"I AM" Activity

Guy and Edna Ballard

The I AM Movement, also referred to as the I AM Temple,[1][2] is the original ascended master teachings neo-Theosophical religious movement founded in the early 1930s by Guy Ballard (1878–1939) and his wife Edna Anne Wheeler Ballard (1886–1971) in Chicago, Illinois.[3][4] It is an offshoot of theosophy and a major precursor of several New Age religions including the Church Universal and Triumphant.[5]

The movement had up to a million followers in 1938[6] and is still active today on a smaller scale. Upon Ballard's death, several members founded their own splinter groups, adding their own beliefs and teachings to those of the original movement.[7]

According to the official website of the parent organization, the Saint Germain Foundation, its worldwide headquarters is located in Schaumburg, Illinois, and there are[when?] approximately 300 local groups worldwide under several variations of the names "I AM" Sanctuary, "I AM" Temple, and other similar titles.[8] As of 2007, the organization states that its purpose is "spiritual, educational and practical", and that no admission fee is charged for their activities.[9]

The term "I AM" is a reference to the ancient Sanskrit mantra So Ham and the divine biblical name "I Am that I Am".[10]

  1. ^ Pacheco, Ana (February 18, 2022). "A New Religion Comes to Santa Fe". History in Santa Fe. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  2. ^ "Loop place of worship broken into, ransacked; suspect injured, CPD says". ABC7 Chicago. April 27, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  3. ^ Jones, Lindsay (2005). "I Am". Encyclopedia of religion (vol. 6) (second ed.). Detroit : Macmillan Reference USA. pp. 4245–4247. ISBN 0-02-865739-X.
  4. ^ Saint Germain Foundation. The History of the "I AM" Activity and Saint Germain Foundation. Saint Germain Press 2003 ISBN 1-878891-99-5
  5. ^ Partride, Christopher, ed. (2004). New Religions: A Guide: New Religious Movements, Sects and Alternative Spiritualities. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. pp. 330–332.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference barrett was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference CCAA was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference scotus was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ "Saint Germain Foundation official website". Saint Germain Foundation. Archived from the original on December 13, 2007. Retrieved December 17, 2007. The "I AM" Activity is spiritual, educational and practical. There are no financial schemes behind it; no admission is ever charged. It takes no political stance in any nation. The parent organization is Saint Germain Foundation, with worldwide headquarters located in Schaumburg, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. It is represented throughout the world by 300 local groups termed "I AM" Sanctuary, "I AM" Temple, "I AM" Study Groups, or "I AM" Reading Room. Saint Germain Foundation and its local activities are not affiliated with any other organization or persons.
  10. ^ Hadden, Jeffrey K. ""I AM" Religious Activity". Religious Movements Homepage at the University of Virginia. University of Virginia. Archived from the original on November 23, 2007. Retrieved December 17, 2007.