List of religious leaders in 2008

2007 religious leaders - Events of 2008 - 2009 religious leaders - Religious leaders by year

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See also:

• List of state leaders in 2007
• List of international organization leaders in 2007

Note: Some religions reject the idea of having a leader or leading council in such a way that they can not be listed. When possible/plausible a leading figure will be named, but in some cases this will not be possible or desirable.

Buddhism

Mahayana Buddhism

• Jogye Order (Korea) - Rev. Bub Jang (?-present)
• Nichiren Shoshu (Japan) - High Priest Nichinyo Shonin (2005-present)
• Konkokyo (Japan) - Konko Heiki, Spiritual Leader (1991-present)
• Tendai (Japan) - Most Venerable Eshin Watanabe, Patriarch of Tendai Buddhism (?-present)
• Shinnyo-en (Japan) - Most Venerable Shinso Ito (1989-present)

Theravada Buddhism

• Thailand - Nyanasamvara Suvaddhana, Supreme Patriarch of Thailand (1989-present)
  • Acting Supreme Patriarch of Thailand - Somdet Kiaw (2004-present)
• Cambodia - Preah Maha Ghosananda, Supreme Patriarch of Cambodia (1988-present)

Vajrayana Buddhism

• Tibetan Gelug school
  • Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama (14th one) (1939-present)
  • Khensur Lungri Namgyel, the 101st Ganden Tripa, formal head of the Gelug sect (2003-present)
  • Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the 11th Panchen Lama, as recognised by the Dalaï Lama (1995-present)
  • Gyancain Norbu, the 11th Panchen Lama as recognised by the Chinese government (1995-present)
• Mongolian Gelug school - Jampal Namdol Chokye Gyaltsen, the 9th Javzandamba Hutagt(1936-present)
• Karma Kagyu school
  • Trinley Thaye Dorje, the 17th Karmapa as recognised by one Kagyu faction (1994-present)
  • Ogyen Trinley Dorje, the 17th Karmapa as recognised by one Kagyu faction (1992-present)
• Sakya school - Dolma Phodrang Ngawang Kunga Thegchen Palbar Thinley Samphel Wanggi Gyalpo, the 41st Sakya Trizin (1951-present)
• Bön - Lungtok Tenpai Nyima (?-present)

Christianity

Catholicism

Catholic Churches in Communion with Rome

• Catholic Church-Benedict XVI, Pope, Bishop of Rome (2005-present).
  • Coptic Catholic Church (Alexandrian Tradition) - Antonios Naguib, Patriarch of Alexandria (2006-present)
  • Ethiopic Catholic Church (Alexandrian Tradition) - Berhaneyesus Demerew, Archbishop of Addis Ababa (1999-present)
  • Maronite Catholic Church (Antiochene Tradition) - Nasrallah Sfeir, Patriarch of Antioch for the Maronites (1986-present)
  • Syrian Catholic Church (Antiochene Tradition) - Vacant, Patriarch of Antioch for the Syrians (2008-present)
  • Syro-Malankarese Catholic Church (Antiochene Tradition) - Isaac Mar Cleemis, Major Archbishop of Trivandrum (2007-present)
  • Armenian Catholic Church (Armenian Tradition) - Nerses Bedros XIX, Patriarch of Cilicia (1999-present)
  • Melkite Greek-Catholic Church (Byzantine Tradition) - Grégoire III Laham, Patriarch of Antioch for the Melkites (2000-present)
  • Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church (Byzantine Tradition) - Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, Major Archbishop of Kiev and Halych (of Lviv until 2005) (2000-present)
  • Romanian Greek-Catholic Church (Byzantine Tradition) - Lucian Cardinal Muresan, Major Archbishop of Fagaras e Alba Iulia (1994-present)
  • Ruthenian Greek-Catholic Church (Byzantine Tradition) - Milan Sasik, Apostolic Administrator of Mukachevo (2002-present); Basil Myron Schott, Metropolitan of Pittsburgh (2002-present)
  • Slovak Greek Catholic Church (Byzantine Tradition) - Ján Babjak, Archbishop of Prešov (2002-present)
  • Czech Greek Catholic Church (Byzantine Tradition) - ThDr. Ladislav Hučko, Apostolic exarchate of the Czech Republic (2003-present)
  • Italo-Albanian Church (Byzantine Tradition) - Mgr Ercole Lupinacci, Bishop of Lungro degli Italo-Albanesi (1987-present) ; Mgr Sotìr Ferrara, Bishop of Piana degli Albanesi (1989-present)
  • Croatian Greek Catholic Church - Slavomir Miklovš, Bishop of Križevci (Byzantine Tradition) (1983–present)
  • Hungarian Catholic Church (Byzantine Tradition) - Szilárd Keresztes, Archbishop of Hajdúdorog (1988-present)
  • Bulgarian Greek Catholic Church (Byzantine Tradition) - Christo Proykov, Exarch in Sofia (Bulgaria) (1995-present)
  • Greek Catholic Church (Byzantine Tradition) - Anarghyros Printesis, Exarch in Athens (Greece) (1975-present)
  • Macedonian Catholic Church (Byzantine Tradition) -Kiro Stojanov, Apostolic Exarchate of Macedonia (2005-present)
  • Russian Catholic Church (Byzantine Tradition) - Vacant
  • Albanian Catholic Church (Byzantine Tradition) - Hil Kabashi, Apostolic Administrator (1996-present)
  • Belarusian Catholic Church (Byzantine Tradition) - Sergiusz Gajek, Archimandrite, Visitator "ad nutum Sanctae Sedis" (1993-present)
  • Serbian Catholic Church (Byzantine Tradition) - Djura Džudžar, Apostolic Exarch of Serbia and Montenegro (2003-present)
  • Chaldean Catholic Church (Chaldean Tradition) - Emmanuel III Delly, Patriarch of Babylon (2003-present)
  • Syro-Malabar Catholic Church (Chaldean Tradition) - Varkey Cardinal Vithayathil, Major Archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly (1999-present)
  • Sovereign Military Order of Malta - Fra Robert Matthew Festing, Grand Master of the Order (2008-present)
  • Teutonic Knights - Bruno Platter, Grand Master of the Order (2000-present)

Catholic churches not in communion with Rome

Mariavite groups

• Catholic Mariavite Church - Beatrycze Szulgowicz (2005-present)
• Old Catholic Church of the Mariavites - Wlodzimierz Jaworski, Bishop-Primate (1997-present)

Liberal and Independent Catholic Churches

• American Catholic Church in the United States - Lawrence J. Harms, Presiding Bishop (1999-present)
• The Ancient Apostolic Communion - Anthony I, Patriarch (2002-present)
• Liberal Catholic Church International - Archbishop Charles Finn, Presiding Bishop (?-present)
• Spiritus Christi sect- Father James Callan, principal founder (?-present)
• Servants of the Good Shepherd - Bishop Protector Charles Klughart (?-present)
• Independent Catholic Orthodox Alliance - Phillip R. Kemp, Presiding Archbishop (2004-Present)

Traditionalist Catholicism

• Society of St. Pius X - Bernard Fellay, Superior General (1994-present)
• Palmarian Catholic Church - Manuel Corral considered as Pope Peter II (2005-present)

National or Regional movements

• Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church - Luis Fernando Castillo Mendez, Patriarch (1961-present)
• Polish National Catholic Church - Robert M. Nemkovich, Prime Bishop (2002-present)

Eastern Orthodox

Autocephalous

• Constantinople - Bartholomew I, Ecumenical Patriarch, Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome (1991-present)
• Alexandria - Theodore II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria, Libya, Pentapolis, Ethiopia, All Egypt and All Africa (2004-present)
• Antioch - Ignatius IV, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East (1979-present)
• Jerusalem - Theophilos III, Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and all Palestine, Syria, beyond the Jordan River, Cana of Galilee, and Holy Zion (2005-present)
• Russia - Alexius II, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia (1990-present)
• Serbia - Pavle, Archbishop of Peć, Metropolitan of Belgrade and Karlovci, and Patriarch of the Serbs (1990-present)
• Romania - Daniel, Patriarch of All Romania, Metropolitan of Wallachia and Dobrogea (2007-present)
• Bulgaria - Maxim, Patriarch of All Bulgaria and Metropolitan of Sofia (1971-present)
• Georgia - Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta and Tbilisi (1977-present)
• Cyprus - Chrysostomos II, Archbishop of Nea Justiniana and All Cyprus(2006-present)
• Greece - Hieronymos II, Archbishop of Athens and All Greece (2008-present)
• Poland - Sawa, Metropolitan of Warsaw and All Poland (1998-present)
• Albania - Anastasios, Archbishop of Tirana and All Albania (1992-present)
• Czechia and Slovakia - Christopher, Metropolitan of All Czechia and Slovakia (2006-present)
• North America (The Orthodox Church of America) - Herman, Metropolitan of All America and Canada (2002-present, The OCA's autocephaly is not currently recognized by all other autocephalous Orthodox Churches.)

Autonomous Orthodox Churches in Communion

• Orthodox Church of Mount Sinai (autonomy under Patriarchate of Jerusalem) - Damianos, Archbishop of Sinai (1973-present)
• Orthodox Church of Finland (autonomy under Ecumenical Patriarchate) - Leo, Archbishop of Karelia and All Finland (2001-present)
• Orthodox Church of Estonia (autonomy under Ecumenical Patriarchate) - Stephanos, Metropolitan of Tallinn and All Estonia (1999-present)
• Orthodox Church of Japan (autonomy under Russia) - Daniel, Metropolitan of All Japan (2000-present)
• Orthodox Church of Macedonia (Ohrid Archbishopric) - Stephen, Archbishop of Ohrid and Macedonia and Metropolitan of Skopje
• Orthodox Church of Ukraine (autonomy under Russia) - Vladimir II, Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine (1992-present)
• Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (autonomy under Russia) - Metropolitan Laurus, Metropolitan (2001-present)
• Orthodox Church of Bessarabia (autonomy under Romania) - Petru, Metropolitan (1992-present)

Schismatic Orthodox Churches not currently in Communion

• Montenegrin Orthodox Church - Mihailo, Archbishop (1997-present)
• Russian Orthodox Church Abroad -
  • Metropolitan Vitaly, Metropolitan in opposition (2001-present)
• Russian True Orthodox Church
  • Vyacheslav, Metropolitan (2000-present)
• Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church
  • Mefodiy, Metropolitan (2000-present)
• Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Kiev Patriarchate
  • Filaret, Patriarch (1995-present)

Old Believers not currently in Communion

• Pomorian Old-Orthodox Church
  • Chairman of the Council of the Pomorian Old-Orthodox Church in Russia - Oleg Ivanovich Rozanov (?-present)
  • Chairman of the Council of the Pomorian Old-Orthodox Church in Belarus - Pyotr Alexandrovich Orlov (2001-present)
  • Chairman of the Council of the Pomorian Old-Orthodox Church in Latvia - Alexy Karatayev (?-present)
  • Chairman of the Council of the Pomorian Old-Orthodox Church in Lithuania - Nikolay Pilnikov (2002-present)
  • Chairman of the Council of the Pomorian Old-Orthodox Church in Poland - Feodosy Novichenko (1993-present)
• Lipovan Orthodox Old-Rite Church - Leonty (Izotov) (1996-present)
• Russian Orthodox Old-Rite Church - Korniliy (Titov) (2005-present)
• Russian Old-Orthodox Church - A. Alexander of Novozybkov, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia (2000-present)

Oriental Orthodox

• Armenian Apostolic Church -
  • Karekin II, Catholicos of Armenia (1999-present)
  • Aram I, Catholicos of Cilicia (1995-present)
• Assyrian Church of the East - Mar Dinkha IV, Patriarch (1976-present)
• Ancient Church of the East - Mar Addai II, Patriarch (1969-present)
• Coptic Orthodox Church - Shenouda III of Alexandria, Coptic Pope (1971-present)
• Eritrean Orthodox Church -Dioskoros (2005-present) (Disputed by Patriarch Antonios, deposed by government order 2005)
• Ethiopian Orthodox Church - Abune Paulos (1992-present) (Disputed by Abune Merkorios, abdicated 1992 but then recanted abdication)
• Indian Orthodox Church - Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan - Baselius Mar Thoma Didymos I (2005-present)
  • (Note: It's Syriac Christianity, but independent from the Syriac Orthodox Church)
• Syriac Orthodox Church - Ignatius Zakka I Iwas (1980-present)

Anglican Communion

See also: List of current Anglican Primates

Provinces of the Anglican Communion

• Church of England -
  • Formal leadership - Elizabeth II, Supreme Governor of the Church of England (1952-present)
  • Effective leadership - Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury (2002-present)
• Episcopal Church in the United States of America - Also known as The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America
  • Presiding Bishop - The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori (from November 1, 2006)
  • President of the House of Deputies - The Very Rev. George L.W. Werner (2000-present)
• Anglican Church of Canada -
  • The Most Rev. Fred Hiltz, Primate (2007-present)
• Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui (Hong Kong Anglican Church)
  • Archbishop and Primate of Hong Kong - The Most Rev. Paul Kwong (2007-present)

Churches in full communion

• Old Catholic Church (Also deemed to be Catholics not in communion with Rome) - Dr. Joris Vercammen, Archbishop of Utrecht (2000-present), President of the International Old Catholic Bishops' Conference (?-present)
• Philippine Independent Church (Also deemed to be Catholics not in communion with Rome) -Godofredo J. David (2005-present), Obispo Maximo XI (Eleventh Supreme Bishop)
• Mar Thoma Church -
  • His Grace The Most Rev. Dr. Joseph Marthoma, Metropolitan (2007-present)

Protestant churches

• Assemblies of God - Thomas E. Trask, General superintendent of the Assemblies of God (1993-present)
• United Church of Canada - David Giuliano, Moderator (from August 2006)
• United Church of Christ - John H. Thomas, President and General Minister (1999-present)
• Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) - Mark Hanson, Presiding Bishop (2001-present)
• Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada -

1. Raymond Schultz, National Bishop
2. Susan Johnson

• Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church Abroad -

1. Udo Petersoo, Archbishop of Canada, (1990-2006)
2. Andres Taul, Archbishop of Canada (2007-)

• Evangelical Lutheran Church of Estonia - Andres Põder (2005-present)
• Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland - Jukka Paarma, Archbishop of Turku (1998-present)
• Evangelical Church in Germany- Barbara Rinke President of the Synod (2003-present)
• Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod - Gerald B. Kieschnick (2001-present)
• Lutheran World Federation - Mark Hanson, President (2003-present)
• Moravian Church - Angelene Swart[1], President of the Moravian Church's worldwide governing body. (November 2006-present)
• National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. - Dr. William J. Shaw, President (2003-present)
• Church of Norway - Harald V of Norway, King of Norway (1991-present)
• Presbyterian Church in Canada - the Rev. J. Mark Lewis, Moderator
• Salvation Army - Shaw Clifton, General (2006-present)
• Seventh-day Adventist Church - Jan Paulsen, President of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists (1999-present)
• Southern Baptist Convention - Frank Page, President of the Southern Baptist Convention (2006-present) [2]
• Church of Sweden - Anders Wejryd, Archbishop of Uppsala (from September 2006)
• United Methodist Church - Bishop Janice Riggle Huie, President of the Council of Bishops (2006-2008); Bishop Gregory V. Palmer (May 2008 - 2010) [3]
• Worldwide Church of God - Joseph Tkach, Jr., Pastor-General of the Worldwide Church of God (1995-present)
• Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) -

1. Karl R. Gurgel, President (1993-2007)
2. Mark Schroeder (2007-present)

Other Christian or Christian-derived faiths

• Community of Christ - Stephen M. Veazey, President (2005-present)
• Christian Science -
  • Board of Directors, J. Thomas Black, Walter Jones, Chair, Nate Talbot, Mary Trammell, Vic Westberg (2005-present)
• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church)
  • Gordon B. Hinckley, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1995-January 27, 2008)
  • Thomas S. Monson, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (January 27, 2008-present)
• General Church of the New Jerusalem (Swedenborgian) - Rt. Rev. Thomas L. Kline, Executive Bishop (?-present)
• Iglesia ni Cristo - Eraño G. Manalo (1963-present)
• Jehovah's Witnesses -
  • Governing Body of the Jehovah's Witnesses - Carey Barber (1977-present), John Barr (1977-present), Samuel Herd (1999-present), Geoffrey Jackson (2005-present), Theodore Jaracz (1974-present), Steve Lett (1999-present), Gerrit Losch (1994-present), Anthony Morris (I) (2005-present), Guy Pierce (1999-present), Albert Schroeder (1974-2006), David Splane (1999-present), Daniel Sydlik (1974-2006)
  • Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania - Don A. Adams, President (2000-present)
• Kimbanguist Church - Joseph Diangienda (1954-present)
• Members Church of God International - Bro. Eliseo F. Soriano, Presiding Minister (1977-present)
• Mita Congregation - Teofilo Vargas Sein (1970-present)
• National Council of Churches USA - Robert W. Edgar, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches USA (2000-present)
• New Apostolic Church - Wilhelm Leber, Chief Apostle of the New Apostolic Church (2005-present)
• Providence Church - Jung Myung Seok (1980-present)
• Shakers - Sister Frances Carr (acts as Eldress and Trustee if not as leader per se as the group is egalitarian) (?-present)
• Swedenborgian Church of North America - Christine Laitner, President (2003-present)
• Unification Church - Sun Myung Moon (1954-present)
• Unitarian Universalist Association - Rev. William G. Sinkford, President (2001-present)
• Universal Church of the Kingdom of God - Edir Macedo (1979-present)
• World Council of Churches - Samuel Kobia, General Secretary of the World Council of Churches (2004-present)

Islam

Shia Islam

• Muhammad al-Mahdi - the current and final Shia Imam, thought to be in occultation.
• Ayatollah Sistani - One of the Grand Ayatollah's in Iraq, considered to be the leading Shia religious authority.
• Ayatollah Ali Khamenei - The Supreme Leader of Iran and officially the Spiritual Leader of Hezbollah.
• Ayatollah Fadlallah - The only Grand Ayatollah in Lebanon. Often thought to be the spiritual leader of Hezbollah, a claim that Fadlallah and Hezbollah deny.
• Ayatollah Montazeri - The one-time successor of Ruhollah Khomeini, currently under house arrest.
• Ayatollah Bashir Najafi - One of the important Grand Ayatollah's in Iraq. Originally from Pakistan, he has spent almost his entire life in An-Najaf.
• Hasan Nasrallah, the current Secretary-General of Hezbollah.
• Bektashi Community - Haxhi Reshat Bardhi Dedebaba (1993-present)
• Ayatollah Muhammad Hussain Najafi - The only Marja in Pakistan.
• Allama Talib Jauhri - A leading and influential scholar in Pakistan.
• Maulana Sadiq Hasan - A leading and influential religious scholar in Pakistan known for his speciality in Fiqh.
• Kalbe Sadiq - Leading Shia cleric in India and the vice-president of the All India personal Muslim Law Board.
• Kalbe Jawad - A leading cleric in India.
• Professor Abdul Hakeem - A leading and influential scholar in Pakistan.
• Maulana Taqi Mehdavi - A young and a promising religious scholar in Karachi, Pakistan.

Sunni Islam

Note: It is important to mention Sunni Islam has no leaders as the term is understood in the Christian world. There is currently no caliph. Even when the caliphate was active it was not equivalent to a "Pope" or "Dalai Lama". In fact such a thing could well be deemed shirk in orthodox Sunni circles. The following people are mentioned to add Sunni content as they are leading figures.

• Al-Azhar Universityالأزهر الشريف - Muhammad Sayid Tantawy, Imam (?-present)
• Egyptian Muslim Scholar- Shaikh al-Islam Yusuf al-Qaradawi
• Jerusalem - Sheikh Ekrima Sa'id Sabri, Grand Mufti of Jerusalem (As a Grand Mufti he has a degree of legal authority in Sunni Islam without being its leader) (?-present)
• Egypt - Shaikh Ali Gomaa, Grand Mufti of Arab Republic of Egypt (?-present)
• Pakistan - Shaikh Muhammad Rafi Usmani, Grand Mufti of Islamic Republic of Pakistan (?-present)
• Saudi Arabia - Shaikh Abdul-Azeez ibn Abdullaah Aal ash-Shaikh, Grand Mufti of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (?-present)
• Tunisia - Shaikh Kamal-u-Din Ja'eit, Grand Mufti of Tunisia (?-present)
• Uzbekistan - Shaikh Abdurahman Bakhromov, Grand Mufti of Uzbekistan (?-present)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina - Shaikh Mustafa Ef. Cerić, Grand Mufti of Bosnia and Herzegovina (?-present)
• Russia - Shaikh Ravil Gainutdin, Grand Mufti of Russian Federation (?-present)
• France - Shaikh Soheib Bencheikh, Grand Mufti of France (?-present)

Islam: Ismaili, Ahmadiyya, Druze and others

• Ahmadiyya Muslim Community - Khalifatul Masih V (2003-present)
• Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement - Dr. Abdul Karim Saeed Pasha (2002–present)
• Dawoodi Bohras - Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (1965-present)

Islam or Islam derived

• Nation of Islam - Louis Farrakhan (1978-present)

Jainism

• Federation of Jain Associations in North America - Mr. Anop R. Vora, President (?-present)
• Terapanthi Jains- H. H. Acharya Mahaprajna (1995-present)

Judaism

• World Jewish Congress - Ronald S. Lauder (2007-present)
• Israel (Ashkenazi) - Yona Metzger, Chief Rabbi (2003-present)
• Israel (Sephardic) - Shlomo Amar, Chief Rabbi (2003-present)
• Turkey - Isak Haleva, Chief Rabbi (2002-present)
• United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth - Sir Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi (1991-present)
• Israeli - Leader of the Orthodox Ashkenazi Haredi non-Hasidic ("Lithuanian Jews") - Rabbi Yosef Shalom Eliashiv (?-present)
• Orthodox Union - Stephen J. Savitsky, President of Lay Leadership (2004-present)
• Rabbinical Assembly (Conservative Judaism) - Rabbi Perry Raphael Rank, President (?-present)
• Rabbinical Council of America (Orthodox Judaism) - Rabbi Dale Polakoff (?-present)
• Samaritan - Elazar ben Tsedaka, High Priest (2004-present)
• Yeshiva University- Richard M. Joel, President
• Union for Reform Judaism - Eric Yoffie, President (1996-present)
• Cyprus - Arie Zeev Raskin, Chief Rabbi (2005-present)

Note: As with Islam these leaders may not necessarily have that much authority, it varies from group to group.

Sikhism

• Sikhism - Joginder Singh Vedanti, leading figure (as the current Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib)

Other

Bahá'í

• Bahá'í Faith - Universal House of Justice

Western origin

• Mandaeanism - Satar Jabar Helo (?-present)
• Yazidi - Prince Tahsin Sayid Beg
• W.A.P.I. Zoroastrians (Iranian Zoroastrians) - Areez P. Khambatta, Presdident
• Bombay Parsi Punchayat (Zoroastrian, generally orthodox) - Minoo Shroff, President (2003?-present)
• World Zoroastrian Organization - Sammy H. Bhiwandiwalla, Chairman (2004-present)

Indian subcontinent origin

Ramakrishna Mission

• Swami Gahanananda, 14th President (2005-2007)
• Swami Atmasthananda, 15th President (2007-present)

New Religions

Some of these new religions are classified as "sects" in several countries.

Eastern or Hindu derived

• Falun Gong - Li Hongzhi, Foundator (1992-present)
• Sathya Sai Baba - Sathya Sai Baba (?-present)
• Rissho Kosei Kai - Nichiko Niwano, President (?-present)
• Soka Gakkai - Minoru Harada (2006-present)

Speculative science derived

• Scientology -
  • David Miscavige, [4] President of the Religious Technology Center (1982-present), "highest ecclesiastical official of the Scientology religion" (1986-present)
  • Heber Jentzsch, [5] official president of the Church of Scientology (1982-present)

Other

• Universal Life Church - Andre Hensley, President (2006 - present)

External links

• http://www.rulers.org/relig.html
• http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/
• http://www.faswebdesign.com/ECPA/ (Eastern Catholic Churches)
• Template:Fr icon http://www.eleves.ens.fr/home/sray/seca/ (Byzantine structures and Oriental Catholic Churches)
• http://home.wanadoo.nl/arjen.nandita2/uhj-members-timeline.htm (Baha´i Faith, Timeline of members of the Universal House of Justice)
• http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=197 (Bogdo Gegeen)
• http://www.zanabazar.mn/Life/javzandamba.html (Bogdo Gegeen)
• Template:Fr icon http://www.orthodoxie.com
• http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org