The Theosophical Society was founded on 17 November 1875 in New York by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, William Quan Judge and Henry Steel Olcott. Blavatsky and Olcott (who served as the Theosophical Society's first president), moved to Adyar in 1878; the headquarters of the Theosophical Society were established there, where they remain to this day. In 1886, the American Section of the Theosophical Society was established in New York.
In 1895, 75 lodges resigned from the Theosophical Society (Adyar) and elected Judge as president. The organization formed by those 75 lodges is today referred to as Theosophical Society Pasadena.
26 lodges remained in Olcott's TS under the leadership of Alexander Fullerton. It is the organization then composed of those 26 lodges which is today known as The Theosophical Society in America.
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.
The three main groups working today in the United States of America are the Theosophical Society Adyar, the Theosophical Society Pasadena, and The United Lodge of Theosophists. The Theosophical Society in America is the legal name for the American branch of the Adyar Society, with its national headquarters in Wheaton, Illinois.
The Adyar Society is not only the largest group but also the most diverse. While core teachings are still based on Blavatsky's writings, a large body of Theosophical literature has been developed based on the perceptions, studies, and spiritual experiences of the Society's leaders. For the most part, the United Lodge of Theosophists and the Pasadena Group are almost exclusively dedicated to the study of the writings of H.P. Blavatsky.
The Theosophical Society in America
The Theosophical Society in America is the official name of the American Section of the Adyar Theosophical Society.
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 (now Chennai), 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.
The administrative headquarters of the Theosophical Society in America is the Olcott Estate, located in Wheaton, Illinois. Besides the administrative management of the American Section the Center offers on-site courses, seminars, workshops, and lectures for members and the public.
National Presidents
- 1895-1907 = Alexander Fullerton
- 1907-1912 = Walter Van Hook
- 1912-1920 = A.P. Warrington
- 1920-1931 = L.W. Rogers
- 1931-1945 = Sidney Cook
- 1945-1960 = James Perkins
- 1960-1965 = Henry Smith
- 1965-1974 = Joy Mills
- 1974-1975 = Ann Wylie
- 1975-1987 = Dora Kunz
- 1987-1993 = Dorthy Abbenhouse
- 1993-2002 = John Algeo
- 2002-Present = Betty Bland
References
- Joy Mills, One Hundred Years of Theosophy
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 Theosophical Society Pasadena
Presidents of the TS Pasadena
Literature
- Campbell, Bruce F.: Ancient wisdom revived, a history of the Theosophical movement. University of California Press, Berkeley 1980; ISBN 0-520-03968-8
- 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
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