A BRIEF HISTORY OF SEI

The Society was founded in 1970 at Long Beach, California, USA as an association of free-thinking individuals in the pursuit of a rational explanation for reality. At that time, the term Esse was selected as a synonym for "that which truly exists".

Initially, many of our members interpreted the Dead Sea Scrolls' allusion to the "children of light" versus the "children of darkness" as the ongoing conflict between knowledge and ignorance; thus, they chose to call the association the "Order of Essenes". However, a portion of the initial membership regarded this allusion to the ancient Middle Eastern cult misleading and a bit too ostentatious. However, the majority held sway and the association was incorporated in 1978 as the Order of Essenes at Santa Cruz, California, USA. It subsequently changed its name to the Order of Esseans in 1981 to distinguish itself from the ancient Essenes (Essenai) of the Middle East.

In 2007, the Order of Esseans was reorganized as the founding chapter of the Society of Esseans International. The chief executive post of its governing board was held by Anthony Dias Souza who currently holds the post of Chairman of the Home Chapter of the Society of Esseans International.

Throughout the initial phase of its existence, the Society of Esseans International underwent several rather radical transitions. At the onset, it was designated a Corporate Sole, a religious corporation in the State of California, serving sixty-three members. This designation continued until 1981, when a critical disagreement arose, causing a drop in membership. Reduced to fourteen members, the Order of Essenes voted to rename itself, selecting the title "Society of Esseans" and opting to declare itself religiously neutral; that is, as a not-for-profit philosophical/religious organization with no specifically defined concept of God, leaving such to the discretion of its individual members.

In 2007, the Society of Esseans established its first website and decided to add the term "International" to its name and to designate itself as the "Home Chapter" of the Society. As an organization, the outlook of the Society has evolved to embrace a single premise that the cosmos is an infinite presence whose perpetual activity gives rise to tangible material forms. This premise was approved unanimously by the membership of the Home Chapter on November 24, 2006. At that time, the Essean Manifesto also was approved but by a two-thirds majority with the balance of the membership abstaining. Organizationally, the Society of Esseans International is a work in progress. We look forward to enrolling more chapters and expanding our membership and, through that process, define more specifically our overall perspective and goals.