Oakes, Len.  _Prophetic Charisma: The Psychology of Revolutionary Religious
	Personalities_.  Syracuse: Syracuse U P, 1997. 246 pages.

Reviewed by Gilbert Page, kestrel6@mnsinc.com, Burlington College

This modest volume is not entirely devoid of discussion about mysticism, but
it is nearly so. Rather, it is an important study within the field of
Psychology of Religion.  Oakes examines revolutionary religious leaders as a
group.  While there are a number of individual biographies of such leaders,
there have been few attempts -- and those generally are of a significantly
smaller sampling -- to analyze charismatic prophet figures collectively.
Oakes is unique as a writer for this study as he formerly was a member of
one of these (Human Potential) communities for 3 years, later going on to
earn his Ph.D. in Psychology.

For purposes of definition Oakes characterizes prophets as those who
"espouse a message of salvation that is opposed to conventional values, and
attract a following of people who look to them for guidance in their daily
lives." The ideologies represented by these groups were widely varied: 5
were Christian fundamentalist or Pentecostal; 4 were Human Potential; 3
Eastern religions; 2 each ecological, occult and New Age, and 1 each
anarchist and Rastafarian. Additionally, 11 of the groups were communal.

Psychometric testing was administered utilizing the Adjective Check List
(ACL) to 11 of the 20 leaders studies, to 31 followers from 10 charismatic
groups, and to more than 70 members of a single group. The ACL was
administered twice to this last group, the second testing being a year apart
from the first. The results show no more than 2 standard deviations from the
Mean in all three testing situations. I suggest that, given the psychometric
testing results, this demonstrates that the ACL is not a sensitive enough
instrument to ascertain the origins of prophetic charisma for either the
prophets or their followers.

Fortunately, Oakes conducted extensive interviews with those tested, and his
responses are weighed with current behavioral theories.  From this
qualitative data Oakes posits a dozen traits that characterize the prophetic
personality type across all "denominational" lines:

1. Prophets display an extraordinary amount of energy, accompanied by an
inner clarity unhindered by the anxieties and guilt that afflict more
ordinary folk.

2. Prophets possess a notable grandiosity, whether they believe themselves
to be a divine messenger or have special knowledge of the way to happiness
(salvation).

3. This grandiosity expresses itself and is focused in terms of a
revolutionary vision. The vision is always bipartite:  the corruption of the
present world and the salvific path being offered.

4. Prophets are notable for their inspirational rhetoric.

5. The prophet's manipulativeness derives from his need to control others.

6. The prophet's aloofness designates his stature among his followers. He is
unable to establish close friendships, but needs the affirmation of his
disciples.

7. The prophet's strength provides comfort to his followers.

8. To those affected by the prophet's vision, "he seems to express its
essence in all he does."  This congruence may be noted only by long-term
disciples.

9. Social insight, Oakes says, is the most remarkable of the prophet's
talents. This is demonstrated in almost telepathic ability to read an
audience.

10. Detached availability manifests itself in a calm resolve set apart from
the world yet still aware of it.

11. An acceptance of others is shown in the leader's observations "without
prejudice or motive."

12. Prophets tend to have an earthy unrefined quality.

13. The otherness of the prophet makes him/her seem that nothing of what the
follower has experienced has been preparation for this encounter.

Oakes then discusses in detail the five stages of the revolutionary prophet:
Early Narcissism, Incubation, Awakening, Mission, Decline or Fall. The third
stage here, Awakening, is the process when mystical experience takes place
(if it in fact does take place. Many but not all of the subjects studied
experienced a mystical or quasi-mystical state.). Oakes' insight verifies
Ralph Hood's work on mystical experience of eight core components:  Ego
Loss, Unifying Quality, Inner Subjective Quality, Timelessness &
Spacelessness, Noetic Quality, Ineffability, Ecstasy, and Sacredness.

The heart of _Prophetic Charisma_ is Oakes' application of Heinz Kohut's
theory of narcissistic personality (with minor doses of Fromm and Freud).
Oakes manages to provide a unique view into the making of the revolutionary
religious personality and then tracks that process through the prophet's
decline. This is an ambitious task and is one that Oakes achieves
splendidly. I highly recommend this book.

A complementary book, Anthony Storr's _Feet of Clay -- Saints, Sinners, and
Madmen: A Study of Gurus_ (New York: The Free Press, 1996) deals with
several prophetic leaders' traits on an individual basis. Included are Jim
Jones, David Koresh, Gurdjieff, Steiner and others. It makes a striking
companion to Oakes' book.


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