Who and What is the JCPF?

The Foundation is registered as a religious charity -at the time of doing this in the late sixties no other option was open to us, whereas today it could be registered under a social service heading, however being a religious charity has never restricted our ability to provide the services that members and patrons have wanted of us. In practise since the early 70's the interpretation of our objectives are as follows:

'The promotion and advancement of the religious philosophy and psychic science of Spiritualism.'

The orthodoxy of modern Spiritualism as represented by the Spiritualist National Union and the Greater World Christian Spiritualist's has never been the guidance of belief or practise in the JCPF. The central tenet of Modern Spiritualism, namely an acceptance of an afterlife and the ability of Man to have communication with it and the recognition of a universal power beyond all is accepted as the basis our interpretation. The charity's philosophy has been developed upon the teachings of Joseph Carey, his mediumistic instrument (our founder) Len Burden and his principal pupil, Tony Ashenden. Philosophy and Psychic Science continue to be developed by successive teachers across the range of our services holding true to the initial interpretation.

'To hold religious services for public worship and the teaching of spiritual and religious truth.'

This advises the nature of all our services promoted to express our religious and philisophical truths. 'Worship' and 'teaching' are not necessarily different from one another. Providing Sunday type of services and Mediumistic demonstration events similar to orthodox Spiritualism can be described as 'Worship', whilst course programmes and workshop events as 'teaching'. In practise they compliment one another.

'The promotion and advancement of psychic and spiritual healing for the benefit of the public.'

This identifies with the main thrust of our religious interpretation -namely that a healing benefit should be established in practise to reflect our ideals. 'Promotion' is the provision of healing services and 'advancement' is by way of increasing them and teaching others to heal. 'Psychic' meaning soul by definition, is any practise that promotes a health benefit in accordance with our philosophy. 'Spiritual' means of the higher nature by definition and in practise is description given to healing that accords to healing standards agreed nationally using that word in definition.

'To encourage psychic research and to actively support the integration of material and metaphysical sciences, and to disseminate the results of such research.'

From the beginning we have acknowledged the need to question and facilitate enquiry as taught by Joseph Carey. 'Encourage' means to promote discussion on fundamental belief issues. 'Actively support' means to provide services as required to facilitate that enquiry, and 'disseminate' means to allow objective analysis of any research supported by the charity. Membership groups have been set up to meet research needs in the past and will be in the future when the demand is present -otherwise this objective is committed as an encouragement to members generally to question and evaluate their understanding of psychic & spiritual communications.