The Oracle Institute is a

501(c)(3) A 501(c)(3) organization is a United States corporation, trust, unincorporated association or other type of organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of the United States Code. It is one of the 29 types of 50 ...

educational charity founded in 2004 by Laura M. George and located in

Independence, Virginia Independence is a town in Southwestern Virginia's Grayson County, Virginia, Grayson County, with a population of 1,001 as of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. As the Grayson County Seat, it is located 71 miles from Winston-Salem, Winston ...

. Oracle operates a multi-faith spirituality school, an award-winning publishing house, the Peace Pentagon HUB and conference center, and programs that support pluralistic and progressive values. Oracle's stated purpose is to serve as "An Advocate for Peace and a Vanguard for Conscious Evolution," and its formal mission statement is an adaptation of

Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 18 ...

's Act for Religious Freedom. Oracle's spirituality school offers courses, conferences, and retreats which focus on the five primary religions (

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...

Judaism Judaism ( he, ''Yahăḏūṯ'') is an Abrahamic, monotheistic, and ethnic religion comprising the collective religious, cultural, and legal tradition and civilization of the Jewish people. It has its roots as an organized religion in the ...

Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...

, and

Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...

), indigenous wisdom traditions,

New Age New Age is a range of spiritual or religious practices and beliefs which rapidly grew in Western society during the early 1970s. Its highly eclectic and unsystematic structure makes a precise definition difficult. Although many scholars conside ...

philosophies, peace-building,

social justice Social justice is justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society. In Western and Asian cultures, the concept of social justice has often referred to the process of ensuring that individuals fu ...

, and

sustainability Specific definitions of sustainability are difficult to agree on and have varied in the literature and over time. The concept of sustainability can be used to guide decisions at the global, national, and individual levels (e.g. sustainable livi ...

. In 2015, Oracle sponsored the "Building the New World Conference" at Radford University, which featured futurists

Barbara Marx Hubbard Barbara Marx Hubbard (born Barbara Marx; December 22, 1929 – April 10, 2019) was an American futurist, author, and public speaker. She is credited with the concepts of "The Synergy Engine" and the "birthing" of humanity. Early life and educati ...

, Jerome C. Glenn, and

Charles Eisenstein Charles Eisenstein (born 1967) is an American public speaker and author. His work covers a wide range of topics, including the history of human civilization, economics, spirituality, and the ecology movement. Key themes explored include anti-c ...

. In 2020, Oracle hosted a virtual "Building the New World Summit," featuring

David Korten David C. Korten (born 1937) is an American author, former professor of the Harvard Business School, political activist, prominent critic of corporate globalization, and "by training and inclination a student of psychology and behavioral systems". ...

Riane Eisler Riane Tennenhaus Eisler (born 22 July 1931) is an Austrian-born American systems scientist and author who writes about the effect of gender politics historically on society. She is most known for her 1987 book ''The Chalice and the Blade'', in ...

David Sloan Wilson David Sloan Wilson (born 1949) is an American evolutionary biologist and a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Biological Sciences and Anthropology at Binghamton University. He is a son of author Sloan Wilson, and co-founder of the Evolution ...

, Kurt Johnson,

David Suzuki David Takayoshi Suzuki (born March 24, 1936) is a Canadian academic, science broadcaster, and environmental activist. Suzuki earned a PhD in zoology from the University of Chicago in 1961, and was a professor in the genetics department at th ...

Alex Grey Alex Grey (born November 29, 1953) is an American visual artist, author, teacher, and Vajrayana practitioner known for creating spiritual and psychedelic paintings. He works in multiple forms including performance art, process art, installation ...

, and Paul K. Chappell. Oracle publishes books under its imprints, Oracle Institute Press and Peace Pentagon Press. Genres include religion and spirituality, personal growth and social evolution, mysticism, the arts, and children's fiction. Oracle Institute Press has won five book awards, including two

Independent Publisher Book Awards The Independent Publisher Book Awards, also styled the IPPY Awards, are a set of annual book awards for independently published titles. They are the longest-running unaffiliated contest open exclusively to independent presses. The IPPY Awards ar ...

in the Religion category, the Young Voices Seal of Approval for children's fiction, and two Indie Book Awards in the Spirituality and Performing Arts categories. In 2012, after two years of litigation, during which Oracle was represented by The

Rutherford Institute The Rutherford Institute is a conservative Christian public interest law firm dedicated to the defense of civil liberties, human rights, and religious liberties. Based in Charlottesville, Virginia, the non-profit organization's motto is "its ...

, Oracle achieved the right to build the "Peace Pentagon" along the New River in Grayson County, Virginia. The Peace Pentagon is an energy-efficient

PassivHaus "Passive house" (german: Passivhaus) is a voluntary standard for energy efficiency in a building, which reduces the building's ecological footprint. It results in ultra-low energy buildings that require little energy for space heating or coo ...

structure with a multi-faith sanctuary and conference facilities. In 2015, Oracle founded an intentional community called the "Valley of Light" for cultural creatives who live and work at the Oracle Campus. The Valley of Light micro-community was inspired by the

Federation of Damanhur The Federation of Damanhur, often called simply Damanhur, is a commune, ecovillage, and spiritual community situated in the Piedmont region of northern Italy about north of the city of Turin. It is located in the foothills of the Alps in the C ...

, whose Ambassadors regularly visit Oracle Campus. The Valley of Light is a member of the

Fellowship for Intentional Community The Foundation for Intentional Community (FIC), formerly the Fellowship of Intentional Communities then the Fellowship for Intentional Community, provides publications, referrals, support services, and "sharing opportunities" for a wide range of ...

. In 2020, the Peace Pentagon at Oracle Campus became the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

headquarters Headquarters (commonly referred to as HQ) denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the to ...

for the Earth Constitution Institute and the World Constitution and Parliament Association, global

NGOs A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from government. They are typically nonprofit entities, and many of them are active in h ...

dedicated to World Federalism and the adoption of the Earth Constitution. In 2022, Oracle’s founder Laura M. George was named an Evolutionary Leader."Evolutionary Leaders Website:" https://www.evolutionaryleaders.net/

Publications

Authors published by the Oracle Institute Press include Oberto "Falco" Airaudi,

Yuval Ron Yuval Ron ( he, יובל רון) is a world music artist, composer, educator, peace activist, and record producer. Notable compositions include music for the Oscar-winning short film ''West Bank Story'' (2007), as well as site-specific commission ...

, Patricia Albere, Valerie Tarico, PhD, Glen T. Martin, PhD, and Oracle's founder, Rev. Laura M. George, JD. *''The Truth: About the Five Primary Religions''. Laura M. George (1st Ed. © 2006; 2nd Ed. © 2010). Winner of a 2006 IPPY Award. Oracle Institute Press: *''The Love: Of the Fifth Spiritual Paradigm''. Laura M. George with contributions from

Desmond Tutu Desmond Mpilo Tutu (7 October 193126 December 2021) was a South African Anglican bishop and theologian, known for his work as an anti-apartheid and human rights activist. He was Bishop of Johannesburg from 1985 to 1986 and then Archbishop ...

Bill McKibben William Ernest McKibben (born December 8, 1960)"Bill Ernest McKibben." ''Environmental Encyclopedia''. Edited by Deirdre S. Blanchfield. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Gale, 2009. Retrieved via ''Biography in Context'' database, December 31, 2017. is a ...

Aung San Suu Kyi Aung San Suu Kyi (; ; born 19 June 1945) is a Burmese politician, diplomat, author, and a 1991 Nobel Peace Prize laureate who served as State Counsellor of Myanmar (equivalent to a prime minister) and Minister of Foreign Affairs from ...

Maya Angelou Maya Angelou ( ; born Marguerite Annie Johnson; April 4, 1928 – May 28, 2014) was an American memoirist, popular poet, and civil rights activist. She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, and ...

Wendell Berry Wendell Erdman Berry (born August 5, 1934) is an American novelist, poet, essayist, environmental activist, cultural critic, and farmer. Closely identified with rural Kentucky, Berry developed many of his agrarian themes in the early essays of ' ...

Stephen Dunn Stephen Elliot Dunn (June 24, 1939June 24, 2021) was an American poet and educator who authored twenty-one collections of poetry. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for his 2001 collection, ''Different Hours,'' and received an Academy Award i ...

Brian McLaren Brian D. McLaren (born 1956) is an American pastor, author, speaker, and leading figure in the emerging church movement. McLaren is also associated with postmodern Christianity. Education and career Raised in Rockville, Maryland in the conservat ...

, Chris Mercogliano, Andrew Cohen and others (© 2010). Oracle Institute Press: * ''Trusting Doubt: A Former Evangelical Looks at Old Beliefs in a New Light''. Valerie Tarico (1st Ed. © 2010; 2nd Ed. © 2017). Winner of a 2011 IPPY Award. Oracle Institute Press: * ''Deas and Other Imaginings: Ten Spiritual Folktales for Children''. Valerie Tarico (1st Ed. © 2011). Winner of Young Voices Seal of Approval. The Oracle Institute Press: * ''Bral Talej: Damanhur Divination Cards''. Shama Viola and

Oberto Airaudi Oberto Airaudi (29 May 1950 – 24 June 2013) was an Italian philosopher and artist, who founded the Federation of Damanhur. Airaudi also went by the name of Falco (Hawk), based on the Damanhur practice of adopting animal names. He was born in Bal ...

with a Foreword by

Zia Inayat-Khan Zia Inayat-Khan (born 1971) is a scholar and teacher of Sufism in the lineage of his grandfather, Inayat Khan Inayat Khan Rehmat Khan ( ur, ) (5 July 1882 – 5 February 1927) was an Indian professor of musicology, singer, exponent of the ...

(© 2014). Winner of two Indie Book Awards. Oracle Institute Press: * ''Evolutionary Relationships: Unleashing the Power of Mutual Awakening''. Patricia Albere with a Foreword by Katherine Woodward Thomas (© 2017). Oracle Institute Press: * ''The Earth Constitution Solution: Design for a Living Planet''. Glen T. Martin with a Foreword by

Ellen Brown Ellen Hodgson Brown (born September 15, 1945) is an American author, attorney, public speaker, and advocate of alternative medicine and w:financial reform, financial reform, most prominently public banking. Brown is the founder and president of t ...

External links

The Oracle Institute Website

Peace Pentagon HUB Website

Earth Constitution Institute Website

World Constitution and Parliament Association Website

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Oracle Institute Spirituality Interfaith organizations Non-profit organizations based in Independence, Virginia 501(c)(3) organizations