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The Theosophical Society in America is an organization that developed from the Theosophical Society founded in 1875 in New York. The division occurred in 1895 under W.Q. Judge. The society changed its name several times, and it is today known as Theosophical Society Pasadena.

The TS was founded on 17 November 1875 in New York by HP Blavatsky, WQ Judge and HS Olcott. Blavatsky and Olcott moved to Adyar in 1878; the headquarters of the TS were then also established in Adyar. In 1886 the American Section of the TS was established in New York. The American section had approx. 101 lodges in 1895 when the division from Adyar occurred.

In 1895, 75 lodges resigned from the TS and elected Judge as president. Only 26 lodges remained in Olcott's TS under the leadership of Alexander Fullerton. This division is called "The Split."

The Theosophical Society in America

I have provided some concise history of the evolution of the theosophical movement. I had to write it for another purpose, but it should be coherent. Some of the information was taken from Joy Mills’s book, One Hundred Years of Theosophy, some was gleaned from other sources which eludes me at the moment. The three main groups are the Pasadena Group, The United Lodge of Theosophists and the Adyar Group There is also the Anthroposophical Society and another independent group founded by Alice Bailey, the Arcane School, which has a much looser and less focused identity with the Theosophical Society.

For the most part, the United Lodge of Theosophists and the Pasadena Group are almost exclusively dedicated to the writings of H.P. Blavatsky. The Adyar Society is not only the largest group but also the most diverse and exhibit the evolution of the theosophical leadership since its inception in 1875.

The Theosophical Society in America (Adyar) P. O. Box 270 Wheaton, IL 60189 www.theosophical.org

Bylaw 3: Organization Section 1. International Affiliation. The Theosophical Society in America is an integral and indivisible part of the Theosophical Society, founded in New York, United States of America, on November 17, 1875, by Henry Steel Olcott, Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, William Quan Judge, and others, incorporated at Madras, India, on April 3, 1905, and having its international headquarters at Adyar, Madras, India (herein referred to as the international Society). Its national headquarters are at Olcott, Wheaton, Illinois, and it is the national society in the United States of America of the international Society.

Original 3 Objects of the American Section; The name is "The Theosophical Society in America."

The objects of the Theosophical Society in America are the objects of the International Society, stated in language appropriate to our place and time without altering their intent. 1. To form a nucleus of the universal brotherhood of humanity, without distinction of race, creed, sex, caste, or color. 2. To encourage the comparative study of religion, philosophy, and science. 3. To investigate unexplained laws of nature and the powers latent in humanity.

Thus, as above stated, the original Theosophical Society was now divided into two autonomous branches, two sister societies, each thenceforth to work out its own destiny. The few lodges in America which had shown sympathy with Mrs. Besant and her views formed a new section recognizing Adyar as its headquarters.

The entire Indian Section, a majority of the European, and most of the small Australian Section chose to follow Adyar. Mrs. Besant (Second International President) settled in India, where she devoted her tremendous energy to the development of the Adyar Society, temporarily depleted by the loss of support from the richer and more vigorous American Section and of so many active lodges and members in other countries.

Universal Brotherhood and Theosophical Society

In January 1898 Tingley founded in New York the International Brotherhood Organisation (IBO). In February 1898 she became president of the TS in America. Both the TS in America and the IBO were now renamed to the 'Universal Brotherhood and Theosophical Society (UBTS), with Tingley as president. In February 1900 Tingley moved the headquarters from New York to Lomaland. Later, the Society was again renamed to Theosophische Gesellschaft Point Loma'' (TG-Point Loma).

Divisions

TS Point Loma

After Tingley's death in 1929, Gottfried de Purucker became president. He renamed the society from UBTS to Theosophical Society or Theosophical Society Point Loma.

TS Covina

In 1942 Purucker sold Lomaland for financial reasons and moved the headquarters to Covina. The society was renamed to TS Covina. In 1945 Arthur L. Conger became president.

TS Pasadena

In 1950 and 1951 the headquarters were moved to Pasadena and Altadena, and changed its name to TS Pasadena. After Conger's death, James A. Long became president in a controversial election. In 1971, Grace F. Knoche became president of the TS Pasadena.

TS Point Loma-Covina

Because of James Long's controversial election in 1951, some theosophical lodges separated from the TS Pasadena. The Dutch section of the TS under its president D.J.P. Kok and other societies didn't accept the controversial election. The societies that separated themselves from the TS Pasadena formed the Theosophical Society Point Loma-Covina.

Chronology

Names of the Society

Presidents

Literature

  • Campbell, Bruce F.: Ancient wisdom revived, a history of the Theosophical movement. University of California Press, Berkeley 1980; ISBN 0520039688
  • Fährmann, Johannes: Theosophen und die Theosophische Gesellschaft. Schatzkammer-Verlag, Buenos Aires 1950
  • Frohnmeyer, Leonhard Johannes; Blum-Ernst, Alfred: Die theosophische Bewegung, ihre Geschichte, Darstellung und Beurteilung. Calwer Vereinsbuchhandlung, Stuttgart 1923
  • Fussell, Joseph H.: Incidents in the history of the theosophical movement, founded in New York city in 1875 by H.P. Blavatsky, continued under William Q. Judge, and now under the direction of their successor, Katherine Tingley. Aryan Theosophical Press, Point Loma 1920
  • Kumar, K. Parvathi: Die theosophische Bewegung. Edition Kulapati, Wermelskirchen 1996; ISBN 3-930637-07-3
  • Penzig, Otto: Die Theosophie und die theosophische Gesellschaft. Pieper, Düsseldorf 1921
  • Theosophische Gesellschaft (Hrsg.): Die Theosophische Gesellschaft, Pasadena. Theosophische Gesellschaft, München 1986

External links

Theosophy | Theosophische Gesellschaft in Amerika

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Theosophical Society in America".

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