Noel Stanton's Jesus Army: The cult urged followers to donate their 'genitals to Jesus'

Daily Record

5 days ago

Noel Stanton turned the Jesus Army into one of the largest and most controversial religious movements in the UK - but it was later revealed to be a hotbed of abuse
Charismatic preacher Noel Stanton, who started as a modest Baptist minister, went on to establish a formidable religious empire known as the Jesus Army, which concealed years of appalling abuse behind its spiritual facade.
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Noel Stanton was born on Christmas Day in 1926 and initially embarked on his journey as a traditional clergyman. However, in the 1970s, he transformed himself into the pioneer of an avant-garde Christian commune in the Northamptonshire countryside.
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His venture, initially a daring leap of faith, would later become one of the UK's most contentious religious sects.
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Stanton called upon his disciples to relinquish their worldly goods, properties, and even their offspring, with the promise of creating a utopian "heaven on Earth."
The Jesus Fellowship Church, commonly referred to as the Jesus Army, expanded from a modest Bugbrooke congregation to a nationwide entity with a membership running into the thousands, unlike other infamous cults that remained relatively obscure, reports the Express.
His adherents resided in austere communal homes, forfeiting their earnings and independence while strictly observing his increasingly stringent edicts. Public proselytising became the hallmark of the group, with vibrant Jesus Army buses and street teams donning distinctive jackets becoming a common spectacle throughout Britain.
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However, a darker reality lurked beneath the surface.
A 1993 documentary captured Stanton exhorting his followers to dedicate their "genitals to Jesus," a statement that now resonates ominously amidst subsequent sexual abuse claims. His fixation on sexual chastity, coupled with his totalitarian grip on his followers' lives, set the stage for endemic abuse.
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When Stanton passed away on May 20, 2009, at the age of 82, he left behind not only a religious movement but also a community teetering on the brink of disintegration. Despite maintaining an image of success, signs of internal strife were beginning to show.
His final resting place is at New Creation Farm in Nether Heyford, a site maintained through the financial support of his disciples.
Following his death, distressing accusations emerged. Victims stepped forward with allegations of systematic physical, emotional, and sexual abuse that had occurred over many years.
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Children were reportedly subjected to harsh "rodding" using birch canes and frightening "exorcisms" aimed at casting out presumed demons. Former members have spoken out about how stringent regulations cut them off from their families and how life choices were dictated by designated leaders.
In 2019, the Jesus Army was formally dissolved. Its legal entity, the Jesus Fellowship Community Trust, initiated a Redress Scheme to provide recompense to those harmed.
The scheme saw hundreds reveal their experiences of mistreatment, leading the Trust to admit the "serious harm" inflicted.
The new BBC documentary, Inside the Cult of the Jesus Army, provides a chilling examination of how Stanton's vision for Christian fellowship deteriorated into a prolonged ordeal. Featuring poignant accounts from those who endured suffering, it exposes a group that outwardly appeared devout yet hid profound and enduring damage.
What started as a pursuit of spiritual kinship culminated in devastation for numerous individuals – serving as a grim reminder of the potential for fervent belief to be perverted into manipulation, domination, and maltreatment.