Editing Antoinism (section)

==Organization==
[[File:Culte antoiniste Paris dsc07099.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Antoinist temples, such as the one in the [[13th arrondissement of Paris]], are exempt from [[property taxes]].]]

===Status===
In Belgium, the religion was organized as an [[association without lucrative purpose]] (asbl) in 1922 and was immediately registered as organism of public utility on a request of the Department of Justice.<ref name="Lallemand48">[[#Lallemand|Lallemand, 1994]], p. 48.</ref> It is not recognized as a public worship, because there is no worship of a deity in the ceremonies.<ref>{{cite book |title=Le financement des cultes et de la laïcité: comparaisons internationales et perspectives |first=Jean-François |last=Husson |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FFEQkqjx1P8C&q=Le+financement+des+cultes+et+de+la+la%C3%AFcit%C3%A9:+comparaison+internationale+et+...++Par+Jean-Fran%C3%A7ois+Husson |place=Belgium |year=2005 |page=648 |language=fr |isbn=2-930378-26-3}}</ref> Currently headed by a college of ''desservants'',<ref>[[#Masse|Massé, 2002]], p. 43.</ref> the religion is legally registered as [[religious association]] in France.<ref>[[#Masse|Massé, 2002]], p. 50.</ref> It was published in the ''[[Journal Officiel de la République Française]]'' of 9 February 1924, and the last modification of the statutes appeared in the JO of 3 August 1988. Antoinist worship has been exempt from [[property taxes]] on the public part of its buildings since 1925 in Belgium and in France since 1934.<ref>[[#Dericquebourg|Dericquebourg, 1993]], pp. 150,156.</ref>

===Places of worship===
{{main|List of Antoinist temples}}
The [[temple]]s are Antoinism's only place of worship. They are financed with anonymous donations and [[patronage]]s, and often members participate in the construction. They are all consecrated prior to their use for worship, which means that, at a ceremony, they received a "good fluid" by one of the founders when they were alive or by a duly authorized follower.<ref>[[#Dericquebourg|Dericquebourg, 1993]], pp. 101,102,135.</ref>

The exterior facade displays an architecture which can be variable according to the temples, but always includes the words "Antoinist Worship" ("Culte Antoiniste") and the year of the building consecration. At the entrance, there is a [[porch]] where various writings of the religious movement, the internal regulations (in France only), the list of the places of worship and the holidays, as well as photos of the Antoine couple and of the various temples, are exhibited behind [[display windows]].<ref>[[#Dericquebourg|Dericquebourg, 1993]], p. 88.</ref>

[[File:Antoinist temples in a porch of a temple.jpg|thumb|left|Photographs of the Antoinist temples, exhibited in the porch of each temple]]

The inside walls are always painted green, as a symbol of reincarnation. There is no decoration, and small papers on the walls indicate to visitors that they should not speak in the temple. Several rows of wooden benches separated by a center aisle are devoted to the faithful and visitors. They face a two-floor platform, where the worship is performed, and a text called "The Halo of Consciousness" ("L'Auréore de la Conscience"), which is written on the back wall. In France only, the highest platform is adorned, from left to right, with a representation of the "tree of science of the sight of evil", the Antoinist symbol, then a photo of Antoine and another one of Catherine; the photo of the Father is slightly higher than the other two.<ref>[[#Dericquebourg|Dericquebourg, 1993]], p. 89.</ref> On the left and the right, side rooms of around 15 m<sup>3</sup> are used as consulting offices whose walls are orned with five tables; the most impressive of them is Antoine's image.<ref>[[#Begot2|Bégot, 2000]], § 37.</ref> There is also a [[cloakroom]] and, adjacent to the temple, a small apartment continuously occupied by an Antoinist healer.<ref>[[#Dericquebourg|Dericquebourg, 1993]], p. 90.</ref>

The movement also owns [[Reference library|reading room]]s, but no worship is celebrated in these places. As of 2011, Antoinism counts 64 temples: 32 in Belgium, 31 in France and 1 in the Principality of [[Monaco]].{{not in source|date=April 2025}} In 1993, there were reading rooms in Belgium, Metropolitan France, [[Réunion]], [[Guadeloupe]], Australia, Brazil, Italy, Congo and [[Luxembourg]].<ref>[[#Dericquebourg|Dericquebourg, 1993]], pp. 167,168.</ref> A reading room in Egypt was quickly closed in November 1913.<ref>[[#Debouxhtay2|Debouxhtay, 1934]], pp. 263,269</ref>

===Publications===
[[File:Antoinist booklets.jpg|thumb|right|Three Antoinist booklets which contain some excerpts of Antoine's books]]
The Antoinist literature is mainly composed of Antoine's writings, which are considered as sacred by followers and should not be modified.<ref>[[#Debouxhtay2|Debouxhtay, 1934]], p. 192.</ref> They include three doctrinal books grouped into two volumes which are sold in the temples and read during the worship: ''Revelation of the Father'' (''La Révélation par le Père''), ''The Coronation of the Revealed Work'' (''Le Couronnement de l'Œuvre révélée'') and ''Development of the Teaching of Father'' (''Le Développement de l'Enseignement du Père''). According to Debouxhtay, "the writings of Antoine do not shine by their qualities of style", a view shared by other observers.<ref>[[#Debouxhtay2|Debouxhtay, 1934]], p. 190.</ref> Many statements from the Antoines are gathered into 14 books called ''Tomes'', which remain only accessible to dressed members. From May 1907 to April 1909, the religion published the journal ''The Halo of Consciousness'',<ref name="Debouxhtay137"/> then from September 1911 to August 1914, ''The Unitive''.<ref>[[#Dericqueboug|Dericquebourg, 1993]], pp. 61–63.</ref> In 1936, Belgian writer [[Robert Vivier]] published a hagiographic biography—although based on real facts—of Louis Antoine, which is also used by Antoinists to strengthen their faith,<ref>{{cite journal |title= Vivier (Robert) ''Délivrez-nous du mal. Antoine le guérisseur'' |url=https://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/assr_0335-5985_1980_num_50_2_2215_t1_0350_0000_2 |journal=Archives de sciences sociales des religions |first=Regis |last=Dericquebourg |pages=350, 351 |year=1980 |volume=50 |number=2 |language=fr |access-date=10 June 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |title=Vivier: Les armes de la guérison |url=http://archives.lesoir.be/vivier-les-armes-de-la-guerison_t-19900315-Z02GFP.html |journal=[[Le Soir]] |first=Jean |last=Tordeur |page=33 |publisher=Rossel |place=Brussels |date=15 March 1990 |language=fr |access-date=10 June 2011}}</ref> and thus sold in the temples.<ref>{{cite book |first1=Hélène |last1=Hatte |first2=Valérie |last2=Rialland-Addach |title=Promenades dans le quartier des Gobelins et la Butte-aux-Cailles |publisher=Christine Bonneton |year=2008 |pages=105, 106 |language=fr |isbn=978-2-86253-420-6}}</ref>

===Hierarchy and financial issues===
The organization, which is the most reduced as possible, is slightly different in France and Belgium:

In Belgium, a General Council was organized in 1911 by Antoine to manage all material issues. It is currently composed of nine members including a chairman, a treasurer and a secretary. The founction of the First Representative of the Father was abolished in 1971, and there are no internal regulations in the temples.<ref>[[#Dericquebourg|Dericquebourg, 1993]], pp. 146–49.</ref> In France, the movement is led by a religious association called "Culte Antoiniste" ("Antoinist Worship"). All the ''desservants'' are part of a College of Desservants which manage the material issues, and whose decisions are implemented by an Administrative Committee. Within the college, a Moral Secretary is elected and serves as legal representative of the religion. Locally, the ''desservants'' nominate auxiliaries among the dressed followers so that they perform reading during worship and/or serve as healers. A Council of Local Interior composed of seven members including ''desservants'' is used for issues related to the temple on which it depends.<ref>[[#Dericquebourg|Dericquebourg, 1993]], pp. 151–55.</ref> Women as well as men can be chosen as ministers,<ref>{{cite book |title=Fils d'Abraham: Panorama des communautés juives, chrétiennes et musulmanes |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6mYwAAAAYAAJ&q=antoinisme |volume=1 |first=Joseph |last=Longton |publisher=Éditions Brepols |year=1987 |language=fr |page=35 |isbn=978-2-503-82344-7}}</ref> as Catherine promoted [[gender equality]] in the worship.<ref>{{cite book |title=Ni Eve ni Marie: luttes et incertitudes des héritières de la Bible |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2e5nDSAscPoC&q=antoinisme&pg=PA76 |first=Françoise |last=Lautman |chapter=Prophétesses, inspiratrices... Rôles et images des femmes dans les religions minoritaires |year = 1998|publisher=Labor et Fides |place=Geneve |language=fr |page=[https://archive.org/details/nievenimarielutt00laut/page/78 78] |isbn=2-8309-0882-1 |url=https://archive.org/details/nievenimarielutt00laut/page/78 }}</ref> In all cases, Antoine, although deceased, remains the leader of the religion, which led Debouxhtay to compare him to the [[Pope]] in the Catholic Church.<ref name="D24">[[#Debouxhtay|Debouxhtay, 1945]], p. 24.</ref>

Antoinist healers are always dressed members, and are not paid. They do not attend specific training or receive any initiation rite. Those who want to access this function must feel spiritually "inspired" and obtain the desservant's approval. They must also promise to respect Antoinist rules including nondisclosure of confessions by consultants and not discouraging traditional medicine. Before receiving consultants, no kind of [[asceticism]] is required, but mental preparation includes prayer and meditation. Regarded as mere intercessors, healers have a "[[charisma]] of function" as they reproduce that of Antoine, which does not prevent some healers from becoming very popular among consultants.<ref name="D4"/><ref>[[#Begot|Bégot, 1997]], § 31.</ref><ref>[[#Begot2|Bégot, 2000]], § 40–42.</ref>

Worship is practiced voluntarily, and ''desservants'' and dressed followers are not paid, neither for worship, nor for consultations. The religion sells nothing except the sacred books,<ref>{{cite book |title=La Belgique et ses dieux: églises, mouvements religieux et laïques |first1=Liliane |last1=Voyé |first2=Karel |last2=Dobbelaere |first3=Jack |last3=Billier |first4=Jean |last4=Rémy |place=Cabay |year=1985 |page=362 |isbn=2-8707-7319-6 |language=fr}}</ref> and refuses any form of contribution and any will made by a person who still has a family.<ref name="Lesourd"/> When the founding couple was living, donations were rejected when the religion had enough money in its treasury. Only anonymous donations and [[bequest]]s are accepted, and they go to the "Antoinist worship"'s treasury.<ref>[[#Dericquebourg|Dericquebourg, 1993]], p. 157.</ref> In Belgium, the finances, which have been published in ''[[Le Moniteur Belge]]'' every year after the Council meeting,<ref name="D24"/> are on the decline and show a minimal activity of the religion.<ref name="Lallemand48"/>

===Membership===
There are four categories of Antoinists: ''desservants'' who perform worship, people who wear the religious clothing, regular faithful who attend the service every week, and occasional members or visitors.<ref name="Deric132">[[#Dericquebourg|Dericquebourg, 1993]], p. 132.</ref> As its aim is to heal and comfort through faith, Antoinism does not seek to convert new people.<ref>{{cite book |title=La France aux cent sectes |first=Jean-Pierre |last=Van Geirt |publisher=Vauvenargues |place=Manchecourt |year=1997 |page=45 |language=fr |isbn=2-7443-0049-7}}</ref> The number of followers is difficult to assess as there are no statistics established by the religion.<ref>{{cite journal |journal=Mouvements Religieux |first=Regis |last=Dericquebourg |author-link=Régis Dericquebourg |title=Les groupes religieux minoritaires&nbsp;— Aspects et problématiques |publisher=Association d'Étude et d'Information sur les Mouvements Religieux |place=Sarreguemines |page=38 |language=fr |issn=0242-7931}}</ref> After a period of rapid growth in Belgium, the number of followers is currently on the decline in the country and some temples were forced to close due to lack of money or faithful; for example, in 2003, Human Rights Without Frontiers counted less than 150 worshipers in the country.<ref>{{cite web|title=Religious Freedom Intolerance Discrimination in the European Union — Belgium 2002–2003 |publisher=Human Rights Without Frontiers |url=http://www.hrwf.net/religiousfreedom/publications/ext/Belgium.pdf |location=Bruxelles |page=3 |access-date=1 April 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070722084938/http://www.hrwf.net/religiousfreedom/publications/ext/Belgium.pdf |archive-date=22 July 2007 }}</ref> In France, however, the religion remains active and counts about 2,500 regular members.<ref name="Soir"/> Estimates of the worldwide membership vary from few thousand to 200,000.<ref name="AN">{{Cite web |title=Rapport fait au nom de la Commission d'enquête sur les sectes&nbsp;— "Les sectes en France" |url=https://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/rap-enq/r2468.asp |publisher =Assemblée Nationale |language=fr |year=1995 |access-date=10 September 2010}}</ref> The future growth of the number of followers, however, can be affected by certain rules of the group. As it does not practice proselytism, Antoinism suffers from a lack of social visibility and many people are unaware even of Antoinist temples in their neighborhood.<ref>[[#Dericquebourg|Dericquebourg, 1993]], p. 8.</ref> Moreover, because of the availability required for worship and the absence of income in the religion, dressed members and ''desservants'' are often old-age retired people.<ref name="B0812"/>

Mainly composed of 40- to 50-year-old people and a majority of women,<ref name="Deric132"/> the membership is almost the same as that which was attracted by Spiritism in Belgium in the 19th century. The followers have mostly modest social status, such as [[miners]] and [[artisans]],<ref>[[#Dericquebourg|Dericquebourg, 1993]], p. 119.</ref> and are generally people interested in spirituality, but who are at odds with the Catholic Church or display a skeptical attitude towards traditional medicine.<ref>[[#Dericquebourg|Dericquebourg, 1993]], p. 124.</ref> Antoinists are also sometimes Jews,<ref>[[#Dericquebourg|Dericquebourg, 1993]], p. 130.</ref> Muslims,<ref>Dericquebourg, Régis (12 November 2009) (in French), "De la Belgique à Caudry: l'Antoinisme, une religion de guérison" [conference], Cambrai</ref> Buddhists,<ref>[[#Begot2|Bégot, 2000]], § 31.</ref> adepts of [[reiki]], [[yoga]], or [[tai chi]],<ref>[[#Begot3|Bégot, 2008]], p. 13.</ref> or former Catholics.<ref name="R136"/> An accurate depiction of Antoinists of Northern France was made by writer [[:fr:André Thérive|André Thérive]] in his 1928 novel ''Without Soul'' (''Sans âme'').<ref>[[#Vivier|Vivier, 1989]], p. 374.</ref> In 1945, Debouxhtay described followers as "very kind, very charitable and very obliging people".<ref>[[#Debouxhtay|Debouxhtay, 1945]], p. 29.</ref>