David Miscavige is the ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion. From his position as Chairman of the Board of Religious Technology Center (RTC), Mr. Miscavige bears the ultimate responsibility for ensuring the standard and pure application of L. Ron Hubbard’s technologies of Dianetics and Scientology and for Keeping Scientology Working.
In that capacity, Mr. Miscavige has redefined the term “religious leader” to fit the tasks necessary to direct a truly unique, contemporary religion—a religion born in the twentieth century, which has achieved an unprecedented level of expansion in the twenty-first century, including some 8,500 Churches, Missions and affiliated groups across 165 nations.
Under Mr. Miscavige’s stewardship, Scientology-supported social betterment and humanitarian programs have touched the lives of billions. Mr. Hubbard’s religious works are more widely available than ever and the Church has achieved unprecedented growth both in physical size and in the reach of its ministry.
Such is the stamp of Mr. David Miscavige in fulfilling the vision and legacy of L. Ron Hubbard and such is the encapsulated story of his leadership:
- Guaranteeing the continued growth and expansion of Scientology internationally
- Making Scientology broadly available to people of all walks of life world over
- Developing programs to address society’s worst ills and providing the resources to put those programs into action
- Ensuring that the Scripture of Scientology is true to the Founder’s original writings
- Restoring Mr. Hubbard’s written works, recorded lectures and filmed lectures
- Seeing to the international dissemination of Scientology
- Creating Ideal Scientology Church Organizations
- Establishing two state-of-the-art digital publishing houses capable of producing 1.3 million books and 1 million CDs per week
- Inspiring the Volunteer Ministers Program, the world’s largest independent relief force, with more than 200,000 volunteers
- Securing official recognitions of the religion
- Presiding over nine annual globally broadcast events that serve as briefings for Scientologists on the Church's strategic programs.
L. RON HUBBARD'S TRUSTED FRIEND
Born in 1960, David Miscavige has been a Scientologist for most of his life and is still remembered as the 12-year-old prodigy who served as the youngest professional auditor at Saint Hill’s famed Hubbard Guidance Center in England.
He is further remembered for the fact that barely a year after entering the Scientology religious order, the Sea Organization, at the age of 16, he was among a handful of people selected to work directly with L. Ron Hubbard. After personal instruction from Mr. Hubbard, the 17-year-old David Miscavige served as his Director of Photography for the first Scientology training films.
Later, at Mr. Hubbard’s request, Mr. Miscavige served as the senior executive supervising ecclesiastical missions to Scientology Churches around the world. By the age of 18, David Miscavige had become the individual L. Ron Hubbard called upon to carry out the most important assignments. No Church executive in history ever received more direct communication from L. Ron Hubbard than Mr. Miscavige.
In 1983, L. Ron Hubbard described a heroic Church executive who cleaned the ranks of rogue staff attempting to seize control of Scientology while Mr. Hubbard was engaged in intensive research and absent from the Church. As Mr. Hubbard himself phrased it:
“So forgive me for not managing the Church when it almost fell into hostile hands. It all came out all right. Why? Because real Scientologists made sure it did. My faith was justified.”
That real Scientologist L. Ron Hubbard spoke of was David Miscavige.
In light of what had nearly transpired, L. Ron Hubbard requested a corporate reorganization of the Church designed to ensure the Church would not fall into hostile hands and the religion could move on into perpetuity—always remaining true to its Source teachings. To that end, L. Ron Hubbard saw to the formation of Religious Technology Center to hold the Scientology and Dianetics trademarks and to preserve, maintain and protect the Scientology religion. He appointed Mr. Miscavige a Trustee of that Church organization.
To oversee his personal affairs for the remainder of his life, L. Ron Hubbard also appointed David Miscavige as chairman of the organization charged with handling those matters.
Following L. Ron Hubbard’s passing in 1986, it was Mr. Miscavige who steered Scientology through those difficult days; for as history demonstrates, the true test of any religion is to survive the passing of its Founder. Indeed, it was Mr. Miscavige who secured that survival by obtaining full religious recognition in the United States and ushering Scientology onto the global stage.
Since then, Mr. Miscavige has steadfastly carried forth L. Ron Hubbard’s legacy, until Scientology now stands as the only major religion to emerge in this modern age. To be sure, what Mr. Miscavige has done is no more or less than the fulfillment of L. Ron Hubbard’s vision—a vision he knew would be faithfully carried out with Mr. Miscavige at the helm.
“Trust and friendship are things forged in fire and pounded out on the anvil of life. We have been through a lot together. I trust you as you trust me.”
—L. Ron Hubbard to David Miscavige
