Twelve Tribes communities

This article is about the Christian communities. For other uses, see Twelve Tribes (disambiguation).
Twelve Tribes
Classification
StructureApostolic Council[2]
RegionNorth America, South America, Western Europe, Australia[3]
FounderElbert "Gene" Spriggs
Origin1972
Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States
Members2,500–3,000[4]
Official websitewww.twelvetribes.org
A Twelve Tribes dance

The Twelve Tribes, formerly known as the Vine Christian Community Church,[5] the Northeast Kingdom Community Church,[6] the Messianic Communities,[6] and the Community Apostolic Order,[7] is a movement that is defined as either a cult[14] or a new religious movement.[7]: 155  It was founded by Gene Spriggs and sprang out of the Jesus movement in 1972 in Chattanooga, Tennessee.[2] The group calls itself an attempt to recreate the 1st-century church as it is described in the Book of Acts.[2]

The group's origins in Chattanooga led to planted churches in surrounding areas. In the late seventies, the group began a community in Island Pond, Vermont. As their relationship with the Chattanooga community deteriorated, the group eventually left Tennessee and moved primarily to Vermont. The Twelve Tribes's beliefs resemble those of Christian fundamentalism, the Hebrew Roots movement, Messianic Judaism, and the Sacred Name Movement; however, the group believes that all other denominations are fallen, and it therefore refuses to align itself with any denomination or movement.

The group's strict courtship rules and their views on child rearing have been a source of controversy. The use of community labor, in which all funds are managed by the group as opposed by individuals, has been criticized for being exploitative and allowing child labor.[15]

They have been criticized for their beliefs and practices, including for their supremacist views towards black and Jewish people outside of their membership. The group's teachings have been characterized as "racist, misogynistic and homophobic", and ex-members report excessive corporal punishment, failure to stop child sexual abuse, and exploitation of followers for labor.[16]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference palmerraising was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c Barna, Mark (January 2, 2009). "Twelve Tribes living as one". The Gazette (Colorado Springs). Freedom Communications. Archived from the original on March 4, 2012. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Festival was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Legere, Christine (June 4, 2009). "Sect to increase holdings Plan would link harbor, downtown". The Boston Globe. p. 2. Retrieved November 4, 2009.
  5. ^ "Church to sell Yellow Delis, other properties and relocate". Chattanooga Times. WEHCO Media. March 26, 1979.
  6. ^ a b Palmer, Susan J. (1998). "Chapter 9: Apostates and Their Role in the Construction of Grievance Claims Against the Northeast Kingdom/Messianic Communities". In Bromley, David G. (ed.). The Politics of Religious Apostasy: The Role of Apostates in the Transformation of Religious Movements. Praeger Publishing. pp. 187–204. ISBN 0-275-95508-7.
  7. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference childNR was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Lewiscultsectsnrm was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference mediacovraid was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ "Inside an American white supremacist cult". Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference amc was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference WhRo20 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference LaMc18 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ [8][9][10][11][12][13]
  15. ^ Cite error: The named reference Bradbury was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  16. ^ "Twelve Tribes: A Black father's struggle to pull his child from the racist cult". The Mercury News. March 8, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2023.


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