The Three Christs of Ypsilanti

from Vaughan Bell, writing in Slate: "In the late 1950s, psychologist Milton Rokeach was gripped by an eccentric plan. He gathered three psychiatric patients, each with the delusion that they were Jesus Christ, to live together for two years in Ypsilanti State Hospital to see if their beliefs would change. The early meetings were stormy. "You oughta worship me, I'll tell you that!" one of the Christs yelled. "I will not worship you! You're a creature! You better live your own life and wake up to the facts!" another snapped back. "No two men are Jesus Christs. ... I am the Good Lord!" the third interjected, barely concealing his anger. "Frustrated by psychology's focus on what he considered to be peripheral beliefs, like political opinions and social attitudes, Rokeach wanted to probe the limits of identity. He had been intrigued by stories of Secret Service agents who felt they had lost contact with their original identities, and wondered if a man's sense of self might be challenged in a controlled setting. Unusually for a psychologist, he found his answer in the Bible. There is only one Son of God, says the good book, so anyone who believed himself to be Jesus would suffer a psychological affront by the very existence of another like him. This was the revelation that led Rokeach to orchestrate his meeting of the Messiahs and document their encounter in the extraordinary (and out-of-print) book from 1964, THE THREE CHRISTS OF YPSILANTI."

Take three mentally ill institutionalized men, each of whom firmly believes that he is Jesus Christ. Put them all in one place and let them talk to one another. What happens? Find out! This is a true story and a fluid read, (no major technical jargon -- edited like a novel). This study was carried out over a lengthy period of time by state psychiatrist Milton Rokeach (the book author) in Ypsilanti, Michigan in 1964. One might question Rokeach's ethics in carrying out such an experiment with three such delusional men but, had it led to a cure for any of their respective mental difficulties, one could say that the end justified the means. And it was, of course, Rokeach's objective to help these men. This book is often difficult to find and is usually rather expensive when it is located, typically around $30 for a hardcover edition. Still, it's a great read and anyone who has an interest in social science will find it especially riveting.

This narrative study of three men (that may or may not have been Christ, the jury's still out) remains a clinical trinity of sorts in the psychiatric canon. The title was referred to me by a schizophrenic patient living at the adult psychiatric facility where I am employed (there could be no greater recommendation.) The fascinating coincidence that so many Christ's would arrive at one institution simultaneously is what drew me to the story. One Christ, maybe. But three? I couldn't stop myself from investigating further. And I wasn't disappointed once I chose to explore the many, varied worlds of the manic Savior(s). The triune Son - The Son, the Son & the Son! A must have for any library seeking to complete it's shelf on psychotic religious pre-occupation.

The premise of Rokeach's study (bringing people together who share the same delusion) has broad implications: in a culture with so many shared ideas and values, what sets us apart as individuals? In this 1960s experiment, of course, these three patients have been diagnosed with a proven pathology. In society at large most of us seek out friends and associates with whom we share a great deal; yet our sense of personality is still a matter of individual choices. At end, this was the same discovery Rokeach made with his three Christs; when confronted with the truth, these three men made personal choices allowing for the existence of the others -- a society of Christs. I first read this in the early 1970s as part of an anthropology course, and although I am not a health care professional I found it a fascinating study, one that carries the reader with an almost novel-like flow. For those who read it with care, it will provoke a lot of questions about what makes us who we are, both as individuals and as members of society. A fictional parallel to many of the ideas in this book, though by no means exact, can be found in Nigel Dennis's 1955 novel "Cards of Identity."

When one hears the demented rantings of a fellow a ha'penny short of a shilling in the subway / tube claiming to be Christ / Napoleon / Jimmy Carter, one sometimes wonders what would happen if the chap was forced to confront some of the other lunatics in the world also claiming the same identity. This is a narrative version of a psychological case study that did just that. Result are interesting, but won't be too surprising to pessimists or cynics.