Raymond Ervin Cain Jr., PhD, is the founder and chief executive officer of the Institute for Studies in Practical Spirituality Inc., a nonsectarian spiritual organism that promotes universal life principles designed to foster peaceful evolution and spiritual unfoldment.
A Promise Kept
“My mother told me that before I was conceived, her doctors had told her that she could never have children again and that if she got pregnant, it would kill her,” Dr. Cain said. His mother’s response was to recite the prayer of Hannah from 1st Samuel in the Old Testament of the Bible, “Lord, if you let me have this one child, I will give this one to you.”
After losing two other children and experiencing several miscarriages, Dr. Cain’s mother gave birth to him. The mother and son were close throughout the rest of her life, and she lived to see her prayer fulfilled.
Years later, at the age of 17, Dr. Cain joined the Navy. He was enjoying libations one night at a base club with his friends when he felt a pull, a powerful urge to seek a higher calling. He had been brought up in the church and was well-acquainted with the Bible, but this sudden inspiration was a “transformative moment.”
Dr. Cain consulted with a great aunt, who shared that there had been a minister in the family, Uncle Buddy, in the early 1930s. Perhaps this “higher calling” may be the call to preach. This fueled his determination to actively pursue this divine call. At the age of 21, Dr. Cain preached his first sermon. In December of 1976, he became a minister, fulfilling his mother’s promise.
In 1985, Dr. Cain had the profound honor of being ordained in the historic African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church (Zion), often referred to as “The Freedom Church.” This church, founded in 1796, holds a significant place in American history as one of the oldest institutions serving the African American community in the United States. Zion was pivotal in advocating for civil rights and social justice, providing spiritual guidance and community support to marginalized groups throughout its long history. Dr. Cain’s ordination within this storied church signifies a personal milestone in his ministry and a continuation of the church’s legacy of empowerment, resilience, and faith in the face of adversity.
The story of James Varick, the founder of Zion Methodism, heavily influenced Dr. Cain. During the 1790s, descendants of Africa, especially ministers, were not regarded as equals. Therefore, Varick left the St. John Methodist Church and established “Mother Zion” Church in Harlem, New York. One of the noblest qualities of Zion Methodism is its emphasis on higher education.
So, Dr. Cain followed suit. In the early 1990s, he received a Bachelor of Science in industrial technology and a Master of Arts, with special recognition in graduate studies, in industrial and technical studies from California State University, Los Angeles. He earned a PhD in career and technical education from the University of Missouri (Mizzou) in 2001. He is also a certified commercial pilot and certified ground instructor.
Focusing on Universal Life Principles
Dr. Cain has turned his full attention to the Institute for Studies in Practical Spirituality, Inc., which he considers the most significant accomplishment of his life. The Institute fosters the learning of universal spiritual principles in the New Thought tradition, which inspire, deepen, and strengthen both intuitive knowledge and spiritual understanding in pragmatic, demonstrable ways. He is a devoted practitioner of what he conveys and attributes his success to his spiritual practices and, of course, God. He desires the Institute to be a preeminent center for studies in spiritual growth and peaceful evolution.
“Intellect is a wonderful thing, but intellect, many times, leads us into places we don’t want to go. I encourage people to trust their intuition and to have faith in themselves and God to accomplish the impossible. And under no circumstances should you ever give up. The success many folks are looking for is just a page away, and we stop reading on the page before,” Dr. Cain said.
