University. You can read a short bio. of him here, at mid-point on the webpage, which says:
Fr. Rossner is the founder-president of the IIIHS, a former professor of religion (history of religion and culture) at Concordia University, now adjunctive professor there, a scholar and author, an Anglican/Episcopal priest, the Abbot-General of The Order of the Transfiguration, and the conceptualizer of this conference.
Fr. Rossner has an unusual theology and a Canadian institution to go with it called The International Institute of Integral Human Sciences (IIIHS), a non-governmental organization affiliated with the United Nations. The main offices are located in Montreal, but the website claims membership in more than 26 countries and territories. Scroll through the website at the link. You will see a picture of John Paul II holding the hands of two unidentified women. One looks somewhat like Dr. Marilyn Rossner, Fr. John's wife, but at that angle it's difficult to tell for sure without knowing her. Scroll down a little farther for a picture of Fr. Rossner with the Dalai Lama.
Fr. Rossner has a most unusual hobby for an Anglican priest. Fr. Rossner is a medium. So is his wife. In fact, his wife, Dr. Marilyn Zwaig Rossner, founded her own institution, the Spiritual Science Fellowship (SSF), in 1977 which claims a membership of 8,000 persons. The IIIHS and the SSF have merged. You can see a picture of their Montreal headquarters here.
The SSF addresses wisdom traditions, reincarnation, spiritual and psychic sciences, out-of-body experiences, ancient gnosis, modern spiritualism, theosophy and new thought, and more. You can read through the list here.
The Rossners have their own college and seminary--the International College of Spiritual and Psychic Sciences. The college provides an independent study program which covers "Personal Spiritual & Psychic Development;" "East-West Spirituality and the Quest for Universal Human Values in the World's Religions & Cultures;" "New Paradigms for the Convergence of Science and Spirituality Emerging from New Sciences of Consciousness, Healing, and the Human Psyche;" and "Pastoral Studies in Therapeutic Counselling and Interfaith Ministry." This, too, is associated with the U.N.
The students' requirements include attending "all english services on Thursday and Sunday," attending "all psychic teas, Saturday evening circles, and special events," "attending all courses, workshops, and classes taught by all teachers," and attending "all Saturday and Sunday workshops." They note that "100% attendance of all services/teas & 85% of classes is required for ministry/college credit. 100% attendance required for pastoral skills, rites & rituals." (emphasis in the original)
The Rossners held a conference last May to mark the 30th Anniversary of the SSF-IIIHS. The speakers list was long. The International Conference I Schedule included Rabbi Joseph Gelberman and Elisabet Sahtouris from the California Institute of Integral Studies.
On the Conference II Schedule was Wendy Oke who speaks about her aunt, Alma Rumball's, automatic drawings, which are drawings that use the human hand guided by an unseen force. Click on the "Alma Art" link to see more of her drawings. (Interestingly, that website also offers a link to James Twyman and his Beloved Community where a variation of the enneagram is used, Indigo Children are showcased, and apparitions at Medjugorje are stressed. Twyman works with psychic Doreen Virtue.) This session with Wendy Oke included a workshop.
Raymond A. Moody is listed for the International College Week. So is The Very Rev. Fr. Antony Gabriel, Archpriest & Economos. The brief bio for this man states:
The Very Rev. Antony Gabriel, M.Div., S.T.M., Archpriest and Pastor of St. Georges Antiochian Orthodox Church, in Montreal, has been named to the rank of "Economos," the highest honour possible for an archpriest in the Eastern Orthodox Churches. He has also received numerous recognitions, in Quebec and Canada, for exemplary humanitarian service, rendered while undergoing his own struggle with cancer.
I'm still wondering what to make of his participation. Since this Archpriest pastors a church in Montreal, it is likely that he would be aware of what the Rossner's conference was about. Why did he take part?
The conference Addendum includes "Private Benefit Readings with visiting SSF Intuitives."
The 2004 Conference included Matthew Fox and Rupert Sheldrake on the program.
Saturday Evening Spirit Circles at the SSF-IIIHS provide Clairvoyance, Psychometry, Spirit Messages, and Mediumship. The Thursday Psychic Teas include Spirit Communications, Mediums, Psychics, Spirit Messages, Clairvoyance, Divination.
On Monday you can choose to learn the Tarot or study A Course in Miracles, among other things.
Yoga, the Bible, Kabbalah, and the Heart Doctrine are all on Tuesday's menu.
For Shamanism and Meditation, show up on Wednesday.
Friday is the night for the spirit circle.
Sunday services are interfaith and given in English and French at the Days Inn.
The SSF-IIIHS provides a wedding service. Go to Dr. Marilyn Rossner for all of your Ecumenical and Interfaith Marriage needs. For Christian Catholic Weddings, see Sr. Leona Hartman. They are licensed and recognized by the Government of Quebec and the International Council of Community Churches.
In the section of the website devoted to the SSF, on webpage 2 where the activities of this organization are listed, you can find this entry:
Psychic Experiences in the Bible & Christianity: Mysticism & Psi in the lives of the Saints; Invocation of Saints & Angels; Marian Apparitions.(emphasis mine)
Her bio on the conference website tells us that Dr. Marilyn Rossner has written a book about Mother Mary:
This conference is organized by:
Dr. Marilyn Zwaig Rossner, M.A., Ph.D., Ed.D., Founder-President, SSF; Professor (ret.) of Special Care Counselling; award-winning Children’s Therapist; gifted & acclaimed Intuitive, Teacher, Counsellor & Interfaith Spiritual Leader, & Minister in the ICCC; Author of “Yoga, Psychotherapy & Children” (1983), and “Mother Mary is Speaking! Who is Listening?” (1996).
There is one more segment of the SSF-IIIHS website that I'm still working through and will blog when I've finished it--The Order of the Transfiguration, where Marian Apparitions play a central role.
