A balanced, informed, and critical evaluation of OTJ – OSMTJ (Mangum)
Ordre du Temple de Jerusalem
Formerly known as; Ordre Souverain et Militaire du Temple de Jérusalem (Mangum)
Grand Master: Gen. Ronald S. Mangum
Aliases: OSMTJ l’Ordre du Temple de Jerusalem, OTJ, OSMTJ Global
Size: Large
Templarism Approach: Ecumenical Christian
Website(s): https://OTJ.ngo, www.KTGPA.org (USA)
Clarity of Succession: High
Relations with other Branches: Mostly positive. Maintains good relations and treaties of mutual recognition with other established groups such as OSMTH-MM, SCMOTH OSMTJ 1804. OSTI, SOTI and OSMTJ (Hastier). However, will not associate with schismatics of its own line, such as OSMTJ (Martinez) or OSMTJ (Matta) so as not to ascribe legitimacy to them.
Archive: Very Large (Public/Private)
Respectability: High Respectability
Unique Holdings:
- International Registration in Belgium, Registration #BE801 529 945
- Several Royal Patrons
- Headquarters (USA) at Ancient Spanish Monastery of St. Bernard of Clairvaux Church https://www.spanishmonastery.com/
- 1st Class Relic of St. Bernard of Clairvaux
- 1st Class Relic of the True Cross
- 1st Class Relic of Peter and Paul
- A travelling Templar Exhibit featuring original items from both the historical templars as well as their legendary continuation.
- The USA Grand Priory hosts a Templar Academy which serves as the basis for advancement. This is supposedly going to be rolled out to International in the future.
Pros:
- Official international registration in Belgium places OSMTJ (Mangum) as a serious and legitimate organization.
- OSMTJ (Mangum) benefits from one of the clearest lines of succession in the Neo-Templar movement, derived from the election of Antoine Zdrojewski in 1970.
- OSMTJ (Mangum) has contributed much to Templar continuation studies.
- A large number of Grand Priories, a large and old archive, and the possession of numerous relics indicate the organization is serious and active.
- Partners cooperatively with other Templar groups through the International Templar Historical Committee and other cooperative ventures.
Cons:
- Some have questioned the protocol of the election of Ronald Mangum, whether it was conducted as expected and with all the candidates who would have wanted to run. Nevertheless, the votes were cast by legitimate Grand Priories of the OSMTJ, providing a vote count for Mangum unable to be overcome by a challenger.
- The other candidate in the 2020 election of the OSMTJ was Regent Nicolas Haimovici Hastier, who after the loss of the election issued an expulsion of Mangum. However, since Hastier was no longer in power after the election and virtually the entirety of the OSMTJ accepted the results of the election, it seems the expulsion of Mangum by Hastier was viewed as a move of desperation, without authority.
Neo-Templar Watch 