Church of Bible Understanding

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The Church of Bible Understanding is a religious organization founded by Stewart Traill, in Allentown, Pennsylvania, in 1971. Originally, the group was named The Forever Family until 1976 when Traill announced a change to the Church of Bible Understanding, or the acronym, COBU, with administration based in Scranton, Pennsylvania.^[1]

1 Organization and Growth
2 Beliefs and practices
3 Stewart Traill
4 References

[edit] Organization and Growth

The Church of Bible Understanding was organized by Stewart Traill, a vacuum cleaner repairman, in Allentown, Pennsylvania in 1971.^[2]

Traill was originally an atheist, and converted to Christianity after investigating different faiths. He was not satisfied with the teachings of other Christian Churches which prompted his founding of the Forever Family (later renamed the Church of Bible Understanding in 1976.)

COBU's greatest appeal during the 1970s was to teenagers at an age where friendship and belonging play a critical role in their lives. The group also appeared to reach out to the disillusionment of young people during that decade, and the concept of a loving family doing God's work appealed to many. The result was that COBU rapidly expanded to other cities opening coed "Fellowship" houses where all members could live regardless of age or gender. Weekly meetings in each area were held in the various local fellowship houses, substantially cutting overhead costs of renting or buying traditional church buildings, which Traill likened to the Amish way of rotating places of worship. Within 3 years, there were centers in Pennsylvania (Wilkes-Barre), as well as areas of Massachusetts, Ohio, Michigan; Virginia's,Maryland's, Washington, D.C.'s and Baltimore's Metropolitan and Suburban areas; Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina; Syracuse, Buffalo, Rochester and New York City Metropolitan areas, New York State; New Jersey; and Canada.

[edit] Beliefs and practices

Over the years COBU's doctrines have gone through a number of transformations. Throughout the 1970s and into the 1980s, it's doctrines were more or less evangelical Christian interpretations of the Christian life alongside a unique reading of the Bible. Along with this basic "born again" theology was a secret interpretation of the Bible which was believed to be exclusive to COBU and Stewart Traill. The Bible was thus read on two levels: One level that was available to all Born-again Christians (often referred to as "C.C.s"): "Church Christians" (or even "Contentious Christians") that was necessary for salvation. This level was the same as found in all evangelical churches, and was a somewhat literal understanding of the Bible. The other deeper reading of the Bible was an interpretation that was entirely symbolic and saw the Bible as written almost entirely in code which was called "The figure system". Both these understandings of the Bible where considered valid, but once one was exposed to and began to understand the figure system, it was believed that one's salvation depended on what was revealed on that deeper level. Hence the deeper understanding trumps the more superficial understanding and members of COBU consider that they are called to a higher calling in their deeper understanding of the Bible.^{[citation needed]}

Terry Coulombe was commissioned by Stewart Traill to produce a Colour Coded Bible and he succesfully presented it to Stewart at the big meeting held in New York City in the early 1980's. This is one of the keys to understanding this approach to studying the Bible. Stewart also asked the five elders if he should marry Gail and Terry Coulombe was the fifth to respond and the only one who said no. Since the other four who knew Stewart better said yes it seemed correct to do so. Terry Coulombe is still alive and continues to praise Stewart for his good work on presenting Christ to humanity.

COBU members live communally, and donate all earnings to the organization. They may receive anywhere up to 10% of the money they earned back for personal needs, as an "allowance". School beyond high school is not encouraged. At the height of popularity in the 1970s, COBU reported that it had 10,000 members, however since that time, the church lost a significant number of members. The church currently reports a worldwide membership of 80.^[3] Through his business activities with the church and its members, Traill has access to 4 planes (one of them a turboprop).^[3] and two condominium units in Pompano Beach, Florida. The church formerly owned a home in Princeton, New Jersey for Traill and church members. ^[2]

COBU owns and operates an antique business called Olde Good Things, recently profiled in the New York Times.^[4]. Olde Good Things and its connection to COBU was featured in an article in The New Yorker of July 30, 2007 pp.29-30. Through Olde Good Things COBU has outposts in California, Chicago and Scranton and likely in a number of other states as well. COBU also runs a mission and orphanage in Haiti.

[edit] Stewart Traill

The son of an ordained Presbyterian minister who was also a college professor, Stewart Traill was born in Quebec, Canada, in 1936. His family moved when he was a child and he was raised in Allentown, Pennsylvania. ^[2] ]

After a brief stint at Lehigh University, Traill dropped out and supported himself, his wife, Shirley Rudy, and his five children by repairing and reselling used vacuum cleaners. During divorce proceedings Stewart accused Shirley of adultery although these claims have never been substantiated. Stewart divorced her in 1976 and married church secretary Gayle Gillespie. There are no children from Traill's second marriage. Stewart was granted custody of the five children from his first marriage. To this day Shirley says that Stewart is a man of God.^[5]