Scientology Opens New Church in Downtown Detroit

By Kelly Frazier --
15 Oct 2018 --

The Church of Scientology celebrated their newest location in Detroit with the community and its leaders on Sunday.

Downtown Detroit has recently seen plenty of new projects as it tries to reach its goal of becoming a “lively dense urban center,” a revival eagerly anticipated by many. Among some of the new developments are Michigan Central Station, a 22-acre riverfront park, and new residential apartments. There is a cry for more grocery stores, and of course, as is the hallmark of every thriving metropolis, more jobs, more office space, and more places to live. As Downtown Detroit pushes back from decades of decline, city dwellers realize there is still more to be done.

Scientology Opens New Church in Downtown Detroit[/tweetthis]

A project recently completed and beginning operations today is a new Church of Scientology in Metro Detroit. The grand opening and dedication ceremony were held yesterday with more than 2,000 people in attendance. The 88-year-old, eight-story, 55,000-square-foot building is located at the corner of Griswold and West Jefferson. The church, while always mired in controversial news, is being presented as “a vibrant part of the engine” powering the “take back Detroit” effort, according to the church’s official website.

David Miscavige, the ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion, speaks to the crowd at the opening of the new Detroit Church on Sunday, October 14. — David Miscavige, speaks to the crowd on Sunday, October 14.

David Miscavige, the ecclesiastical leader of the religion of Scientology, spoke about the symbolism of the location of the new church, which is “not a revolt, not a wish to change any Man’s religion, but the hope that man can find his own feet in this highly confused and mechanistic world. And if he can do so, then perhaps he can also recover the happiness, sincerity, love and kindness with which he was created.”

Present at the ceremony were community and civic leaders including Artina Hardman, a former state representative and Executive Director of city resource center Mack Alive, Steven Spreitzer, the President of the Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion, Hubert Roberts, Mentor Director of the youth empowerment project InvolvedDad.

MADE IN DETROIT: NEW CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY NOW STANDS AT THE CORNERSTONE OF MOTOR CITY, USA
Story and Event Gallery: https://t.co/9pflQPB0o4
The midwest metropolis is on its way back, and now proudly welcomes spiritual technology in a new Church at the downtown core. pic.twitter.com/TmvZ5Le9YR
— Scientology (@Scientology) October 15, 2018

Long-time Scientologist and lawyer Alan Kellman spoke to the Detroit Free Press and said the newly built church could “help Scientology reach millennials and other Detroiters who are joining in on downtown’s revitalization,” as written by Fiona Kelliher and Meira Gebel.

Detroit Free Press writer John Gallagher writes, “we have years, if not decades of hard work ahead us to get Detroit to where we want it to be.”