Church Universal and Triumphant (Elizabeth Clare Prophet)
American Ascended-Master movement led by Elizabeth Clare Prophet (1973–2009). Notorious for the 1989–90 armed-bunker apocalyptic incident at Royal Teton Ranch (Montana).
CLCI radar
BITE breakdown
+1 for the 1989–90 Royal Teton Ranch armed-bunker apocalyptic incident.
Profile facts
In context
Church Universal and Triumphant grew from Mark Prophet's 1958 Summit Lighthouse with channelled Ascended-Master teachings. Elizabeth Clare Prophet led after Mark's 1973 death. The 1990 ATF arms charges and members' bunker preparations for the predicted nuclear apocalypse drew international attention. Organisation continues at much-reduced scale.
Recovery resources
- ICSA Helpline — International Cultic Studies Association — questions about high-control groups, referrals to cult-aware therapists, peer support.
- Freedom of Mind Resource Center — Steven Hassan's organisation — BITE Model assessments, exit-counselling resources, family education.
- ICSA Cult-Aware Therapist Directory — ICSA-maintained directory of licensed mental-health professionals with specific cult-recovery training.
- Combatting Cult Mind Control — Steven Hassan, 1988 (revised 2018). The foundational BITE Model book; CLCI Hub's core methodology source.
- Take Back Your Life: Recovering from Cults and Abusive Relationships — Janja Lalich & Madeleine Tobias, 2006. Practical recovery workbook.
See the full curated list at /resources.
Legal cases & controversies
- 1990 ATF arms charges
This profile is in progress — history, deeper BITE evidence and survivor voices are still being added. Contributions welcome via GitHub.
Timeline
- 1958Summit Lighthouse founded by Mark Prophet
- 1973Mark dies; Elizabeth assumes leadership
- 1990Royal Teton Ranch bunker incident
- 2009Elizabeth dies
Sources
- Catherine Wessinger academic work search ↗
We cite sources by name and outlet rather than fabricating links. The search ↗ link runs a Google Scholar query for the cited title — useful for verifying academic sources. For news outlets, search the outlet's own archive.