Robert Earl Burton was born in Mineral, Arkansas, and graduated from San Jose State University in 1963. He taught school in California before experiencing what he would call a spiritual awakening in 1967. By 1970, while living in a Volkswagen bus in Berkeley, he had gathered a small group of followers who believed he possessed unusual spiritual insight. He founded the Fellowship of Friends that year.
The group’s early teachings were based on G.I. Gurdjieff’s Fourth Way system. The doctrine holds that most people exist in a state of “waking sleep” and that awakening requires disciplined self-observation, known as self-remembering, along with engagement in the arts and culture. Members were encouraged to study music, literature, visual art, and other cultural forms as part of their development.
This framework attracted a relatively well-educated and financially stable membership. New recruits were invited to meetings held at rented homes. In 1974, the Fellowship established its headquarters, called Apollo, on approximately 1,300 acres in Oregon House, California. The site developed over time to include vineyards, classical-style buildings, a museum, and a collection of books and art. From 1982 to 2015, the group operated the Renaissance Vineyard and Winery on the property, producing wines that were sold to restaurants and received attention from critics.
As the organization expanded, Burton exercised significant control over members’ daily lives. Members were expected to contribute ten percent of their income, with average annual contributions reported at more than $6,000. By 1994, the organization’s annual income exceeded $5 million, with total assets topping $25 million. In 1996, the Fellowship raised $11.2 million through an auction of antique Chinese furniture conducted by Christie’s.
Burton set detailed rules governing behavior. These included directives on hygiene, clothing, diet, and speech, with certain words restricted during specific periods. He influenced members’ relationships, including decisions about marriage and having children, and reportedly required abortions in some cases. Members were instructed not to express negativity or criticize leadership. Members were encouraged to reduce contact with people outside the organization, whom Burton described as lacking spiritual awareness.
Burton also claimed to receive guidance from 44 spiritual entities including the spirits of Johann Sebastian Bach, Abraham Lincoln, and Jesus. Based on these claims, he issued predictions including a global recession in 1984, a major West Coast earthquake in 1998, and a nuclear event in 2006, asserting that Apollo would remain unaffected. These predictions did not occur, but they did not end his leadership.
Public allegations of misconduct began to emerge in 1984, when a former board member filed a lawsuit alleging fraud and sexual exploitation of young male members. The case was settled in 1988, after which about 100 left the group. In 1995, additional departures followed allegations involving a long-term sexual relationship between Burton and his underage son. In 1996, the son filed a lawsuit seeking $5 million, stating that he had been pressured into compliance beginning at age 17. The case was later settled, and Burton’s attorney acknowledged the relationships while disputing that they constituted abuse.
Other former members later described similar experiences, stating that compliance with sexual demands was framed as part of spiritual progress. A 2018 lawsuit introduced further allegations, including organized sexual events and claims that some members facilitated exploitation of younger individuals. During the 1990s, authorities investigated the group for financial and immigration-related concerns, but no criminal charges were filed.
The organization also faced disputes related to its business and employment practices. In 2008, a temporary staffing worker won a $6.5 million judgment after demonstrating she was denied a promotion because she was not affiliated with the Fellowship. In 2022, a Google video producer brought a similar claim, alleging workplace favoritism tied to Fellowship membership; that case ended in an out-of-court settlement.
The Fellowship of Friends continues to operate as a registered nonprofit religious organization. It reports approximately 1,500 members worldwide, with several hundred living on or near the Apollo property and others participating through centers and online platforms. Burton remains its leader.
Key Sources:
Burton, R. E. (1995). Self-Remembering. Weiser Books.
Metz, C. (2022, June 16). How a Religious Sect Landed Google in a Lawsuit. The New York Times.
Mobley, E. (2018, August 23). How a California cult created one of the country’s great wineries — and then lost it. The San Francisco Chronicle.
Warren, J. (2019, March 5). Trouble taints a cerebral sanctuary. The Los Angeles Times.