The Church of Eden was founded by JC Gordon after he experienced a near-death experience in 1996. Gordon, who describes himself as a “Spiritual Futurist,” defines the church’s mission as the dissolution of fear, which it calls the “hidden operating system that has enslaved humanity for over 6,000 years.” It presents itself as existing outside traditional religion, describing its purpose as a “sacred unveiling” or “revelation” meant to reawaken what it terms the “eternal God/Christ frequency” within humanity.
The church’s philosophy, known as “Edenic Consciousness,” is rooted in what Gordon describes as a near-death experience on June 25, 1996. Gordon says that a chainsaw injury to his throat caused clinical death for about three minutes. During that time, he claims to have entered a state that was “eternal, all-time, all space, all God,” merging with what he calls the “timeless frequency of God.” He says he became one with the “architecture of God’s Eternal Operating System” before returning to life “by divine command.” Afterward, he stated he was charged with bringing the understanding of Edenic Consciousness to humanity.
Before becoming the Church of Eden, Gordon’s work took earlier forms. His first project, “The Meaning of Life,” was a website exploring spiritual awakening and purpose. This evolved into the Infinite Intelligence Institute, which continued similar teachings in a more structured format. The transition to the Church of Eden marked a rebranding that unified these efforts into a single spiritual organization.
The church’s teachings focus on transforming human consciousness through a series of goals: eliminating fear at its root, helping individuals “exit the matrix” of scarcity into “God’s economy of overflow,” demonstrating “quantifiable abundance” through fear-free living, and “eternalizing life” by aligning mind, body, and spirit with God’s “timeless presence.” This process, called “Eternalization,” is described as a reawakening to one’s divine essence before being “touched by time.”
Promotional materials emphasize Gordon’s role as a guide who helps people move beyond fear into higher consciousness and purposeful living. The church frequently promotes free webinars that teach participants to eliminate fear at its “energetic root” and enter an “abundance state of God.” It also trains “Eternalization Specialists” to embody their “divine potential,” attain “spiritual and financial freedom,” and help others do the same. This structure resembles a coaching or mentorship model centered on the Church’s principles.
Public responses to the Church of Eden have included skepticism. Some observers have described the movement as “cult-like,” raising concerns about the rapid evolution of its name and focus, the nature of its training programs, and claims of significant income associated with participation. Despite such criticism, the church continues to promote its teachings in the San Diego County area and maintains an active online presence.
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