Gurdjieff Foundations
By: Dr. John Ankerberg, Dr. John Weldon; ©1999 |
Enlightenment [salvation] is achieved through strenuous human efforts toward comprehending āobjectiveā reality or true consciousness. |
Gurdjieff Foundations
Info at a Glance
Name: The Gurdjieff Foundations.
Purpose: The attainment of higher consciousness.
Founder: George Gurdjieff.
Source of authority: Gurdjieff.
Revealed teachings: Yes.
Examples of occult potential: Psychic powers; spiritism.
Key literature: All and Everything; Beelzebubās Tales to His Grandson and other literature by Gurdjieff and Peter D. Ouspensky.
Attitude toward Christianity: Rejecting.
Quotes:
āI hate your Jesusā (Gurdjieff, C. S. Nott, Teachings of Gurdjieff, p. 103). āHe never spoke well of the Christian Churchesā (J. G. Bennett, Gurdjieff, Making a New World, p. 141).
āEveryone idiot. I am idiot. Even God is idiotā (Gurdjieff, Further Teachings of Gurdjieff; p. 79).
Note: J. G. Bennett, a 30 year Gurdjieff disciple, was instrumental in helping propagate the occult Subud teachings in the U.S. Although he is said to have changed his mind, he once believed Subud to be the ālogicalā culmination of Gurdjieffās teachings. Werner Erhard, the founder of est/the Forum, was also influenced by Gurdjieff/Subud.
Doctrinal Summary
God: Ineffable, although conceived in quasi-Christian terms.
Jesus: A Master.
Salvation: Enlightenment is achieved through specific techniques, sometimes involving strenuous human efforts toward the attainment of systematic āself-observationā leading to the comprehending of āobjectiveā reality or true consciousness.
Man: Inwardly divine (potentially), although currently asleep.
The Bible: Interpreted mystically.
Death: Some individuals experience reincarnation, others are āannihilated.ā