International Journal of Cultic Studies ■ Vol. 1, No. 1, 2010 13
Sexual Abuse and the Charismatic Crisis: Dissension and Downfall in the
Canadian Kabalarians
Renée Brodie, Ph.D.
Centre for Global &Social Analysis
Athabasca University
Abstract1
Within charismatically led movements, internal
dissension and disillusionment are the greatest
threats to a leader's ability to maintain authority
and control. Although rarely a documented
phenomena in the field of New Religious
Movements, the Kabalarian Philosophy (under
Ivon Shearing's charismatic leadership) proves
to be a case in which several members’
collective disaffection eroded Shearing's
authority, bringing to light the sexual abuse and
manipulation that he had engaged in for
decades. Shearing was indicted on twenty
criminal counts in 1997, including gross
indecency, indecent assault, sexual assault, and
rape, and his trial transcripts document not only
the sexual abuse, but how he was able to engage
in his criminal behavior Shearing used his
charismatic authority and spiritual teachings to
exploit his female members’ devotion, confusion,
and fear. The Kabalarians’ case adds to
deconversion theories because, uniquely, the
disenchantment of a single devotee acted as the
catalyst for the dissolution of patriarchal bonds,
charismatic authority, group coherence, and,
most importantly, members’ silence.
In the field of New Religious Movements, or
NRMs, the Kabalarian Philosophy2 is an
organization that few have heard or read about.
1 This article is a selection of ideas originally presented in this
author’s 2005 dissertation on the Kabalarian Philosophy. As such,
a significant number of excerpts are taken from the larger work,
with the purpose of focusing on dissension within charismatic
movements. For a more detailed examination of the Kabalarian
Philosophy’s history, structure, and beliefs, as well as the
dynamics between sexual abuse and charismatic power, please see
Brodie (2005).
2 Currently, the official name of the movement is the Society of
Kabalarians of Canada &Kabalarian Philosophy. Because of
several name changes throughout the movement’s eighty-year
history, I use Kabalarian Philosophy or simply Kabalarians unless
the name is of direct significance.
The reason for this group’s relative anonymity is
that throughout its eighty-year-long history, the
Kabalarians did not garner significant attention
of either the media or academic researchers prior
to the events that became public record in 1997.
From 1995 to 1997, the Kabalarian Philosophy
underwent dramatic and damaging challenges
both to the leader’s authority and to the validity
of the movement's proclaimed beliefs. During a
two-month trial, the group’s leader, Ivon
Shearing, faced allegations of sexual abuse and
rape, charges that brought the Kabalarians
national attention in the Canadian media.
Omitted in the media coverage, however, is any
discussion of a rarely documented religious
phenomenon: internal group dissension that
leads to the breakdown of charismatic authority
and the downfall of a religious leader. Most
scholarship on charisma, for example, examines
its emergence and continuance, but few scholars
have the opportunity to identify the factors that
contribute to its loss. Janet Liebman Jacobs’
seminal study of dissension and deconversion
lays the foundation for this exploration into the
Kabalarian Philosophy. Stemming from her
work, this study hopes to make a contribution to
the charismatic literature by focusing on one of
the area’s most neglected aspects: the challenge
to charismatic authority that resulted in the
breakdown of affective bonds. Using trial
transcripts as well as the Kabalarians’ own
website,3 I argue that while the dissension that
Kabalarian devotees experienced shares many
elements with Liebman Jacobs’ research on
deconversion, the Kabalarians’ case adds to
deconversion theories because, uniquely, the
disenchantment of a single devotee acted as the
3 The website address has changed since the original research for
this article took place. The new address is
http://www.kabalarians.com/cfm/SearchDocs/history.cfm and is
copyrighted in 2009.
Sexual Abuse and the Charismatic Crisis: Dissension and Downfall in the
Canadian Kabalarians
Renée Brodie, Ph.D.
Centre for Global &Social Analysis
Athabasca University
Abstract1
Within charismatically led movements, internal
dissension and disillusionment are the greatest
threats to a leader's ability to maintain authority
and control. Although rarely a documented
phenomena in the field of New Religious
Movements, the Kabalarian Philosophy (under
Ivon Shearing's charismatic leadership) proves
to be a case in which several members’
collective disaffection eroded Shearing's
authority, bringing to light the sexual abuse and
manipulation that he had engaged in for
decades. Shearing was indicted on twenty
criminal counts in 1997, including gross
indecency, indecent assault, sexual assault, and
rape, and his trial transcripts document not only
the sexual abuse, but how he was able to engage
in his criminal behavior Shearing used his
charismatic authority and spiritual teachings to
exploit his female members’ devotion, confusion,
and fear. The Kabalarians’ case adds to
deconversion theories because, uniquely, the
disenchantment of a single devotee acted as the
catalyst for the dissolution of patriarchal bonds,
charismatic authority, group coherence, and,
most importantly, members’ silence.
In the field of New Religious Movements, or
NRMs, the Kabalarian Philosophy2 is an
organization that few have heard or read about.
1 This article is a selection of ideas originally presented in this
author’s 2005 dissertation on the Kabalarian Philosophy. As such,
a significant number of excerpts are taken from the larger work,
with the purpose of focusing on dissension within charismatic
movements. For a more detailed examination of the Kabalarian
Philosophy’s history, structure, and beliefs, as well as the
dynamics between sexual abuse and charismatic power, please see
Brodie (2005).
2 Currently, the official name of the movement is the Society of
Kabalarians of Canada &Kabalarian Philosophy. Because of
several name changes throughout the movement’s eighty-year
history, I use Kabalarian Philosophy or simply Kabalarians unless
the name is of direct significance.
The reason for this group’s relative anonymity is
that throughout its eighty-year-long history, the
Kabalarians did not garner significant attention
of either the media or academic researchers prior
to the events that became public record in 1997.
From 1995 to 1997, the Kabalarian Philosophy
underwent dramatic and damaging challenges
both to the leader’s authority and to the validity
of the movement's proclaimed beliefs. During a
two-month trial, the group’s leader, Ivon
Shearing, faced allegations of sexual abuse and
rape, charges that brought the Kabalarians
national attention in the Canadian media.
Omitted in the media coverage, however, is any
discussion of a rarely documented religious
phenomenon: internal group dissension that
leads to the breakdown of charismatic authority
and the downfall of a religious leader. Most
scholarship on charisma, for example, examines
its emergence and continuance, but few scholars
have the opportunity to identify the factors that
contribute to its loss. Janet Liebman Jacobs’
seminal study of dissension and deconversion
lays the foundation for this exploration into the
Kabalarian Philosophy. Stemming from her
work, this study hopes to make a contribution to
the charismatic literature by focusing on one of
the area’s most neglected aspects: the challenge
to charismatic authority that resulted in the
breakdown of affective bonds. Using trial
transcripts as well as the Kabalarians’ own
website,3 I argue that while the dissension that
Kabalarian devotees experienced shares many
elements with Liebman Jacobs’ research on
deconversion, the Kabalarians’ case adds to
deconversion theories because, uniquely, the
disenchantment of a single devotee acted as the
3 The website address has changed since the original research for
this article took place. The new address is
http://www.kabalarians.com/cfm/SearchDocs/history.cfm and is
copyrighted in 2009.
