The seed for the Divine Life Church of Baltimore began in the the 1920's when Swami Yogananda Paramhansa, while giving a series of lectures to capacity audiences in Washington, D.C., was approached by a group of devotees with a request that he provide them with a minister to serve their spiritual needs.  In response, Swami Yogananda called his disciple Brahmachari Jotin, now known as Swami Premananda, to come to the United States from India in 1928.  Swami Premananda was engaged at that time a teacher at Yogananda's ashram school in Ranchi.  In Washington, D.C., his task was to establish and organize a church. Under his spiritual leadership this church grew into the Self-Revelation Church of Absolute Monism.

In the 1970's, several devotees of Yoga philosophy who visited the Self-Revelation Church in Washington, D.C., requested Swami Shankarananda, the assistant minister, to conduct regular classes in meditation and Yoga philosophy in Baltimore.  In response to this interest, and with the full blessings of Swami Premananda, Swami established the Yoga Society of Baltimore in June 1972.  Several years later, the need for a church was apparent, and in 1974 the Divine Life Temple was chartered. It was officially dedicated by Swami Premananda in 1974. In 1975 the name was changed to the Divine Life Church of Absolute Oneness and Swami Shankarananda became full-time minister. Church property was acquired and the new church was dedicated in 1976 by Swami Premananda.

The Divine Life Church of Absolute Oneness is a nonsectarian, autonomous spiritual organization that upholds the principles and philosophy of Absolute Monism. Anyone who believes in the Eternal Truths and philosophy of Absolute Oneness and supports the spiritual ideals of the church is automatically a spiritual member.

The Church is supported exclusively and maintained solely by the voluntary contributions of its spiritual membership. All contributions and donations provide for the operation, maintenance, and expansion of the Church.  The Church is established under the Darshan Charitable Trust as a nonprofit religious and educational organization.  The Board of Trustees of the Darshan Charitable Trust is responsible for determining and allocating available funds for the payment of all expenses.

Divine Life Church of Baltimore

History of the

Divine Life Church