An apocalyptic splinter Baháʼí group, advocating for a different line of succession in leadership.
Religion: Bahá’í Faith
Founder: Charles Mason Remey
Founded: 1960
Ended: Declined after Remey’s death in 1974.
Location: Primarily in the United States, with followers worldwide
Other Names: Remeyites, Orthodox Bahá’ís
The Baháʼís Under the Provisions of the Covenant (BUPC) is a small sect that diverged from the mainstream Baháʼí Faith, primarily under the leadership of Leland Jensen. Jensen, a controversial figure, was excommunicated from the mainstream Baháʼí community in the 1960s and later formed the BUPC based on his belief in the necessity of a hereditary line of Guardians to lead the religion. He claimed that this line was intended to continue from Shoghi Effendi, the first Guardian of the Baháʼí Faith, through Charles Mason Remey and subsequently through Jensen himself, although this claim was not recognized by the mainstream Baháʼí Faith or Remey’s adopted son, Pepe, whom Jensen had identified as a potential Guardian.
Jensen’s tenure as leader was marked by apocalyptic predictions, including a forecasted nuclear holocaust in 1980, which did not materialize, causing many followers to leave the sect. Jensen responded to the failure of his predictions with various explanations, maintaining that the prophecies were either fulfilled spiritually or misunderstood. He also introduced further predictions, including one involving Halley’s Comet in 1986, which similarly failed to come to fruition
The BUPC’s beliefs diverge significantly from mainstream Baháʼí teachings, especially in their insistence on a continuing line of hereditary Guardians. Membership has been small, peaking at around 150-200 members in the lead-up to Jensen’s 1980 prediction and declining thereafter. The group has faced several legal challenges, including disputes over leadership and control of assets, as well as controversies over the use of Baháʼí-related trademarks and domain names.
After Jensen’s death in 1996, leadership disputes emerged within the BUPC, particularly around Neal Chase, whom Jensen had hinted might be his successor. The BUPC’s focus on apocalyptic predictions and its ongoing legal and leadership disputes offer a distinctive example of the complexities faced by religious splinter groups in establishing their legitimacy and maintaining their followings in the face of internal and external challenges.
image via Alaska BUPC
