Maitreya - Christian Szurko

- According to Benjamin Creme

One manifestation of the Age of Aquarius which repeatedly has had a high profile is the announcement of the pending reappearance of " Christ", also called the "World Teacher", made by Benjamin Creme. Especially noticeable were the full page advertisements placed in major newspapers in Great Britain and other parts of the world.
Christ and Krishna

Benjamin Creme teaches that "the Christ" is the same as the Lord Maitreya, as the Messiah, as the Iman Mahdi, and as Krishna. According to Creme, the adherents of Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam and Hinduism are waiting for these beings to come. Also according to Creme, "these are all names for one individual".1

This equation of Christ with the leaders of other world religions is familiar to students of the "New Age" movement and of two of its historical tributaries, guruism and theosophy. Therefore it is no surprise to read in the writings of Benjamin Creme that he regards himself as following in the pattern of the teachings of H.P. Blavatsky and A.A. Bailey, both of whose teachings are quoted from time to time by Creme.
Final preparations?

The advent of Creme´s "Christ" has followed a rocky path since he came to London from the Himalayas on July 19, 1977. Resembling the Jehovah´s Witnesses´ failed prophecies of Armageddon, the Maitreya´s "Day of Declaration" was a non-event in 1982. The disappointment which was evident in Creme´s newsletters of that year has been replaced since by something like rationalization.
Has Christ returned?

In London on April 21-22 of this year, Maitreya is reported to have presided at a conference of around 200 dignitaries including journalists, and religious and political leaders from around the world. Maitreya is said to have outlined His teaching and work and His plans to appear to the public as soon as possible. The article continues, "He demonstrated His control over matter, time and space by appearing — and disappearing — several times".2 Creme says that this event was referred to by an American tabloid when it quoted a Vatican representative, Monsignor Biaggi, as saying, "There is overwhelming evidence that Christ´s return has already taken place, and that an announcement of this only awaits a final decision by the Pope".3 Once again the "Day of Declaration" is an imminent event, with the preparations for the public emergence of the "World Teacher" being described as "completed". We are now waiting for Maitreya to call "an open international press conference at which He will present His credentials to the world. This will lead quickly to the Day of Declaration".4

Others who accept A.A. Bailey´s general teaching about the coming of the "world Teacher" disagree with Benjamin Creme´s chronology. They say that his information from the Masters is coming to him in garbled fashion, and is therefore not accurate with regard to the timing of the Maitreya´s return.
Creme and Christ

As indicated, Benjamin Creme teaches a re-worked version of theosophy. He does not seek to disguise this, citing theosophical authorities like Alice Bailey. The usual emphases of theosophy may be detected in the teachings of Creme/Maitreya: one´s true self is divine, the traditional teachings of orthodox Christianity are wrong, and the Christian Scriptures cannot be understood literally. Concerning Christ particularly, the Incarnation is re-interpreted according to occultic (esoteric) teaching. Creme states that the Maitreya overshadowed Jesus in Palestine. Jesus, then a disciple of Maitreya, is now "Master Jesus".

In the same way, the second advent is re-interpreted so that Jesus is not personally returning; instead, Maitreya has returned himself.
Transmission

Not surprisingly, disciples of the Aquarian Maitreya employ meditation. It largely draws on familiar techniques of meditation such as focussing on a particular chakra (in this case the ajna chakra) and the use of a mantra. But "Transmission meditation" is not simply an individual spiritual discipline. Chiefly, it is a group meditation, and is seen as a means of transmitting energy from the "Spiritual Hierarchy" to the rest of existence. Mankind in fact is described as a clearing-house for energies from this "Hierarchy" to the world. This is similar to some other Aquarian groups which rely on Alice Bailey as an authority.
The view from above

A regular feature of Maitreya´s teaching are predictions concerning future world events, and comments on present situations as the end of the cold war (a little late for a prediction), earthquakes, hurricanes, floods and the release of Terry Waite.

Among his more unusual teachings, Maitreya has announced that the rate of the earth´s rotation has slowed. Lest this be confused with the long-familiar effects of the law of physics, the article continues, "This momentous event occurred at the end of July 1988, and will result in decisive changes, both in the short term and the long term in the earth´s atmosphere, in the air, on land and in the seas".5 In the same issue of Share International we learn that Maitreya has brought the earth and the sun closer together to warm the earth and thus increase food supplies.6 Unfortunately these two pieces of data and their accompanying interpretations are not easy to confirm.

 

1 The Times, Saturday April 24, 1982, "The Christ is Now Here", p. 5.

2 The Reappearance of the Christ and the Masters of Wisdom, Newsletter.

3 Ibid., quoting the National Examiner, May 22, 1990.

4 The Reappearance of the Christ and the Masters of Wisdom Newsletter, Autumn 1990.

5 Share International, vol. 9 no. 5., June 1990.

6 Ibid.