Original Founding Church of Scientology of Washington, DC, placed on National Register of Historic Places

Audio system Dr. E. Gail Anderson Holness, Debra McClane, Massimo Parrino, Director of Public Relations, Buddies of L. Ron Hubbard Basis and Rev. Susan Taylor, President of the Founding Church of Scientology unveiling the Nationwide Register of Historic Locations plaque

The unique Founding Church of Scientology which gained recognition on the Nationwide Register of Historic Locations

Ms. Debra McClane, architectural historian, explains the rigorous evaluation course of and the importance of being accredited for the Nationwide Register of Historic Locations

Scientologists and the group be part of within the celebration

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Unique Founding Church of Scientology Nationwide Register of Historic Locations plaque on show

Scientologists and group leaders have fun the church L. Ron Hubbard established with an unveiling of the plaque commemorating its historic itemizing

WASHINGTON, DC, USA, November 25, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — Group leaders and Scientologists gathered on the Unique Founding Church of Scientology of Washington, DC, for a ceremony commemorating the itemizing of the positioning on the Nationwide Register of Historic Locations by the US Division of Inside.

The occasion was a celebration, full with the disclosing of the commemorative plaque, speeches, confetti, and excursions of the historic website. It was held at 1812 nineteenth Avenue NW, Washington, DC, the unique historic location of the primary organized Church of Scientology on the planet. This historic church constructing now joins two different properties of historic significance to Scientology which are acknowledged on the Nationwide Register of Historic Locations – the L. Ron Hubbard Home in Bay Head, NJ, the place he wrote Dianetics: The Fashionable Science of Psychological Well being in 1950 and the Camelback Home in Phoenix, AZ, the place Mr. Hubbard later authored the primary fundamental books of Scientology and based the Hubbard Affiliation of Scientologists.

The rigorous US Division of Inside’s Nationwide Register utility requires that at the least one in all 4 standards be met to ensure that a property to be listed. In accordance with the appliance, the Scientology property met two of those. One, “the property should make a contribution to the key sample of American historical past” and two, “is related to vital folks of the American previous.”

The applying researched and written by architectural historian, Ms. Debra McClane, addressed the primary criterion stating, “The constructing at 1812 nineteenth Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, is eligible for itemizing within the Nationwide Registry of Historic Locations within the areas of Philosophy and Faith as the positioning of the primary organized church of the Scientology faith, the Founding Church of Scientology of Washington, DC. The formation of the Founding Church of Scientology is of seminal significance to the Scientology faith as a result of it was as a consequence of its efficient ecclesiastical organizational construction that the faith was in a position to increase quickly all through the world throughout the late twentieth century.”

Later within the utility she addressed the second criterion stating that, “The constructing is eligible for itemizing for its historic affiliation with Lafayette Ronald (L. Ron) Hubbard (1911-1986), who’s acknowledged as an necessary chief within the twentieth century. Hubbard has been described as among the many most important spiritual figures in twentieth-century American spiritual historical past and was the founding father of one of many few new main religions established within the twentieth century. A number of secular research on faith have documented his affect with regard to American spiritual historical past. In 2014, for instance, Smithsonian journal listed Hubbard among the many prime 11 most important spiritual figures in American historical past together with such leaders as Billy Graham, Joseph Smith, Mary Baker Eddy, William Penn, and Brigham Younger.”

Through the celebration, Ms. McClane spoke to the gang saying, “I’ve labored with the Church and have seen their intense care and top quality within the restoration of historic websites….This authentic Founding Church of Scientology website was beforehand acknowledged for its architectural significance as a property with the Dupont Circle Historic District. Right now, we have fun a brand new recognition. To completely grasp the importance of this one, I need to describe what it signifies.”

She continued, “For these of you who could not know, the Nationwide Historic Preservation Act of 1966 established the Nationwide Register of Historic Locations…. So, being listed within the Nationwide Register is a significant acknowledgement of the worth of a property, like this landmark constructing, as a historic useful resource and confirms its standing as a spot worthy of preservation and commemoration.

“This property has been a particular place in all of your hearts for a very long time and now with this Nationwide Recognition as a Historic Place – the world will understand it because the birthplace of the primary Church of Scientology – the unique Founding Church.”

Dr. E. Gail Anderson Holness, distinguished religion chief in Washington and pastor of the Adams Inspirational African Methodist Episcopal Church, provided her ideas in her handle saying, “Having a spiritual religion’s historic constructing formally acknowledged helps to keep up the legacy of that religion. On this case, this recognition reveals the place Scientology began and the way far it has come.” Throughout her presentation she shared many widespread values between her Christian religion and that of Scientology.

“As a Christian Pastor that represents an Abrahamic monotheistic faith based mostly on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, I consider it will be important that we develop into conscious of the spiritual and nonreligious lifetime of others in our world.”

“From a Christian pastor’s perspective, concerning the Church of Scientology and the aim for which we’re right here at this time, which is to have fun this auspicious event, I consider it will be important that we affirm one another in our religious beliefs and practices. It should permit us to co-exist and make our world a extra palatable place for all and we are going to study that we’re extra alike than we’re totally different.”

Town of Washington, DC, has a deep significance for members of the Scientology faith.

Mr. Hubbard arrived in Washington, DC, as a 12-year-old in 1923, attended prep faculty, turned an Eagle Scout, and later attended George Washington College the place he was an editor of the varsity newspaper in addition to an engineering pupil.

Following World Battle II, Mr. Hubbard returned to the town and wrote Dianetics: The Unique Thesis, the forerunner to Dianetics: The Fashionable Science of Psychological Well being .

He established the unique Founding Church of Scientology in 1955 at 1812 nineteenth Avenue NW and integrated the Church on the 4th of July 1955. Mr. Hubbard turned its first Government Director and cast organizational patterns for all of the Scientology Church buildings to observe all through the world.

The property at 1812 nineteenth Avenue NW is now additionally listed regionally within the DC Stock of Historic Websites as accredited by the DC Historic Preservation Evaluate Board, a authorities physique comprised of appointed preservation professionals. The L. Ron Hubbard Home is now maintained as a museum with many authentic artifacts from the time Mr. Hubbard labored within the constructing.

Because the congregation of that historic authentic Founding Church of Scientology outgrew its location at 1812 nineteenth Avenue NW, the Church moved into more and more bigger buildings in the identical Dupont Circle space of Washington, DC, together with a location at 1701 twentieth Avenue NW that’s now its Nationwide Affairs Workplace.

At present the Founding Church of Scientology is situated at 1424 sixteenth Avenue NW, a mere seven blocks from its authentic historic location. It’s open to the general public seven days per week for Scientology companies or just to study extra in regards to the Church of Scientology.

For extra info on the faith of Scientology and its many places all over the world, go to www.scientology.org.

To search out out extra about different historic places, go to https://www.lronhubbard.org/landmark-sites/.

Rev. Susan Taylor
Nationwide Affairs Workplace
+1 202-667-6404
e-mail us right here