The Process Church of the Final Judgment was a religious movement that originated in England in the 1960s. It was founded by Robert De Grimston and Mary Ann MacLean, who were former members of the Church of Scientology. The group taught a unique theology that blended ideas from Christianity, Gnosticism, and the occult. Here is an overview of the history, beliefs, and practices of the Process Church.
History
Robert De Grimston was born in Shanghai, China in 1935. Mary Ann MacLean was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1931. They met in London in the early 1960s while taking classes at the Hubbard Institute of Scientology. At the time, L. Ron Hubbard’s Scientology movement was growing rapidly. De Grimston and MacLean quickly rose to a leadership position and began running a Scientology mission. However, they became disillusioned with Hubbard’s authoritarian leadership style. In 1966, De Grimston and MacLean were declared “suppressive persons” by the Scientology organization and excommunicated.
After being expelled from Scientology, De Grimston and MacLean founded their own movement originally called “Compulsions Analysis.” They established a base in London’s Mayfair district. The group underwent several name changes before finally settling on “The Process Church of the Final Judgment” in 1966. The term “process” referred to their psychotherapeutic methods developed from Scientology techniques. De Grimston and MacLean believed they were communicating directly with Christ and proclaimed themselves the spiritual leaders of the group.
The Process Church soon attracted media controversy for their unusual beliefs and practices. They emphasized quitting one’s job, taking a vow of poverty, and totally dedicating one’s life to the group. Members gave up all their money and possessions. The group also adopted a stark black clothing style. Rumors began spreading that they were worshipping Satan, which they denied. By the late 1960s, the Process Church had established chapters in various cities in England and North America. At its peak, the group may have had around 500 members.
Beliefs
The theology of the Process Church was complex and multifaceted. They drew ideas from many sources and defy easy categorization. However, there were several core tenets:
- God is comprised of four deities: Jehovah, Christ, Satan, and Lucifer. These four gods represent different attributes of the divine.
- Jehovah represents vengeance, authoritarianism, and conventional morality.
- Christ represents mercy, nonviolence, and human potential.
- Satan represents judgment, individuality, and hedonism.
- Lucifer represents enlightenment, mystery, and opposing authority.
The Process Church taught that all four gods must be loved and reconciled within each person. They used the analogy of a cell dividing into four identical cells to explain how the four deities comprise the whole deity. Members were encouraged to find balance between conventional virtues and radical self-determination.
In contrast to mainstream Christianity, Christ was depicted not as the sole savior but as one part of the quadriune God. Satan was not seen as inherently evil but as representing the animalistic side of human nature. The goal was to synthesize all four gods by following The Process’ psychotherapeutic methods leading to self-realization.
The group believed that Jesus Christ and Satan had reconciled and co-existed within themselves. They stated, “Christ and Satan have been united in us.” This reconciliation allowed Christ and Satan to work together to save humanity. The Process Church claimed they were living proof the apocalyptic unification of good and evil was possible.
Other core beliefs included reincarnation, opposition to mainstream psychiatry, and preparation for an impending apocalypse. De Grimston and MacLean taught they were the two witness prophesied in Revelation 11 who would testify before the end of the world. The ultimate salvation of humanity would occur with the final unification of the four gods.
Practices
To attain unity with the four deities, Process members engaged in various spiritual and therapeutic practices developed by De Grimston and MacLean. These included:
- Communication Exercises – Similar to Scientology auditing, these sessions involved two members sharing their deepest thoughts, feelings, and past experiences while trying to maintain intense eye contact without reacting. This was thought to unite the human and divine minds.
- Self-Remembering – Members sought to recall their immortal spiritual identity through meditation and avoiding thoughts of their mortal existence.
- Channeling Sessions – De Grimston and MacLean claimed they could channel the voices of the four deities through grimace sessions. They made strange faces and hand gestures while speaking as the gods.
- Prayers and Meditation – Personal prayer and contemplation focused on internalizing the four gods equally.
- Artistic Expression – Painting, writing, and music were seen as outlets for reconciling the four deities.
- Sex Magic – Tantric sexual rituals were rumored to take place, but the group neither confirmed nor denied such speculation.
In addition to spiritual practices, Process members lived an ascetic lifestyle abstaining from sex outside of marriage, recreational drugs, gambling, and pornography. They were required to be completely devoted to the group and its teachings. Members lived communally, were mandated to be celibate for the first six months, and take new names representing their reborn identities.
Controversies
Throughout its history, the Process Church was surrounded by controversies and allegations. Critics accused them of being a manipulative cult due to their stringent lifestyle demands, authoritarian leaders, and unconventional theology. Some of the major controversies included:
- Charles Manson – Manson was briefly associated with the Process in the 1960s and integrated some of their ideas about the reconciliation of good and evil. However, the Process Church firmly denied that Manson was ever an actual member.
- Animal Cruelty – Rumors circulated that the Process Church engaged in animal sacrifices. No evidence of this was ever found.
- Nazi Symbolism – Use of the swastika, while meant to reconcile extremes, led to accusations of neo-Nazism.
- Satanic Links – Their attempt to reclaim the positive aspects of Satan led to characterization as a Satanic cult.
- Sex Magic – Reports of tantric sex rituals contributed to claims they were a sex cult.
De Grimston strongly denied these controversies as sensationalized media misrepresentations. But the group’s highly unusual and provocative style made them an ongoing subject of speculation and fascination in the tabloids throughout the 1960s and 70s.
Decline
By the mid-1970s, the Process Church was in serious decline after failing to deliver on the apocalyptic claims of its founders. Financial mismanagement also contributed to its collapse. De Grimston attempted to shift the group away from religious trappings toward more mainstream psychotherapy practices. This caused a schism in the leadership. The original church splintered into several descendant groups led by former members.
In 1974, De Grimston and MacLean divorced. MacLean left the group entirely. De Grimston moved what remained of the Process to Utah and rebranded it as the Foundation Faith of the Millennium. This nonprofit entity still exists today and distributes the writings of De Grimston. The Foundation claims the original Process Church no longer exists.
Robert De Grimston died in 2019 at the age of 93. Mary Ann MacLean went into seclusion after leaving the group and died in 2005. For a brief but intense period, their Process Church attracted a passionate following by combining psychiatry, new age mysticism, end times prophecy, and a radically re-envisioned notion of good and evil. Despite its small size, the notorious image of the Process Church became ingrained in the cultural landscape of the late 60s counterculture.