Charisma, Authority, and Innovation in Scientology’s “Golden Age” Narrative

Abstract

This article discusses Scientology’s “golden age” narrative. The first section discusses Scientology’s hagiographic production of L. Ron Hubbard, which presents him as a cultural producer and hero of the American golden age of entertainment. Scientology connects elements of Hubbard’s sacred biography with the secular realm by suggesting that the same extraordinary experiences that led to the discovery of Dianetics and Scientology also informed his fiction writing. The second section uses Michael Toth’s model of “dual charisma” to frame the connection between Hubbard’s charisma and the authority of Scientology’s current leader, David Miscavige. Scientology’s golden age narrative promotes a “renaissance” envisioned by Hubbard and realized under Miscavige; it bridges the past “otherworldly” charisma of Hubbard, the present executive acuity of Miscavige, and the prospect of a future “cleared” planet brought about by rapid international expansion. The conclusion suggests that Scientology’s golden age is an innovation that responds to changing conditions in the modern media environment by providing an identifiable narrative that is to some degree universal but also unique to Scientology. It connects the past, present, and future as well as the charisma of the church’s founder with the authority of its current leader. It is both external and internal communication that solidifies David Miscavige’s authority within Scientology.