First Church of Scientology Was Formed in Los Angeles, February 18, 1954

First Church of Scientology: Where was it formed and when?

Within four years of Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health bursting on the scene, the first Church of Scientology was formed. But how did a subject that began with the study of the mind move so rapidly into the study of the human soul?

The publication of Dianetics

L. Ron Hubbard published Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health on May 9th, 1950. This gave birth to a national movement. In fact, by the summer, people were flocking to Mr. Hubbard’s home in Elizabeth, New Jersey. And they wanted to know more—to become more proficient in Dianetics auditing.

Dianetics appeared on the New York Times bestseller list for 26 consecutive weeks. The book created a storm of interest across the United States. And Dianetics Foundations trained students on this new and exciting subject.

But as Mr. Hubbard continued his research into the mind, by late 1951 he realized he was actually studying the human spirit. He inevitably had to go there to answer the key question. Who or what was operating the mind. And with the discovery of the human spirit, a new subject came into being: Scientology.

The first center for the study of Scientology

Groups of students from around the world traveled to Phoenix, Arizona. There,  Mr. Hubbard held classes and lectured on the subject of Scientology. As the students returned to their areas they formed Scientology groups. New groups cropped up in America, England, Australia, France, Germany, New Zealand and South Africa.

The first Church of Scientology was formed

One group of Los Angeles Scientologists formed the first Church of Scientology in February 1954. They knew the study of the human spirit was truly in the realm of religion.

By the middle of the 1960s, Scientologists founded over a dozen Churches of Scientology in five countries. And they created scores of Scientology groups in dozens of nations.

Scientology: The Fundamentals of Thought

In the first six years of Dianetics and Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard published six books, delivered hundreds of lectures, and documented his research into the spirit, mind and life. And how his studies led Mr. Hubbard from the study of the mind to the rediscovery of the human soul is documented in these books and the lectures he delivered to students of the day.

Scientology: The Fundamentals of Thought shows the significance and extent of  Mr. Hubbard’s research into the human soul. It answers questions philosophers through the ages have sought to understand. The book is also available as a book-on-film. It airs on the Scientology Network on DIRECTV Channel 320 and streams at Scientology.tv.

To learn more about the formative years of the Scientology religion, read L. Ron Hubbard Rediscovery of the Human Soul. Here is the story of Mr. Hubbard’s philosophic quest. Learn how Scientology developed. The volume answers questions such as:

• Why is Scientology a religion?
• What is Scientology?
• How did a man with a primarily scientific background step into this field?