Mark Rathbun, a high- profile Scientologist, has previously accused the Church of Scientology of being “fundamentalist.” The author explores the idea of a “Scientological fundamentalism,” and how Free Zone Scientology might fit the description. Giving an overview of both the Church of Scientology and the Free Zone, the author argues that many Free Zone Scientologists at least resemble the ways in which other fundamentalists— primarily Christian and Muslim ones— in that they are fixated on a return to L. Ron Hubbard’s original “Standard Tech” in response to a change in religious authority in the form of David Miscavige becoming the leader of the Church of Scientology. Although the author does not necessarily argue that the Free Zone constitutes Scientological fundamentalism, they do argue that what has been regularly described as fundamentalist is a persistent quality of religion in modernity.
This paper explores how Arabic- speaking Evangelicals in Israel navigate between two competing theological discourses that claim to speak for them: Palestinian Liberation Theology and Christian Zionism. Palestinian Liberation Theology, advocating justice and self- determination, dominates public perceptions of all Christians in Israel- Palestine, performing and demanding a unified Palestinian identity. Yet Arabic- speaking Evangelicals face a twofold dilemma: as Israeli citizens, their national identity is contested; as Evangelicals, they are globally associated with Christian Zionism. Rather than aligning with either discourse, most emphasize a “heavenly identity” centered on Christ and salvation, as my fieldwork in Nazareth (2016–2018) demonstrates. Drawing on Saba Mahmood’s concept of agency, this paper argues that this positioning is not apolitical withdrawal but strategic resistance within severely constrained structures. By refusing appropriation from both Palestinian nationalist theology and Christian Zionism, Arabic- speaking Evangelicals articulate a subversive critique, insisting on fundamental evangelical concerns over nationalist theological claims.
This paper examines The Seth Material (1963– 1984), produced by Jane Roberts and Robert Butts, as a case study in spirit channeling as a creative-spiritual practice. It argues that the Seth phenomenon challenges creative and spiritual boundaries by blending emergent metaphysical beliefs, experimental media practices, and evolving conceptions of human and more-than-human agency. Through close analysis of the material’s view of individual and collective agency, this paper situates channeling as a post-human act that reconfigures relationships between authorship, media, and spiritual practice. It also considers the Seth Material’s engagement with emerging audio formats, collaborative worldbuilding, and hypertextual structure as a transmedia mode of storytelling that democratizes spiritual experience and invites distributed authorship. By framing the Seth Material as a hybrid creative- spiritual form, this paper offers new perspectives on the cultural and ontological stakes of spirit channeling in modern spiritual and artistic movements.
This article explores pub psychic nights in Britain. The audience of these events are predominantly working- class women who gather in local pubs and social clubs to participate in spirit communication led by a medium and/or psychic. Drawing on qualitative data from 16 interviews and four participant observations we examine the social and spiritual significance of these events for the audience, arguing that they have a profound impact in helping people deal with grief and loss, extending far beyond mere entertainment. We further argue that pub psychic nights create an opportunity to address existential questions and seek comfort outside of traditional religious institutions. We demonstrate how these nights blur the boundaries between the ordinary and the extraordinary and transform historically male-dominated pub spaces into local hubs of female- led spirituality. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of contemporary spiritual practices and their significance for marginalized communities.
