{"id":13779,"date":"2013-02-17T21:50:20","date_gmt":"2013-02-17T21:50:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/alternativejonestown.com\/?page_id=13779"},"modified":"2026-04-02T16:52:52","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T23:52:52","slug":"fatherdivine","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/?page_id=13779","title":{"rendered":"Jim Jones and Father Divine"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>The relationship between Jim Jones and Father Divine was a complicated one. The leader of Peoples Temple visited the Peace Mission in Philadelphia a number of times between 1960 and 1971, sometimes as a student of Father Divine\u2019s techniques, sometimes as a competitor for Divine\u2019s followers, and at least once as a self-appointed heir apparent to Divine\u2019s ministry, membership and assets. The two men met on several occasions before Father Divine\u2019s death in 1965 and found themselves in agreement on issues related to integration and civil rights, even as they differed on others, such as the nature of Armageddon.<\/p>\n

Father Divine\u2019s movement had numerous influences upon the practices and language within the Temple. Jones\u2019 practice of taping his sermons, not just for immediate consumption but for future reference and use, can be traced to what he learned during his first visits to Philadelphia. His assumption of the title of Father \u2013 and of Marceline as Mother \u2013 mirrored those of the Peace Mission leaders. Jones\u2019 admonitions to his own followers that sexual relationships distracted them from the loftier goals of the movement \u2013 especially during the final years in Jonestown \u2013 had their roots in Father Divine\u2019s commands that members of the Peace Mission abstain from sex altogether.<\/p>\n

The booklet \u201cPastor Jones Meets Rev. M. J. Divine\u201d<\/a> reflects this complicated relationship. It both praises and criticizes Father Divine, although its descriptions of Divine\u2019s followers are, without exception, positive. It speaks of the lessons Jones learned from the Peace Mission, even as it also details the moment when he realized he was \u201cin a hot bed of error.\u201d Published in 1959, and with an introduction by Associate Pastor Rev. Russell Winberg, this is one of Jones\u2019 few extended writings.<\/p>\n

Jones\u2019 last trip to the Peace Mission in June 1971 ended badly when he made a direct play to take over leadership of Divine\u2019s movement \u2013 even going so far, according to Raven<\/i>, as to claim that he was \u201cFather Divine in a new body\u201d (p. 140) \u2013 and Mother Divine firmly rebuked him. The Temple contingent with Jones was forced out of Peace Mission lodging in the middle of the following night \u2013 there are conflicting rumors as to the direct cause of the final rupture \u2013 and they never were allowed back. Even as late as 1976, however, the Temple\u2019s cross country bus trips always passed through Philadelphia, and Jones\u2019 invitations for people to join his cause \u2013 such as this sermon<\/a> from 1976 \u2013 included language directed at members of the Peace Mission.<\/p>\n

\u201cPastor Jones Meets Rev. M. J. Divine\u201d<\/strong>, RYMUR 89-4286-BB-17-O-1 \u2013 BB-17-O-33
\nPDF<\/a><\/span>
\nText<\/span><\/a>
\nSpanish translation<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

The Peace Mission\u2019s reflections<\/a> on the deaths in Jonestown were published less than a week after the tragedy.<\/p>\n

Other resources that explore the relationship between Father Divine and Jim Jones include “The Divine Inspiration of Jim Jones,”<\/a> by Adam Morris in the Spring 2015 edition of The Believer<\/em>. Modern Religious Utopias<\/a> is a 2013 video lecture by Amy Koehlinger at Oregon State University comparing Father Divine’s Peace Mission and Jim Jones’ Peoples Temple.<\/p>\n

A number of articles on this site about the relationship between Father Divine and Jim Jones – as well as comparisons of the Peace Mission movement and Peoples Temple – appear here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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