List of religious leaders in 2006

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2005 religious leaders - Events of 2006 - 2007 religious leaders - Religious leaders by year

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Note: Some religions reject the idea of having any leader or leading council in such a way that they can not be listed. When possible/plausible a leading figure will be named, but in some cases this will not be possible or desirable.

Contents 1 Buddhism 1.1 Mahayana Buddhism 1.2 Theravada Buddhism 1.3 Vajrayana Buddhism 2 Christianity 2.1 Catholicism 2.1.1 Catholic Churches in Communion with Rome 2.1.2 Catholic Churches not currently in Communion with Rome 2.1.2.1 Mariavite groups 2.1.2.2 Liberal and Independent Catholic Churches 2.1.3 Traditionalist Catholicism 2.1.4 National or Regional movements 2.2 Eastern Orthodox 2.2.1 Eastern orthodox churches in Communion 2.2.2 Autocephalous 2.2.3 Autonomous Orthodox Churches in Communion 2.2.4 Schismatic Orthodox Churches not currently in Communion 2.2.5 Old Believers not currently in Communion 2.3 Oriental Eastern Orthodox 2.3.1 Oriental Orthodox Churches 2.4 Anglican Churches - in Communion with the Archbishop of Canterbury 2.5 Protestant churches 2.6 Other Christian 3 Islam 3.1 Shia Islam 3.2 Sunni Islam 3.3 Islam: Ismaili, Ahmadiyya, Druze and others 4 Jainism 5 Judaism 6 Sikhism 7 Other 7.1 Bahá'í 7.2 Western origin 7.3 Indian subcontinent origin 8 New Religions 8.1 Eastern or Hindu derived 8.2 Christian or Christian derived 8.3 Islam or Islam derived 8.4 Speculative science derived 9 External links

[edit] Buddhism

[edit] Mahayana Buddhism

• Jogye Order (Korea) - Rev. Bub Jang (?-present)
• Nichiren Shoshu (Japan) - High Priest Nichinyo Shonin (2005-present)
• Konkokyo (Japan) - Konko Heiki, Spiritual Leader (1991-present)
• Tendai (Japan) - Most Venerable Eshin Watanabe, Patriarch of Tendai Buddhism (?-present)

[edit] Theravada Buddhism

• Thailand - Nyanasamvara Suvaddhana, Supreme Patriarch of Thailand (1989-present)
  • Acting Supreme Patriarch of Thailand - Somdet Kiaw (2004-present)
• Cambodia - Preah Maha Ghosananda, Supreme Patriarch of Cambodia (1988-present)

[edit] Vajrayana Buddhism

• Tibetan Gelug school
  • Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama (14th one) (1939-present)
  • Khensur Lungri Namgyel, the 101st Ganden Tripa, formal head of the Gelug sect (2003-present)
  • Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the 11th Panchen Lama, as recognised by the Dalaï Lama (1995-present)
  • Gyancain Norbu, the 11th Panchen Lama as recognised by the Chinese government (1995-present)
• Mongolian Gelug school - Jampal Namdol Chokye Gyaltsen, the 9th Javzandamba Hutagt(1936-present)
• Karma Kagyu school
  • Trinley Thaye Dorje, the 17th Karmapa as recognised by one Kagyu faction (1994-present)
  • Ugyen Trinley Dorje, the 17th Karmapa Lama as recognised by one Kagyu faction (1992-present)
• Sakya school - Dolma Phodrang Ngawang Kunga Thegchen Palbar Thinley Samphel Wanggi Gyalpo, the 41st Sakya Trizin (1951-present)
• Bön - Lungtok Tenpai Nyima (?-present)

[edit] Christianity

[edit] Catholicism

[edit] Catholic Churches in Communion with Rome

• Roman Catholic Church-Benedict XVI, Pope, Bishop of Rome (2005-present) and head of the Latin Rites.
  • Coptic Catholic Church (Alexandrian rite) -
    1. Stephanos II Cardinal Gattas, Patriarch of Alexandria (1986-2006)
    2. Antonios, Patriarch of Alexandria (2006-present)
  • Ethiopic Catholic Church (Alexandrian rite) - Mgr Berhaneyesus Demerew, Archbishop of Addis-Ababa of Ethiopians (1999-present)
  • Maronite Catholic Church (Antiochian rite) - Nasrallah Sfeir, Maronite Patriarch (1986-present)
  • Syrian Catholic Church (Antiochian rite) - Ignatius Pierre VIII, Patriarch of Antioch (2001-present)
  • Syro-Malankarese Catholic Church (Antiochian rite) - Cyril Mar Baselios, Major Archbishop of Trivandrum (1995-present)
  • Armenian Catholic Church (Armenian rite) - Nerses Bedros XIX, Patriarch of the Catholic Armenians (1999-present)
  • Melkite Greek-Catholic Church (Byzantine rite) - Grégoire III Laham, Patriarch of the Melkite Catholic Church (2000-present)
  • Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church (Byzantine rite) - Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, Major Archbishop of Kiev and Halych (of Lviv until 2005) (2000-present)
  • Romanian Greek-Catholic Church (Byzantine rite) - Lucian Cardinal Muresan, Major Archbishop of Fagaras e Alba Iulia (Romania) (1994-present)
  • Ruthenian Greek-Catholic Church (Byzantine rite) - Milan Sasik, Apostolic Administrator of Mukachevo (2002-present); Basil Myron Schott, Metropolitan of Pittsburgh (2002-present)
  • Slovak Greek-Catholic Church (Byzantine rite) - Ján Babjak, Archbishop of Prešov (2002-present)
  • Italo-Albanian Church (Byzantine rite) - Mgr Ercole Lupinacci, Bishop of Lungro degli Italo-Albanesi (1987-present) ; Mgr Sotìr Ferrara, Bishop of Piana degli Albanesi (1989-present)
  • Croatian Greek Catholic Church - Slavomir Miklovš, Bishop of Križevci (Byzantine) (1983–present)
  • Hungarian Catholic Church (Byzantine rite) - Szilárd Keresztes, Archbishop of Hajdúdorog (1988-present)
  • Bulgarian Greek-Catholic Church (Byzantine rite) - Christo Proykov, Exarch in Sofia (Bulgaria) (1995-present)
  • Chinese Catholic Church (Byzantine rite) - Vacant
  • Greek Catholic Church (Byzantine rite) - Anarghyros Printesis, Exarch in Athens (Greece) (1975-present)
  • Macedonian Catholic Church (Byzantine rite) -Kiro Stojanov, Apostolic Exarchate of Macedonia (2005-present)
  • Russian Catholic Church (Byzantine rite) - Vacant
  • Czech Catholic Church (Byzantine rite) - Mgr Ladislav Hucko, Apostolic Exarchate of Czech Republic (2003-present)
  • Turkish Catholic Church (Byzantine rite) - Vacant
  • Albanian Catholic Church (Byzantine rite) - Hil Kabashi, Apostolic Administrator (1996-present)
  • Belarusian Catholic Church (Byzantine rite) - Sergiusz Gajek, Archimandrite, Visitator "ad nutum Sanctae Sedis" (1993-present)
  • Serbian Catholic Church (Byzantine rite) - Djura Džudžar, Apostolic Exarch of Serbia and Montenegro (2003-present)
  • Georgian Catholic Church (Byzantine rite) - No organised hierarchy
  • Chaldean Catholic Church (Chaldean rite) - Emmanuel III Delly, Patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church (2003-present)
  • Syro-Malabar Catholic Church (Chaldean rite) - Varkey Cardinal Vithayathil, Major Archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly (1999-present)
  • Sovereign Military Order of Malta - Andrew Willoughby Ninian Bertie, Grand Master of the Order (1988-present)
  • Teutonic Knights - Bruno Platter, Grand Master of the Order (2000-present)

[edit] Catholic Churches not currently in Communion with Rome

[edit] Mariavite groups

• Catholic Mariavite Church - Beatrycze Szulgowicz (2005-present)
• Old Catholic Church of the Mariavites - Wlodzimierz Jaworski, Bishop-Primate (1997-present)

[edit] Liberal and Independent Catholic Churches

• American Catholic Church in the United States - Lawrence J. Harms, Presiding Bishop (1999-present)
• The Ancient Apostolic Communion - Anthony I, Patriarch (2002-present}
• Liberal Catholic Church International - Archbishop Charles Finn, Presiding Bishop (?-present)
• Spiritus Christi sect- Father James Callan, principal founder (?-present)
• Servants of the Good Shepherd - Bishop Protector Charles Klughart (?-present)

[edit] Traditionalist Catholicism

• Society of St. Pius X - Bernard Fellay, Superior General (1994-present)
• Palmarian Catholic Church - Manuel Corral considered as Pope Peter II (2005-present)

[edit] National or Regional movements

• Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church - Luis Fernando Castillo Mendez, Patriarch (1961-present)
• [[Holy Roman Catholic Apostolic Church, Tridentine]] - Archbishop James Atkinson-Wake (?-present)*[http://www.hrcac.org.uk]
• Polish National Catholic Church of America - Robert M. Nemkovich, Prime Bishop (2002-present)

[edit] Eastern Orthodox

[edit] Eastern orthodox churches in Communion

[edit] Autocephalous

• Constantinople - Bartholomew I, Ecumenical Patriarch, Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome (1991-present)
• Alexandria - Theodore II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria, Libya, Pentapolis, Ethiopia, All Egypt and All Africa (2004-present)
• Antioch - Ignatius IV, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East (1979-present)
• Jerusalem - Theophilos III, Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and all Palestine, Syria, beyond the Jordan River, Cana of Galilee, and Holy Zion (2005-present)
• Russia - Alexius II, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia (1990-present)
• Serbia - Pavle of Serbia, Archbishop of Peć, Metropolitan of Belgrade and Karlovci, and Patriarch of the Serbs (1990-present)
• Romania - Teoctist of Romania, Patriarch of All Romania, Metropolitan of Wallachia and Dobrogea, (1986-present)
• Bulgaria - Maxim of Bulgaria, Patriarch of All Bulgaria and Metropolitan of Sofia (1971-present)
• Georgia - Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta and Tbilisi (1977-present)
• Cyprus -
  • Chrysostomos I, Archbishop of Nea Justiniana and All Cyprus (1977-2006)
  • Chrysostomos II, Archbishop of Nea Justiniana and All Cyprus(2006-present)
• Greece - Christodoulos, Archbishop of Athens and All Greece (1998-present)
• Poland - Sawa, Metropolitan of Warsaw and All Poland (1998-present)
• Albania - Anastasios of Albania, Archbishop of Tirana and All Albania (1992-present)
• Czechia and Slovakia -
  • Nicholas, Metropolitan of All Czechia and Slovakia (2000-2006)
  • Christopher Metropolitan of All Czechia and Slovakia (2006-present)
• North America -The Orthodox Church of America-(The OCA's autocephaly is not currently recognized by all other autocephalous Orthodox Churches ) - Herman (Swaiko), Metropolitan of All America and Canada (2002–present)

[edit] Autonomous Orthodox Churches in Communion

• Orthodox Church of Mount Sinai (autonomy under Patriarchate of Jerusalem) - Damianos, Archbishop of Sinai (1973-present)
• Orthodox Church of Finland (autonomy under Ecumenical Patriarchate) - Leo, Archbishop of Karelia and All Finland (2001-present)
• Orthodox Church of Estonia (autonomy under Ecumenical Patriarchate) - Stephanos, Metropolitan of Tallinn and All Estonia (1999-present)
• Orthodox Church of Japan (autonomy under Russia) - Daniel, Metropolitan of All Japan (2000-present)
• Orthodox Church of Macedonia (Ohrid Archbishopric) - Stephen, Archbishop of Ohrid and Macedonia and Metropolitan of Skopje
• Orthodox Church of Ukraine (autonomy under Russia) - Vladimir II, Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine (1992-present)
• Orthodox Church of Bessarabia (autonomy under Romania) - Petru, Metropolitan (1992-present)

[edit] Schismatic Orthodox Churches not currently in Communion

• Montenegrin Orthodox Church - Mihailo, Archbishop (1997-present)
• Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia -
  • Laurus, Metropolitan (2001-present)
  • Vitaly, Metropolitan in opposition (2001-present)
• Russian True Orthodox Church
  • Vyacheslav, Metropolitan (2000-present)
• Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church
  • Mefodiy, Metropolitan (2000-present)
• Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Kiev Patriarchate
  • Filaret, Patriarch (1995-present)

[edit] Old Believers not currently in Communion

• Pomorian Old-Orthodox Church
  • Chairman of the Council of the Pomorian Old-Orthodox Church in Russia - Oleg Ivanovich Rozanov (?-present)
  • Chairman of the Council of the Pomorian Old-Orthodox Church in Belarus - Pyotr Alexandrovich Orlov (2001-present)
  • Chairman of the Council of the Pomorian Old-Orthodox Church in Latvia - Alexy Karatayev (?-present)
  • Chairman of the Council of the Pomorian Old-Orthodox Church in Lithuania - Nikolay Pilnikov (2002-present)
  • Chairman of the Council of the Pomorian Old-Orthodox Church in Poland - Feodosy Novichenko (1993-present)
• Lipovan Orthodox Old-Rite Church - Leonty (Izotov) (1996-present)
• Russian Orthodox Old-Rite Church - Korniliy (Titov) (2005-present)
• Russian Old-Orthodox Church - A. Alexander of Novozybkov, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia (2000-present)

[edit] Oriental Eastern Orthodox

[edit] Oriental Orthodox Churches

• Armenian Apostolic Church -
  • Karekin II, Catholicos of Armenia (1999-present)
  • Aram I, Catholicos of Cilicia (1995-present)
• Assyrian Church of the East - Mar Dinkha IV, Patriarch (1976-present)
• Ancient Church of the East - Mar Addai II, Patriarch (1969-present)
• Coptic Orthodox Church - Shenouda III of Alexandria, Coptic Pope (1971-present)
• Eritrean Orthodox Church -Dioskoros (2005-present)
• Ethiopian Orthodox Church - Abune Paulos (1992-present)
• Indian Orthodox Church - Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan - Baselius Mar Thoma Didymos I (2005-present)
  • (Note: It's Syriac Christianity, but independent from the Syriac Orthodox Church)
• Syriac Orthodox Church - Ignatius Zakka I Iwas (1980-present)

[edit] Anglican Churches - in Communion with the Archbishop of Canterbury

• Church of England -
  • Formal leadership - Elizabeth II, Supreme Governor of the Church of England (1952-present)
  • Effective leadership - Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury (2002-present)
• Episcopal Church in the United States of America - Also known as The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America
  • Presiding Bishop -
    1. The Most Rev. Frank Griswold (January 1, 1998-November 1, 2006)
    2. The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori (from November 1, 2006)
  • President of the House of Deputies - The Very Rev. George L.W. Werner (2000-present)
• Anglican Church of Canada - Most Rev. Andrew Hutchison, Primate (2004-present)
• Old Catholic Church (Also deemed to be Catholics not in communion with Rome) - Dr. Joris Vercammen, Archbishop of Utrecht (2000-present), President of the International Old Catholic Bishops' Conference (?-present)
• Philippine Independent Church (Also deemed to be Catholics not in communion with Rome) -Godofredo J. David (2005-present), Obispo Maximo XI (Eleventh Supreme Bishop)
• Mar Thoma Church - His Grace The Most Rev. Dr. Philipose Mar Chrysostom, Metropolitan (1999-present)

[edit] Protestant churches

• Assemblies of God - Thomas E. Trask, General superintendent of the Assemblies of God (1993-present)
• United Church of Canada - Peter Short, Moderator (2003-present)
• United Church of Christ - John Thomas, President and General Minister (1999-present)
• Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) - Mark Hanson, Presiding Bishop (2001-present)
• Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada - Raymond Schultz, National Bishop
• Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church Abroad - Udo Petersoo, Archbishop of Canada, (1990-2006)
• Evangelical Lutheran Church of Estonia - Andres Põder (2005-present)
• Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland - Jukka Paarma, Archbishop of Turku (1998-present)
• Evangelical Church in Germany- Barbara Rinke President of the Synod (2003-present)
• Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod - Gerald B. Kieschnick (2001-present)
• Lutheran World Federation - Mark Hanson, President (2003-present)
• National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. - Dr. William J. Shaw, President (2003-present)
• Church of Norway - Harald V of Norway, King of Norway (1991-present]])
• Presbyterian Church in Canada - the Rev. J. Mark Lewis, Moderator
• Salvation Army -
  1. General John Larsson,( 2nd Swedish General) (Sept2003-April 1 2006)
  2. General Shaw Clifton,(April 2 2006-present)
• Seventh-day Adventist Church - Jan Paulsen, President of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists (1999-present)
• Southern Baptist Convention - Bobby Welch, President of the Southern Baptist Convention (2004-present)
• Church of Sweden -
  1. Karl Gustav Hammar, Archbishop of Uppsala (1997-September 2006)
  2. Anders Wejryd, Archbishop of Uppsala (From September 2006)
• United Methodist Church - Bishop Peter D. Weaver, President of the Council of Bishops (2004-present)
• Unitarian Universalist Association - Rev. William G. Sinkford, President (2001-present)
• Worldwide Church of God - Joseph Tkach, Jr., Pastor-General of the Worldwide Church of God (1995-present)
• Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) - Karl R. Gurgel, President (1993-present)

[edit] Other Christian

• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) - Gordon B. Hinckley, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1995-present)
• Community of Christ - Stephen M. Veazey, President (2005-present)
• National Council of Churches USA - Robert W. Edgar, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches USA (2000-present]])
• World Council of Churches - Samuel Kobia, General Secretary of the World Council of Churches (2004-present)
• New Apostolic Church - Wilhelm Leber, Chief Apostle of the New Apostolic Church (2005-present)
• Shakers - Sister Frances Carr (acts as Eldress and Trustee if not as leader per se as the group is egalitarian) (?-present)
• Swedenborgian Church of North America - Christine Laitner, President (2003-present)
• General Church of the New Jerusalem (Swedenborgian) - Rt. Rev. Thomas L. Kline, Executive Bishop (?-present)
• Christian Science -
  • Chairman of the Board of Directors - Mary Trammell (2005-present)
  • Director - J. Thomas Black (2005-present)

[edit] Islam

[edit] Shia Islam

• Muhammad al-Mahdi - the current and final Shia Imam, thought to be in occultation.
• Ayatollah Sistani - One of the Grand Ayatollah's in Iraq, considered to be the leading Shia religious authority.
• Ayatollah Ali Khamenei - The Supreme Leader of Iran and officially the Spiritual Leader of Hezbollah.
• Ayatollah Fadlallah - The only Grand Ayatollah in Lebanon. Often thought to be the spiritual leader of Hezbollah, a claim that Fadlallah and Hezbollah deny.
• Hasan Nasrallah, the current Secretary-General of Hezbollah.
• Kalbe Sadiq - Leading Shia cleric in India and the vice-president of the All India personal Muslim Law Board.
• Kalbe Jawad - A leading cleric in India.
• Grand Ayatollah Fazel Lankarani - A Grand Ayatollah in Iran.
• Ayatollah Montazeri - The one-time successor of Ruhollah Khomeini, currently under house arrest.
• Ayatollah Bashir Najafi - One of the important Grand Ayatollah's in Iraq. Originally from Pakistan, he has spent almost his entire life in An-Najaf.
• Professor Abdul Hakeem - A leading and influential scholar in Pakistan.

[edit] Sunni Islam

Note: It is important to mention Sunni Islam has no leaders as the term is understood in the Christian world. There is currently no caliph. Even when the caliphate was active it was not equivalent to a "Pope" or "Dalai Lama". In fact such a thing could well be deemed shirk in orthodox Sunni circles. The following people are mentioned to add Sunni content as they are leading figures.

• Al-Azhar Universityالأزهر الشريف - Muhammad Sayid Tantawy, Imam (?-present)
• Jerusalem - Sheikh Ekrima Sa'id Sabri, Grand Mufti of Jerusalem (As a Grand Mufti he has a degree of legal authority in Sunni Islam without being its leader) (?-present)
• Egypt - Shaikh Ali Gomaa, Grand Mufti of Arab Republic of Egypt (?-present)
• Pakistan - Shaikh Muhammad Rafi Usmani, Grand Mufti of Islamic Republic of Pakistan (?-present)
• Saudi Arabia - Shaikh Abdul-Azeez bin Abdullaa bin Muhammad Aal ash-Shaikh, Grand Mufti of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (?-present)
• Tunisia - Shaikh Kamal-u-Din Ja'eit, Grand Mufti of Tunisia (?-present)
• Uzbekistan - Shaikh Abdurahman Bakhromov, Grand Mufti of Uzbekistan (?-present)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina - Shaikh Mustafa Ef. Cerić, Grand Mufti of Bosnia and Herzegovina (?-present)
• Russia - Shaikh Ravil Gainutdin, Grand Mufti of Russian Federation (?-present)
• France - Shaikh Soheïb Bencheikh, Grand Mufti of France (?-present)

[edit] Islam: Ismaili, Ahmadiyya, Druze and others

• Ahmadiyya Muslim Community - Khalifatul Masih V (2003-present)
• Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement - Dr. Abdul Karim Saeed Pasha (2002–present)
• Dawoodi Bohras - Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (1965-present)
• Bektashi Community - Haxhi Reshat Bardhi Dedebaba (1993-present)

[edit] Jainism

• Federation of Jain Associations in North America - Mr. Anop R. Vora, President (?-present)
• Terapanthi Jains- H. H. Acharya Mahapragya (?-present)

[edit] Judaism

• World Jewish Congress - Edgar M. Bronfman (1981-present)
• Israel (Ashkenazi) - Yona Metzger, Chief Rabbi (2003-present)
• Israel (Sephardic) - Shlomo Amar, Chief Rabbi (2003-present)
• Turkey - Isak Haleva, Chief Rabbi (2002-present)
• United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth - Sir Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi(1991-present)
• Israeli - Leader of the Orthodox Ashkenazi Haredi non-Hasidic ("Lithuanian Jews") - Rabbi Yosef Shalom Eliashiv (?-present)
• Orthodox Union - Stephen J. Savitsky, President of Lay Leadership (2004-present)
• Rabbinical Assembly (Conservative Judaism) - Rabbi Perry Raphael Rank, President (?-present)
• Rabbinical Council of America (Orthodox Judaism) - Rabbi Dale Polakoff (?-present)
• Samaritan - Elazar ben Tsedaka, High Priest (2004-present)

Note: As with Islam these leaders may not necessarily have that much authority, it varies from group to group.

[edit] Sikhism

• Sikhism - Joginder Singh Vedanti, leading figure (as the current Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib)

[edit] Other

[edit] Bahá'í

• Bahá'í Faith - Universal House of Justice

[edit] Western origin

• Mandaeanism - Satar Jabar Helo (?-present)
• Yazidi - Prince Tahsin Sayid Beg
• W.A.P.I. Zoroastrians (Iranian Zoroastrians) - Areez P. Khambatta, Presdident
• Bombay Parsi Punchayat (Zoroastrian, generally orthodox) - Minoo Shroff, President (2003?-present)
• World Zoroastrian Organization - Sammy H. Bhiwandiwalla, Chairman (2004-present)

[edit] Indian subcontinent origin

• Ramakrishna Mission - Gahanananda, fourteenth President of the group (?-present)

[edit] New Religions

Some of these new religions are classified as "sects" in several countries.

[edit] Eastern or Hindu derived

• Falun Gong - Li Hongzhi, Foundator (1992-present)
• Sathya Sai Baba - Sathya Sai Baba (?-present)
• Rissho Kosei Kai - Nichiko Niwano, President (?-present)
• Soka Gakkai - Einosuke Akiya (1981-present)

[edit] Christian or Christian derived

• Iglesia ni Cristo - Eraño G. Manalo (1963-present)
• Jehovah's Witnesses -
  • Governing Body of the Jehovah's Witnesses - Carey Barber (1977-present), John Barr (1977-present), Samuel Herd (1999-present), Geoffrey Jackson (2005-present), Theodore Jaracz (1974-present), Steve Lett (1999-present), Gerrit Losch (1994-present), Anthony Morris (I) (2005-present), Guy Pierce (1999-present), Albert Schroeder (1974-2006), David Splane (1999-present), Daniel Sydlik (1974-2006)
  • Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania - Don A. Adams, President (2000-present)
• Kimbanguist Church - Joseph Diangienda (1954-present)
• Mita Congregation - Teofilo Vargas Sein (1970-present)
• Unification Church - Sun Myung Moon (1954-present)
• Universal Church of the Kingdom of God - Edir Macedo (1979-present)

[edit] Islam or Islam derived

• Nation of Islam - Louis Farrakhan (1978-present)

[edit] Speculative science derived

• Scientology -
  • David Miscavige, [1] President of the Religious Technology Center (1982-present), "highest ecclesiastical official of the Scientology religion" (1986-present)
  • Heber Jentzsch, [2] official president of the Church of Scientology (1982-present)

[edit] External links

• http://www.rulers.org/relig.html
• http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/
• http://www.faswebdesign.com/ECPA/ (Eastern Catholic Churches)
• (French) http://www.eleves.ens.fr/home/sray/seca/ (Byzantine structures and Oriental Catholic Churches)
• http://home.wanadoo.nl/arjen.nandita2/uhj-members-timeline.htm (Baha´i Faith, Timeline of members of the Universal House of Justice)
• http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=197 (Bogdo Gegeen)
• http://www.zanabazar.mn/Life/javzandamba.html (Bogdo Gegeen)
• (French) http://www.orthodoxie.com
• http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org