Research Interests

New Religious Movements, Self-Inquiry, Eastern Contemplative Traditions, Spiritual Teachers, Meeting of East and West in Intellectual History, Western Esotericism, J. Krishnamurti, G.I. Gurdjieff

Biography

Constance A. Jones, Ph.D. is a sociologist of religion who joined CIIS in 1994, having taught at several colleges and theology schools. Beginning with her doctoral dissertation on the caste system in India, she has pursued a long interest in the cultures and religions of the East, including the adoption of Hindu and Buddhist beliefs and practices in the West. She researches spiritual teachers as well as the evolution of new religious movements around the world.

Throughout her career in higher education, she has helped establish women’s studies departments and curricula in several colleges and has published research on women’s status in India and feminist methods.

She has been a member of a multidisciplinary team of scholars that investigates new religious movements around the world and has published articles on movements that are based on Eastern religious belief and practice.

At present, Constance has a book, Krishnamurti: Self-Inquiry, Awakening, and Transformation, in press with Cambridge University Press. In this volume she outlines the life and teaching of the enigmatic 20th century philosopher and teacher J. Krishnamurti.

She serves in scholarly positions with the Gurdjieff Institute for the Harmonious Development of Man (2017- present) Tbilisi, GEORGIA and the Publications Committee of the Krishnamurti Foundation of America (2018-present), Ojai, CA.

Education

Ph.D. Emory University

Post-Doctoral Fellow, Graduate Theological Union, University of California Berkeley

M.A. Vanderbilt University

B.A. Vanderbilt University

Awards and Distinctions

Fulbright Scholar, Krishnamurti Research Center and Banares Hindu University, Varanasi, India

Visiting Scholar, Department of Religious Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara

Visiting Scholar, Program for the Study of New Religious Movements in America, Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley

"Highest Honors" awarded dissertation, Emory University

Public Health Service Fellow (National Institutes of Mental Health), Emory University

Ford Foundation Fellow, Vanderbilt University

Courses

J. Krishnamurti, Bohmian Dialogue, and Inquiry

Self-Inquiry

Introduction to Eastern Systems of Contemplation

Self, Society, and Transformation

Qualitative Methodologies

Publications

Books

Jones, Constance A. (In Press). Krishnamurti: Self-Inquiry, Awakening, and Transformation. London: Cambridge University.

Jones, Constance A. (2007). Encyclopedia of Hinduism. With J.D. Ryan. New York: Facts-on-File Press.

Jones, Constance A. (2005). G.I. Gurdjieff e la sua eredita. [The Legacy of G.I. Gurdjieff]. Torino, Italy: Elli-Di-Ci Press.

Articles and Presentations

(complete list here)

Jones, Constance A. (2023) “The Experience of Joy” ReVision. Fall, 2023.

Jones, Constance A. (2022). “Gurdjieff as Integral Philosopher” in Proceedings of Gurdjieff International Conference III. Tbilisi: Rustaveli Theatre.

Jones, Constance A. (2022). “New Thought and its Famous Practitioner Terry Cole-Whittaker” in Spiritual Diversity in San Diego. San Diego State University. Forthcoming

Jones, Constance A. (2019). Gnostic Themes in the “Work” of Gurdjieff. 100 Year Anniversary of Gurdjieff’s Institute for the Harmonious Development of Man. Tbilisi, GEORGIA ISBN 978-9941-9165-3-3© SCF, ARI, GIT, 2019

Jones, Constance A. (2019). Translator and Moderator “Gurdjieff’s Psycho-Spirituality” 100 Year Anniversary of Gurdjieff’s Institute for the Harmonious Development of Man. Tbilisi, GEORGIA ISBN 978-9941-9165-3-3© SCF, ARI, GIT, 2019

Jones, Constance A. (2018). Gnostic Sensibilities in Gurdjieff’s “Work” in Garry Trompf, Jay Johnston and Gunner Mikkelsen (eds.) The Gnostic World. Abingdon, U.K.: Routledge.

Jones, Constance A. (2017). Assistant Editor of J. G. Melton, J. Beverley, C. A. Jones, and P.S. Nadell, Melton’s Encyclopedia of American Religions. Ninth Edition. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Publishing.

Jones, Constance A. (2015) “Spiritism.” in Matt Cardin (ed.) Ghosts, Spirits, and Psychics: The Paranormal from Alchemy to Zombies. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. Pp. 300-303.

Jones, Constance A. (2015) “ Chapter 14: Techniqueless Meditation: J. Krishnamurti’s This Light in Oneself.” In Contemplative Literature: A Comparative Sourcebook on Meditation and Contemplative Prayer. L. Komjathy (Ed.). Albany, NY: SUNY. Pp. 645-702.

Jones, Constance A. (2022) “Gurdjieff as Integral Philosopher” Gurdjieff International Conference III: Gurdjieff, Steiner, Dalcroze, and Non-Traditional Practices in the Performing Arts. Tbilisi: Rustaveli Theatre. October 15, 2022.

Jones, Constance A. (2022) “New Thought and its Famous Practitioner Terry Cole-Whittaker” in Spiritual Diversity in San Diego Conferenece, San Diego State University. October 6, 2022.

Jones, Constance A. (2019) Gnostic Sensibilities in the “Work” of Gurdjieff. 100 Year Anniversary of Gurdjieff’s Institute for the Harmonious Development of Man. Tbilisi, GEORGIA

Jones, Constance A. (2019) Translator and Moderator “Gurdjieff’s Psycho-Spirituality” 100 Year Anniversary of Gurdjieff’s Institute for the Harmonious Development of Man. Tbilisi, GEORGIA

Jones, Constance A. (2019) Gnostic Sensibilities in the “Work” of Gurdjieff. 100 Year Anniversary of Gurdjieff’s Institute for the Harmonious Development of Man. Tbilisi, GEORGIA

Jones, Constance A. (2019) Translator and Moderator “Gurdjieff’s Psycho-Spirituality” 100 Year Anniversary of Gurdjieff’s Institute for the Harmonious Development of Man. Tbilisi, GEORGIA

“Spiritism in the United States: A Developing Denomination” CESNUR annual meeting, Jerusalem, July, 2017.

Scholarly Positions

Assistant Editor of Melton’s Encyclopedia of American Religions for Eighth through Tenth editions, Gale Publishing

International Advisory Board, Gurdjieff Institute for the Harmonious Development of Man (2017- present) Tbilisi, GEORGIA

Publications Committee, Krishnamurti Foundation of America, (2018-present), Ojai, CA