Brother XII: The Strange Odyssey of a 20th-century Prophet

John Oliphant is a graduate of the University of British Columbia, where he majored in English literature, history, and religious studies. He first heard the story of Brother XII while sailing in British Columbia’s Gulf Islands, and was immediately fascinated due to his long-time interest in the occult. He was the first person to determine Brother XII’s date and place of birth, and to obtain information about his background and early life. During the course of his research, he befriended a number of Brother XII’s former disciples, who shared their secrets of life at the colony with him; he also joined the Theosophical Society, so that he could better understand Brother XII’s teachings and the milieu from which he emerged. He also investigated first-hand the mystery of Brother XII’s alleged death in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, in 1934.

A freelance editor and former professional photographer, Oliphant has written for a variety of publications, including The Vancouver Sun, Reader’s Digest, and Hong Kong Life, having worked for a number of years in Hong Kong for a corporate communications company. He has an active interest in the UFO phenomenon and in past-life exploration. At present, he lives in Vancouver.